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Subject Topic: Nottingham to Newquay – Overnight drive Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonDiamondhead
22/7/2016 at 2:47pm
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Hi,

We will be driving down to near Newquay in a few weeks. I’ll be towing a caravan.

Normally we drive down early Friday afternoon and overnight at Exeter CC Racecourse site. But this year we can’t do that.

I was looking at options for the trip but in the past have never liked getting up after a few hours sleep to do a really early Saturday start as I’ve always felt terrible. And it seems you need to get away earlier and earlier these days.

I was thinking of maybe setting off about midnight and driving through the night but I have no idea how long the drive would take on hopefully empty roads. We could then stop nearer the other end for breakfast and/or a couple of hours kip. We can’t get onto the site before 8 AM.

Has anyone done this and knows how long it takes?

Thanks,

Graham.


Persontango55
22/7/2016 at 3:25pm
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It's about 300 miles in total so if you average that distance at around 50 mph. (even though the speed limit is 60 mph.) it should take approximately 6 hours. If you include 3 breaks at approximately every 2 hours for 20 mins. then that's another hour added to the journey time which makes a total of 7 hours.
That's just to give a rough estimate.


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Persontonyv8power
22/7/2016 at 3:29pm
 Location: Herts. UK
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It's 300 miles give or take.......if you use the M5 route the web says 5 and a half hours, thats an average of 54mph and in my opinion a high average when towing a van.......so in the dead of night, traffic free I would allow six hours plus stops. Wishing you a great holiday.


PersonASH+TRISH
22/7/2016 at 4:56pm
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Hi, go from Notts to st Ives most years (320 miles) . Takes me about 6 hours 30 mins plus any comfort breaks. Usually first stop is gordano near Bristol , easy on off stop + top up petrol. Great time to travel👍 Plenty of roadworks on the m5👎. Have a great hol ☀️

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There's no such thing as bad weather, just wrong clothes 😎


PersonASH+TRISH
22/7/2016 at 5:29pm
 Location: Nottingham
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The 6.30 above INCLUDES stops 👍😎

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There's no such thing as bad weather, just wrong clothes 😎


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Personstuart1955
22/7/2016 at 5:37pm
 Location: Mansfield
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We did rainworth to bude a couple of weeks ago, around 300 miles, left at 10am on Tuesday morning and got down there in a little under 6 hours including one stop for fuel & loo, as said previously plenty of roadworks on M5 plus the A30 has roadworks as well


Personjaiash
22/7/2016 at 5:38pm
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Not on your route BUT before you set out overnight check traffic England for planned roadworks and closures. We came up to Derby from Bournemouth last night/early hours - two junctions we use completely shut and the journey ended up one an hour longer and plus approx 50 miles - one of the diversions just stopped north of Warwick and left me and the lorries guessing!!

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Grahame


Personmadz
24/7/2016 at 3:50pm
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We have frequently done the Nottingham to Newquay run, we always set off about 10:30 am after a late breakfast drive through until about 2:30pm then stop for food usually arriving around 4:30pm to 5pm. Its always a pleasant journey and we only ever hit traffic at Bristol. The later start and driving through the time when everyone is stopping for lunch helps a lot.

We have only once run into issues and that was the year we set off early on the first Saturday of the school holidays.

The other option that gives an even better run is to stick to the late morning start but travel on Sunday.


PersonDiamondhead
25/7/2016 at 6:20pm
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Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. :-)

That helps a lot planning our trip down. Good idea on checking road closures, that could have been annoying.

I hope you all have good holidays to.

Cheers,

Graham


PersonBig Frank
25/7/2016 at 8:21pm
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Absolutely agree with Madz that's how we always did it from Derby. By the way fill up at ASDA Cribbs Causeway just before Bristol, MUCH cheaper.


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Personlexie71
25/7/2016 at 10:38pm
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you would be better taking the A30 option if you were staying at Exeter racecourse i take it you were going over the Tamar bridge i think that is the long way of doing it I'm local to the area i always use the A30 hope this helps


PersonGmchris
26/7/2016 at 11:14am
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We do Nottingham to St Austell twice a year towing our van. Takes 6 hrs inc 2 5min stops for the loo (we use the van for the loo as the caravan parking in most services is miles from the building). Best tip I would give is to leave on a full tank and stop at Exeter tesco for a topup. It's just off junction 30 and easy to get in and out with a van and much cheaper than the services.
Allow extra time for the road widening works on the a30 at the moment though.



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