In preparation for my trip to Knuston Hall on Friday, I've been looking at the alternative routes I could use to get there.
All the online route planners suggest crossing the River Thames via the Blackwall Tunnel, and then going north until the A102 (the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road) and A12 join the M11 at the M11/A 406 (North Circular Road). Once on the M11, the route options kick in.
The first is to join the M25 where it interchanges with the northbound M11, and to travel anti-clockwise around the M25 until the junction with the M1. Turning northwards onto the M1, the route would take me as far as the Milton Keynes turn off, and then across country viaOlney.
This route is quite direct, and when the traffic is not too heavy, it should take me about two hours ... but I will be travelling on Friday afternoon in early July, so I can expect hold-ups at various places due to sheer volume of traffic.
The second route would mean travelling up the entire length of the M11 until it reaches just outside Cambridge, and then travelling across country to Knuston Hall via St Neots.
I know this route quite well, and if the traffic is not too heavy it should take about ninety minutes to reach the end of the M11 ... but thereafter the roads can be narrow in places and using them to reach Knuston Hall would mean this I would have to allow at least an hour to get from the end of the M11 to the Hall.
The third route is the longest, but the one I have traditionally used to get to Knuston Hall. Instead of going cross-country from the end of the M11, I would join the A14 and drive towards Kettering. Before reaching Kettering, I would turn south, and approach Knuston Hall from the north.
The big advantage of this route is the fact that it is dual carriageway or motorway for almost its entire length. This means that one is less likely to be held up by slow-moving traffic ... but experience tells me that the journey time will be at least two and a half hours.
So which route to choose? I'll make that decision just before I set out, but whichever I choose, I can be sure that I am looking forward to at least two or three hours of driving on some of the UK's most crowded roads on a Friday afternoon in July!
All the online route planners suggest crossing the River Thames via the Blackwall Tunnel, and then going north until the A102 (the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road) and A12 join the M11 at the M11/A 406 (North Circular Road). Once on the M11, the route options kick in.
The first is to join the M25 where it interchanges with the northbound M11, and to travel anti-clockwise around the M25 until the junction with the M1. Turning northwards onto the M1, the route would take me as far as the Milton Keynes turn off, and then across country viaOlney.
This route is quite direct, and when the traffic is not too heavy, it should take me about two hours ... but I will be travelling on Friday afternoon in early July, so I can expect hold-ups at various places due to sheer volume of traffic.
The second route would mean travelling up the entire length of the M11 until it reaches just outside Cambridge, and then travelling across country to Knuston Hall via St Neots.
I know this route quite well, and if the traffic is not too heavy it should take about ninety minutes to reach the end of the M11 ... but thereafter the roads can be narrow in places and using them to reach Knuston Hall would mean this I would have to allow at least an hour to get from the end of the M11 to the Hall.
The third route is the longest, but the one I have traditionally used to get to Knuston Hall. Instead of going cross-country from the end of the M11, I would join the A14 and drive towards Kettering. Before reaching Kettering, I would turn south, and approach Knuston Hall from the north.
The big advantage of this route is the fact that it is dual carriageway or motorway for almost its entire length. This means that one is less likely to be held up by slow-moving traffic ... but experience tells me that the journey time will be at least two and a half hours.
So which route to choose? I'll make that decision just before I set out, but whichever I choose, I can be sure that I am looking forward to at least two or three hours of driving on some of the UK's most crowded roads on a Friday afternoon in July!
Any route that uses the A45 to get to Irchester will need a rethink to allow for the roadworks (see the back page of the programme)
ReplyDeleteJohn Armatys.
DeleteThanks for reminding me about the problems with the A45.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteMy route is largely M25 and M1 and according to the AA is 97.8 miles and 1 hour 56 minutes. As I shall be leaving before 6:30am on Saturday I am confident of arriving in time for breakfast so 'Smoke me a Kipper!'
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteI suspect that I'll be using the M25/M1 combination. Even allowing for potential hold ups, it looks more and more likely to be the best route for me to take.
All the best,
Bob
Be warned that they're doing loads of roadworks around Cambridge at the M11/A14 junction.
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteThanks very much for that information. It is very, very helpful and will be a potential bottleneck I'll try to avoid.
All the best,
Bob
You could set off in the morning and visit somewhere en-route. We've previously stopped at Hendon, Duxworth or the Shuttleworth Collection. Or join the battlefield walk which seems to be becoming a regular addition to the weekend.
ReplyDeleteNigel Drury,
DeleteMuch as I'd like to be able to leave earlier, I have an appointment on Friday morning that I cannot put off.
All the best,
Bob