St Ives to Looe

dinglebin
dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
edited July 2016 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Just wondering which route is best from a towing persepctive when travelling between St Ives and Looe?  Options appear to be either A30/A38 or A30/A390/A38.  Ive never used the A390 before and like to travel down unchartered roads but would appreciate some
advice.  Thanks

Comments

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #2

    oops / edit Do you mean Bodmin to Looe? If so it's fine and a well used route.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #3

    oops / edit 

    Sorry your post has confused me. 

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #4

    Depends on which Looe you are going to- East or West?

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #5

    I've corrected it now, hope it makes sense.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #6

    Depends on which Looe you are going to- East or West?

    Caravan Club Site East Looe.  Both routes I've suggested would take me to East Looe though wouldn't they?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #7

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #8

    I got the two St Ives mixed up and I agree with Tinwheeler. Smile

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #9

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #10

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

    You could have been coming from either direction!

    You seem to have checked it pretty well and found all the major roads so I wonder why you asked. It's entirely up to you whether you follow my suggested route or not. 

    I omitted to say earlier that Looe via the B3359 is signed from the A390.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #11

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

    You could have been coming from either direction!

    You seem to have checked it pretty well and found all the major roads so I wonder why you asked. It's entirely up to you whether you follow my suggested route or not. 

     

    I was just after some clarity as your suggested route didn't seem as direct as just staying on the A30 and joining the A38 and was wondering if there was a particular reason you suggested doing that?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #12

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

    You could have been coming from either direction!

    You seem to have checked it pretty well and found all the major roads so I wonder why you asked. It's entirely up to you whether you follow my suggested route or not. 

     

    I was just after some clarity as your suggested route didn't seem as direct as just staying on the A30 and joining the A38 and was wondering if there was a particular reason you suggested doing that?

    Maybe because I live here and in my opinion that is the easiest towing route. It's your choice.

    See also the edit in my previous post.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #13

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

    You could have been coming from either direction!

    You seem to have checked it pretty well and found all the major roads so I wonder why you asked. It's entirely up to you whether you follow my suggested route or not. 

     

    I was just after some clarity as your suggested route didn't seem as direct as just staying on the A30 and joining the A38 and was wondering if there was a particular reason you suggested doing that?

    Maybe because I live here and in my opinion that is the easiest towing route. It's your choice.

    See also the edit in my previous post.

    Thanks.  Yes I'd picked up from your Avatar that you were from Cornwall.  Is there a particular reason why the A30/A38/B3359 is a more difficult towing route compared to the route you have suggested?  Again I was just after some clarity as the route you
    are suggesting is twice as far in distance/travelling time.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #14

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    If it's the Cornish St Ives, A30 / A391 / A390. The roads are fine for towing and use of the A391 avoids the congestion in Truro.

    Was hoping the A roads I suggested would indicate it was St Ives in Cornwall.  Thanks for your suggestion.  Wouldn't it be easier to stay on the A30 and join the A38 at Bodmin instead of  heading south on the A391 and then north on the A390?

    You could have been coming from either direction!

    You seem to have checked it pretty well and found all the major roads so I wonder why you asked. It's entirely up to you whether you follow my suggested route or not. 

     

    I was just after some clarity as your suggested route didn't seem as direct as just staying on the A30 and joining the A38 and was wondering if there was a particular reason you suggested doing that?

    Maybe because I live here and in my opinion that is the easiest towing route. It's your choice.

    See also the edit in my previous post.

    Thanks.  Yes I'd picked up from your Avatar that you were from Cornwall.  Is there a particular reason why the A30/A38/B3359 is a more difficult towing route compared to the route you have suggested?  Again I was just after some clarity as the route you
    are suggesting is twice as far in distance/travelling time.

    It is not twice as far. It is more direct. The B3359 would not be used from the A38. The A38 between Bodmin and Dobwalls is not ideal. The A38 junction with the Looe road is accident prone. 

