Caravan friendly motorway services
Has anyone ever suggested a motorway services thread that describes how well caravans are accommodated? Just a thought.......
Anyway, I am travelling North to Cumbria from Cambridge on the M6 in a couple of weeks and would like to break the journey about half way to give the wife and dog a chance to stretch their legs. Knutsford seems about half way. Does anyone have experience of taking their outfit here? (We have a discovery and an 8M van so need swing space!!).
Thanks
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There is a thread but the skill will be in finding it.
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They all have signs in them directing caravans to certain areas but my experience is that there are very few that can be described as caravan friendly.Sorry if this is not really helpful to you podes.
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Pdes, that would be a good thread to start again for an up to date version.
We recently travelled up the A1 to Northumberland. Prior to going, we were looking into possible stops on route, only to find that Scotch Corner is apparently turning caravans away. We have no experience of this, but decided to use Durham services instead. Durham was fine (parking with lorries and smells of urine😐) but a little tricky to turn right when exiting into a busy road in Saturday lunchtime traffic.
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The best I have been to is Wetherby services on the A1 as it has drive in drive out bays for caravans and wide bays for MH opposite
Donnington services near Derby also has the same system but not as many.
I agree a up to date sticky list would be great.
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There was a survey which many of us filled in and a discussion here:
I will try and find out the results of the survey, which has now finished.
David
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Knutsford services, in my opinion, are inadequate. There are only about 12 bays for and 10 for caravans. I was lucky and found a space but the others were occupied by anything but caravans. A far better services are Warrington Lymm services the next ones north. No particular caravan bays but parking with HGV's should be ok there a dozens of bays.
Alternatively, instead of M6, you could use A1 and M62
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My view on using motorway services with a caravan is simple, only use them if you have to, it is such a lottery when you pull in, can you find the caravan area, is there space, will you get locked in or find yourself in a dead end that is difficult to get out, are there vehicles using the space that should not be there, will the caravan be stolen if you leave it, and heaven forbid if you have to use the lorry park
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I have sent an email off to Highways England who chair the National Towing Working Group, who actually produced the survey asking for the views of motorists who use motorway service stations when towing trailers or caravans. If I get a reply I will share the results...
David
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Most are poor, only a few good ones.
My advice would be.......
Take it slowly
Follow the signs
Use HGV area if no signs
Never leave stopping for a comfort break until the last minute
Avoid the usual lunch hours, start looking around 11.30 at the latest
Do not leave the van unattended
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I agree with all the points Kjell has made other than the last one - which has never seemed to be a problem, a worry or a concern at all. Would we really go in for lunch at Gloucester services separately?
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I suppose the proof is what would happen if your van was stolen while you were eating? If you put a hitch lock on while hitched, or a wheel clamp your insurance claim might be more valid? I really don't know what would happen without them and depends on your insurance wording but it is certainly easier to steal a caravan which does not have such protection?
We have never left our van unattended.
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Agree with KjellNN on all points; we never leave our MH unattended on the services either, but then we eat in the MH, not in the services. Suppose we're very suspicious, but with everything in the MH, we don't want some opportunistic tealeaf helping themselves to any of it, including the MH itself.
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Agree with eurotraveller, we also leave the caravan together if we were going for lunch or a comfort break, though some HGV areas look a bit questionable! Certainly wouldn’t leave it if we saw travellers around. Fortunately we have never had a problem but we only leave it if we feel comfortable with the place and never have a ‘leisurely’ lunch!
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agree, I know insurance would probably cover it but that;s your holiday ruined and pride and joy gone?
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Our policy, when we had a caravan, required a hitch-lock and a wheel clamp to be fitted at ALL times when the caravan was unattended. Insurance companies will wriggle out altogether or at best pay out a significantly reduced figure if you don't comply.
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But I would never buy an insurance policy which made those restrictions. And I don't even have a wheel clamp !
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We did have a very long thread which listed experiences at motorway services (mentioned by TW at the beginning) usually I can find these things by putting in a search on particular threads but it has proved impossible this time round.
If I recall Gloucester services N&S came out tops for space and facilities. Many others were awful!
If the previous thread is lost input from members is quite useful on here at the moment.
Our experiences are mainly on the M5/M6 routes north and south. I would say generally that lunch breaks 11.30am -1.30 pm can result in finding lorries and commercial vans in the caravan spaces due to lack of parking spaces for the lorries and they have to fulfil legal requirements on taking breaks. Motorhomers and caravanners also need to take safety and comfort breaks so it's a catch 22 but the height of the summer holidays is always the worst, it gets easier at less busy times.
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Not the biggest fan of the services on the M6. When we do longer journeys we have to use them and find Charnock Richard Services ok for the caravan. We stopped there this summer on our way south and managed to get a space but in my opinion the caravan area was not well signposted.
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And that, my friend, is precisely why motorway services don't care about making provision for caravanners. There is nothing in it for them!
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But then the same could be said for the majority of HGVs who although they are by law required to take a break, not many use the facilities that Rae a dip in their pockets, the most "welcome"are coaches and they come in for their passengers comfort breaks,at those services that give the drivers their penny meals
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thats a hell of a long way round. M6 is direct. 
; from the (south) east you could do A1 to M62, then M61 and up to the M6. Or you could do A14 to M6 and endure all those roadworks!
