Motorway Services and places for comfort stops
We are fairly new to caravaning and have had some lovely, fairly local, holidays already. The thing that puts us off going further is finding places to stop on the way. We don't like to drive for longer than about 2 hours without a break.
We did stop at Thurrock on our way to Kent - it was a bad experience. When we found the places for caravans to park, lorries were in them. So we parked near the lorries. I won't go into detail but it wasn't pleasant! And we are not keen to repeat that experience.
Can members please give us some advice about the sort of places you like to stop. Is it possible to stop on motorways and have a reasonable experience? Your information would be greatly appreciated and will mean we can get further fromhome!
Thanks
Comments
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Not sure where you're starting from, Terry, but on the M5 both Gloucester and Cullompton have good areas for caravanners - but avoid Taunton Deane like the plague!
Better still, plan a 1 night stop off at a CL en route and explore parts of the country which you wouldn't necessarily think of visiting.
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Don't let one had experience put you off. Most services have caravan spaces and usually the lorry parks, if you have to use them, are ok. It is helpful if you can reverse as some parking areas need you to reverse out of a space.
The services on the M6 toll are very good, as are most of of the services on the M5 and M6.
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Cartgate on the A303 near Illchester is a good spot. Busy mind you.
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Terry, motorway services are busy places and no one is going to reserve a place for me, but except at Bank Holidays I usually find room to park, use their toilets, buy their coffee and roll on. I don't mind parking with the lorry drivers and often chat with them.
Alternatives I know of here in the south west include Cribbs Causeway shopping mall, supermarket car parks at quiet times (Tesco is often open 24/24), the National Trust house at Lanhydrock, Lifton Farm shop, Endsleigh A38 garden centre, the Subway cafe on the A30 west of Launceston, Cornwall A30 services at Victoria, various country pubs, and the Travelodge at Saltash.
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Terry
There was me thinking Thurrock was quite a good caravan/motorhome parking area!!! Although they have recently introduced parking for refrigerated lorries immediately next door which does introduce an extra element of noise. The best one I have been on is Gloucester both north and south on the M5. Leigh Delamere on the M4 has plenty of space and is reasonably near to the facilities.
David
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Sunday travelling is the best, there are less lorries on the road. One of the problems for everyone is lorry drivers running short of parking spaces for rest breaks. So avoid peak times at mid day when lorries often have to use every available space, which can mean the caravan areas too. It's not the lorry drivers fault, but you will also find smaller commercial vans and cars parked in caravan spaces and they really don't need to be there.
I would also say avoid weekend travel in the school holidays, especially the M5 to and from the south west. The services are always very busy in the summer.
The further north you go the problem eases.
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Sunday travelling is the best, there are less lorries on the road.
We usually aim to start holidays on a Sunday and often finish on a Sunday for that reason. It is only the start or end of a holiday when we might have a longer tow. Between sites whilst away I like to keep it shorter. Normally from site or in the working week I delay start until some time after 9am and let traffic dissipate.
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Thurrock is the worst services I have come across. The caravan parking is, as you say, always full of lorries, especially late on. The whole area is one big dirty litter ridden, open air toilet and stinks. I went once and never again. Perhaps it may have improved but I suspect not. I wrote a letter of complaint and didn't even get a reply.
M5 Bridgewater is another I avoid because of the parking which is at the opposite kerb to the bus bays which needs you to either reverse in or out. Plus there are only 5 narrow bays which are generally full of vans.
If you want to know the layout of services then Google Earth is good if you zoom in.
Other than that it's suck it an see
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If you're ever up the A1(M) the Wetherby services is perfect for caravans as you drive in to a long bay that fits car&van and you then drive out again. Easy to get into and out and well signed.
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I have known a few caravan sites like that when touring - great for overnight stops without needing to unhitch. So an idea for Club site designers.
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if there is a demand then why not? I suppose some sites are more used for stop-overs than other 'tourist' sites?
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The only problem I find with Cobham Services, Northbound, is that the parking bays for caravans are not long enough for our outfit. We have used them, nevertheless but our outfit does stick out beyond the designated space!
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When travelling on the M4, we usually use the Reading Services.
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Strensham Northbound M5/ M50 junction are good. Plenty of Drive in drive out bays. We have never failed to find one yet. However, if they should be full the car parking area is huge.
Unfortunatly the southbound side is not so good. There never was as much room and they have now redesigned it, providing much more parking for coaches. As a result HGV spaces are at a premium and smaller ones end up using Caravan spaces, which are not well designed in any event.
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Cherwell Service on the M40 have reasonable caravan parking.
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When visiting our caravan dealer for servicing etc. we use the services near junction 18 of the M4 for our overnight stop. We pay the overnight charge through the phone app. It's cheaper because it doesn't include a food voucher!
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If your heading up to Scotland from England or vice versa, then the Gretna Green services are brilliant - 7 designated spots drive in drive off and near enough to the services. Can recommend Wetherby as well although it can get very busy. On the M6 we have stopped at Cannock but the caravan park is so far away from the services and you have to walk through the lorry park.
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There are very few services that I recommend - I use various with mixed results but Gloucester stands out as excellent. (I understand the mother services at Tbay on M5/6? are great too). If in doubt I check the supermarkets in the area I may wish to stop and go there - Cribbs Causeway is one of them - I prefer the Morrisons to the older Asda car parks. As for Weatherby - when Mr Jobsworth is directing traffic it is hit and miss. He missed with me when I was cross questioned as to why I wanted to stop and was informed there would be a 25 minute wait for a space - despite Coach park being empty etc etc. Needless to say I moved on!
I think there is still a thread there about Motorway Services (mostly bad) Off the motorway is a better bet mostly! If you must stop on a Motorway - leave it till after about 1.15 pm (or before 12) and then the world is your oyster.
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Tebay can be very crowded Pippa, nice for food but not in the same league as Gloucester. The company also own Cairn Lodge on the M74, there is usually plenty of room there for everyone although it's not as good inside the actual services, much smaller.
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I suspect you may get in and out of Wetherby services quicker with a caravan than in a car on it's own (providing the RH lane on entry is not blocked by cars stacked to zipper in for the car park). I consider it a good visit (in a car) if I only spend 30mins getting in and out (not counting the time spent on a comfort break). I've had visits where getting in and out took well over an hour.
Wetherby is very badly designed/laid out for the volume of business it gets.
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We have just got back from a four night stay at Henley and on both outward and inward journeys we stopped at the Oxford Services on the M40. The caravan/motorhome parking is in the same area as the coach parking, coaches one side and us the other. You either have to drive in reverse out or the other way round, fortunately plenty of space to do either.
David
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M5 Bridgwater was voted worst services in the country a couple of years ago, and Tebay was best, but definitely NOT for caravans! The same company now has services at Gloucester (S & N bound) which are excellent. I propose we start a new thread, "best services for caravans". Mind you, the idea of checking out Googlemaps isn't a bad start, provided you can identify which are for us and which are 40t mobile fridges!
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Easton in Gordano near Bristol is one to avoid when the M5 is busy, if there are traffic jams it can be impossible to get back on. You can take an alternative route if stuck taking a left turn towards Bristol and then out towards the A38 etc.
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Best services I've come across is Birchanger Green on the M11, well signed, plenty of space, quite near the services building and picnic tables ! The abysmal ones are Clacket Lane on the M25, Warwick on the M40 and Cardiff Gate on the M4. Don't be put off, though, there are many reasonable ones.
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