Where to Stop

[Gozza]

Hi all
I've started thinking that a useful resource for caravanners would be a list or eating places on the road which have good accessible parking for caravans - something which, apart from motorway service areas, seems to be becoming quite rare. For example, main roads back to our home in Hampshire from our favourite spots in Dorset seem to have nowhere at all that combines food and loo availability with parking that doesn't require unhitching the caravan and parking it in a car space.
So, lets have your favourites - useful info would be name, road it's on, and a location, preferably in either National Grid or Lat/Long. If we get enough ideas to make it worthwhile I'll investigate the rpocess for putting together a downloadable POI file for satnavs.
I'm not thinking of offering this as a commercial service or chargeable download, although if PC wanted to host the downloadable file I guess that would be good! Since it was my idea, I'll start...
Layby with food van Including an eat-in service and decent loos, plenty of parking for caravans and trucks, on the A36 between Stapleford and Steeple Langford, only just off the A303.
NGR SU052371
N 51 07.993 W 001 55.638

Paul

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

...... to have nowhere at all that combines food and loo availability ....

You are definitely a Woosie. Doesn't your van have cooking and toilet facilities that you could use when stopped in a layby? You could also generate additional income from hiring the loo to other persons stopped in the layby.

 

[RogerL]

Internet search and Google Earth are your friends - I just search those chain pubs which we like to find what's near our route and then use Google Earth to see if I can get in, and out, with the caravan - some of the best for lunchtime stops are pub/restaurants attached to Travelodge or Premier Inns as they have bigger car parks but fairly empty at lunchtime.

I find Little Chefs, McDonalds and Costas useless as their carparks are small.

 

[davedart]

Brilliant idea.......................

 

[Raywood]

Because most of the time we need to stop we are on the motorway we use the services even if we are in with the trucks. We do however usually bring our own food and either a can or a flask of tea to drink. Given the prices on services I do wonder why people pay to use them. There is a lay by in the trees on the A69 West of Carlisle that meets your requirements though but probably not a road you would use.

 

[Gozza]

That's fine Ray, I'll put the location on the list and hopefully build a database big enough to be useful to all caravanners.

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Gozza
We often use Cartgate Services on A303,not your motorway type services ,toilets,, cafe, picnic area and plenty of parking and Tourist Information Centre for Somerset.

 

[Gozza]

Thanks Woodsie, that one definitely makes the list! They've got a good website too!

 

[hidehitow]

Lol, Ha, Ha, Ha,Loo Hire, Good idea, Lol

[/Post reworked to remove all Caps posting.
As the use of all Caps is considerd shouting.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

LOL HA HA LOO HIRE GOOD IDEA LOL

Why the caps?

 

[hidehitow]

i like waring caps lol

 

[FrintonMike]

On a related subject there used to be a web site that gave details of how easy it was to park at individual motorway services. I copied the pages and use them when travelling to find out which services are caravan friendly . it gave details of where the caravan area is and whether it was straight through or you had to reverse out. It also had videos of some sites taken through the car windscreen

The site no longer seems to exist but I am advised that it can be found as an archive at http://archive.org.index.php then http://www.shirker.co.uk

 

[emmerson]

I'll recommend the Midway Café, Whitchurch, on the A49. Huge council owned car park (but beware, it's a pay and display), but I usually park on the road. Access is good, just off the roundabout, food is excellent and reasonably priced, with an extensive menu.