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M5 South stopover

G

Ginge@72

Hi all

Heading down to Cornwall soon. Could anyone suggest the best M5 south services around the Bristol area to stop for a break and possibly an overnight stay to break a long journey up.

Thanks
Chris
 
Do you mean/are you seeking a motorway service area to stop at overnight? Most charge if ypu stay more than a couple of hours.. Personally there is no way on the planet I woukd want to overnight on a motorway service area, but thats me! Or are you looking for a campsite or CL near the motorway. Are you happy to stay in a layby or similar? Have you thought if a "Pub Stop"
Are you travelling with a caravan, motorhome or Camper van?
 
If you just want a motorway services for a loo break and a bit of food and you are towing a caravan then Gloucester services is pretty good. Large accessible caravan spaces.

Gloucester Services Farmshop & Kitchen | M5 Gloucestershire

At Gloucester Services, we celebrate our place, its people and its produce, in partnership with our community.
gloucesterservices.com gloucesterservices.com

However as Mr Plodd says there are lots of non motorway alternatives worth considering, depending on what you want.
 
Check your caravan insurance regarding security requirements especially if you intend leaving the caravan unattended at a motorway services.

As per Mr Plodd’s suggestions why not stay one night at a CL or CS near Bristol and make it part of the holiday?
 
I have travelled that road a lot in the last five years, I won't even stop at a services south of Bristol let alone overnight at one😱
 
Thanks all, from the comments think we will travel down in one go from north staffs. We will use Gloucester then any recommendations for best service station Taunton area for a short break?

Thanks again!
 
An overnight stop, even on a campsite is much much better than a long drive down from North Staffs on what can be a VERY busy/congested motorway that often gets blocked due to caravabs "falling over" with the inherent dangers of fatigue and dozing off. Sadly such occurrences are not unheard of on that road, especially South of Taunton. Ask yourself why that might be.
Better to arrive late than dead on time being my motto these days.

Another alternative of course is to traveling in the early hours when traffic volumes, and the presence of trucks are much less, that way you can maintain a very good average speed over long distances. But you do need to have had a good sleep first or you run the risk of nodding off due to boredom.
 
Taunton Deane services are quite spacious and not a bad place to stop en route for a break. After that there is Exeter but they can be congested and serve both north and southbound.
 
We usually like to leave the motorway to a garden centre nearby - for example Sanders GC just north of M5 J 22 on the A38 has ample parking restaurant and of course toilets! This might be suitable for your southbound nosh stop?
We have also stopped over at Holmans Wood (chudleigh) and at the site by the A38 at Kenn on our way south!
 
If it's Friday pm, or the weekend then avoid Exeter service LIKE THE PLAGUE. It gets rammed to capacity. Even getting in or out can be a nightmare. Plus the facilities are "not opitmal"
 
otherclive said:
Taunton Deane services are quite spacious and not a bad place to stop en route for a break. After that there is Exeter but they can be congested and serve both north and southbound.
Click to expand...
Taunton Deane was a great meeting up place as family from the Midlands and us from Wiltshire met up for our onward journey to St Ives. A great place for the dogs to stretch their legs. Forget the rest going along the M5🤮
 
Which president said "we having nothing to fear except fear itself" as Mr Plodd said its highly unlikely to happen, If forced to stop at a motorway services I put the hitch lock on just in case, and remove it before continuing as well as a quick check over the caravan/trailer . When travelling long distances I have learned to book a CL site overnight rather than 'push on' after all it's a holiday and I don't travel on Monday or Fridays or bank holidays
 
Mr Plodd said:
Doesn't bother me, I park up and do what I want. The fear of crime vastly outweighs the likelihood of it ever happening to you.
(I am an ex copper)
Click to expand...
After having three vehicles robbed and countless other thefts on site happening to me, I am inclined to disagree with you. I avoid criminals as much as the police lol!
 
Slowtow said:
After having three vehicles robbed and countless other thefts on site happening to me, I am inclined to disagree with you. I avoid criminals as much as the police lol!
Click to expand...

The two important words in your post are "on site," and this thread is about motorway services. At one you are present for a relatively short period of time, on another for many days at a time.
Maybe you need to look at tge sites you choose to stay on because THREE thefts from vehicles and "countless" other thefts suggest just 2 things to me. Poor choice of site or unbelievably, and constant, bad luck.
I am aware of one site in Dorset where thefts are not uncommon, there may be some connection to the fact there is another site that's very close by which also has caravans, and lots of ropey transit vans, permanently pitched there.
 
Mr Plodd said:
The two important words in your post are "on site," and this thread is about motorway services. At one you are present for a relatively short period of time, on another for many days at a time.
Maybe you need to look at tge sites you choose to stay on because THREE thefts from vehicles and "countless" other thefts suggest just 2 things to me. Poor choice of site or unbelievably, and constant, bad luck.
I am aware of one site in Dorset where thefts are not uncommon, there may be some connection to the fact there is another site that's very close by which also has caravans, and lots of ropey transit vans, permanently pitched there.
Click to expand...
Sorry I did not mean 'site' as in Caravan but construction 'site'.
I can happily say after 19 years of blissful caravanning we've not had so much as a clothes peg nicked off our whirly bird! 😄
 
Slow tow, your mention of Whirly bird and theft, Fred Drift here.
The company I worked for ( Bristows Helicopters) had a Helicopter ( Sikorsky S92, 29 million $ ) delivered by a roll on roll off ferry, America to Lagos Nigeria, I inspected it an it had been broken into , luckily nothing of high value taken except, for first aid kits and fire extinguishers.
I have never had stuff stolen from a caravan site.
Photo of a S58 advert, noticed wheel slightly photo shopped, but they sold about 200 of them.

Screenshot_20250510-232007.jpg
 
Hutch said:
Slow tow, your mention of Whirly bird and theft, Fred Drift here.
The company I worked for ( Bristows Helicopters) had a Helicopter ( Sikorsky S92, 29 million $ ) delivered by a roll on roll off ferry, America to Lagos Nigeria, I inspected it an it had been broken into , luckily nothing of high value taken except, for first aid kits and fire extinguishers.
I have never had stuff stolen from a caravan site.
Photo of a S58 advert, noticed wheel slightly photo shopped, but they sold about 200 of them.

View attachment 8822
Click to expand...
During the Suez crisis they used perhaps the same or a similar helicopter to ferry goods from the shore to the tankers passing around the Cape of Good Hope i.e. Cape Town. You could see the huge "bag" or net slung under the helicopter.
 
Last edited:
Hutch said:
Slow tow, your mention of Whirly bird and theft, Fred Drift here.
The company I worked for ( Bristows Helicopters) had a Helicopter ( Sikorsky S92, 29 million $ ) delivered by a roll on roll off ferry, America to Lagos Nigeria, I inspected it an it had been broken into , luckily nothing of high value taken except, for first aid kits and fire extinguishers.
I have never had stuff stolen from a caravan site.
Photo of a S58 advert, noticed wheel slightly photo shopped, but they sold about 200 of them.

View attachment 8822
Click to expand...
🤞but as long as we stick to our insurance security conditions there is nothing that would worry us if it got nicked. Uninsured 😢😢
 
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