UKC

I'm driving down to Bournemouth next week and I'm trying to figure out what the best route would be. I'm fine up till Birmingham but I'm not sure whether to go via Oxford or carry on down to Bristol and cut down from there.
Has anyone got any suggestions?

Cheers!

In reply to Toby S:

I'd prob go via Oxford as you've got more motorway/dual carriageway than if you come down via bristol.

In reply to Toby S:

via Oxford
M40, A34, M3, M27, A31

Cross-country from Bristol is pleasant if you like to take it slow

In reply to Carless:

>>> Cross-country from Bristol is pleasant if you like to take it slow

Seconded - a delightful drive, but not a route to follow if you are in a hurry

In reply to Nic:

By the time I get down there it'll be dark so there's probably no point taking taking the scenic route

Thanks for the advice so far, very helpful.

In reply to Toby S:
Alternatively M5 until Cheltenham, onto the A417/A419 is virtually all bypass now, onto the M4 at Swindon and then A34 south to Bournemouth. I'd check on the day and take the route Oxford route by default but the other one gives an option if there is an accident on the other route, there is only about 10miles difference in the routes. BTW there are a load of those average speed cameras on the Newbury bit of the A34 at the moment but not all are in use.

In reply to Ady Short:

Thanks for that.

Anyone recommend any decent pubs in Bournemouth too?

In reply to Toby S:

I do Salisbury to Birmingham quite often and always go via Oxford - M40 then A34. I find that the A34 is the best road running south from the M4 down towards the coast, and it makes such a sensible linkup to the M3/M27 for your needs. The cut across to Swindon as some people have suggested seems a bit weaving - is it really only 10 miles longer (according to google maps it is about 20 and takes 25 minutes longer on a 2 hour 50 journey). From Bristol itself is slow. I wouldn't know the most direct route, but it takes me an hour to an hour and a half to get to Salisbury from Bristol or the motorway near it, and youve then got another 45 minutes or so from there to the coast.

In reply to AJM:
my bad, it's actually 13 miles longer and takes 15 mins extra but I've done the route from central Birmingham to central B'mouth so it would depend where you drive from and to.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB291GB304&sourceid=chro...

In reply to Ady Short:

How odd. I just hit "birmingham" and "bournemouth" and got 2 hours 53 and 164 miles, with the M5 route being 3 hours 18 and 184 miles.

Wierd.

In reply to Toby S:
Depending on time of day and whatever roadworks/traffic jams etc there are there isn't much in it.
The A34 is a pretty good road and doesn't have any road works on at the moment as far as I'm aware but the area near Oxford is a total pain in the backside at rush hour.
The A36 is slow and meandering but not too bad with traffic although I know a lot of people who say Salisbury is bad, I've never had a problem. Bath on the other hand should be avoided at all costs; I wouldn't drive through Bath before about 10pm, otherwise you'll have a long time to take in the delightful architecture.
Personally I'd go M40, A34, M3, M27 as the most reliable and fastest. The M3 is a bit of a pain Friday evenings but otherwise pretty good.
Depending on if you are coming down from Birmingham or actually coming from further North I'd suggest that the M1, A43, M40 dogleg can be a good option rather than doing battle with the M42. You can skip the M40 altogether if you go straight over the roundabout at Cherwell Valley services which is a good option in the event of an accident (best done with a navigator). Bicester should be avoided during shopping hours as the retail park can create awful traffic.

In reply to Toby S: You could look at http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Birmingham,+West...

From the M4 to warminster will be 55mins, then down to near wareham is about 1.5 hours from there...