north west-m25-dover.

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amstel

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Good afternoon everybody,
In mid september the missus and I are going to France by car, we will leave the warrington area about 3-30am, and drive non stop m6-m1-m25clockwise and over dartford bridge,-a2-m2-a2-dover.
We are booked on a midday sailing, but maybe catch an earlier one ?
We hope to reach the m25 and dartford crossing about 7-7.30ish.
does this sound ok? bearing in mind the olympics will be over, and school holls aswell.
I will be very pleased for any help, tips, route etc.
Thanks.
 
The M25 will be busy that time of the morning, listen to road news & dont rule out going M25 via Heathrow, 4 lanes all the way, variable speed limits so a better drive, no tolls.
 
amstel said:
Good afternoon everybody,
In mid september the missus and I are going to France by car, we will leave the warrington area about 3-30am, and drive non stop m6-m1-m25clockwise and over dartford bridge,-a2-m2-a2-dover.
Click to expand...

Thats a long time behind the wheel with no rest to be honest. It may be best to take a break after 4 hours (5 hours max). That would be around breakfast time I guess. Even if your not the brekkie type, some fruit, toast and good juice does wonders for the concentration. Just my opinion of course and have have a good holiday.

Mr. W.
 
mister dubya,
thanks for your reply, when I said non stop, I meant just to get us past the bridge, then a break on A2.
 
As misterdubya said that's a long drive approx 5-51/2 hours 280 miles.
I'd personally drop of at the m25 services thurrock let the bridge traffic clear at around 7-8am and then final hour to dover
 
A long time ago i worked for Beck & Politzer, quite often i would drive between their depot in Warrinton and Kimberley Clark in Maidstone, i found the best route was M6, M42, M40 and then anti clockwise round the M25 and then straight down the M20 past Maidstone to Dover. SIMPLES. :P :P
 
I'd always go via M40 (either M6/M42 or M6/M5/M42, depending on traffic reports and the presence of average speed cameras) and past Heathrow on the M25 personally.

By that route I regularly used to do Warrington to near Gatwick in about 4 to 4 1/2 hours on a Monday morning, arriving near Gatwick for 10am.
 
According to Autoroute its about 4hrs. But bear in mind M6 Birmingham(car park from 6am to 10am) so suggest M6 Toll. Also note previous suggestions re rest breaks and also as suggested M6;M5;M42;M40 or if using M6 Toll delete M5.
 
I agree completely with the M6/M5/M42/M40/M25 anticlockwise /M26/M20 route. The M6 around Brum is always congested; you can take the M6 Toll for either M42 or M1 if you don't mind paying for it. The M1 is infested with roadworks around Luton and the M25 either way from the M1 is always congested. Take care in both directions at the M25/M26 junction, it was designed to be as confusing as possible! Watch the signs very carefully. You will still meet congestion on the bits of the M6 and M25 you'll be using.

The M25/M26 junction was designed by the same genius who designed the M6 junction 16 - without connections to Crewe and Nantwich - which were put in about twenty years later.
 
I would like to thank everybody for replying, and it seems the majority verdict seems to be: m6 m5mm m42 m40 m25anticlockwise m26 m20 and then a20 to the docks.
This particular route is about 20miles longer than dartford a2 m2 a2,but with no tolls.
We intended to leave very early and be on the m25, before 7am and the bridge about 7.30am, but if its bad even that early, I think we will go m40 anticlockwise.
Thanks.
 
Well if were me I'd book into a hotel in Kent and drive down at a sensible hour the night before. You will still hit stupid traffic somewhere on the route but that's the way it is nowadays.

You can get something like a travellodge in Kent in September for £30 for the night I'm sure. Not as comfortable as some, but far more comfortable than being in a car with the mrs in yer ear telling you that we are going to miss the boat and the signs are saying there is an accident ahead.

Staying in a hotel would be a well spent £30 if you ask me and get an earlier ferry. Lunch in France and don't forget that the beer is always a lot cheaper if you stand at the bar.
 
Last time I drove down to Dover, I left around 2:00am and drove through London around half five. Straight through and fairly easy at that time of the morning. :wink: :wink:
 
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