Motorway Service Stations
Hi, we have just begun our caravaning experience this year and are venturing on our 2nd Trip to cornwall which will be over a 6 hour trip with our dog. We are planning on setting of early to avoid Saturday traffic and thought we would sit out the waiting time for accessing caravan site at 1pm at one of the service stations down that way. Could anyone recommend which one would be best that allows caravans, we got caught out on our last trip to the lakes as it didn't allow caravans. Thanking in advance for any suggestions.
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If you like to say where in Cornwall you are making for I might be able to suggest somewhere suitable - but the route to the north coast around Bude is very different from driving to places like St Mawes But on any summer weekend just six hours from your home in North Yorkshire to anywhere down here is very optimistic. Good luck with it
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When I used to spend quite a while during the Summer in Newquay I did it in 2 bites. Like EuroT I think 6hrs will be a struggle at best🤷🏻♂️. I travelled overnight with a stop south of Brum followed by another overnight drive to Cornwall. I’m not a lover of Summer log jams in Cornwall & overnighters were my only answer. Whatever you decide-enjoy👍🏻😊
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When in summer? I ask because school holiday times could see you taking 6 hours just to get from Bristol to Cornwall. It can be madness at times.
The advice to do it with an overnight break is good and certainly what we do if travelling that sort of distance from/to Cornwall.
Travelling west, the last motorway service area is at jcn 30 of the M5 at Exeter and that is one I avoid if humanly possible. After that, you will find lay-bys on the A30, as PD mentioned, but they may well be full at busy times. Cornwall Services on the A30 just west of Bodmin at Victoria has dedicated caravan/MH parking but there’s not much of it and you could be taking a chance on getting in. There again, you may be using the A38 rather than the A30 if you’re travelling to South Cornwall.🤷🏻♂️
Gold luck with your journey but I seriously urge you to reconsider doing the trip in one go.
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We are going to Trewethett Farm in Tintagel, and regretfully cannot do an overnight stop as hubby working the friday hence the reason wanting to set of early saturday morning. Thanks for the responses to date.
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Like Tinny, I would urge you to reconsider trying to do it in one go - even if it means arriving in Tintagel on the Sunday. Especially as you're relative newcomers to our hobby. We travel to Dartmouth most years and I wouldn't dream of doing that in one hop and we usually stay overnight at Broadway or similar. Tintagel is a lot further on than Dartmouth.
One tip - if you need a comfort break - avoid Woodhall Services on the M1 - it gets diabolically busy and there's no dedicated caravan parking. Tibshelf is a much better option and although, again, no caravan parking, the HGV area is big and not so frenetic.
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It's much easier now you’ve stated your destination and, for Tintagel I imagine you will leave the M5 at jcn 27 and follow the A361 to North Devon and then the A39 to North Cornwall. In that case, I suggest Taunton Deane Services between jcns 25 & 26 of the M5 for a break - it has caravan bays.
However, I again urge you to rethink and plan to arrive on the Sunday. You can cancel the Saturday night at Trethewett and book somewhere else for Saturday night. You still haven’t said when you’re travelling but the closer you get to peak season, the more valid the advice to make a night stop becomes. Frankly, I pity your husband having to work all day and then undertake that journey but, ultimately, it’s your choice. Stay safe.👍🏻
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It must be a good 8 hour drive even without any rest stops so I do not think you are likely to arrive before 1pm unless you intend to set out very, very early on Saturday morning. (before 5 a.m.) Gloucester Service are excellent for both parking and facilities and would make a good rest stop. As to others, it is a long while since I used any on the M5 south of Bristol, others maybe able to suggest somewhere else but if you go via the A30 to Launceston (my choice) there are good laybys between Exeter and Launceston.
peedee
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It would not be my choice these days but, I have done those kind of distances in a day and more in my younger days both on a motorbike, car and towing, it is doable but do give yourself plenty of time and take at least a couple of breaks on route, ideally more.
peedee
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When we travelled to TF from north notts with our caravan, we split the journey and combined it took 8 / 9 hours out of peak. If you stop at a motorway services for more than 2 hours don’t you have to pay, sometimes up to £25. Personally I would loose a day and use that money towards a night stop on route.
