What's your favourite service station?

[OpenSandwich]

Mine would be Annandale Water, on the M74 near Lockerbie. A lovely spot.

Fleet, because it means I'm nearly home.

I stopped at a lovely one on the England/Scotland border. Like a lodge. Forget the name.

Was it Tebay?

That's the one everyone else likes :o

Baldock isn't bad. Cobham is brilliant, especially after doing a delivery in south London. Clacket Lane is meh, and Thurrock is vile.

The BP truckstops used to be good value, if somewhat hard to find. There are a few left under the Nightowl banner, but they're a pale shadow of what they used to be. Some of the independents are very good: Quernhow, Markham Moor, Hellaby Stockyard and Orwell Crossing.

Went to Gloucester services for the first time today, it is amazing! I may take my DM back there for a day trip it is so good!

where's Tebay? I wannnna go!

down south I would agree that Cobham is ace, mainly because it it finally just where you need a service station and Gordano is the shitest of the shit. we always seem to need a wee break there and I really resent wasting my stoppage time there.

Hopwood Services on the M42.

It's lovely there. They have a lake with a fountain in it and an outdoor play area.

DS (age four at the time) asked to go there once for a day out. I'd offered to take him out for the day, asked where he'd like to go and he said "that big shop with the park and all the water." Took us ages to work out that's where he meant, it had been about nine months since we'd stopped there, for half an hour, but it clearly made an impact.

I'm also quite fond of Michaelwood Services on the M5. It's either the last acceptable stop on the journey or the first acceptable one, depending which way we are travelling. Anything further South than that is just bad planning.

For that same reason, Tamworth is usually the first/last services as well.

I suspect I'm doing a very similar journey to BikeRunSki

I thought you meant the brand

I was going to say I prefer a moto to a welcome break because they have dog bowls with food and water even though I don't have a dog anymore

Erm, Keele on the M6?

The site you've all been waiting for - Motorway Services Online.

Gloucester (M5 Northbound) without a shadow of a doubt.

My worst services would be Gordano. I'd have to be really desperate for a wee to stop there.

Tebay/Westmoreland Farm Shop on the M74
eh? It was on the M6 last time I looked!

DH's parents used to live in Gloucester so I've never been to that one...will have to try.

If you're halfway up the M6 then Stafford North is the best bet.

Lancaster - I'm not actually sure you can go up the tower, I never have. It's the one we stop at the most, to get M&S sandwiches if we're going up to silverdale or the Lakes. Otherwise unremarkable.

If you take the advice someone gave to stop at Brockholes at J31, be aware that they charge for parking but it is a nice place (my DD does her DofE volunteering there, they're working on a kiddies orienteering trail at the moment)

I like Oxford. I've had many a nap there.

Tebay do fab pies in the farm shop.

Food is pricey in the cafe though. It's better quality though and gorgeous views

Yes, Brockholes isn't a cheap option, but we normally stretch our stop out to about an hour and a half and make the most of the play area and the footpaths as well as the cafe, we do the journey once a year and the DCs really look forward to our stop there, it has become a family tradition. It's so lovely and peaceful, feels as though you've had a proper break, unlike service stations (even Tebay, where we stop on the way back).

I've never quite worked out where the M6 turns into the M74

Yes Oxford isn't bad, not been there for a while though.

Dan I'm off to browse your link even though I'm now at home

Michael wood (m5)

Oh and also fleet. It's where we stopped on school trips when travelling to London.

Hopwood services (m42) is the least used services in the country.

Gloucester, hopwood and tebay are all on my to-do list

I've never quite worked out where the M6 turns into the M74

When you cross into Scotland, surely?

Fond memories of the Aust services at the old Severn Bridge circa 1972. I thought it was paradise. Highlight of any holiday or day trip was stopping there and being given loose change for the slot machines. And the view from the cafe was amazing.

How on Earth is Michaelwood the best service station. It's awful and tiny!!

Whenever I go to Tebay now, I always think of the mumsnetter whose DP ate some fat balls for the birds thinking they were artisanal scotch eggs.

Tebay, but it is on the M6 not theM74! The same people own Gloucester which is awesome too.

M1 Toddington. Every. Single. Time.

now you're asking! this is the question i've always wanted to answer...

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Cherwell Valley!
with Keele as a close second.