Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 10–17°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Rain17°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Rain17°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Heavy rain16°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Rain16°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Mostly sunny15°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Mostly sunny14°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Rain showers10°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Rain showers12°C - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Partly sunny11°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Partly sunny10°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Partly sunny9°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Partly sunny10°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Partly sunny11°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Cloudy15°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Rain11°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Cloudy15°C - ThuOct 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Cloudy15°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Cloudy14°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Cloudy14°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Cloudy14°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Cloudy16°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Rain15°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Heavy rain12°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Rain12°C - FriOct 16
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–11°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Rain11°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Rain11°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Rain11°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Light rain10°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Rain11°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Sunny10°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Partly sunny8°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Sunny11°C - SatOct 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–9°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Sunny7°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Sunny6°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Sunny7°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Sunny6°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Sunny8°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Sunny8°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Sunny6°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Sunny9°C - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–9°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Sunny6°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Sunny6°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Sunny7°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Sunny6°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Mostly sunny8°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Sunny9°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Mostly sunny7°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Partly sunny8°C - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–13°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Bristol7 AM BST Cloudy13°C Gloucester7:30 AM BST Cloudy13°C Birmingham8:15 AM BST Cloudy13°C Stoke-on-Trent9 AM BST Partly sunny13°C Warrington9:30 AM BST Cloudy13°C Carlisle11:15 AM BST Partly sunny12°C A701 northwest of Moffat12 PM BST Partly sunny8°C Edinburgh1 PM BST Partly sunny11°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 Bristol (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Bristol, EnglandStart 10 melevation
- Gloucester, EnglandMile 35 · 34 min 20 melevation
- Birmingham, EnglandMile 87 · 1 h 22 min 138 melevation
- Stoke-on-Trent, EnglandMile 124 · 1 h 55 min 134 melevation
- Warrington, EnglandMile 160 · 2 h 28 min 15 melevation
- Carlisle, EnglandMile 276 · 4 h 13 min 23 melevation
- A701 northwest of Moffat, ScotlandMile 323 · 4 h 58 min 426 melevation
- Edinburgh, ScotlandMile 368 · 6 h 1 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 Bristol, A701 northwest of Moffat and Edinburgh.
| Month | Bristol Yeovilton station · 20 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 | 9° / 2° | 5° / -1° | 7° / 1° |
| Feb | 9° / 2° | 5° / -1° | 8° / 2° |
| Mar | 12° / 3° | 7° / 0° | 10° / 3° |
| Apr | 14° / 5° | 10° / 2° | 12° / 5° |
| May | 17° / 7° | 13° / 4° | 15° / 7° |
| Jun | 20° / 10° | 16° / 7° | 17° / 10° |
| Jul | 22° / 12° | 17° / 9° | 19° / 12° |
| Aug | 22° / 12° | 17° / 9° | 19° / 12° |
| Sep | 19° / 10° | 14° / 7° | 17° / 10° |
| Oct | 15° / 7° | 11° / 4° | 13° / 7° |
| Nov | 12° / 4° | 7° / 1° | 10° / 4° |
| Dec | 9° / 2° | 5° / -1° | 8° / 1° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): YEOVILTON, UK (UKE00107962, 20 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 Bristol 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 Bristol to Edinburgh?
368 miles, about 6 hours of driving without stops, by way of M5 and M6. 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 323, about 4 h 58 min of driving after you leave Bristol.
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).