Rest stops
Good everybody, Complete novice to caravanning been on two recent short trips, loved it so far. However our next trip is to Harlech ( Min Y Don Holiday park ) in July and need some guidance with rest stops. We live in Solihull so its going to be a 3 and 1/2 trip. I am thinking of stopping on the last services on the M54 and would like to know where I can make further stops en route? My route is A5,B4396,B4391,A494,A4212,A496.
Any suggestions would be most welcome or guide me to where I can get this information please.Thank you
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Hello PJK and welcome to our great hobby. Don't know your route but I'm sure you will get a detailed reply soon. However, there really is no need to over plan your shortish trip; just let nature, stomach and traffic lead you to when you need to stop. One of the joys of caravanning is the relaxed and free (ish) style of holiday it gives you. There will be plenty of places on your route where you can pull off for a break be they lay byes, cafes or service stations - we have never had a problem finding somewhere. I know not relevant to you but those of us who do long continental trips tend tp do the 3 x 2 hour driving stints.
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The post should have started as:
Good Morning Everybody!!! Must remember to read before posting LOL.
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Having recently towed up the M54 and stopped at the service area I found the caravan parking restricted by the need to make a tight 90 deg turn into the bay, of which there are only 5. We were lucky to find one empty.
There were however plenty of laybys on the main Welsh roads and we had no difficulty in finding space for rest breaks.
I would caution against towing on “B” roads in Wales unless you know that they are suitable. We found several narrow “A” roads that needed passing places, so research may be needed. I find Google Earth with Street view good for that task.
Because of the often convoluted roads average speeds are a lot lower than in England. On the plus side we found the condition on Welsh roads to be much better than those in England with very few pot holes.
I recommend you allow plenty of time with plenty of stops and enjoy the journey as well as your holiday.
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I would caution against towing on “B” roads in Wales unless you know that they are suitable. We found several narrow “A” roads that needed passing places, so research may be needed. I find Google Earth with Street view good for that task.
You just need to look further up the road than usual & wait at a suitable point to allow the solo car to pass. We've just been to the Llyn peninsula, where many of the roads are narrow & my only research was to find the post code of the CL we were going to .... 7'6" wide caravan & 43' long in total. Never had a problem. If you can get a tractor & trailer, or a bus along these roads, you'll get a car & caravan along them too.
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I was addressing my reply to a novice caravaner as the OP rather than an experienced tower such as yourself.
The interest arises when one meets the vehicles you refer to on one of the not infrequent blind bends where there is insufficient room to pass and reversing is called for. Not neccessarily an impossible situation as I can confirm but not the best for a novice on their first long trip.
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I know you were. But towing or driving a large vehicle down a narrow road in Wales or the Yorkshire Dales etc just takes care, and where possible, prevent the need to reverse in the first place. If you know where the passing places are in advance are you going to wait in them ..... just in case someone is coming the other way.
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We never plan the minutiae when travelling, get on the road, stop when the feeling takes, to change drivers, comfort breaks etc.. Don't like one lay-by go on till the next one. You just can't plan when you are going to meet hazards so you have to deal with them as and when they arise.
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Thank you very much for all your replies.
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M54 services are tight and often full. If you carry on the A5 just the other side of Shrewsbury there is very large picnic area with loos and cafe. Probably a better bet than Telford services. As you approach Oswestry there are services at the island with caravan bays. It can be very difficult to pull out there. As you approach Chirk there is a services on the right with space for lorries. Cafe and M and S food. After that it is laybys only. If you use the A55, further but much easier, there is a services just after the big left hand bend on Deeside. Parking is possible but can be difficult unless you can reverse. (To do this go to Costa/Subway and there are 2 big bays. Don't do this if you aren't good at reversing.) The A55 has lots of laybys and some have butty wagons. All other services are no HGV which means might not be good for caravans. Enjoy Wales.
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