Shaftsbury to Blandford Forum

Briang
Briang Club Member Posts: 670 ✭✭✭
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edited January 2019 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

As the title says. 

Has anybody towed a caravan on this road it is a minor dual width road with a couple of narrower bits after looking at Goole Earth. Map below.

 

Comments

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #2

    As long as you don't take a wrong turning via Zig Zag hill over Cranborne Chase you should be ok. smile

  • DaveCyn
    DaveCyn Club Member Posts: 339 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #3

    The good old A350. That section of it operates a one way system for HGV's. Southbound they get diverted off onto a B road. 

    It is narrow & twisty in places with some very sharp corners. Having said that we've towed the van along it in both directions on many occasions. Just treat it with respect & no problem.

  • Briang
    Briang Club Member Posts: 670 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #4

    Thanks for your comments the new A350 is narrow in quite a few places with some very tight 90 degree corners. Is this a better road than the old A350

    We normally go down the M5 and across to illminster, Yeovil and Dorchester to Hunters Moon it is approx. 30 miles further but a very good road. 

    Just wondering whether to continue this way or try the old A350.

    Brian 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #5

    If the Dorchester option is part of your route I'd stick with that and continue on the A37/A35/A354. We live south of Yeovil and these roads are fine for towing. There have been road improvements through Yeovil which are nearly finished, most of the traffic islands have gone and the approaches to Dorchester have been widened using traffic lights. Hope you have a good trip.

  • DaveCyn
    DaveCyn Club Member Posts: 339 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #6

    Only you can decide which way to go.

    All I'll say is it's quite feasible to tow a caravan down the A350 if you treat it with respect.

     

     

  • Vanbirds68
    Vanbirds68 Forum Participant Posts: 149
    edited January 2019 #7

    This is perfectly doable with your caravan. It is narrow in places but HGV’s do it, there are traffic lights in the v narrow bits. Certainly a better route than the A350 which is horrid. 

     

     

     

     

  • JayOutdoors
    JayOutdoors Forum Participant Posts: 572
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    edited January 2019 #8

    As said the A350 going through Iwerne Minster & the road marked on your map going through Melbury Abbas is at present advising HGv’s to go one way North & the other South.  The bit through Melbury Abbas has tight narrow bends with 1 set of traffic lights & vehicles have been known to get stuck in the village as not all adhere to the advice.  It also has a fair uphill gradient out of Melbury Abbas travelling north to south.  Whichever way you choose enjoy your time away.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited January 2019 #9

    Do I understand your question correctly, are you asking about the A350, which is ok to tow a caravan with care in a few places or the minor road runnining parralell to it, which for 90% of the route is ok, but the first couple of miles are hair raising if you meet anything coming through the village at the shaftsbury end of the route.

    I did it once, but had a lorry leading me through, probably would not chance again in case of the need to reverse through the village area.

  • Briang
    Briang Club Member Posts: 670 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #10

    Thank you all for your comments I have used the A350 but it is a little scary if you meet a HGV on one of the narrower sections, who goes back??

    I will stick with the longer route via illminster, Yeovil and Dorchester 

    Once again thank you for your comments.

    Brian.

  • biggsy
    biggsy Forum Participant Posts: 54
    edited January 2019 #11

    I've done this road in October can be scary longer route but better is take the road to blandfordvia Salisbury 

  • biggsy
    biggsy Forum Participant Posts: 54
    edited January 2019 #12

    Bradford should be blandford

  • biggsy
    biggsy Forum Participant Posts: 54
    edited January 2019 #13

    Bradford should be blandford

  • Briang
    Briang Club Member Posts: 670 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #14

    We are coming from the M4 My previous post


    We normally go down the M5 and across to illminster, Yeovil and Dorchester to Hunters Moon it is approx. 30 miles further but a very good road.
    Just wondering whether to continue this way or try the old A350.
    Brian

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #15

    Briang, if you're actually on the M4 I wouldn't bother going to the Bristol junction and all the possible congestion round there I'd head down the A350. If you don't like it you can always return via the M5 route. 

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2019 #16

    if you're anywhere east of Swindon on the M4, then the A34, M3, M27, A31 looks good.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2019 #17

    From Warminster, the A36 to Salisbury and then the A354 to Blandford might be less of a detour to the other suggested routes. Salisbury can be a bit of a bottleneck though.