Hi everyone
as I've said before its my first time at crufts.We are trying to work out what time we need to leave home.According to the crufts website we are now scheduled in the ring at 8:30am ahhh!!! We live on the north side of manchester and it normally takes us a couple of hours to reach Birmingham BUT how long should it take to get to the NEC.
What I need to know is at 6:30-70:00 am on a 'crufts' day how bad is the traffic
Any help most appreciated,Acher

I live in South Manchester near the airport and I would leave 2 hours before at least, especially as there's quite a long walk once you get there to get to the halls.

Good luck and I hope that you both enjoy yourselves in the ring.

Regards.
Diane

I would like any advice from travelling up from London. We are scheduled from 10.00-14.00. I was aiming to arrive about 9.00 (I have a bitch so we wouldn't be in too early). How much time should we allow for the journey - anyone from my area with experience of the traffic?

Thanks

Fiona and Saffy

Partly depends on the day. Weekdays are busier to get there. Friday is horendous to get away. Weekends are usually OK if you are early but there can be delays leaving the M42 and getting into the carpark.
As you live N of Manchester probaly set off about 4ish (monday morning <<<G>>>) and you should get there in time.
How long does it take you to prepare your dog once in the show?
I would allow 2 hours to the NEC and at least 1 hour from the motrway into the hall plus grooming and settling in time.

I'm leaveing on Wednesday, do not show till friday, but we get lost every where we go and the NEC can be a nightmare.Took us just over an hour to get there last year, but 4 hours to get home to the other side of Peterbro' some how we thought we were going wrong when we got to twycross zoo. at about 9 0'clock at night. Now we take the caravan then at least if we get lost we have some where to sleep

Know all about getting lost on the way back from the NEC! I didn't think about the fact I needed the M42 North to connect with the M6 (by coincidence, to get back to the other side of Peterborough too), and ended up on the M40, half way to Oxford
LynnT

My friend and I coming back from LKA from NEC came back to Bristol via Oxford. At night the A route from Oxford to Swindon in driving rain wa a nightmare!