    I'm surprised you keep querying my advice as you noticed I'm from Cornwall but please yourself as its a free country.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #15

    Maybe I have confused your route.  Did you suggest A30 to A391 to A390 to the junction of B3359?  The route planner indicates that from the junction of the A30/A391 that it would take approx 40mins to reach the B3359.  From the same starting point at the
    junction of the A30/A391 if you stayed on the A30 to A38 to A390 to B3359 it would only take approx 20mins (half the time). However, I'll also bare in mind the dangers you've alerted me to when choosing my preferred route.  Thanks for the tips.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #16

    You are correct in your second sentence.

    The trouble with route planners is that they don't tow.

     

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #17

    I would go A30/A38 to Trerulefoot Roundabout then A374/A387 to site.

    I would only use the A391 if A30 Bodmin By Pass had queues-there are roadworks on the A30 at Bodmin Moor currently-and whichever route you use to the B3359 you are going to have to cross Looe river.

    You could turn off the A38 closer to Liskeard, sat nav would likely suggest this,but for towing I would stick with the above.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #18

    I would go A30/A38 to Trerulefoot Roundabout then A374/A387 to site.

    I would only use the A391 if A30 Bodmin By Pass had queues-there are roadworks on the A30 at Bodmin Moor currently-and whichever route you use to the B3359 you are going to have to cross Looe river.

    You could turn off the A38 closer to Liskeard, sat nav would likely suggest this,but for towing I would stick with the above.

    Thanks For the advice. That definitely sounds like the most direct route. Would you avoid the A390 because it takes you through Truro and St Austell? Thanks for letting me know about the roadworks too. If the traffic hasn't built up before the A391 turning
    would you stay on the A30? Like you've suggested I think if I took the A391 I'd pick up the A38 and avoid the B3359 as I can imagine it can get quite tricky crossing Looe river plus it means less time spent on a B road. My only concen is that TW has stated
    that the A38 between Bodmin and Dobwalls is not ideal. Thanks again

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #19

    I assume you mean St Ives in Cornwall rather than St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

    or Dorset. Wink

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #20

    I would go A30/A38 to Trerulefoot Roundabout then A374/A387 to site.

    Thanks For the advice. That definitely sounds like the most direct route. Would you avoid the A390 because it takes you through Truro and St Austell? Thanks for letting me know about the roadworks too. If the traffic hasn't built up before the A391 turning would you stay on the A30? Like you've suggested I think if I took the A391 I'd pick up the A38 and avoid the B3359 as I can imagine it can get quite tricky crossing Looe river plus it means less time spent on a B road. My only concen is that TW has stated that the A38 between Bodmin and Dobwalls is not ideal. Thanks again

    The route is my choice, and for a number of reasons, but like any trip in Cornwall in the summer at busy times it is a bit of a lottery. I can think of no reason to use the A390, unless the A30 was very seriously affected, but of course even if using Traffic Info,local radio etc, you can get caught out.

    The Highways Agency say that the roadworks will be altered to improve flow during the peak months but my expierience is that the most likley place to hit queues on the A30 is around the A38 turn off,but the A390 can be awful even in periods of 'normal' traffic.I avoid the A390 at all times and take a route that is app 15 miles longer to do so with little, if any affect on my journey time,I would also need to use a car ferry which of course adds to the travel time, but its the St Austell area that is aprticularly bad.

    In regard to the A38 it is perfectly OK for towing but others may have had different experiences.

    The key thing, apart from all the above from all posters, is to time your journey to avoid peak flows. I would not travel this route on a Saturday unless very early or late, and unless problems along the route, such as the roadworks, cause tailbacks then midday ish is usually quieter.

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #21

    Thanks for the very useful advice. I'll definitely bare your comments in mind when we're travelling around that area. Much appreciated.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #22

    You have conflicting advice. As I keep saying, do your own thing with the aid of a map. 

  • dinglebin
    dinglebin Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited July 2016 #23

    Yes, it would appear so but I've made my mind up which advice I'll be following. Thanks for your input.

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