Driving from Holyhead to Folkestone and back

jsabina

Hi everybody,
I know that there are already few posts about that, but I found only old ones.

I am going to drive from Holyhead to Folkestone Monday, getting the eurotunnel in the evening and coming back on Tuesday morning.

Crazy as it is I need to know the best route to avoid traffic, and arrive on time to catch train / ferry back to Ireland.

All the threads I read confused me a bit, anyone has any suggestions?

I will arrive in Holyhead at 10.45 Monday morning, I have the train at the eurotunnel at 20.20

The morning after I'll get the train at 10.50 and have the ferry at holyhead at 20.30.

So there is around 9 hours in between things..
Any suggestions :eek:

snaps

I always used to do a55-m56 towards Manchester, m6, a14 towards Cambridge, m11, m25 and m20.

jsabina

how long did it take to you usually? is there a lot of traffic? I am checking now on the map the route you are saying

snaps

jsabina wrote: »

how long did it take to you usually? is there a lot of traffic? I am checking now on the map the route you are saying

No, but if travelling during the day avoid m6 going through midlands and take the m6 toll road which avoids Birmingham.
I've done it in 5.5 hours before but usually 6.5 hrs.

jsabina

What about this route?
https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Holyhead,+Isle+of+Anglesey,+UK/Folkestone,+Kent,+UK/@52.4665295,-1.1772687,10z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x486434b66c1c0fed:0x248e9cd08cfb236f!2m2!1d-4.633038!2d53.309441!1m5!1m1!1s0x47deb815138b2c8f:0xa514d67a986aff93!2m2!1d1.169456!2d51.081397!3e0

not sure if you can see it

it looks like taking the m6 toll you are talking about

(but I just saw it's taking the M1 that maybe it would be to avoid?)

snaps

I think the m1 can be a gamble. Also means more distance on the m25 too which can be a nightmare.

jsabina

ok so better to go down on the M40?
https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Holyhead,+Isle+of+Anglesey,+UK/Folkestone,+Kent,+UK/@51.268422,0.1781695,10z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x486434b66c1c0fed:0x248e9cd08cfb236f!2m2!1d-4.633038!2d53.309441!1m5!1m1!1s0x47deb815138b2c8f:0xa514d67a986aff93!2m2!1d1.169456!2d51.081397!3e0!5i1

thanks a lot

Owenw

You'll be hitting the tail end of the rush hour around London. the M11 and M25 can be heavy. If there are any incidents on the m20 before J6 you can avoid by turning off the M25 at J2 onto A2/M2 eastbound to Dover and continue on to Folkestone. This route is longer and not continuous motorway/dual carriageway like the M20.

You could also use th M2 as far Rochester / Medway Towns. Turn off at J3 onto A229 dual carriageway towards Maidstone / M20 for 6 miles , then join the M20 at J6 towards Folkestone / channel tunnel.

Keep an eye on traffic news: http://www.traffic-wales.com and http://www.trafficengland.com assuming you have a smartphone or tune into BBC local radio for very regular traffic reports.

Hope you have a nice uneventful journey

Owenw

jsabina wrote: »

ok so better to go down on the M40?
https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Holyhead,+Isle+of+Anglesey,+UK/Folkestone,+Kent,+UK/@51.268422,0.1781695,10z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x486434b66c1c0fed:0x248e9cd08cfb236f!2m2!1d-4.633038!2d53.309441!1m5!1m1!1s0x47deb815138b2c8f:0xa514d67a986aff93!2m2!1d1.169456!2d51.081397!3e0!5i1

thanks a lot

Just be aware
you'll be heading into the 4/5 lane variable speed limit hellhole between Heathrow and Gatwick airports. However it is usually free flowing as you hit the rural section of m25 passed Clackett Lane services towards m26 and m20

jsabina

thanks a lot for your answers..
I am super confused because it's my first time driving in england so I don't know anything really
I am studying the map, I'll bring the smartphone and tune the radio and I will print this thread

afatbollix

Best idea is use a sat nav that has traffic like tom tom or google maps as it works out the quickest way by taking up to the moment traffic info.
Most of the time the motorways are allways moving but its the closures or road works that are the issue.

