Night stops
We looking at taking the caravan for a quick (from devon to Yorkshire) trip to see the family up north in feb. Usually we’d think about stopping off at a cl or similar overnight on the way but will be traveling late so assuming no cl would want us arriving around midnight.. does anybody use motorway services for overnight stops? I’m quite aware that they wouldn’t be the best but can’t see any other options. We’d be looking to stop somewhere on the m1 if anybody has any advice or experience that would be great!
Comments
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Living in Milton Keynes we use the M1 quite a bit on our trips. We have obviously stopped at quite a few Service Stations up and down the motorway. Not sure it is something I would recommend any as they are bound to be noisey both from the parking area and the very nearby motorway. There are the odd Service Stations off the motorway, I think Donnington Park is one of them. Whilst I have never visited it might be a bit quieter? If you can make it before 8.00pm I would recommend the Poolsbrook site which has easy access off the M1. I imagine this is a two day journey for you? What route are you taking to the M1?
David
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Oneputt is right, service areas charge and it is not cheap although some may include breakfast.
My guess is your route would be M5-M42-M6-M69-M1 it being the quickest. You could consider sites with late night arrival areas e.g. Chapel Lane Club site just off the M42. Poolsbrook also has a late night arrivals area. You would get a better nights sleep.
peedee
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I would have thought a more likely route was M5, M42, M1 - or alternatively M5, A46, M69, M1. There's Tamworth Services on the M42 and none on the M69 until you get to Leicester Forest on the M1 which is horrendous. Tamworth charge £21 with breakfast for long stays. Trouble is - without wishing to sound negative, I expect most services (and laybys on the A46) will be full of HGVs by midnight.
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If you do use the M5 one option is to turn onto the M50 go passed Ross on Wye on to the A40 and you will find Hollymount CL,
Lowcop, Glewstone, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 6AN. It's about 15 miles from the M5. About 100 yards passed the CL (on the right) is a very large hard standing with EHU. This is the CL's transit area. We've stayed there, arriving at 2 o'clock in the morning with no problem. I think the cost was about a tenner. Just give Mr Jackson a call.0 -
We used to do the Bristol - Nottinghamshire section of your route regularly, using M5, M42/A42, M1. By far the best services with a caravan is the East Midlands Airport Donnington Park one. Going north, enter from A42 and exit onto M1. As DK suggests it should be quieter as it's away from the Motorway. Not sure how much flying there is at night though, as it's fairly close to the airport. There are 6 dedicated caravan / MH bays (slightly sloping). Although these can get hijacked by other vehicles (see photo) even in the day, as they are much closer to the services. If full, you can get back to the HGV park but those places are horrible and I wouldn't particularly want to spend the night in one. As mentioned above, they all charge variable rates after 2 hours, enforced by ANPR.
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Thanks everyone! We usually do the M5, M42, M1, M18, M62, something like Hollymount CL with a transit area would be perfect but we’d rather stop further up, between donnington or poolsbrook or maybe further up would be ideal locations so we don’t have as far to travel the second day.
Do sites like Poolsbrook with late arrivals areas allow planned late arrivals? I was under the impression that they would only let you stop there if didn’t expect to be late?0 -
I seem to recall it’s been explained on here by staff that LNA pitches are for people who’ve booked but don’t arrive until after 8pm. I think it’s expected that you ring the site to tell the wardens you’re running late and won’t make it until after 8.
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Gloucester services northbound is fine for the purpose - more modern than many others and has a good caravan parking area.
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The LNA area at Poolsbrook is quite small, one maybe two units right opposite Reception. How late would you actually be? Others have pointed out the conditions of use of the LNA areas but it might just be worth discussing it with the site. At least if you did that you would know whether you have to rule it out.
David
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Motorway Service stations are horrendous, and expensive. We do journey other way, and have used a Car park in Stratford that allows overnight MH parking. It might be worth investigating, see if it is feasible with Car/Van. This would be M5, off at Tewkesbury, up A46 to Stratford (mainly dual carriageway) Car Park serves Leisure Centre and also takes the odd lorry stopover. When we used it (November) it was well lit, quiet, trouble free. Cost us £2 for 8pm to 8am. Then you are back out onto A46, onto M69, up to M1 and onwards.
We used to overnight in a big lay-by just North of Morton In Marsh on Fosse Way occasionally with our van. It is used by lorries, and has a greasy spoon set up around 5.30am, but is a big ox bow, well off road and quiet overnight.
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provided there is space, how about checking out a pub stop...
yes, these are generally for motorhomes but the owner might be OK with it if the space is there...
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We used to do this journey from the Midlands but now do it from South Somerset. If you really can't manage an overnight site stop (Clumber Park and Poolsbrook are easy to reach) I'd suggest Donington or Tamworth services. I think it costs around £28 overnight at Donington with a food voucher included. We've never done this and have done the distance in one go a couple of times this year. We're down near the Devon border and it took about eight hours, it would be longer towing a van. Donington and Tamworth are a bit better space wise, hope you find somewhere suitable. Watch out for bad weather too, keep an eye on the forecasts.
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We’d give this a go.👍
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The car park at Stratford Leisure can be an early morning wake-up call as the HGVs all seem to fire up together. OK to grab some kip so long as you don't want a lie-in. There's a Thai restaurant and a couple of pubs within 200 yards as well.
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Overnighting on UK motorway services are generally noisy and overpriced. The only redeeming feature is an all-night cafe.
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We were very lucky, only one parked up, we never heard a thing😁
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Loads of really useful information, thanks again everyone! I will let you know what we decide to do and how it goes!
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I would stop off overnight just off the M42 at Chapel Lane , then you are about Half Way, perfect time for a stop, they have a LNA area for emergencies, Tired Drivers are the LAST thing everybody needs when travelling. Take a rest, it isnt a race.
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We ended up staying at waleswood, just off the m1 at j31. They allow arrvials until 2100 (which is why we went for here over poolsbrook which allow arrivals until 2000) it was spot on a tank of fuel, and there is a petrol station just outside with well below motorway prices for diesel.
It was a shame we only had 1 night as we both said we’d like to explore the country park next time.It was quite a bit cheaper than stopping overnight at the motorway services and good new/clean facilities too.
Thanks for all your comments and advice!
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