 Poster: A snowHead
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Hiya everyone.
Heading out to Flaine for half term by car & ferry. Due to my sons impending A levels we can't set off from Huddersfield until 4pm on the Friday. I've had a look at route planner & there's not much difference between us going down the M1 or A1. Has anyone got any recommendations?
Thanks
Alistair
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@albrown7, M62, A1, A14?, M11, M25,M20.
Don't forget to pay the QE2 bridge toll on line or you will get a fine 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'd tempted to get over to the A1 and then A1 - A1(M) - A14 - M11 - M25. The section of M25 between M1 and M11 can be horrendous on a Friday.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Gaza, Has the A14 improved recently. It used to be an almost constant crawl past Cambridge.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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if the M25/QEII bridge is stuffed you can go M11, A11, Blackwall Tunnel, A20, M20 or M11, north circ, limehouse links, blackwall tunnel.
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A1 is probably the quickest route if there are no hold ups. A1 route is far more likely to have hold ups.
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| stewart woodward wrote: |
@albrown7, M62, A1, A14?, M11, M25,M20.
Don't forget to pay the QE2 bridge toll on line or you will get a fine |
Apart from the section south of Ferrybridge where it goes from 3 lanes to 2, which doesn't take too long to get through, the A1 is a far better bet on a friday evening. You will generally be going opposite to the bulk of the traffic until you reach the M25. As said above, pay the Dartford Crossing online, in advance.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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M1 to M25, every time for me. You will hit traffic at the time you are travelling at whichever route you take but the M25 could be moving by the time you get there. M1 you will be going against the traffic so that should flow well. M20 will be busy also. You will hit the traffic approaching M11 from both the A1 and M1.
Avoid the A14.
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Living in East Anglia and travelling a lot for business I can tell you it is very unlikely traffic will be moving very quickly between Peterborough on the A1 and Bishop's Stortford (where the M11 turns to 3 lanes) on a Friday evening.
That said, I haven't done the M1 for years and it coud be worse near Sheffield and Leicester....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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By the time you get down to the M25 it should be clearing nicely. I would definitely choose the Al over the Ml any time. While the A14 M11 may be slightly shorter you could just easily go all the way down the A1 to the M25 so avoiding the traffic around Cambridge.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@cameronphillips2000, +1
If you don't have a traffic function on your Sat-Nav, use Google navigate and check where the problems are as you go along. That route is an absolute lottery, you can do 70 all the way, or walking pace all the way. I recommend Sally traffic aswell.
Its absolute 50/50 whether A1 or M1 is better at that time, but assuming your ferry is around 10pm, the bottom of your route should have cleared up by then.
Do you have any cunning plan to encourage your lad to study during that week? I'm kind of regretting booking my daughter with us the same week, it turns out she probably really needs that week to study...
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Our plan is that:
You get up and ski in the mornings. Stay with us through lunch, and then pack it in around 2pm. work from 2pm -> 7pm (missing the apresdrinks) and then come out after dinner from 8-10pm (latest).
Rinse and repeat.
Our daughter already suggested that she would revise in the mornings and then meet us for lunch... but I know what she's like and she'll only sleep in in the mornings and not get anything done!
And staying out past 10pm would result in being too tired to do anything at all.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
you could just easily go all the way down the A1 to the M25 so avoiding the traffic around Cambridge.
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those bloody roundabouts are a real pain though.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hells Bells - there arent many of them!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd wait and check traffic reports on the day. M1 is usually a bit better than the A1/A14/M11 but does leave you with more M25 to negotiate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@queen bodecia, absolutely right. You can only plan a route and need to be ready to change as traffic conditions change so live traffic info is essential
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Living in Huddersfield (Emley Moor to be precise) and having done the trip down to the channel tunnel / Dover a few times (in the summer) I'd say wait for the day to decide. M1 is usually better better barring Sheffield and Leicester, by the time you hit the M25 Likely around 7-8pm the M25 shouldn't be too terrible. But really it just depends on accidents etc. Keep an eye out on traffic updates etc.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 3-02-16 14:21; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you don't have a satnav with good traffic coverage but you do have an Android phone, then check out the TomTom Go App on the Play Store. You do get a certain amount of free usage but the cost for a month or year is very low. Although I have built in satnav on my car it uses TMC which is crap compared to the TomTom data.
