Services on A1 south
I’m fairly new to caravanning. I’m reasonably comfortable towing but I worry about stops and not being able to turn the van round in a car park. Next week we are going down A1 from Yorkshire to Suffolk. Does anyone know of a service station with guaranteed caravan stops that avoid having to reverse?
Would really appreciate any advice - and yes I know I need to learn how to reverse!
Larry
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Hello, maybe a starting point in and the route from Yorkshire would be helpful in trying to help?
I can recommend Wetherby Services but that might be too close?
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Another vote for Wetherby Services. The caravan parking is often supervised at weekends and as a motorhomer I have twice been directed to the nearby lorry park in order that the places are saved for caravans. No objection to that on my part as the lorry park is a bit nearer the coffee!!! Shame that more service areas don't supervise there parking.
David
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Depends on what you want to do? If just to refuel, pretty much any decent forecourt will be suitable.
If a lunch or comfort stop, we always use our own facilities and either a decent lay by, or in a service area we go with the HGVs unless proper caravan suitable parking is signed.
just had a poor experience at Baldock services on A1M, where the signed caravan spaces were about 2m longer than our van, and only about as wide as the van!
If stopping for lunch, an early stop just before midday is more likely to guarantee a space. 12.30-2.00 is always busy.
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.... where the signed caravan spaces were about 2m longer than our van, and only about as wide as the van!
I've come across spaces like that somewhere south on the M5, fortunately they were end on to equally small caravan spaces so could use 2 of them. Obviously those with the buckets of white lines are clueless to the size of a car & caravan.
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Exactly our thoughts too! I took some photos and just might get around to e mailing them with my thoughts.
We decided to stay, so unhitched and put the van right forward in one space and the car right back in the next, so we could actually open the caravan door.
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I think I've just been 'cancelled'! I put a reply on here about an hour ago and it's disappeared - completely!
My suggestion was that if the OP is nervous about backing into a parking space in HGV areas - go in nose-first and reverse out with someone checking behind you. Much easier.
Let's see if this comment gets cancelled again
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I usually find that I can get a space where I can just drive through, or sometimes one along a verge, away from the crowd of lorries.
My tip is not to wait till the stop becomes urgent, in case you need to drive on to the next service area.
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Another vote for Wetherby but if you are coming from Yorkshire that’s probably too close. Blyth is good, park with HGV’s but can be busy. M18 (Doncaster North) is good and has specific caravan spaces, go through the HGV bit and they are near the service block, you do nose in and reverse out. Grantham is a horrible services but as somewhere to stop it’s fine, never seen any dedicated caravan places, we have always gone with the HGV’s. Avoid Peterborough at all costs - horrible, cramped car park with tiny “caravan”(??) spaces, full of white van man. I would suggest finding a lay-by (if not full of lorries) and stop using your own facilities, we have been doing this since Covid. We have occasionally been into services but only for a quick take away coffee.
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A diversion from the A1 to Clumber Park might be more relaxing - usually plenty of parking options there. Similar diversion to Rutland Water looks possible too, but I don’t have personal knowledge of it.
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Really all depends where in Yorkshire OP is starting from, but I am with you in terms of choosing somewhere other than a Service Station, even good ones like Wetherby (which is on North/West Yorks border) can be a tad stressful. Get the maps out, plot a suitable route, pinpoint a few possible options just off the A1 and use Google Earth, phone for advice if a NT property etc....
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I was also think that but like you I have only stopped there in a car. There are plenty of laybys down the A1, some off road. I think Peterborough services should be ok as well but it is a long while since I last stopped there. Brampton Hut just before the A14 junction should also be ok from looking at Google earth
peedee
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I have just had a look at route from Yorkshire (used Leeds as a start point), to Southwold as an end point. Much as I thought, fastest route, and one we always use either towing van or in MH is to leave the A1 at Newark, and take the A17 route towards Norwich, and then South into Suffolk from there. Plenty of scope for pull offs on this route, and a good halfway stop is a huge ox bow layby on South wards side, just after RAF Cranwell Museum. We always use it, huge, has a good dog walk/ stroll, easy drive in and out with care for other users. It’s often used to caravanners, a popular rest stop. You simply need to use your onboard facilities, and pack a picnic. I will see if I can use what3words to pinpoint location.
