Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Off to see my mum for Xmas & driving up to Stranraer to get to Belfast & over to Donegal via Derry. Looks like my timing could have been better but I have little choice.

So, I'll be driving up to Stranraer for a midday ferry, leaving early doors on Monday morning. Questions I have for Sn'ers are...

A1, Scotch Corner, A66 to M6 @Penrith - what's the roads like? A1 I'm sure will be fine but a bit nervous about the A66?

Alternative route, A14 to M6 & up the NW side - how clear is that? Could also do M1, A50 but don't really like M62. M1, A65 a no-no.

After Penrith, its M6 to Gretna Green & the A75, which is a sh1tty road at the best of times. Whats that stretch of road like?

Lastly - Glenshane Pass open? Really don't want to have to drive the long way round & if I do, the road from Coleraine to Limavady open yet or should I take the coast road?

I know once I get to Donegal, they've run out of grit, so that will be fun

I shall take lots of blankets, thermos, shovel etc & I've got an XC70 so I'm not worried about actually getting places, just want to work out the best route to minimise disruption & delays.

Thanks

Abzdon

Don't know if it helps much but have a look at the reports and cameras here.

http://trafficscotland.org/lev/

Currently the A75 looks fine.

Cockney Wideboy

iTrader: (2)

I have driven back from Glasgow to Sheffield today and the road were perfectly fine....no snow on the road etc.
my route was

M8,M74,A74M,M6,A66,A1M/A1,M1

Hope this helps

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

A50 and A500 had snow on them in Stoke yesterday, but it was clear enough to drive without a problem.

Personally this is the route I would take, but then I live within spitting distance of J24 and the A50, so I would say that

I would not do the A66 at all if it was me, it only takes one numpty at the wrong time to block the bloody road - avoid if at all possible

Cockney Wideboy

iTrader: (2)

From Suffolk I would go A14, A1, A66, M6 etc.
I used to live in live in Suffolk and have got family in the area and have on occasion had to drive from Suffolk to Glasgow for work the following day after visting family. I always go that way.

I've not had much bother with the A66 either...i must drive it at least once a month if not 2 or 3 times.

Lady Luck

Personally, i'd avoid the A66 at all costs at the minute as it was shut pretty damn quickly during the last dose of snow iirc.

SiPie

......and the relevance to this bout of snow that's covering different areas ?

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

The NW of Northern Ireland is fairly poor shape at the moment. Although I believe the glenshane pass is still open. The bankrupt state of the republic of Ireland has resulted in many arterial routes not being treated. Most NI is under 4 - 6 inches of snow at the minute.

Don't envy you that journey - it will be slow progress. I trust you make it safely there and back.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Last three points cover the majority of your journey this side.

* Dropping temperatures causing widespread risk of ice on roads across the Province. Freezing fog patches are forecast to form overnight.
* Salting and ploughing actions have taken place, all roads on the main salted network were passable with care. Motorists are again advised that, despite the treatment undertaken, driving conditions are likely to be extremely hazardous and motorists should exercise extreme caution on all roads when travelling.
* The M1, M2 between Belfast and Glengormley, and A1 are passable but care is required due to dropping temperatures and ice forming.
* On the M2 north of J4 Sandyknowes both lanes are still affected with snow, slush or ice as is the A8(M), traffic is generally moving in single file albeit slowly. Snow ploughing is ongoing.
* The A37 Coleraine Mountain Road and A6 Glenshane Pass have been treated and both roads are passable with care. Drivers should be aware of ice on compacted snow in places.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Thanks all - looks like major roads are clear atm & snow will be south

My mum says she's not left the house in days as she wouldn't be able to get up the hill again but as long as I get there, I'll be able to help her. Car is ready (though I can't find my shovel :cookcoo: ), just needs wife/child to pack their clothes

Lady Luck

Wind it in mate, he said he was nervous about the A66, so I commented on that.

Leslie

I hope you got there safely, must have been a worry not knowing quite what to expect.

Les

bigsinky

puff all i can say is

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHA

good luck in the north west and in donegal you will need it.

mad555

iTrader: (1)

Sure its always in poor shape up in the land that time forgot!!

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for all your help folks

Set off @ 07:15 in -6 degrees and foggy. Roads were pretty light of traffic but radiator froze after 15 mins I know, but a long story of a leak that can't be found, so pulled over for 15 mins in a garage, topped up with anti-freeze and carried on. After that, it was freezing fog all the way to Carlisle - temp between -8 and -5 all the way - brr... However, the roads were fine & no dicey moments even on the A66. The A75 & it really warmed up - got to -1 in Stranraer itself So we made the ferry and had a pleasant trip over & arrived Belfast 16:40...

My first thought was "oh, its rushour" but soon realised the roads were ****, temp was -7, foggy and everyone was driving at 20mph... Crawled up the M2 to Antrim but then the A2 ground to almost a halt. Very icy roads, thick fog and no visibility all the way to Maghera where we saw -10 on the guage. Then, like a miracle, the road cleared up the Glenshane Pass and 1/2 way to Dungiven! Seems the gritters had ONLY done that bit, relentlessly! Caught some time up there, before it was back to crawling the rest of the way to Derry. Quick stop off @ Sainsburys to stock up on beer before hitting Donegal. Roads, as guessed, were pretty poor but fortunately there was no-one around so was able to press on. Arrived @ my mum's 20:30, so about 3.5 hours from Belfast, nearly twice as much as normal...

Taken some lovely pics of the countryside but until the day we left, it was freezing cold and the snow kept falling every day. I spent my time being a taxi & running family around the place/collecting from Derry etc. Good job I had an AWD as I wouldn't have got up the hill in a 2wd - my bro-in-law tried but got stuck 1/2 way up! I had to reverse down the hill then tow him the rest of the way up

The way back was fine all round - once I got to Derry, the roads were fine all the way back to Suffolk, with no hold-ups apart from the idiots whose radiator blew on the A1, covering the road with steam/smoke - what did they do? Turn their lights off and continue driving with just the hazards on at 20mph The fiesta that had just overtaken me had to swerve to avoid another car that moved to the outside lane at the last minute, saw the large 4wd, swerved to avoid that, lost it and hit the barrier in reverse. I slowed down nervously waiting for the gymnastics to finish then pulled over to help, fortunately everyone was ok. The car with the blown rad pulled over and even after I told them to put their lights on, they turned them off again Some people really haven't got a clue.

Back safely anyway

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Glad you made it there and back safely mate - trust you had a good time with the family while across.