Mistake

Mistake was to leave Cornwall on a Friday.

My memory was that Saturday was the day that incurred all the holiday traffic as everyone swapped over from one holidaying week to the next.  Seems not.  Seems the entire population of Cornwall goes to Birmingham on a Friday; God knows why.

The first 40 miles averaged out at 20mph, and the rest, four-lane M5 included, alternated between moving and not-moving.  The need to get back before guests arrived meant fewer planned stops than ideal, though there were enough unplanned ones.

By the time we got to Cheltenham it seems the rest of the M5, M42 and edging on to the M40, was gridlocked.  Thankfully we did know an alternative route at that point; and travelled considerably quicker down country roads than along the Motorway.