Overnight Stops

[k10cbr]

We are shortly driving from Yorkshire to Torquay, and will be setting off fairly late Friday night. We want to stop half way for the night, and I'm happy to pull into a services, but my wife doesn't want to do this, as she's seen & read too many articles about how unsafe they are.

Can anybody recommend any places where you can pull in late at night, for a stop over, that is safe & fairly cheap?

Be interested to hear about anyone else's experiences of stopovers!

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi chris

I will be interested in the replies you get as we will be doing the same trip in sept and not sure when to set off just yet.

we have done this trip many times from west yorkshire down to cornwall setting off about 8ish and usually just keep going untill exeter and stop in the services for a couple of hours kip before arriving on site about 9am.

but it's a long drive and seems to take forever so this time we are considering setting off earlier and doing a over-nighter on the M5 near weston super mare for a change.

 

[Robert_374242026]

Hello Chris, reading about stopping in uk ie lay byes etc. We have stopped on route many times in these places especially on A1 M6 service area and never in 40 odd years had no problem apart from noise.But we do not stop at these type of places abroad now , proberly its our age and reading comments.Although security is mentioned on another thread we have never left valuables where they can be stolen and with all the vehicles we have had over those years no one could tread into the doorway or windows without us knowing .Some times i wish i could sleep that deep where people have been robbed and they do not know it happening.

 

[Angus1]

Hi, I know its not really answering the question, but I prefer to sleep in my own bed and get up early before making the journey.

Being in West Yorkshire its not THAT far to Torquay, and we`d just get an early start and be there by lunchtime anyway.

The only time we did the overnight stop thing in this country was the first time we went to Godrevy Park at Hayle, and we stopped at a cracking CL near Kentisbeare. However, it seemed easier just to not bother, and not disrupt another day of our holiday with travelling.

If I was going north of say Inverness I would consider a stop, but otherwise from Yorkshire anywhere else just seems hassle.

 

[Happy-Lappy]

Angus, if you want to stay in a service station on route, the Gordano Services on the M5 would suit you. These are on the outskirts of Bristol and to my knowledge do not have an issue with thieves etc.

They are used alot by HGV's and Caravans so while they can become busy, this is a good thing in a safety aspect.

You will be right on the same junction for your onward journey in the morning,

hope this helps and best regards, Martin

 

[Happy-Lappy]

Chris, my apologies I relpied thinking Angus had started this thread.

With regards to security issues I am Bristol born and RED and have not read or heard of problem at these services, which are also used alot by the Police, when they do their spot checks on car/caravan combinations in the summer months,

best regards, Martin

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi angus

what do you drive and which way do you go down sounds interesting the last time we went it was over 420 miles and took 11hrs (including stops) thats 35miles and 1hr travelling time less than it took us to get to dornoch 50 miles north of inverness which took us 12 hrs.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

sorry posted before I had finished I was going to say that I usually reckon on doing about 35 miles for each hour of the journey overhall which seems about right to me.

or am I just being slow.

colin

 

[Angus1]

Hi Colin.

Might depend which part of God own`s country you live in.

Godrevy Park is 375 miles from home, and I reckon twixt 7 and 8 hours driving depending on time of day, traffic etc (and no silly hold-ups)

Just been to Putts Corner near Sidmouth which was 5 hrs and 20 mins ,but we spent 15 mins queueing to get off the M6 onto the M5. Return journey took 6hrs 30mins as the M5 was shut (accident, air ambulance) so had to divert via Glastonbury, Wells, Cheddar then back to Weston-Super-Mare, which is incredibly scenic but not my first choice for lugging a van in heavy traffic.

I normally tow at between 60-65 indicated (58 to 62 by sat. nav).

I don`t consider any of the above excessive, as I do longer days at work anyway, and it`s certainly not as stressful as doing 450 miles in a day solo.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi angus near leeds 5mins from the M1 we go down:- M1-A42/M42-M5-A38.or A30 depending on which part of cornwall we are going to.

like I said last journey we set off at 7am arrived on site near st austell 6.15 pm completely kn*****d and did not put the awning up untill the following day.

I don't doubt your word on journey times so if you can make it down in 7 to 8 hrs I would be interested to see if there is a quicker way to get down there.

regards colin

 

[Angus1]

Colin,

We do M62 (J24), M60, M62,M6, M5 then A30/38 as appropriate.

If there are no delays, I`m just about at the M5 in 2 hours. I really don`t like the M42 route, it does seem to take an age.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

thanks bud

I will have a look at that route

 

[Angus1]

Thinking about it Colin (had to do something whilst painting the conservatory) I used to have to go meetings at the M42/A5 services and it used to me 2 hours to get there solo in midweek (trying quite hard) so with a van I would expect that way to take me at least an extra hour, but its only 12 miles more to Hayle.