Overnight Stop

[riyadhcrew]

We pick up our next boat on Friday the 22nd July from NBD in Wroxham and will be driving down from Fife, which is an 8 to 10 hour drive. I have decided that I don't want to be tired when we get to the boat, so I've just booked us into the Wayford Bridge Inn for the Thursday night. A couple of beers, a good dinner and a good night's sleep, followed by a good breakfast and a short drive into Wroxham in the morning and we will be ready for anything. 

[BroadScot]

Hi Eric,

I too am booked for four nights there next month for the Spring Meet. Between deebee and myself, we should be able to give you an idea how the new A1M upgrade is going on, and what delays if any.

I am stopping off at Sleaford on my way down, 300 miles is enough these days to do in one go.

Iain

[riyadhcrew]

Hi Iain,

Any news on the roads will be a help. I'm thinking of going down the M74 and across the A66 this time, instead of all the way down the A1. What do you think?

[TheQ]

That's  definitely a tiring journey, I'm heading up to west lothian on 15th June back a week later, a month later I'll be doing the same again but the return journey will be the next day. These days I have to park up somewhere enroute for a half hour snooze. The worst will be the A17 as usual, watch out for the new speed cameras between Sutton bridge and kings lynn

[BroadScot]

Hi Eric,

I too shall be going via the M74 and A66. There were long term roadworks on the A66 last October, may be completed now. Its the big upgrade near Scotch Corner down to Leaming Bar Services, that has a speed restriction on it.

Hopefully Dave (deebee) will update us soon, when he travels down to at the Broads. Thank you TheQ, TomTom warns me of the dreaded speed cameras.

Iain

[riyadhcrew]

Hi Q,

The last time I did it, I left Kirkcaldy at 3.00am and when I reached Stalham, I was absolutely beat. Was nodding my head on the boat before we reached Ludham Bridge. It took a couple of golden coldies to keep me awake until Acle. 

[TheQ]

You probably had a quicker journey than my last one, we cut across to the border to visit Alnwick very quickly unfortunately it was an English bank holiday From Newcastle onwards we never hit 70 rarely hit 60 the total traveling time excluding the stop was 11 hours. 

[BroadScot]

Trouble is TheQ, there are lots of 60mph streaches on that part of the A1 with sneeky speed cameras too! Alnwick Gardens I was very impressed with, when went there a few years ago. 

Iain

[TheQ]

I've never visited Alnwick  castle or the grounds, that's the problem with living there, you don't go to visit local attractions. Yep yet another bit of the country we've lived at, we just had a stop, a cup of coffee, a quick wander round the town centre and then set off again

[deebee29]

Hi all

we'll be heading down next weekend so will let you know how things are going south of Scotch Corner.

We are leaving the tech behind and having a relaxing holiday but will let you know when we get back.

Alnwick Castle & gardens is well worth a visit although I've not been for about 5 years or more.

[JonC]

Crikey, that makes my 2.5 hr drive look pathetic. We did Skye to Kent the other year, and were really glad that we split it, to be honest wish we had done it over 3 days.

[TheQ]

The longest I've ever done (30 years ago), was Benbecula to Loch Boisdale, ferry to Oban via Barra , drove from there to Letchworth, dropped someone off and from there to the broads. Not something I'd contemplate these days without a long stop somewhere

[alexandlorna]

We generally make this journey every second week and although we live alongside the M74 near Hamilton, thus making the M74/A66 route the logical choice , we have also made the trip to and from Dunfermline in Fife.

There are a few options which could be considered, but horrendous road works abound on many routes before you even leave Scotland

We find the journey from Fife to Scotch Corner down theA1, extremly tedious ,seemingly going on forever , however attemping to go down the M74 route will take you across the Forth Bridge ,with its average speed cameras, then on to the M8 , which again has various ongoing road works and ave speed cameras, finally to join the M74 you must negotiate the nightmare that is jct 5 on the M74 : then you can start heading South!!!

So really for us its about where you start from, and personally we would always use the A1 from Fife and grin and bear the speed limits/cameras

I have been booked for three times on the A66 and have attended speed awareness courses for my trouble, so now the best we can manage is around 7 hours ( usually 7 1/2) to Ludham from Hamilton 

I would reckon you would need to factor another 11/2 , maybe 2 hours on top of that , coming across to the M74 at jct5

If you want any updates nearer the time , feel free to pm us , and if you invent teleportation before then give us a shout☺

 

 

[riyadhcrew]

I will be leaving Kirkcaldy in July to go to Wroxham. I am still trying to decide whether to do the Edinburgh city bypass and the A1, or the M8 and the M74/A66. Think I will make the decision much closer to the time.

[Broadsword]

40 minutes, door to deck

 

[riyadhcrew]

Danny,

I wish. Normally, if I can do door to deck in 18 hours, I am happy.

[diesel falcon]

2.5 hours............at moment................soon less than 5 minutes..........

[TheQ]

When I used to regularly travel to St Andrews from Milton Keynes, I often used the A91 via Stirling or go via the Kincardine Bridge and cut across country. But From Kirkcaldy those routes aren't practical. I've no Idea whether the route through Dunfirmline or the coast road A985 to Kincardine bridge might be any use, probably slower but shorter.

My route of Choice is A17, A1, A66, M74, M9 to Bo'ness these days. On the southern end,  I have tried going through Lincoln, M180, M62, and except for Lincoln itself, its a better route. There are some back routes round Lincoln I used to use when working that way but to complicated to explain here, Up the top end, I sometimes cross country from Abington and head due north, much shorter and about the same time to do, but you do have to concentrate through all the villages..

 If I'm Going East coast I'll Use the A68 to Newcastle or A68, A697 to Alnwick in preference to the A1, much less traffic, although there are speed cameras in odd places, where if you miss a speed limit sign and there a lot of speed limit changes, you could get caught out.

[riyadhcrew]

I've done the A68 run a few times (kids like the humps) and I agree that there is less traffic, but all it needs is a tractor or a caravan and it can take for ages. I now stick to the main roads and it will be the A1 or the M74 after I cross the bridge. Decision will be made in July, just before we go.

[TheQ]

I live in Norfolk I'm used to tractors......

[BroadScot]

I nearly missed the start of a ODI at Durham/Chester Le Street because of slow traffic on the A68. Lesson learned went A66 and back up the A1 to the Cricket ground the next time.

The A68 is great from Hexham to Newcastle but with cleverly hidden speed cameras!

Iain

[grendel]

worst trip I ever did was in my old Transit V4, work Friday - Friday night drive Kent to North Wales - Viking Shows on saturday and sunday, pack up at 5 - drive to Kent, bed - work Monday. 3 weekends in a row. by the 3rd week the van knew its own way.

[ranworthbreeze]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

worst trip I ever did was in my old Transit V4, work Friday - Friday night drive Kent to North Wales - Viking Shows on saturday and sunday, pack up at 5 - drive to Kent, bed - work Monday. 3 weekends in a row. by the 3rd week the van knew its own way.

Hi Grendel,

It was always the case that the old Transit knew its way, sadly mine also remembered where it blew up the first time.

Regards

Alan

[grendel]

the speedo only went up to 99,999, I never did know how many times it have been round the clock

[deebee29]

Update on A1 around Leeming Bar.

No hold ups this morning other than the 50mph speed cameras, mind you we were there at around 7.30am 

good journey all the way to Brundall with no delays