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Good, cheap places other than services between Stranraer and London?

rosie383
rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
I will be driving from Belfast to London via Stranraer this weekend and would love any recommendations of places to have a break other than service stations please.
I know there are lots of wee hidden places usually within a mile of motorway junctions, so would love to be pointed in the direction of a few please:D
Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
(he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
:D:D:D
«1

Comments

  • dacouch
    dacouch Posts: 21,636 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I normally do a different route from Scotland to central London than the Sat Nav suggests. Eg the sat nav would say M6 then M1, I do M6 to Penrith and then cut across to the A1 along the A66 then straight down the A1.

    It's about the same distance but may take slightly longer as the A66 is an A road, if the M1 or m6 are busy then the A1 route can work out quicker

    There are plenty of cheaper service stations on the A1, there's a big Sainsburys on a roundabout on the A1 just past Bedford which may be a bit to far down for you.

    Alternatively if you come off the A1 at Newark, there are plenty of shops and fast food restaurants about 1 mile from the A1

    I assume your coming down for the Jubilee celebrations, when you get to London, there are loads and loads of mini Tesco and Sainsburys in central London especially just south of the south bank
  • mikey72
    mikey72 Posts: 14,680 Forumite
  • mchale
    mchale Posts: 1,886 Forumite
    ANURADHA KOIRALA ??? go on throw it in google.
  • ady_j
    ady_j Posts: 102 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Tesco's in Carlisle, 2 minutes off the motorway and about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from the ferry, good position for first rest stop.

    Cafe and fuel much cheaper than services, as you would expect.
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    ady_j wrote: »
    Tesco's in Carlisle, 2 minutes off the motorway and about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from the ferry, good position for first rest stop.

    Cafe and fuel much cheaper than services, as you would expect.

    Agree with this, I use this on a lot of my journeys between Scotland and England. There's also an ASDA at Carlisle the same distance off the motorway from J44, Tesco is J43. I also use a Shell petrol station directly off the M6 at J23, Haydock.
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    Great help. Thanks everyone.
    How long does it usually take from Stranraer down? Bear in mind that I'm driving a wee oldish Micra, which probably won't be happy doing more than about 65!!!!!!
    It's a fair few years since I have driven that route. Did Dunlaoghaire to Holyhead the last couple of times, but the ferry was much, much dearer this weekend.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Lancastrian
    Lancastrian Posts: 89 Forumite
    Forget the Shell petrol station by J23 - M6 (Haydock). It's in kit form at the moment.
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    That's very good to know... thanks!
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Notmyrealname
    Notmyrealname Posts: 4,003 Forumite
    edited 1 June 2012 at 11:28PM
    rosie383 wrote: »
    I will be driving from Belfast to London via Stranraer this weekend and would love any recommendations of places to have a break other than service stations please.
    I know there are lots of wee hidden places usually within a mile of motorway junctions, so would love to be pointed in the direction of a few please:D

    Former truck driver here....

    The best route is M6, A66, A1. You avoid all the traffic holdups on the M6 around Warrington, Stoke on Trent, Birmingham and holdups on the M1 from Northampton to Luton.

    Cafe here at Carlisle:

    http://goo.gl/maps/Sb4I

    Another here halfway across the A66:

    http://goo.gl/maps/k0bF

    Another here just slightly off route at the east end of the A66:

    http://goo.gl/maps/wUmg

    This is about 2hrs from London just north of Peterborough

    http://goo.gl/maps/Um80

    Cheap Fuel:

    Morrisons at Boroughbridge
    http://goo.gl/maps/Elpz


    Total Station on the A1 Northbound at Colsterworth. There's a place where you can turn around back onto the southbound carriageway not long after it.
    http://goo.gl/maps/QWVV
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forget the Shell petrol station by J23 - M6 (Haydock). It's in kit form at the moment.

    Thanks for the update, I haven't called in there since my last drive down south in March. Any idea how long it will be out of commission? My next journey is likely to be in August.
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