Was thinking up to Salisbury then A303 across to M5, but seems the A35 is a viable alternative. Not driven the A35 in quite a while, but looks fairly straightforward.

Any other thoughts?

What’s the best way to get to Plymouth?

You walking or driving?

Driving.

That would be the best way

I’d avoid the A303, unless you like to spend a long time looking at Stone Henge in a slow line of traffic.
A35 everytime for me.

every couple of years I use the A35. and halfway along it I remember why I don’t use the A35 and don’t do it again for a couple more years.

it can be as quick to go up the M3,A34 and across if your going to hit salisbury at the wrong time.

if you go through salisbury, you go nowhere near stonehenge.

Having read this back maybe not so helpful 😳 I am normally driving that in July or August so avoid weekends

A35 is my usual route for Southampton to Dartmouth (Kingswear then ferry) but that’s midday, midweek. It’s ok but has capacity to be a mare with traffic/roadworks (as can be the A303 mind). TBH I last drove that route in 2011. More often coming from further North so it’s A303 or even M4 from London.

Oh, getting it all mixed up. Was thinking about the A303 from the other side near Andover, not joining further down. Still a nightmare road at holiday time. A35 can’t be worse.

What’s the best way to get to Plymouth?

You walking or driving?

Driving.

That would be the best way

😆

Thanks!

Still a nightmare road at holiday time.

My thoughts too, hence the question.

Not touched the A35 for ages, so it’s more of a question of how good a road it is.

both routes are shit.

in my experience (I do it for work on average once a month), A303 is less shit.

Not good, but better than the A303. Like a kick in the kidneys versus a kick in the nuts.

Edit – jam bo does it more than me. My experience is holiday times only.

What jam bo says, the 303 has had more improvements recently imho.

OP the key question is when are you going, day and time of year ? I was usually driving down Monday/Tuesday and back Sunday (of BH weekend so not as bad as a normal w/e)

Heading down tomorrow in the evening. Realistically leaving S’tn around 6pm, so hopefully just catching the tail end of the rush hour once on the road.

Tomorrow is predicted to be one of the busiest days of the year on the roads.

The A35 through the forest is a nightmare on just an average Friday night.

You might find that leaving at 8pm gets you down there at the same time as leaving at 6pm. I’d leave later, check where the inevitable d1ckhead accidents are and then plan the route accordingly. All things being equal A35, Honiton, Exeter would be my route of choice.

The coastal route via the A35 and Dorchester to Honiton is a very pleasant scenic drive in the daytime in good weather.

However, all other things being equal, I would find it a much more tiring and stressful route to drive at night than the A303, especially if the weather was not good.

Thanks all. Will be leaving later and checking for incidents.

ok, living in penzance and coming from hayling island i have driven up and down a million times.

both routes can be a nightmare at peak times so that is a given, however my longest journeys have always been the a303 route.

beyond that it really depends on how you like to drive. fast then i would say the a303, there is a trick through Salisbury though and basically take the a360 up to the a303 not the signed a36. its a faster better road with less traffic.

after that follow the 303 to the big roundabout at podimore and then take the a372/a358 which gets you onto the m5 faster. if you follow the 303 its more of a drag.

stop at exeter services for the m&s, cheap but good sandwiches, and you are pretty much there.

however, my preferred drive, actually shorter and can be a total pain in peak traffic as overtaking is limited, is the south coast route a35/a30 via bournemouth, dorchester, bridport, honiton etc. onto the m5 at exeter airport and so on. just a nicer mellower drive i think.

A35 is ok early in the morning or late at night. It’s a nice road that is comfortable at 60 mph but unfortunately you will meet someone doing 45 mph and be unable to overtake because of on coming traffic. I would have dinner, wait until 20:00 then leave.

stop at exeter services for the m&s, cheap but good sandwiches, and you are pretty much there.

There’s a big Tesco just up round the corner, and KFC and Pizza Hut if you dont want to be ripped off with service station prices

however, my preferred drive, actually shorter and can be a total pain in peak traffic as overtaking is limited, is the south coast route a35/a30 via bournemouth, dorchester, bridport, honiton etc. onto the m5 at exeter airport and so on. just a nicer mellower drive i think.

Cheers Gav. Sounds good.

Caen, stop outside Bordeaux, then back from Roscoff

Used to do that route long long ago with my parents via A35. Nice scenery, but long and winding. Also that was pre a lot of bypasses so had to go through places like Dorchester.

A303 is not too bad these days aside from Stongehenge and even then last few times I’ve been (holiday periods) it’s been okay. Closing the turn off road seems to have helped.

Further down A303 is a good run. I did Portsmouth runs a bit via A35 but then switched to A303, A36, M27 which was quicker.

salisbury/303/a358 to the m5.
303 is nearly all dual carriageway from there IIRC.
i used to do exeter – guildford every other week.

A35 can’t be worse.

i assure you it can be!

Cross the New Forest to Fordingbridge then out through Alderholt and Sixpenny Handley to Shaftesbury. A30 from there to Exeter. Mostly single carriageway but in my experience off a lot of folks radar. Quite scenic in daylight.

A35 is nicer (rels in Devon and if I get diverted off the 303 I’ll go A30 or A35 and up to Salisbury via Blandford .. slower but tends to keep moving) but is going to be slower.

A303 is fine as long as you avoid virtually all of Wiltshire. There are pinch points further down but I’ve only queued badly once down there. I go over the Blackdowns too rather than cut to the M5.

I’d go A36 to join the 303.

And now I feel like I’m my Dad.