Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–14°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Cloudy14°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Mostly sunny10°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Mostly sunny11°C Carlisle10 AM BST Mostly sunny11°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Cloudy9°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Partly sunny13°C - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–13°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Mostly sunny7°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Mostly sunny6°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Partly sunny7°C Carlisle10 AM BST Partly sunny13°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Cloudy10°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Cloudy13°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Cloudy14°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Partly sunny14°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Light rain15°C Carlisle10 AM BST Cloudy16°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Cloudy13°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Cloudy16°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Cloudy14°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Light rain14°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Rain showers15°C Carlisle10 AM BST Rain14°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Cloudy9°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Cloudy12°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 7–11°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Cloudy9°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Cloudy7°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Mostly sunny9°C Carlisle10 AM BST Cloudy10°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Cloudy7°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Cloudy11°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 5–9°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Sunny6°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Sunny5°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Partly sunny7°C Carlisle10 AM BST Mostly sunny6°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Partly sunny6°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Partly sunny9°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–14°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Birmingham7 AM BST Cloudy9°C Stoke-on-Trent7:45 AM BST Light rain10°C Warrington8:15 AM BST Rain11°C Carlisle10 AM BST Rain13°C A701 northwest of Moffat10:45 AM BST Rain10°C Edinburgh11:45 AM BST Rain14°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Birmingham (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Birmingham, EnglandStart 138 melevation
- Stoke-on-Trent, EnglandMile 42 · 40 min 134 melevation
- Warrington, EnglandMile 79 · 1 h 13 min 15 melevation
- Carlisle, EnglandMile 195 · 2 h 58 min 23 melevation
- A701 northwest of Moffat, ScotlandMile 242 · 3 h 43 min 426 melevation
- Edinburgh, ScotlandMile 287 · 4 h 46 min 71 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Birmingham, A701 northwest of Moffat and Edinburgh.
| Month | Birmingham Halesowen station · 153 m | A701 northwest of Moffat Leadhills station · 393 m | Edinburgh Edinburgh (Royal Botanic Garden) station · 26 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | High / low °C | High / low °C | |
| Jan | 7° / 1° | 5° / -1° | 7° / 1° |
| Feb | 8° / 1° | 5° / -1° | 8° / 2° |
| Mar | 11° / 3° | 7° / 0° | 10° / 3° |
| Apr | 13° / 4° | 10° / 2° | 12° / 5° |
| May | 17° / 7° | 13° / 4° | 15° / 7° |
| Jun | 19° / 10° | 16° / 7° | 17° / 10° |
| Jul | 22° / 12° | 17° / 9° | 19° / 12° |
| Aug | 22° / 12° | 17° / 9° | 19° / 12° |
| Sep | 18° / 10° | 14° / 7° | 17° / 10° |
| Oct | 14° / 6° | 11° / 4° | 13° / 7° |
| Nov | 10° / 4° | 7° / 1° | 10° / 4° |
| Dec | 7° / 1° | 5° / -1° | 8° / 1° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): HALESOWEN, UK (UKE00105912, 153 m); LEADHILLS, UK (UKE00105932, 393 m); EDINBURGH ROYAL BOTANIC GARDE, UK (UKE00105888, 26 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for England and Scotland rather than repeat them.
- England · National HighwaysNational Highways travel updates
- Scotland · Traffic ScotlandTraffic Scotland road conditions
Check the official forecast from Met Office and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Birmingham to Edinburgh with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Birmingham to Edinburgh?
287 miles, about 5 hours of driving without stops, by way of M6 and A701. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
A701 northwest of Moffat, at 426 m (1,396 ft). It comes at mile 242, about 3 h 43 min of driving after you leave Birmingham.
How cold is A701 northwest of Moffat in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Leadhills (393 m), averages a high of 5°C and a low of -1°C in January (1991–2020 averages).
How cold is Edinburgh in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Edinburgh (Royal Botanic Garden) (26 m), averages a high of 7°C and a low of 1°C in January (1991–2020 averages).