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Here’s a photo of Taunton Deane services on the M5 on a summer holiday weekend - they are probably here overnight.
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On a Saturday in Summer you are almost certainly going to get into major traffic hold ups around the Bristol area no matter how early you leave home (even assuming a smooth journey that far.) The ongoing roadworks on the M4 between the M32 and M5 junctions are having serious knock on effects. As other have said, it would be far more sensible to break the journey and arrive at TF on Sunday - and you'll feel all the more relaxed for it.
If you let us know what route you are hoping to take I'm sure folk can come up with all sorts of recommendations of better alternatives than motorway service stations.
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You can always set out to do it in a day and if it becomes too much to do, pull over somewhere for the night (site or service area or even a layby as the last resort) and arrive next morning. If you do this, do let the site manager know what is happening. You do not have to arrive at 1p.m. you have until 8.p.m to arrive on the Saturday. So if you left at 5a.m. that is 15 hours travelling time.
peedee
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An idea !
Tell Trewethett you will be a day late. Leave home 9 am.in order to allow the Bristol bottleneck to clear a bit by you get there. Stop overnight with a pub meal at the Watchfield Inn at Highbridge -250 miles is enough - but talk to the landlord to arrange it first. Walk tne dog.
Day 2 . Leisurely breakfast - maybe the pub again -walk the dog - then a gentle 3 hour drive to Tintagel. Walk the dog again.
Enjoy your holiday.
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Hi,
Fellow Yorkshire Caravanner with dogs here who does Sidmouth 295 miles every year, albeit that’s short of your Cornwall.
We have found the services on the M42 Hopwood Park south of Birmingham a pretty good option on balance, tarmac in good order, a few speed bumps, some grassed exercise areas for doggy doo’s and some spare Caravan bays hopefully . Shops & outside seating etc. Should be about 3 hours + roughly target for you ?
Depending on M5 traffic congestion then Gordano at M5 Bristol we found ok and spacious. Might take you 2 hours for that leg. Onwards then a few options your soon onto A roads and depends on your fatigue.
General point. Leicester Forest Services Lorry parking area is just shocking and dangerous now, May 23, if your towing - very deep potholes etc !
M
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Thank you to all that have offered advise, I will let you know how we get on,its the 8th July that we are going so fingers crossed.
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I would expect it to take you 9 or 10 hours WITHOUT major holdups. How about setting off on Friday evening and stopping off at a CAMC site with a late arrivals area about 10/11pm? Then complete your journey the following day. You could overnight at a motorway service area having paid the appropriate fee but by all accounts its not a pleasant experience
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Don’t forget that you need to be booked on the site to use a LNA spot and you take a chance on finding space still available as others may have beaten you to it.
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Just thought I would update all the kind fellow caravaners who assisted with the travelling dilema.
We decided to travel down on Saturday and made two 1 hour stops which including these took a total of 8 hours to arrive at our destination. As we left home at 5.30am we fortunately missed most of the heavy traffic so the journey was quiet nice, just unfortunate that due to the poor weather and the forecast for 40 mph gales on friday we rerturned a day early but did have a nice time otherwise. Once again thank you for all your input.
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You did well, after thinking it thru you took your decisions & followed your choices. Add to that making a good decision on the unseasonal gales, congratulations👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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I’m glad you took advice on board and travelled on the Saturday👍🏻. It was fortunate you holidayed before the madness of peak season started but bad luck to catch the storm. Better luck next time. 🙂
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I have just come across this thread and amazed at some of the responses. We do a similar journey every year (West Yorks to Roseland) with caravan and dog and wouldn’t dream of stopping overnight. We set off around 8 am and usually arrive 4/5pm and that is on a Friday or Saturday. It must be one of the easiest journeys given the high percentage of motorway and dual carriageway.
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Especially those new to caravanning like the OP is.
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In my wagon driving days one of our regular days was. Set off from Preston with ashes to a breeze block manufacturer in Wrexham, drive empty to winsford to load rock salt. Take that to any council yard in cornwal unload, Next stop empty to Penzance then swap trailers, then stay overnight. That was in one day.
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That reminds me of Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen. 😄
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