mtm

Recommendations sought for which way you'd drive
arriving at 2pm into Heathrow on a weekday.

Prob won't have rental car 'til 3pm at the earliest.

Could use ideas of how to best navigate ourselves to Lavenham for a stay.
Open to stopping en route in Bury St Edmunds to explore the abbey ruins
as that's the only thing that might be open by the time we reach that area.
(if coming through there makes sense)

I think we'll postpone Cambridge probably in lieu of a future trip by train.
(and I believe Evensong not taking place this time of year?)

Am also open to making a brief stop somewhere fun & interesting
*between* Heathrow & that Suffolk/Essex area...
if you happen to think of a nice spot along the route you're considering.

Or is there simply a *drive* that may be a bit more scenic or off-the-beaten
path...avoiding rush hour traffic jams, perhaps?

Appreciate any & all ideas! Castle ruins en route would be fine, too.
(ok...sort of kidding, but if there *are* any...please DO share...
or beautiful gardens, etc.!)

Thanks again!

alanRow

<i>Prob won't have rental car 'til 3pm at the earliest. </i>

If you are arriving at 2:00pm then you won't have the rental car until nearer 4:00pm which will pitch you into some of the worst traffic in the UK, if not further afield.

Where are you flying from and how jet-lagged will you be?

Heimdall

From Heathrow you will go west on the M4 for a short distance until reaching the M25 orbital, then go north or clockwise until you reach the M11 exit. The M25 is known as the world's largest parking lot, but if you get your rental car quickly enough you may avoid the worst of the rush hour traffic. Drive up the M11 to the A11 exit, which takes you past Newmarket and then joins the A14 heading east toward Ipswich. The A14 goes right through Bury St Edmunds.

Even at the best of times (late night) it takes about two hours from Heathrow to Bury St Edmunds (I live nearby). In rush hour it will take more like three hours, assuming no accidents or roadworks.

Leave Bury St Edmunds on the A134 (a two lane road), then follow the signs to Lavenham.

janisj

I would NOT do that at all. You will be in horrible traffic most of the way and you'll be jet lagged. Could be an absolute nightmare.

Spend the night at Windsor and drive over the next morning.

janisj

Meant to add --I'd be willing to bet you'd be on your way closer to 4:30 or 5PM than 3:00 PM

The cars are off site -- nearby but off site none the less.

Heimdall

Whether you do it that afternoon or the next day is up to you, but that is the route I recommend. If janisj has driven between Heathrow and Bury St Edmunds as many times as I, perhaps she has a better suggestion.

janisj

Oh - no. I totally 100% agree w/ your route. Just not in the late afternoon while jetlagged

flanneruk

Either go straight to a hotel and sleep your lag off or turn round and go straight back home again.

The idea of driving round the M25 at rush hour after an overnight, 8 time zone change, flight is so bloody stupid you need to be straitjacketed for even entertaining the thought.

Certainly, any passport official hearing your insane plans would be completely within his powers to have you instantly deported - and could even seek your immediate imprisonment as a threat to public safety.

mtm

Okay...I get your point & concerns, Flanneruk. But I only carved this short time in England out
DUE to *being* a little crazy -- to most, I'm sure.

Limited in what we can experience, though, due to needing to get to Scandinavia, only a little over a day later.
(but out of Stansted...hence the idea to head to E Anglia
so kindly offered by others here)

Gosh. I hope we aren't quite *that* bad yet, that we can't manage things. But perhaps we *should* leave the arrival night unbooked, and just hope there is still availability if we can make it? (and if too tired, or traffic, EPIC...
stay short of it)

But not Windsor only because we have so little time already
for E Anglia. (literally one full day)

Food for thought? Leave the arrival night unbooked?
Wing it? (was hoping to 'settle' though in one spot, & a have some sense of a 'stay' despite our short,
short layover there)

I'd take weeks if I could. Believe me! (and take
things slow)
But we have no vacation & need to see family in Norway.
(a consequence of being in the U.S. & at a new job)

We used to regularly have to travel 2.5 hrs by car
w/in Norway once arriving.
But, just realized we were always driven. :-\
(different, I know)
Or, took a train.

