Direction tips

[Seeker]

Hi all.

I've just booked a holiday with the family up in the lake district at Windermere for May. I've never been up that way before and was wondering if any of you can give me some travelling tips.

I'm starting off from Nottingham. My first thought was to go up the M1 towards Leeds then cut across on the M62 to Manchester then M61 and onto the M6. Or use the A50 just south of Nottingham through Stoke-On-Trent and onto the M6.

I've never driven ever route and was hoping to get some advice.

Thx

[orudge]

I'd take the A50, it's a pretty decent route, and the M62, particularly around Leeds, is likely to be quite busy if you catch it at the wrong time. A453 -> A50 -> M6 is a route I've done on a number of occasions (my brother lives not far from Nottingham), and it's generally fine. It's also shorter than your M62 route.

[audigex]

I'd take the A50 too - nice road, relatively quiet and a straightforward enough drive.

Take junction 36 off the M6. Some Sat Navs think that other routes are faster, which may be true - but the A590/591 is the simplest way at the cost of a couple of minutes. You just turn left at the roundabout at J36, stay on the road you're on and end up at the lake.

[Dave]

Just a note. The A50/A500 through Stoke is an absolute nightmare in the motorway area, especially in the peaks.

[Seeker]

I'll be traveling around 8 in the morning on a Saturday BUT i think it's Alton Towers opening weekend so not sure how busy the A50 would be but I think it would still be the better route thx

On a side note. Has anyone else been up there and can reckonmend some things to do and is there a nice railway near by?

[Ploes]

If you want you can walk down from Windermere to Bowness (20min walk, I've done it), jump on a boat and cruise the lake down to Lakeside to the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway.

While there you can also visit the Lakes Aquarium

Infact £59.80 will get a Family (2 adults and up to 3 children) a return train, return Bowness - Lakeside cruise and Lakes Aquarium!

[Pottsy]

I'd take the A50, it's a pretty decent route, and the M62, particularly around Leeds, is likely to be quite bhusy if you catch it at the wrong time. A453 -> A50 -> M6 is a route I've done on a number of occasions (my brother lives not far from Nottingham), and it's generally fine. It's also shorter than your M62 route.

Still. Junction 29 [for the M1] is bad. Lofthouse is the worst (of which I mean most congested) interchange in yorkshire in my opinion.
But it still beats the M621.

The M621 (J2 to J2a) in West Yorkshire was named as Britain's most dangerous motorway but did not make it in to the top spot in the region.

Extract from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -road.html.

My direction tip- Keep away from the M621 or Lofthouse interchange. If you must switch motorways, use the A roads

Edit: Whoops. I thought this was a general direction tip thread. Sorry.

[orudge]

Still. Junction 29 [for the M1] is bad. Lofthouse is the worst (of which I mean most congested) interchange in yorkshire in my opinion.

I'm not quite sure why Seeker would be going anywhere near J29, though. From Nottingham, head south along the A453, cross the M1 at J24 onto the A50 (a pretty big and crazy roundabout, but it's not too bad really), then continue until you get to Stoke. Take the A500 westbound (as signed for the M6), and then head onto the M6 north. Simple!

[Seeker]

Cheers I'll think its the south route for me then a quick stop at the services near stoke on the M6

Thanks for the advise. Hope its a easy trip