Edit, W3Words has come up with crown.trending.design as the turn in for this huge layby. It is possible to use it heading back North as well with care.
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The new A14 from the A1M heading east is a joy to use, I them join the M11 so can't comment beyond Cambridge.
There is a services aea at ?Blixworth? On the A14, which I think it was Cambridge services, been changed a bit with new road layout so you don't pass so close, not checked it out myself but worth a look on Google maps?
Edit its Boxworth sorry, long know how to interpret Google map!
Improvements to the a14 have done away with the large layers there once were
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Another good route choice PD, other is one we know well, and of course much easier in a MH, so we still tend to opt for it.
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It depends what you mean by Grantham services. This often refers to the stop south of Grantham which I wouldnt recommend. If you are talking about the stop at Downton Services then yes that is a good stop. You do sort of come off the A1 for it but easy access and usually not to crowded. Often see caravans there.
There is also Blyth services a bit further north from Grantham. You park with the lorries so if crowded you may not get a spot where you can drive straight through. Slightly odd exit from the lorry park - there is a roundabout with the entrance to the CAR park and the exit road.
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I’ve no idea what they’re like but there are signs for services at Colsterworth .
I often drive past the services at Downtown, Grantham en route to Great Gonerby and I’ve only seen caravans taking up two normal size car spaces and the last time I went in there with the caravan I couldn’t find a dedicated caravan space but that’s a few years ago.
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Caravans are dtrected into the car park, we used to use it every year and never had any problem finding space in that area occupying two spaces. if you keep to the right on entering car park usually plenty of space to park. Only 15 dedicated spaces for HGV, usually more space in car park, everyone wants to park near services entrance.
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That’s what we did. It’s not a busy car park there’s usually plenty of space.
Regarding heading for East Anglia from the A1, I try to avoid the horrible roundabout at Newark. I find it’s much better to go south to the next junction signposted “Coddington” and leave the A1 there it’s not far from there to the A17
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Re Newark roundabout, will try that when we go to Cromer in November without the van. Only used it solo, and that is bad, must be a nightmare with a van. Usually go once a year and stop at Friendly Farmer for lunch both ways, but looks like it’s permanently closed, so looking for somewhere else.
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Swavesey Services on the A14 has a dedicated caravan area with the bays set on a diagonal and allow units to drive in and then drive out. No reversing required
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I realise it's too late to answer the OP's query, and I hope you had a good trip, but out of interest - we towed our 'van down the A1 from near Berwick upon Tweed on Tuesday this week, intending to pause at Wetherby.
The road was moving very nicely all the way, but Wetherby services was jammed solid right back to the entrance road, so we wickedly did a U turn while nothing else was moving, and headed on down.
On earlier visits, yes, as long as it's not jammed up, it's been a decent place to stop.
(Irrelevant here where we did end up, as we came home via the M18/M1,)0 -
This is us trying to fit into the caravan bays at Baldock, and the necessary solution.
As you can see, the front of the car is already over the front line, and half the caravan is still in the road! The bays are the length of 2 cars, and only very slightly wider than the caravan.Looking at the photo of Grantham services, I would say we would have had the same problem.
Note also the less than ideal angling of the bays.....they are angled to the left, while the exit road is off to the right. Not possible to exit to left and drive round as they had fenced off some building work going on there and partly blocked the road.
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We use the services at A1(M) junction 17 near Peterborough. However it often gets very full at popular times. If that's the case we just cross our legs and keep going. Welcome to Suffolk. No motorways here!
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