The TomTom website also has a good route planner that uses real-time traffic data so that can be worth a look before leaving.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
assuming your ferry is around 10pm
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I live about 15 mins from J16 (M25), and I have a 21.20 ferry booked for that day. I'm leaving straight after school finishes, by 4pm at the latest. Last year and the year before it has taken me around 4 hours to get to Dover due to the half term traffic. Friend coming from the North missed the ferry two years ago when he took m25 anti- clockwise from the M1. Last year he went clockwise and made it. As said above, M25 might be flowing better later in the evening.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 3-02-16 21:45; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Can def recommend using Google maps app on either Android or Apple and switching on the Traffic option - saved us 90 mins the other year when driving down the A1 from Scotland to London - it took us a detour around an accident on the A1 that it calculated all by itself.
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Don't forget the cameras on the A1 (2 of the sneaky things)
Can't remember any roundabouts now if you go off to cambridge on A14 then M11.
As others say check before going off, as it will hinge on the traffic on the night. From Huddersfield I presume you would go on M1 to M18 anyway to get on A1 so you still have the Sheffield slow bit to get past. Then there is that huge 50mph bit unless it has finished recently?
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We always go via the A1, and at that time it is fairly quiet compared to those travelling north, by the time you get to the bridge you will be in light traffic.
Easter we will be on the hull zeebrugge ferry though.. A lot go that way...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Download Waze off app store or wherever android apps come from.
Its a free sat nav and most cabbies are preferring it these days to tom tom or Garmin.
Peter
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@PollSki, I didn't really read your planned routes...but anticlockwise on m25 is a definite no no.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Here is advice for those approaching Dover Eastern Docks, especially half term weekend. Recently delays at the docks have seen tailbacks on both approaches, A2 and A20, of several miles with delays of around an hour to do the last few miles. I live in the area and suggest you use this diversion to do the last 4 miles irrespective of road conditions.
Approach Dover on A2 and at Whitfield roundabout, (Esso garage/McDonalds) take 4th exit (Dover North) Don't follow signs for Docks as you could get trapped in a long queue.
At bottom of hill take 1st exit off mini roundabout (0.9mile)
Follow this road for 2.5 miles to traffic lights at T junction (note you must do a 90 degree left turn at lights when you see Morrisons at 11 o'clock
Turn left at light onto dual carriage way and use outside lane, docks are 0.5 mile
You have been warned!!!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Im in halifax.... Id fly ... Lifes too short 
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| stewart woodward wrote: |
@albrown7, M62, A1, A14?, M11, M25,M20.
Don't forget to pay the QE2 bridge toll on line or you will get a fine |
+1. Keep an eye out for Operation Stack. Got good advice in Summer when Stack was in place. Instead of M20, went M2, A2, B2068 which drops you right on the Westhanger services. It was much quicker than sitting in all the queues on the M20 but, I suspect a lot slower if the M20 is free.
As you said you are going by ferry, I would suggest staying on A2 and dropping down into Dover right on the docks.
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You know it makes sense.
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Definitely leave it to the day and traffic reports to decide. 50mph limit from the M1/M6/A14 junction for a good chunk through Northants. Black Cat roundabout on the A1 flows a bit better now it is controlled by lights.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| impingu1984 wrote: |
| , by the time you hit the M25 Likely around 7-8pm the M25 shouldn't be too terrible. But really it just depends on accidents etc. Keep an eye out on traffic updates etc. |
I do the M1/M25 to the A12 every night at that time. it can be horrendous. Friday nights are usually bad.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If you do go A1-A14, depending when you get to A14, take the huntingdon junction down to Caxton, get the A428 then get off at the M11 south junction, cuts out the worst of the a14
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I live in Godmanchester on the side of the A14 and strongly advise you keep going down the A1 and by-pass Godmanchester, Fenstanton and Cambridge. They've also been closing the A14 near the M11 junction at around 9.00pm on Friday nights and putting a detour around a couple of villages called back bottom End and Slow Loose Chippings.
Alternatively as per @Levi215 says above but that depends on Spittals Interchange A1/A14 being clear and that can be terrible too.
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