# A303???



## CREAKY (May 23, 2005)

Hey folks, trundling off to Devon & Cornwall in june, & I'd like to go the old route down from Cambridge, along the A303 past Stonehenge etc, just like we used to in our younger days!. Any advice on holdups , dodgy spots etc? I don't believe in rushing, & get bored with m-ways!. I'm white van man at work, so it's nice to chill & enjoy the scenery.
cheers. 8)


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

Hi Creaky,

My in laws live in Devon and I head down that way quite often.

Have tried various routes. The A303 is now largely dual carriageway and therefore not particularly scenic. Also that encourages lots of traffic so the single carriageway bits are busy, especially the bit between Ilminster and Honiton. If you do choose the A303 I would recommend turning right after Ilminster up towards Taunton and then down the M5.

Regarding Stonehenge plans are afoot to divert the A303 through a tunnel. Don't know how far they've got but there might be big roadworks.

My preference for a scenic amble would be the A30; less traffic, more picturesque and several nice towns.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

Hemlock


----------



## 88915 (May 10, 2005)

*A303*

they're still arguing about how long the tunnel is going to be, so no work yet and still a plod past Stonehenge down to the roundabout. A few windy single carriageway bits towards Honiton, but shouldn't be a problem in June. BTW what's the old route from Cambridge to get down to the A303?


----------



## CREAKY (May 23, 2005)

My old route used to be M11, M25, M3 to Basingstoke, I'm not THAT old!!!. Doesn't the A30 carry on from theA303?, or was I more of a drunk than I thought!!??. I rode to Totnes in Devon once on my moped! took 2 days, got lost going thru London, but the scrumpy made it all worthwhile!! =P~ 
Can you tell I'm off work today?


----------



## 91958 (May 1, 2005)

hemlock said:


> Regarding Stonehenge plans are afoot to divert the A303 through a tunnel. Don't know how far they've got but there might be big roadworks.


It certainly won't happen this year, if at all :wink:


----------



## smifee (May 17, 2005)

hi creaky

put that cider down & concentrate on your road map.

for part of it's length the A30 runs parallellish ( i'm sure there's no such word so i don't care how i've spelt it ) with the 303. 

i use the 303 to get to taunton even though it means starting off driving 17 miles north when i want to go south west. it's the quickest route.

if you want to go the pretty way come off the 303 at junction with A34 and follow signs for salisbury. nice pubs & tea rooms in stockbridge, hampshire's answer to the wild west, it's a one street town. i think they've got more than one horse though.


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

I'm going that way second week of March - I will let you know update. Pse pm me if I forget.


----------



## smifee (May 17, 2005)

hi pusser

let me know if you've got time to take a break on the journey anywhere near hampshire. would love to have a pint/cuppa with you. 

i'm just twiddling my thumbs until i can get the new van alarmed & kitted out. then there'll be no stopping me.


----------



## rednev (May 10, 2005)

HI A londoner now living in Somerset the 303 is now a quick road due to long sections of dual carriageway only really bad July, August after weekend breakers going home travel mid week fine London to Taunton 3 hours without break Iwould look at M5 for a bit then off at Exeter plenty of scenery around here,Paul. Enjoy your break.


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

CREAKY said:


> Hey folks, trundling off to Devon & Cornwall in june, & I'd like to go the old route down from Cambridge, along the A303 past Stonehenge etc, just like we used to in our younger days!. Any advice on holdups , dodgy spots etc? I don't believe in rushing, & get bored with m-ways!. I'm white van man at work, so it's nice to chill & enjoy the scenery.
> cheers. 8)


Herewith my report having done the journey on Thursday. It took us no longer going down the A303 than if we had used the M5 (our normal route in a car) - We came back via the M5 and journey time was the same.

There are no hot spots but speed cameras are in a bun dance which in my motorhome was not even an issue. A much more pleasing route than the M5 although the time you are planning will be obviously busier but then again, the M5 will probably be a car park at that time.

You eventually join the A30 which leads on to the last tiny bit of the M5 but that is neither here nor there and can be avoided if you want. Incidently there is Martins Motorhomes at the first turnoff once joining the M5 which you can see from the motorway signposted Clyst St. Mary. I mention this in case you need an emergency porta pottie.


----------



## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

This is not an exactly scientific response because you don't know where I started from, and I can't remember where I was going to!

However and notwithstanding the above, we live between the M3 and the M4 and measured the route to Exeter or Plymouth or anyway somewhere common (as in shared by both routes) after the end of the 303 as 148 miles via the 303 and the 175 miles via M4/M5.

So in a car you takes your choice, economy vs time, but in a camper I would think the merit would all be for the 303. Dodgy patch comes almost at the end before Exeter where you get into the (relatively) cheap rural real estate area and apparently no money for dual carriageways, get behind a tractor and you're stuffed, but hey, you're on holdiday, right?


----------



## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

neverrememberit said:


> This is not an exactly scientific response because you don't know where I started from, and I can't remember where I was going to!
> 
> However and notwithstanding the above, we live between the M3 and the M4 and measured the route to Exeter or Plymouth or anyway somewhere common (as in shared by both routes) after the end of the 303 as 148 miles via the 303 and the 175 miles via M4/M5.
> 
> So in a car you takes your choice, economy vs time, but in a camper I would think the merit would all be for the 303. Dodgy patch comes almost at the end before Exeter where you get into the (relatively) cheap rural real estate area and apparently no money for dual carriageways, get behind a tractor and you're stuffed, but hey, you're on holdiday, right?


Good point...I started at Aylesbury, via Halfords, joined the A34 at Bicester, pass Newbury to Andover and picked up the A303 to Honiton, turned left on to another road that looked similar to the one we were alread on, A30, across a few roundabouts, turned left again and then a three point turn because we should have gone right and 100 yards up the road was our campsite at Kingsbridge. We came back to the point where we came off the A30 but carried on up the M5 turning off at Swndon A420 direction Oxford and picked up the A34 to go back home, missing out Halfords of course. Incidently the mileage was approx 15 miles shorter on the A303 route but similar time.


----------

