Family friendly places to stop M6

[Teacherontherun]

Hi
We are travelling along the m6 up to Scotland along the M6/74
We need to stop every couple of hours with a newborn but also have a five year old. We want to make 1'proper' stop with something for the eldest to do. Dont mind a slight detour, definitely not a service station -we know them all too well!
Thanks

We stop at Broigham Castle, in Cumbria, around where the A66 joins the M6. It is just a ruined castle (English Heritage), no cafe, no inside stuff, but great for running around.

Watching with interest, as we've never found anywhere decent to stop on the M74!

Sorry, Brougham Castle

brockholes at Preston is a wildlife centre with cafe and play area. 2 minutes from the m6 and great for a stop!

Low Sizergh Barn just off Jct 36 is a nice place to stop.

We always stop at Tebay Services near Penrith. Children's play area, lovely farm shop and good food :).

Sine ideas here. Cairn Lodge services is mentioned. They are OK since they were taken on by the folks that have Tebay and Gloucester, but still a fairly normal service station, just with slightly nicer food.

There is also the Llama Karma Kafe near Penrith, with a little zoo attached.

Hi thanks for your replies. We are coming off the A66 so too far north for tebay. And Llama cafe is a but clise. We have stopped at Rghead -excellent sift play and outdoor play for anyone else looking! !
We ideally want somewhere a bit closer to the border. We have found a soft play at Strathclyde park just off the motorway -I will report back once we have been! !

Sorry, I just realised I am confusing tbay with a different one further south! Reghead is excellent

You could stop at trentham gardens near stoke? See the monkeys?

www.monkey-forest.com/?gclid=CKXl5Mu4lNECFYccGwod3jcJiw

I was just about to recommend Rheghed. Great outdoor play area and indoor as well, sadly the food is very overpriced these days, but definitely a good pit stop with young ones.

We stopped at Strathclyde park, on the way up we went to the soft play -brilliant to run off some steam on a wet journey, and the arcades were fun!
On the way back we played in the park itself and walked by the lake as it was a gorgeous day. definitely recommend!