best / quickest route Taunton to Folkestone (1 Viewer)

Feb 24, 2013
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not long enough
on Thursday 10th Feb we will be leaving Vanbitz / Cornish Farm hopefully before 12:00 and have a 19:00 crossing booked on the Eurotunnel

For ease I was going to use M5 / M4 / M25 / M20

Google suggests A303 / M3 / M25 / M20

Obviously anything could happen on either route, but anybody done either or hopefully both to confirm which is most likely to be trouble free and quickest

Hopefully mid week, mid day all should be as quiet as it ever can be

upload_2017-1-29_13-32-42.png



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suavecarve

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The A 303 route is notorious......... in the summer on a Saturday in a car.

In a motorhome in midweek in February it would be my choice.

I also wouldnt trust those timings google have given you. They look very ambitious to me.

Also give consideration to coming off M3 at Winchester and taking A31 through Alton and Farnham and going over Hogs back to join M25 at J10 therefore losing 3 junctions and 12 miles of the M25. can be manic after 1600 hrs
 

Emmit

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Living in Cornwall (as we do), I've done both journeys a few times, before we learned sense and got the Club Voyage membership.
The 'short' distance is about 12% less in terms of mileage and I doubt that the longer M5 route would save you any money even though there are no roundabouts to negotiate as there are with the A303.
My money would be on the A303.
 
Oct 30, 2010
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We did the same trip just over a year ago and went via the A303.
There are a number of roundabouts and one or two slowish bits but no great problems. A303-M3-M25-M20 would be my choice.

Richard.

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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The A 303 route is notorious......... in the summer on a Saturday in a car.

In a motorhome in midweek in February it would be my choice.

I also wouldnt trust those timings google have given you. They look very ambitious to me.

Also give consideration to coming off M3 at Winchester and taking A31 through Alton and Farnham and going over Hogs back to join M25 at J10 therefore losing 3 junctions and 12 miles of the M25. can be manic after 1600 hrs


thanks for that idea, I am normally a motorway man all the time, but the south east is a different beast for driving we have found

so this looks current favourite, I usually reckon on average 40mph, so 5 1/2 hours driving should do it nearly perfectly

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Aug 18, 2014
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@DavidG58 You are the eternal optimist , aren't you ?

On every journey to Devon over the last 4 years & in both directions I have used the 303.On evry occasion I wondered why. I'd go the long way around as you can sit at 70mph & with no problems/traffic hopefully wouldn't even change out of top gear until you slow for ghe tunnel exit.
On the 303 you are guaranteed to stop miles before stonhenge . I personally wouldn't even think of going that way with only 7 hours.

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cliffanger

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That's the one we would use if leaving from Taunton David, but if you did choose the M4, come off at J10 and drop down through Bracknell on the M/A329 getting on the M3 for a couple of junctions thereby missing the M4/M25 junction at Heathrow. (y)
 

Landy lover

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We are near J26 and regularly go to Ashford and beyond - always us the 303 M3 M25 M26 M20 route keep a close eye on the overheads and the travel new and make a decision to divert if necessary. We usually either - push off early so we are on the M3 by 7am very latest OR leave it and go 9am on a really good day you should get to the M26 after 3 to 31/2 hours plus any stops you make.

The only diversion I would happily take is the A25 from J5 M25 Sevenoaks to West Malling if the 2 lane M26 has problems, in my experience most others will be jammed up in minutes if there is a motorway hold up.
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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@DavidG58 You are the eternal optimist , aren't you ?

with my normal luck I need to be :):)

my gut instinct is still saying use the M4, but

its nice to have local knowledge, they really should know better than me, unless I have offended them in some way with my comments on here previously o_O and this is some form of revenge :)
 

Chris

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I too would stick to the motorway.

I have never had anything but grief on the A303.

