Driving Scotland to England - places to stop with toddlers?

[JollyGolightly]

Our Summer holiday is on the South Coast and we are fairly far North. A long, long journey looms .

We go down the M6, leaving as early as possible and usually stopping at the independent services at Tebay. Can anyone recommend alternative places to stop? We are happy to come off the motorway to give the DC a good run and us a break from white lines and tar rivers. A village with a play park and cafe is ideal, or a pub with a garden and children's play area...anywhere from the lakes onwards.

Try Brockholes nature reserve at jn31 of the m6. Its literally on the motorway junction but you don't notice once you get in. Lake with birds, kids adventure playground, walks round lake or in woods, cafe floating on the lake and often kids activities on in the building next to it. You pay to park but free to get in.

That.looks great! Ideal, even. Thank you.

Rheged just off the motorway at penrith used to have free soft play which is good in the rain.

No problem

These are really good! Any suggestions for places to stop further south, off the M5? Realistically I think they're going to need at least two stops, much as I'd love them to take 2x 2 hour naps with charming conversation and listening to story CDs in between, I doubt that will happen.

Are you national trust members? We use their places to soo at. We drive Manchester to Cornwall & have stopped at

Shugborough M6 near Stafford
Worcester Country Park just at start of M5
NT places at suitable locations - can't remember specific names off the top of my head but there are several. They have an app that tells you your nearest!

The company that runs Tebay services now has a services on the m5 at Gloucester.