Yorkshire to Cornwall - where to break journey

[oddman]

Off to Cornwall in a couple of weeks. Although outside school holidays not looking forward to the slog.

Will have a couple of spaniels in tow so would be good if we could stop a park or somewhere else for a picnic and let the dogs charge about for a bit.

Any ideas of somewhere close to the M5 in Gloucestershire?

[Truckosaurus]

'Gloucester Services' is run, I believe, by the same group as the well regarded Tebay services in Cumbria.

They are certainly better than most.

https://gloucesterservices.com/

[Zetec-S]

2nd vote for Gloucester services, great place for dogs. As it’s all independent you don’t have the usual KFC, MacDonalds, Costa etc, so the classier motorway services clientele tend to stop elsewhere.

Also a bit further down is Darts Farm, a few minutes off the M5 at Exeter. Large farm shop/cafe and dog friendly facilities.

[oddman]

Thanks for those recommendations. I was hoping for somewhere I can let the idiots off the lead for a bit.

[Uncle boshy]

On the south of Birmingham before you hit the m5 is lickey hills country park

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20089/parks/406...

Then near Cheltenham crickley hill park, about 10 mins off the m5, cafe and great views across Gloucestershire

At Exeter there is Minerva park, just off the m5, good for a dog walk

[Glosphil]

To get to Crickley Hill Park - off M5 at J11A & follow signs to Cirencester on dual-carraigeway. Up hill (single carriageway) & at roundabout stay left & then turn left. Entrance a few yards on left.

[MarkJS]

I’d recommend Great Malvern (or the Malvern Hills). Done that a couple of times on the way to Cornwall. Not done any dog stuff though.

[surveyor]

Uphill Beach, Weston Super Mare. Easy to get to, and decent cafe for a bit of grub which is dog friendly

[Red9zero]

surveyor said:

Uphill Beach, Weston Super Mare. Easy to get to, and decent cafe for a bit of grub which is dog friendly

I think there is a pizza shack on the beach currently too. The boatyard cafe is very good though.

[oddman]

Thanks everyone. You've given me some good options which I can use depending on traffic. Stupid I know (and I've driven to Devon many times) but I hadn't realised how close the M5 is to Weston and the sea.

Half hour charge about on the beach will knacker the dogs out for the second bit of the journey - just need to pack the portable jet wash

[DeejRC]

Depending on your time of travel, it can be a right old faff going to the beach in WSM from the M5, especially the summer.
Personally I loathe Gloucester services, overpriced, overcrowded and you have to for ages.
Darts Farm is 90mins further down the M5 at best and quite a bit longer if Bristol down to WSM plays up.

By far the most important is: what day are you travelling?

[alscar]

oddman said:

Half hour charge about on the beach will knacker the dogs out for the second bit of the journey - just need to pack the portable jet wash

Definitely -unless you want mud in the car boot for the next year or so !

[Griffith4ever]

I'd stop at Haldon Forest, just south of Exeter. Everything you want there including space for the dog, cafe etc.

Weston is fine if you are well out of season (fine for what you want. It's a dump otherwise). In season don't get caught in the traffic, and the M5 closes north of Weston almost daily due to crashes.

Yours sincerely, a local.

[Red9zero]

Griffith4ever said:

Yours sincerely, a local.

Bourneville ?

[Griffith4ever]

Red9zero said:

Griffith4ever said:

Yours sincerely, a local.

Bourneville ?

Not quite! I mean local as in Somerset/Devon and very familiar with Weston (and Haldon Forest).

OP - the thing to oonsider is this: if you are driving on a Friday or Saturday, South, in the summer, you'll be driving with ALL of the midlands who are all heading to Weston, Brean, Burnham, Highbridge, as the "lazy destinations" - 1st sight of the sea and they stop :-) Then if you persevere, you'll be with the remainder who are pushing on to North Devon. They don't bother with Cornwall so much. Too posh :-)

The M5 South turns into a car park. I live on one of the main A roads that the M5 traffc switches too when there is an incident, or, it gets so busy sat-nav advises people to use it. ON the basis of what I witness all summer, I'd never drive South on a Friday :-) But if you have no choice, and the kids are at school, you stand a good chance of a nice journey !

[markymarkthree]

oddman said:

Thanks everyone. You've given me some good options which I can use depending on traffic. Stupid I know (and I've driven to Devon many times) but I hadn't realised how close the M5 is to Weston and the sea.

Half hour charge about on the beach will knacker the dogs out for the second bit of the journey - just need to pack the portable jet wash

I would go to Clevedon J20, closer to the beach than WSM. Park next to the Salthouse field on the road for free, the dog can run around the field or on one of the stony beaches (but not the pier beach) and you will be spoilt for choice for food or drink. Shell garage right by the Salthouse has fuel at 144p at the mo.

[Red9zero]

markymarkthree said:

oddman said:

Thanks everyone. You've given me some good options which I can use depending on traffic. Stupid I know (and I've driven to Devon many times) but I hadn't realised how close the M5 is to Weston and the sea.

Half hour charge about on the beach will knacker the dogs out for the second bit of the journey - just need to pack the portable jet wash

I would go to Clevedon J20, closer to the beach than WSM. Park next to the Salthouse field on the road for free, the dog can run around the field or on one of the stony beaches (but not the pier beach) and you will be spoilt for choice for food or drink. Shell garage right by the Salthouse has fuel at 144p at the mo.

You can check out the wiggly lines too Good shout though. There are toilets there and you can get coffee and chips, or pop into a pub (the Salthouse is dog friendly) while walking the dog.

[DeejRC]

The two general rules of thumb for the M5 are:
Clear Bristol before 7am on a Monday morning
Don’t drive south on a Friday

Some of us have to suffer it every week

[oddman]

DeejRC said:

By far the most important is: what day are you travelling?

Saturday unfortunately but we went to Gower last year via M62/60/62/6/5 same weekend and it wasn't too bad. I don't think we actually stopped even around Manchester and Birmingham.

Thanks for the further refinements to advice everyone.

Griffith4ever said:

The M5 South turns into a car park. I live on one of the main A roads that the M5 traffc switches too when there is an incident, or, it gets so busy sat-nav advises people to use it. ON the basis of what I witness all summer, I'd never drive South on a Friday :-) But if you have no choice, and the kids are at school, you stand a good chance of a nice journey !

This is the reason we went to Pembrokeshire when the kids were still at school. Still a long drive but at least you are moving; the roads are interesting and there are loads of alternatives if there's a problem.

Edited by oddman on Monday 5th June 16:43

[surveyor]

oddman said:

This is the reason we went to Pembrokeshire when the kids were still at school. Still a long drive but at least you are moving; the roads are interesting and there are loads of alternatives if there's a problem.

Edited by oddman on Monday 5th June 16:43

Bristol will be a nightmare. And there are no easy ways around it - although you can save a heap of time by going down the M50 to Newport and joining the M5 at Avonmouth, if it's really bad....