Route across south-central England
Planning our June/July trip, we need to head roughly NE to SW across from Sandringham to Gloucester/Cotswolds area, but most main routes look to be north/south. Any help with the best route, and places to avoid would be appreciated as we are not familiar with the area.
Is the journey do-able in one day.....max 250 miles or 5 hours driving plus lunch break? We will be travelling on a Thursday at the end of June.
If a stop is advisable, we have plenty of time so could make it a 3 night stop if an interesting area.
Site suggestions also welcome, must have bookable hard standings. CL, CS or small site preferred. Toilet/shower not required.
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Lovely CL for Moreton in Marsh area K…….Pebbly Barn Farm. You can use HS area, but we had no problems whatsoever in heavy rain on the beautiful grass paddocks. Very firm under wheel. A mile from centre of Moreton. One of best CLs we have ever stayed on.👍
Route wise…🤔 I would say you are looking at A47 towards Peterborough, around P to Leicester, get onto M69, this becomes A46, then at the big Warwick roundabout take the A429, which is the Fosse Way, which will take you right through Cotswolds (Moreton, Stow, Cirencester) Not familiar with A47, but we do know route from Leicester onwards very well, it’s our oft used route to SW. M69 around Coventry is a good road, seldom busy outside of peak times, ditto with A46. Lots of opportunities to get off for a break, even with a van in tow. A429 is single carriageway, with some swoops and bends, but very popular as a vanning route. Has numerous big lay-bys for a break, you do get the odd tractor and classic car convoy, but it’s that kind of road, a very interesting drive. Moreton is a good base if you enjoy NT properties, some of the best gardens in UK, and Roman villas. All the towns are lovely (although usually swarming with overseas visitors, especially Japanese).
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Can also recommend ‘Old Farm’ CS. Level footpath across fields to Moreton-in-Marsh about 1 mile. Excellent farm shop on site with great sausages and local produce, meat & beers etc. No dogs.
Tudor Caravan Park near Slimbridge Wetland Trust (walkable) on the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal is also recommended.
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We stayed B&B at New Farm, next door SB. As you say, lovely place.
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Kj
As far as the route is concerned Google Maps suggest Sandringham/Peterborough then A605 to Thrapston where you join the A14 to the M6 then picking up M42 south to join the M5 to Gloucester. This route is 176 miles. You could avoid the M42 and most of the M5 by leaving the M6 north of Coventry and using the A46 down to Tewksbury with the final bit of the trip down the A5. This would be slightly shorter but might not be as quick.
David
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It's definitely doable in one day.
Last year we did North Norfolk to Cornwall in one go and have previously done the same when towing.
The worst congestion was around the M4/M5 interchange at Bristol but you'll not go near that.
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Thanks, have tried 3 times now to post a reply, this site is becoming almost useless these days!
I should have said that from say M in M we would be heading west to Hereford, then north via Ludlow to visit friends in North Wales.
I also found that route David, but it did not find favour with OH as we have gone that way before when heading onward to the south.Is there a reasonable more southerly route, even if it is longer and slower, that would be more "cross country" and take us to new areas? Maybe even going almost as far south as Oxford?
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Kj
Yes you could do that. Sandringham to Peterborough then join the A1 south to St Neots. At the Black Cat roundabout take the A421 towards Bedford and MK to the M1 at junction 13. There are two choices, either head north to junction 14 and follow the A 422 to Buckingham or rather than joining the motorway take the A421 through MK to Buckingham. The latter is probably the better and shorter route. From Buckingham continue to Bicester, you can bypass the town by going left or right. Continue to Oxford and take A40/A436 to Gloucester. If you are looking for stopping places there are some good laybys on the A1 to M1 section of the route. Not so good south of Bicester as the A34 is a busy road. Unfortunately the Peartree Services at Oxford don't accept lorries or caravans, a motorhome you might squeeze in. The distance is probably a few miles less that going via Birmingham.
David
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Jim
You basically skirting around the south of MK. Ok there are roundabouts (It wouldn't be Milton Keynes without roundabouts
) but they are all spacious, not tight little things you get elsewhere! I have had a look at your route. Having used that route many times over the years I would suggest one minor change. Rather than going through Clifton and Deddington I would take the B4100 from Aynho to Adderbury and then turn down the A4260 to Deddington as if can be difficult with a long twin axle through Deddington. Just south of Adderbury there is a nice layby where you can buy a nice coffee from Buzzy Beans. David
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