# Motorway or Byway



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all

The last few trips we have done we have tried to avoid Motorways as much as possible and coming back up from Cornwall last week we decided to avoid the M5 and do the A roads back home. The trip spread over a couple of days was as expected, much more interesting than bombing back up the M5. We intentionally went staight through the center of most of the towns we came to, much more interesting than any by-pass and the trip became part of our holiday instead of just an essential part of getting to a destination as quickly as possible. We stopped off often to have a quick look around some of the places we passed through. Having GPS helped a lot as the road signs these days want you to avoid the town centres and so do not give much directional help once you are into the town. We went through Okehampton, Exeter, Honiton, Glastonbury, Wells and Bristol etc, something that 40 years ago you had to do to get to the South West, but now it is a pleasure as opposed to the hell it was then. I'm not sure that big cities in the week would be a good idea but at a weekend it was OK.
I was as laid back when I arrived home as I had been during our time in Cornwall, If I charge up the Motorway I always need a lie down in a dark room afterwards!


Mike


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## BadlyOverdrawnBoy (May 1, 2005)

Couldn't agree more, Mike. We always avoid the motorways whenever we can, especially in France where you get whacked by the tolls. As you say, some of the towns that you would otherwise never see can be a really pleasant surprise.


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## 88741 (May 9, 2005)

My rule of thumb is if I get going early enough, usually at the start of the holiday and I get up at 4.00am and can then drive north getting past all the big connurbations before 7.00 then I find that I can happily tootle along on the motorways. Coming home however is another matter and as soon as I hit traffic build up I'm off and on to the byways as I find it a lot more stress free than constantly braking and accelerating and with the MH it doesn't make a lot of difference to my ETA :wink:


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

We try to avoid the motorways at all costs, the dog likes to stop and pee every now and again and stretch her legs and the A roads seem to be usually quiet compared with the lorrys and speedkings charging along down the m Ways. 
When we go away I dont care what time I arrive I usually drive at my own pace, get there when I arrive and stop when I feel like it, the M Ways dont fit my plans, and are bloody boring? 
We find that the time difference is not usually worth bothering about, the extra fuel is minimal if any and the stress levels are nil. To each his/her own I suppose.
Malc


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