But at the same time, getting to Norway was FAR more grueling
it always felt like. (absolutely no non-stops from where we live)

Perhaps I was hoping we were still young enough (only deluding
selves?)...to manage this. ;-)

And it seems, so many conduct *far* more mentally'demanding' tasks like business mtgs sometimes with similar circumstances. (the 8 hr time zone difference)

But alas...driving *is* a whole different set of skills.
Although if it's such a parking lot...isn't that really *less* demanding in a way?
(slow speeds) ;-)

Okay...will bring your thoughts back home and see whether we should skip 'committing' our first night *ANYwhere* at this point. Thanks for everyone's candid feedback.

mtm

Oh & didn't mean to dismiss Windsor. But since I've seen so little of the UK so far, and Windsor is one of the rare spots, I *have*...guess I was hoping for somewhere new.

But, how close is it to Heathrow? (as didn't overnight there
previously) And perhaps that DOES make sense,
if we could get up early to drive eastward.

But then again, wouldn't we simply be stuck in major traffic
during the morning rush, instead? (until 10am)??

So, not much gained from that, it seems?
(other than safety, if we'd really be that badly off the arrival night vs. morning after, which could be *as* bad)

Hmmm...guess most other times we've been in the UK
have been after we'd acclimated to the time zone differences
first in Norway. (but not all times)

Darn. :-\

Any other spot that's picturesque heading eastward,
but perhaps half the distance to Bury St Edmunds & Lavenham?

Prefer to get all the way, but just curious if any area jumps out to anyone, that might shorten our drive quite a bit, but at least get around a little of the mess - so don't have to only encounter it yet again, the following morning if trying to get an early start.
(early-ish)

Thanks again!!

Heimdall

Hi mtm,

I share the concerns of others about jet lag, because traffic in and around London is heavy, and you do have to be very alert while driving. Finding somewhere closer to Heathrow isn't really a solution though, because the worst of the traffic will be on the M25.

BTW, you will drive right past Stansted on the M11, so if you wish to shorten your journey you could stop somewhere around there. Another solution would be to take the airport bus from Heathrow to Stansted, rent a car at Stansted, then return it the next day when you check in for your flight. Once in East Anglia the roads are much calmer, and you could even proceed to Lavenham from Stansted if you wish.

alanRow

So basically you are hiring a car because you want to go between Heathrow and Stansted. And you are willing to risk lives of others (I don't give a damn about you) by driving when jetlagged on unfamilar roads, on the "wrong" side of the road, into some of the worst traffic in the civilised world

So why not stay in London overnight & take the train / coach to or take the coach to Cambridge, stay there overnight and take the train / coach to Stansted the next day.

janisj

OR- take the LHR to Stansted express coach (and sleep all the way)

Heimdall

Me: <i>Another solution would be to take the airport bus from Heathrow to Stansted...</i>

Janisj: <i>OR- take the LHR to Stansted express coach (and sleep all the way)</i>

Glad you agree! ;-)

mtm

I'll look into that coach.
(doubt we'd sleep but get your point)

Won't avoid traffic though.

Other option: trains from LHR to Stansted & get
car there. Will look into.

Not sure how cumbersome the changes would be.
Thanks!

Heimdall

<i>Won't avoid traffic though.</i>

True, but you won't be doing the driving! ;-)

PatrickLondon

>>Not sure how cumbersome the changes would be. <<

Fairly tedious, but not too cumbersome: Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith, walk across platform, eastbound District Line to any station between Gloucester Road and Mansion House, wait on same platform for Circle Line to Liverpool St, where I think you would have to go up and down stairs to the main line station for your train to Stansted. Or you could take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and Circle Line from there to Liverpool St, but though quicker it is much more expensive and will also involve getting your luggage up and down stairs.

mtm

Thanks for the add'l info & ideas!
Researching now.

Appreciate it.