Sheffield - Manchester best route?

jozxyqk

I'm just after some wisdom / experience please.

I'm driving from SW Sheffield to west of Manchester (A580) on Boxing Day. Lucky me.

By my reckoning I have these route options:

1. A57 Snake Pass to M60 then either way round to link up with the A580. Downside is it's usually v busy from Glossop.
2. A628 Woodhead Pass to A57 etc. Quite out of the way and obviously there's the Glossop problem.
3. M1 N, M62 W. A lot further in miles but hopefully fairly quick and a lot less twisty (2 passengers, at least one of them gets tends to get motion sickness).
4. Aim for Chapel-en-le-Frith and the A6, then M60 etc.

Opinions (other than stay at home...;))?

Merry Xmas!

System

1 and 2 are weather dependant.
3 is the simplest and is the route that I used to use from Chester to Sheffield when DD was at Uni there. I tried 1 & 2 but I think the bottleneck at Mottram will always cause a problem unless you travel at about 3AM.
4. No idea.

kev25v6

Travel to see family in chester and we live near sheffield and the quickest way always has been over woodhead.

harveybobbles

Snakepass/woodhead has prettier scenery. All routes will probably be quiet. Motorway will be better for passengers and will feel "quicker".

But as you're SW I'd be tesmpted to go via Chap-e-l-F

ACG

There is an average speed check near the trafford centre (from carrington to beyond salford interchange) on the ring road - so best to avoid that.

That and the trafford centre traffic will be a nightmare around there on boxing day.

Not that that helps with the early part of the trip.

inkie

Option 4 is the way I always go. Will be quiet and you won't be going out of your way, or stuck behind lorries on the woodhead or snake

worried_jim

I remember the last time I drove over snake pass and Radio One stuck Ace of Spades on- about killed myself I was driving so fast. Happy memories, great road, enjoy the scenery.

hollie.weimeraner

I live in NW sheffield near the A57 and always use the Snake pass to travel across. I believe there are currently roadworks on the A628 Woodhead pass. There are also majot roadworks and 50mph speed restrictions on the M1 north of Sheffield.

Personally I'd put up with the 5 to 10 minute queue up to Mottram lights as it always moves relatively quickly.

jozxyqk

Thanks all so far...quite a range of replies, makes me think I should've started a poll!

The one route out of those listed that I haven't done previously is no. 4. Is the way to Chapel e-l-F particularly twisty compared to Snake Pass?

Another thought occurs re the Trafford Centre, I've seen that stretch be pretty bad on weekends, also I know Man U are playing at home on Boxing Day. So, I was considering M60 west, down the M56 past the airport and then head north on the M6. Now, that bit isn't fantastic either what with the M62 junctions, but I'm hoping it'll be less of a car park...

Any thoughts?