Where should I stop on M6 northbound as Knutsford Services were disgusting

[Mydoghealsmyheart]

I’m due to drive to Lake District and need to find somewhere nice to stop for a coffee and toilet break. Last time I did the journey, the services at Knutsford were appalling for lots of reasons. Can anyone recommend somewhere we can stop instead for a little pit stop? Thanks.

What’s not lovely about it? That sounds snappy and it isn’t, I’m just curious. There’s a park, lake, nice high street, cafes? I mean it isn’t Mayfair no, but it’s not the bronx either!

Well, no, it's not the Bronx, I'll give you that. You're perfectly safe walking around it but lovely? It's a gritty little Northern village with a couple of pubs, cafes and shops. It's an old mining village and has had a lot of social problems.

Makes Waitrose look like Lidl!

Same. Was it filthy or was it something more?

You make it sound grimmer than it is I think! Unless you’re thinking about earlestown - in which case, I agree!

If I’m going north on the M6 I generally pay for the M6Toll, as not only is it fast and quiet, but Norton Canes services is much better than the ones on the main M6. I try to time it so I don’t have to stop after Stafford!

I love this description. Everyone raves about Gloucester, but when I’ve been in the car for hours I want something I recognise, not a loaf of bread that’s been sitting uncovered on a table for who knows how long

Edited to add: I do know what a loaf of bread looks like - I just mixed up a couple of my many complaints about gloucester

There is a Booths with a cafe close to the motorway at J32 just north of Preston if that’s not too close to the Lakes.

if you’re going to the south lakes and reach Tebay you’re about 15 miles past your exit.

We stop about Norton Canes on the M6 Toll going from Kent to Manchester.

Great minds!

can be a pain to park in IME

When I went to Gloucester services they were filthy, despite being the same company as Tebay, I think. And the view from Tebay puts it in another league. But Tebay is no use as a stop on the way to the lakes (unless you missed all the turnings!)

Depends where you are starting your journey

Also The Roebuck Inn is a nice pub near Knutsford if you want to get off the motorway for a bit and that's a good area to stop for you.

As someone who lives near Tebay this is spot on. Never understood the appeal.

It is awful isn’t it. We all just felt grimy and fed up after spending just a short time there. We joked that we needed a further pit stop to recover from the ordeal of the first pit stop!

From north London.

Ooh I’ll have a look.

Yes, I’m going to pay to use the M6 toll road too. As I am driving that route, is Norton Canes easy to find?

The main trouble with Tebay is that it's become a bit of a destination. Parking can be really tricky as it's often very busy.
It's a good location for a stop on the way to Scotland.

They are sister stations and I don’t know why you’re educating me 🤣🤣 I’ve been to both regularly. I was pointing out that Gloucester is not the only nice service station.

Yes, it’s just the service station on the toll road. It’s where we usually stop between Preston and Cambridge, ok but not great for food imo.

I wouldnt stop at a service station, come off the M6 and go to Trentham Shopping Village with lots of nice places to eat and parking / electric car chargers if needed.

M6 Toll are the best ones.