Moto Tamworth
- Thread starter otherclive
- Start date
Its pretty much the same as any other services really, just the usual fare, but as far as I can remember (only fuelled up there on way home) there is no designated caravan area, you share with the HGV's Not 100% on that as it is too near home to us have ever stopped there.
You would be better pushing on a little to Moto Donnington Park, which does have a designated area.
You would be better pushing on a little to Moto Donnington Park, which does have a designated area.
Thanks we don’t eat in the services but just have a leg stretch and comfort break. We generally eat in the van. Parking up with. HGVs isn’t a problem as we never leave the caravan unattended and any caravan /Mh specific bays generally attract the Richard Heads of this world that can’t read signage and drive WV et all.
I don’t know, but I always find it beneficial to use Google Earth in advance. The caravan signage for some services leave a lot to be desired. And some do not provide an opportunity to return the the HGV if there is nothing else suitable,so ending up back on the motorway trying to drive with your legs crossed.
John
PS, Google Earth is particularly good for this services, and you can drive through. But it’s as Thingy said, no designated area.
Thanks I have done that but personal experience is always welcome. Like the next services on the m1 show what look like some bays but they come in at an angle but with no drive out!!
I agree that some of our services can by grungy in the HGV park, but other than driving off of the motorway to find lay-bys full the only reasonable alternative if the caravan bays cannot be sued is the HGV park.
Just watch your lane on the north-bound off-slip - it starts as two lane, widens on the left to four-lane and then widens again on the left to five-lanes - you need to be in lane 4 for the Services - Google Earth shows it clearly.
If you cannot reverse the caravan, then you should not be towing it.
I think there is a servise area on the M4 where you have to reverse blind out into the traffic. Totally stupid.
I would suggest Hopwood Park would be better. They have excellent caravan bays, all drive in drive out. Quite nice for a service area too.
Yes thanks I have looked at Hopwood and even if the caravan bays are "full" the route allows you to circle back to the HGV parking area.
I can reverse thank you, but my preference would be not to have to reverse out "blind" into a main circuit of the services where adjacent caravans/mH that could be parked will obscure vision. And I might be so elated at my manoeuvring skills that I might even drive off northwards without retrieving the "Bankswoman". Heaven forbid.
Bankswoman. 😁. There was a tale in the CC. Mag some years ago that made me smile, supposedly true.
Negotiating through a French village with overhanging structures, the driver stopped and asked his wife to guide him through. A few miles later he thought it was unusually quite and peaceful!!!!
John
Negotiating through a French village with overhanging structures, the driver stopped and asked his wife to guide him through. A few miles later he thought it was unusually quite and peaceful!!!!
John
I always find a decent sized lay-by and give the dog a leg stretch and the necessary, then it’s into the caravan for use of the loo and on our way again, we always have enough food and drink with us for breaks on the way so have no need of service areas, we have used them occasionally but it’s the exception.
BP
BP
That would be my preferred. approach but not being on A roads for a near on 280 mile trip, service areas are a necessary evil. We carry our own food and drinks so like you it’s just for a leg stretch and loo break for us and our two dogs.
One day a couple of years back I came down the Fosse from Barrow on Soar and when my two hour stint was up I looked for a lay-by , but literally all were full or blocked by a thoughtlesss motorist right through to Cirencester. . In the end I carried on home, ( and took an extra anti coag pill; just joking).
We all have our own ways of doing things and most people of later years can appreciate each other’s ways, if we all used services stations or we all used nothing but lay-bys it would be a very boring existence and there would be no need whatsoever for things like this forum as we would have a scripted routine for everything we did, it’s our differences that gives us reasons to question how others would tackle a way of doing something, and we take parts of it on board, I might never use service areas and then read about others use of them and I might decide to give it a go, I read lots of things on here such as the TPMS and it’s not crossed my mind until now but now I intend to research it a little more, possibly a life saving item that I wouldn’t have given a thought to had it not been for PC
BP
BP
I am in agreement with you we also like a big lay-by then my wife can take our two dogs out for a walk we also have cool box with sandwiches and drink ,
Stopped at Hopwood Park. One bay had a temporary generator in it. Two bays had a solo Shogun being seen to by the AA alongside. There was a bay clear between two motor homes and Banksperson had to get out to ask them to pull the overhanging mirrors in. But even then she had to guide me in very slowly. They are probably the narrowest bays I’ve seen. Couldn’t enter the van until a motorhome on nearside had left. Compared to Michaelwood, Strensham or Stafford north or south the Hopwood Park ones wouldn’t rate highly. Which is a pity as it is a nice services. HGV park on way home in two weeks.
One good aspect is petrol was 129.9 only 5 pence more than at home.
So tonight is relaxing at Poolsbrook Country Park in anticipation of a rotten wet day tomorrow.
Thingy just an overnight stop on the way to Yorkshire as with the long lay off I wanted to feel okay rather than crack 280 miles in a day. As it was the traffic was light but not sure I’m comfortable with the four lane no hard shoulder running south of Brum and the on M1. Stuck to inside ready for action if required. 🤞
Been walking around the lake and country park paths, sitting enjoying the sun and had freshly cooked pizza from the Sherwood Forest pizza van.
Chesterfield have done an amazing job on reclaiming the old colliery area, it’s quite beautiful with all of the trees and lakes. The accessibility
to those of limited mobility has been given a lot of attention too. We could happily return and use it as a touring base.
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