Best route to Essex

Del2005

I'm off to the MotoGP on Thursday by way of Basildon in Essex. What would be the best route down? GPS is sending my purely by motorway and the M6 toll road. I'd ideally like some decent roads but as it is over 300 miles time does come into the equation.

HamSambo

Assuming sailing Dublin-Holyhead you've 2 options. 1 take the A5 as soon as you come out of Holyhead so you can head over the hills and valleys of Snowdonia, if you have the weather this route is a stunner but is a little harder on your time (i'm thinking an extra 90 mins). Other than that you can keep with the A55 to Chester where you'll be able to pick up the A41 which will bring you down through the countryside. You'll avoid the larger motorways and the M6 toll. At the end you'll be able to get onto the M54 on either route.
Take the M6 South, it will bring you around Birmingham toll free. You're on motorway now for a bit but you'll lose time otherwise. What you could do to avoid the M25 around London (which is a death trap of a road and you could lose time on it for any number of reasons) is take the A14 through Kettering all the way to Cambridge where the A14 will turn into the M11.
Follow the M11 to J7 and take the A414 and the A12 to go AROUND Chelmsford (take a look on yer map)
J17 on the A12 will give you signs for Basildon down the A130
Hope this helps

Del2005

HamSambo wrote: »

Assuming sailing Dublin-Holyhead you've 2 options. 1 take the A5 as soon as you come out of Holyhead so you can head over the hills and valleys of Snowdonia, if you have the weather this route is a stunner but is a little harder on your time (i'm thinking an extra 90 mins). Other than that you can keep with the A55 to Chester where you'll be able to pick up the A41 which will bring you down through the countryside. You'll avoid the larger motorways and the M6 toll. At the end you'll be able to get onto the M54 on either route.
Take the M6 South, it will bring you around Birmingham toll free. You're on motorway now for a bit but you'll lose time otherwise. What you could do to avoid the M25 around London (which is a death trap of a road and you could lose time on it for any number of reasons) is take the A14 through Kettering all the way to Cambridge where the A14 will turn into the M11.
Follow the M11 to J7 and take the A414 and the A12 to go AROUND Chelmsford (take a look on yer map)
J17 on the A12 will give you signs for Basildon down the A130
Hope this helps

Perfect. I'll try and use these as way points. Only problem is my GPS won't recognise my laptop, tried to update maps, so I'll try a different PC.

HamSambo

Is it a TomTom?

Del2005

Garmin Nuvi 550

Edit....

Forgot that my laptop was recognising the GPS but the Garmin map update software wouldn't.

HamSambo

As a backup write your directions and junction numbers on a page and seal it in a clear plastic sleeve so you can stick it to your tank,

Im completly locked and you obviously know this but i'll post it anyway

Safe riding!