That said I have had my fair share of grief on the M5, M4 and M25:)
 

suavecarve

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with my normal luck I need to be :):)

my gut instinct is still saying use the M4, but

its nice to have local knowledge, they really should know better than me, unless I have offended them in some way with my comments on here previously o_O and this is some form of revenge :)
Take a look at the locations of ppl who are offering the advice on taking the A303 !
Another route to miss out some of the M25 that i forgot to tell you about is Come off at Junction 5 M3 and shoot down to Farnham and join the A31 at teh Shepherd and Flock Roundabout - NB this route is to be avoided like the M25 at commuter times. Which ever route you decide to take once you get to Basingstoke area tune in to 96.4 eagle (local radio) and they are on the traffic problems all the time with good advice so you can make adjustments t the last minute (They have the live camera feeds in the station and cover that area of the M25) http://www.964eagle.co.uk/onair/travelnews.php
 

Khizzie

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My greatest concern it the journey times that are shown on those two routes. For example from Burnham on sea to Newbury via M5 and M4 is around two hours and another 3 hours from Newbury to tunnel .so if you are using that way get your foot well down on the go pedal.. I have no knowledge of the A303 route but would suggest that would take a bit longer. ... Drive carefully all bad roads ..
 

WhiteCheyenneMan

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The most fuel efficient by far is M5/M4, although on a bad day the M25 can ruin that. You're going to be hitting Surrey/Kent around school run and rush hour, so I would avoid the Bracknell cut through (M4-M3) and the A31 (Alton/Farnham/Hog's Back). Unless you have TomTom Live Traffic (all others are too slow with updates) I would stick to motorways, if you can stand the boredom!

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Khizzie

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The most fuel efficient by far is M5/M4, although on a bad day the M25 can ruin that. You're going to be hitting Surrey/Kent around school run and rush hour, so I would avoid the Bracknell cut through (M4-M3) and the A31 (Alton/Farnham/Hog's Back). Unless you have TomTom Live Traffic (all others are too slow with updates) I would stick to motorways, if you can stand the boredom!
Je suis d'accord.
 

Abacist

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A303/M3 every time for me. Its a more interesting route and absolutely fine other than during school holidays and in the summer.

I only ever use the M5 to go north. Very very rarely use the M4 though I did travelling from Surrey to get to the Malvern show once.

There are roadworks at the eastern end of the M3 with average speed cameras unless they have finished turning it into a smart motorway.
 

Nik

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Hi. I live in the M3/M4/M25 area near Staines.
I regularly travel both the M4/M5 and M3/A303 routes to Devon/Cornwall.
In preference I would take the A303/M3 but as others have suggested work out a route to leave the M3 at or before J4/4a as from there on it's 50MPH average speed restriction + narrow lanes, up to the M25 junction. The M25, from M4 to the A3 junction, is also notorious for delays and slow running particularly at the time you are likely to get there from Taunton.
If you can wiggle along a more southerly route that might be advantageous. You may be lucky and just breeze through. Whichever route you take I hope you have a safe journey and a great tour sur le continent.
Best regards
Nik.

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talby

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If one is traveling from Taunton to Folkestone what are doing at Winchester on the M3 as Sauvecarve suggests.
 
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thanks for that idea, I am normally a motorway man all the time, but the south east is a different beast for driving we have found

so this looks current favourite, I usually reckon on average 40mph, so 5 1/2 hours driving should do it nearly perfectly

View attachment 146004


This would be the best route for you, having moved from Leatherhead to Cornwall over 20 yrs ago (junction 9 m25) I would like a £1 for how many times I've tried different routes and I'd be driving a free Morelo by now...
 

Mr B

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Saw the route you are taking, so I thought I'd show ours for the trip to Europe in September
:D2:LOL:(y)

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mikebeaches

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Whichever route you choose - and personally, I'd opt for the M5/M/4 etc - don't get stressed about your 19.00hrs crossing. If you're running late, just catch the next train, which will no doubt be along in about 20 or 30 minutes.

You could always ring ahead if you wanted. One of the things I like about the tunnel is that there are plenty of trains and we've always found the company very relaxed about timings. They understand the uncertainties of travelling on the M25. ;)

Good luck for a smooth journey in any case. (y)
 

Mr Mousy

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@DavidG58

David, now you have raised our interest in the merits of M4 / A303 route please keep this thread live during the journey. Hourly updates will be fine. Photos of traffic situations will be appreciated with a 'like', as a challenge have a go at live broadcasting on YouTube - these will receive a new thingy named 'astounded'. ,

Thanks Martin
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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@DavidG58

David, now you have raised our interest in the merits of M4 / A303 please can you update this thread during the journey. Hourly updates will be fine.

Thanks Martin

I bet Dawn says the A303 is best (y)

just done a quick tot up of opinions, its a closer call than I thought, I make it 7 1/2 9 1/2, with the slightly higher number favouring the A 303

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