Service station M5

[starlightdj]

Hi all
We are travelling to Devon from Liverpool next week.
Can anyone give details of any good service stations to stop at for a couple of hours with a decent caravan area.

Any recommendations and details of location would be gratefully received.

Thanks
John

 

[Sproket]

John.
Have a look on the link below.........
http://www.shirker.co.uk/services/m5.html
I'm sure you will get a few more offering advice as where to stop

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Hi Starlight dj
You could always try junction 17 of the M5.
This is the exit for The Mall at Cribbs Causeway.
Theres a Morrisons,Asda,MacDonalds etc....
All the above are ok to park car and caravan.
I would advise though......best to leave someone with the car/caravan if you go shopping.
Asda would be the best place for a stop for a couple of hours.......up the far end where the lorries usually stop for a rest.
Hope this helps.......if you need any more info......more than happy to help.
Adrian

 

[trucker]

John, Strensham is always packed and not that good for caravans, next one down is Micheal Wood, used to be ok but they have changed the layout for trucks and vans so not that good any more, Gordano is next in Bristol, again very busy stop but there is plenty of room. Then its Sedgmore just north of Burnham on Sea, plenty of space but its not tarmac, so a few holes in the ruff ground.
Id say Asda car park as well, its not like many supermarket car parks, there is a very large area up the top of the car park where many LGVs park so loads of space and its free if you want to stay a bit longer than the 2 hours.
Hope you have a great time, where in devon are you going, we live in Tivewrton just off j27 m5

Kev

 

[starlightdj]

Thanks for all your advice.

We are going to Glampton just the other side of Brixham for our 2 week holiday.

Setting off v. early friday morning as I believe its the V festival this weekend, Got cought in its traffic jams on the M6 a couple of years ago, so hopefully this time after a lesson learnt, we should be clear of the midlands before the traffic gets too heavy.

As we are leaving so early, I thought we would need a good rest on the M5 corridor but just didnt know where was best.
I do like the sound of the asda site though, so much better than a service station if the entance and exit are straight forward.

Cheers
John

 

[trucker]

Check it out on google maps John, exit 17 m5 down to lights and turn left, go to roundabout and take first exit, 2nd roundabout 2nd exit and asda will be in front of you. Drive to the right of the car park on access road and head for the top end of the carpark. It really is easy.
I bought a Mondeo from the Ford dealer in Gamlington a few years ago, Brixham nice area, enjoy

Kev

 

[GeorgeandAde]

I think Google maps may be slightly out of date.
Exit junction 17
Keep in left hand lane and turn left before traffic lights.
Take first exit at the first roundabout.Your now in Asda car park.
Go past Macdonalds and follow road to the far end of the car park where there is plenty of room to park.
Dont forget though starlight........best to leave one person with the outfit at all times

 

[Steve L]

Jcn 17 is a good fuel stop with Morrisons and Asda in hot competition for fuel. It is a good idea to keep a close eye on the caravan though. There are 2 MD's there, the one by Asda is tight for a car and van to swing in and the obvious choice. The second MD's is on the main entrance road to the site. Turn left off the M5 slip road then go straight on upto the roundabout. There, if you want the MD's it's, do a 360 round and it's on your left. I would advise getting fuel first though as you will have to go under the motorway and back round again through 4 sets of lights which is a pain.

An alternative is Jcn 25 Taunton, turn right towards Taunton and at the next roundabout got right. There you'll find another MDs and also a Sainsbury's for fuel and fodder. It's a bit easier than cribbs.

Have a good journey.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Theres actually 2 macdonalds close together.
The one 100 yards from Asda is open 24 hours and the one that Steveinleo said is opposite Morrisons on the dual carriageway.
If your happy to get your fuel in Asda,best to get it after your break on the way out.

Oooops.....almost said word for word what steve said........sorry

 

[Martin24]

We usually stop at Gordano Easter and October half term, normally back into plot 18 or 19. Was very busy though a couple of weeks ago. We were ahead of the rush but it soon filled up!!

 

[Smokey1]

Hi ya, As a new comer to caravanning, I've been reading the posts & asking questions about things I am not sure of etc. One thing I have noticed regarding service stops & taking a break is that quite a few times people have mentioned about keeping an eye on your caravan, or having some one stay with it while the other or other persons go off to grab a drink or something. Is this a growing problem with caravans being broken into or tampered with ??? I know that there are allot more idiots on the road & the day of drivers being curios to one another is practically non existent now, but is this something else I am now going to have to put up with !! My family & I are off to the New Forest for a week this weekend to try out our first caravan. Even though its only 113 miles away from home, it would be nice to make a short stop for a coffee on the way, but after hearing all sorts of storeys about services etc, I think I will wait until I get to our destination. ( "mmmm, may be a bit hard going next year when we go to Germany though !!" ) Smokey.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Hi Smokey.
Having seen news reports about caravans being stolen from service stations,it has made me more aware of how I would feel if it happened to me.
I would imagine that any person "lying in wait" for a suitable caravan to arrive,would know that if all the occupants leave the outfit to visit the toilets etc... they would have at least ,say,10-15 minutes to steal it.
The reason I mentioned this to the original poster here,is because I work in the area of Asda Cribbs Causeway and there is a travellers site within 1/2 mile of this location.
I am not suggesting anything here, but you would be suprised at how many times our security team and police have been called upon for various "happenings" in the past few years.
Im also a firm believer that no matter what security devices you may have....."If they want it........they will have it"

 

[FrintonMike]

Can I just give an update on a couple of service areas having just returned from Devon
We used Michael Wood on the southbound M5 and although it only has 9 spaces there were 3 vacant when we arrived and they are drive through. Easy to find, enter and leave. Only one gripe and that is that there are separate spaces near by for motorhomes and although most were vacant motorhomes were parked in the caravan area meaning that when we left two caravans were waiting for an empty space.
The other service area we used was on the M3 northbound at Winchester and this was a completely different kettle of fish. The caravan area is signposted when you enter and points to the lorry park. When I first entered the lorry park I missed the caravan area as the white lining and the word caravans had almost vanished from the road service surface where vehicles had constantly driven over them. I found the area second time round but there is only room for two caravan and a lorry was parked in it, even though there was plenty of room in the lorry area. I managed to park behind the lorry but that meant any other caravan would now have to park in the lorry park.
Cambridge services on the A14 is being redeveloped and It looks as if the number of caravan spaces is being reduced even though the existing ones are full or nearly full most of the time.
Yet again we are getting a raw deal from service areas