If you stop at a services they have screens with traffic information so you will be able to spot troublesome areas.

If you need to stop for petrol get off a motorway and find a supermarket petrol station as you could be paying up to 10p a litre more in a motorway service station.

jsabina

thanks... I am planning to use the smarphone with google maps on it.. hopefully it will work roaming

afatbollix

If your on 3 its included in your data limit in the UK.

jsabina

I am on o2... there should be a charge for data abroad but I don't care until it works :P

Owenw

www.viamichelin.com is handy for planning out your route too. you can always print off the route as a back up incase the phone lets you down.

In fairness you could do the journey just following the roadsigns and the odd glance at the road map!

Edit: If you decide to go via M11 / M25 anticlockwise, remember to bring a few Sterling coins for the Dartford Crossing Toll, AFAIR it is exact change only (£2.00 per trip) and they don't accept Euros. I see it is now free at night. http://dartfordtunnel.toolazy.me.uk/

corktina

If you want to avoid the worst of the M25/ London and are travelling on the M40 anyway....you could take the A34 down to the M4, head east and then take the A329(M)..slip through the Bracknell rind road onto the M3 (or even continue to the A3) and join the M25 that way

Julius Seizure

Spent 2 hours on A34 around Oxford because of traffic. Oxford is a massive gamble, best stay on the motorway. Tbh if you're on a motorway you won't have as much hassle.

corktina

ah well in that case, go around the Oxford Ring Road the opposite way, I find the northern section much quieter

snaps

Ive done the route many times. If driving at night take old m6. If driving daytime take m6 toll and go via a14 and m11 to m25.
At the end of the day accidents cannot be predicted. Just allow time for the journey.

I've driven onto poland doing this. Total of 2700km from mayo.

Julius Seizure

corktina wrote: »

ah well in that case, go around the Oxford Ring Road the opposite way, I find the northern section much quieter

Maybe it's better now, but a couple of years it was the A34 between the M40 and Oxford that was the worst, between Bicester and Kidlington.

All of this is time dependant, OP just use google maps and it will give you the best route

jsabina

yes thanks a lot, it will be during the day, I believe I will follow what google maps tells me, hoping it will let me avoid traffic...
just asking here because I am a bit stressed about the trip so I wanted to double check with people that have done it already!
thanks

Banjoxed

Personally, I would go A55-M56-M6 (and use the tolled section) -M1 - M25 clockwise to the M20.

No part of the journey from Holyhead to Folkestone can be guaranteed to be traffic free.

I've also done the M6 to M40 as an option but be warned, driving into the labyrinth of Bimingham's motorway junctions is not for the faint hearted. In addition, the M40 is fine if you are driving into Central London but you will have serious balls ache heading around the M25 around Watford if you do use the M40 as the way to get to the M25.

Get a good SatNav if you are not confident using a decent road atlas.

Plopli

Done it multiple time when going back to the continent and not much to add.

I would always use the west side of London. I took to the east once and it was slower.

I would also keep to the highway.
Tried multiple time to avoid traffic by leaving it and it was a bit of a nightmare.
Don't even think about it if you do not have a good satnav.

Don't forget they are pretty flexible on the Tunnel so if you're a bit early on the way back you may be able to get a train earlier, do not hesitate to try it.

jsabina

Well at the end I left Holyhead at 17.30 on Monday.
Followed google maps and arrived in Folkestone at midnight with one stop
no traffic at all and did M6 toll.
Roadworks though, so many areas with 40 or 50 speed limit.

Stupid google maps used 20 euro of my credit... so bought UK sim card to use it, rental car had no sat nav even for additional charge, crazy.

Anyway coming back Tuesday left Folkestone around 11.30 arrived at 19 in Calais. Much more traffic, still M6 tolls and heavy rain caused delays.

Thanks a lot for all suggestions!