Night halts advice
Hi,
We are planning an after school dash from Essex to Devon with our 6 year old with a plan to arrive at Modbury around 9.30 and into the late night arrivals. However if we hit any traffic, Easter Thursday after all, I have been looking at the motorway Night
Halts. Can anyone give me any advice on how these work, do you just arrive, is there any plans for where they are maps etc and are they easy to navigate on arrival.
Any help and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Reeves
Comments
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>this thread< and help. I have never stayed overnight on a motorway service area but from the signs they look very expensive although some are inclusive of a meal.You may be better off just turning up at a CL.peedee
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We've stayed overnight on Motorway service areas, they are convenient because you don't have to leave your route, can stay hitched up etc.
However, don't expect a good night's sleep, trucks will be coming and going all night. Ear plugs essential.
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Our route is traditionally, A12 from Essex, north around the M25 to the M4 and then the M5 and finally the A38. I guess a good stop off point would be around Bristol and we have stopped at a CL in Chipping Sodbury before, although the plan was to just go
for it and try and get there in one go expecting the LNA pitch for the first night.0 -
Hi,
We are planning an after school dash from Essex to Devon with our 6 year old appreciated.
Thank you
Reeves
Reeves,
The word "Dash" worries me. In my experience of towing with children some years ago tells me that the best laid plans can go pear shaped as the child can dictate what happens.
Also you don't have the best start with the M25 in the way and M5 can be nortorious on a holiday weekend.
Another option is to go M3 and A303 to Exeter. That route takes you via a clutch of club sites at Wincanton, Chard, Honiton and Exeter racecourse which should get you out of the problem of getting delayed.
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If desperate you could use the Cartgate rest area just outside Yeovil on the A303. This is a picnic/stopping area used by many, with a cafe and toilets and picnic benches. You would have to take your chances for space to park at busy times. This isn't always a reputable place to stop at night so be wary.
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I have only ever driven this road twice and without the van so I bow to someone with more local knowledge. I just thought that because of the number of club sites on this route it would be better than the M4/M5 route if the OP needed to stay overnight somewhere.
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Our route is traditionally, A12 from Essex, north around the M25 to the M4 and then the M5 and finally the A38. I guess a good stop off point would be around Bristol and we have stopped at a CL in Chipping Sodbury before, although the plan was to just go
for it and try and get there in one go expecting the LNA pitch for the first night.Might be pushing it a bit to do it in one go, especially at the start of the easter break. If you want to get further down, how about stopping over at Minnows AS, just off the M5 near Tiverton. Easy to get to and back onto the M5 next morning, nice spot
alongside the canal, and you'll probably feel better for the break over the rest of your stay! Enjoy!
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There are loads of sites south of Bristol close to the M5. CC sites at Burnham (Hurn Lane), Cadeside and Tiverton (Minnows) plus numerous commercial sites and CLs. You won't want to arrive at Modbury too early so I would aim for the Weston-Super-Mare/Burnham
area rather than further west.0 -
I think you are being very optomistic in thinking even on a good night that you could be there by 9.30 trying to get round the M25 at that time of day. As you say you are going Easter Thursday the world and his wife will be on the road. How many can park
in the LNA area at Modbury? What will you do if it is full with other people who have the same idea? I agree with other posters to book a pitch on a site for a stop over.0 -
We've stayed at motorways services overnight as caravanners and motorhomers. If you end up with the truckers, stay away from fridge vans unless a regular sound lulls you to sleep. Lorries come and go at all times but it never bothered us. What you might find if you are in with the trucks that as night descends, parking manners sometimes disappear so you may be stuck in the morning.
Normally, we travel very early morning, park up in day light and arrive at site at noon. Saves paying for an overnighter. We can have a snooze if we find a quiet spot. Kids used to sleep happily in the car on long journeys.
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Reeves55, we live in Devon and our son and his family live in Watford, so we do a very similar route M25 etc. many times a year. I think that it will take you a lot longer than you expect, with all the traffic on the roads these days and even a small hold
up on the M25 on an ordinary week day it takes a while. On Easter Thursday with the usual hold ups on the M25 and at Bristol I don't think you will make it in your expected time. Much better to plan to stop over on a site and I would make your stopover just
after Bristol. Hope this helps.0 -
Ok I am a sucker for punishment but here goes, thank you all for your honesty, I am really keen to try and make it down on the Thursday as we have to come back mid way through the following week and if we end up over nighting, finshing off on the Friday
it is Saturday before we can relax. SO how would this trip work if we left earlier on the Thursday say around 10am, do we have a chance of making it to Devon for the evening. Someone posted about what if the LNA is full, we have a back up for this as our cousins
have a large driveway and we could put the van on there for the evening if needed I guess.0 -
Reeves55, we live in Devon and our son and his family live in Watford, so we do a very similar route M25 etc. many times a year. I think that it will take you a lot longer than you expect, with all the traffic on the roads these days and even a small hold
up on the M25 on an ordinary week day it takes a while. On Easter Thursday with the usual hold ups on the M25 and at Bristol I don't think you will make it in your expected time. Much better to plan to stop over on a site and I would make your stopover just
after Bristol. Hope this helps.Write your comments here...
Ok I am a sucker for punishment but here goes, thank you all for your honesty, I am really keen to try and make it down on the Thursday as we have to come back mid way through the following week and if we end up over nighting, finshing off on the Friday
it is Saturday before we can relax. SO how would this trip work if we left earlier on the Thursday say around 10am, do we have a chance of making it to Devon for the evening. Someone posted about what if the LNA is full, we have a back up for this as our cousins
have a large driveway and we could put the van on there for the evening if needed I guess.
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Reeve,
After all the advice you got on here re your request. It seems as though you have decided to go ahead anyway, albeit with an earlier start time. That will make a difference but the situation remains the same, your journey is at the start of a very busy holiday
weekend and no one has a crystal ball. However you have the facility now to park somewhere safe overnight.I wish you well
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Tuesdays & Thursdays are the best days to travel.Remember lorry drivers are governed by their Tachographs so will be stopping probably between 11 oclock & 2 o'clock so roads will be less busy ,if you don't stop and you don't feel tired ,personaly I would
say there is every chance of you completing your journey. Best of luck.0 -
Hi, Reeves, if you're leaving Thursday morning, why wait until 10am? Get a really early start and you'll make it to Devon easy(ish) on time.
Have a great trip, whatever.
we would not be able to leave early as we live opposite the school and there is parking restriction until 9.30 so nowhere to bring the van round to load up. Thinking about taking the southern route and stopping over at the site at Salisbury. We have not
used that route before though, A303 I think.0 -
Hi, Reeves, if you're leaving Thursday morning, why wait until 10am? Get a really early start and you'll make it to Devon easy(ish) on time.
Have a great trip, whatever.
we would not be able to leave early as we live opposite the school and there is parking restriction until 9.30 so nowhere to bring the van round to load up. Thinking about taking the southern route and stopping over at the site at Salisbury. We have not
used that route before though, A303 I think.Write your comments here... Don't like the sound of the A303, I would think about that again if I were you. Sorry
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