Durham to Oxford on M1 recommend a stop off

[Notonaschoolnight]

Anywhere you'd recommend us to stop off? I'm for an hour or 2, open to all options picturesque, historic or shops

OH said Bicester Village but then said on tripadvisor it sounds like a nightmare, I suggested a national trust place so will have a look now but then I thought you lovely lot will have a better idea

My girls are 11 & 9

Chatsworth House?

Thirsk?

Harrogate?

Dunchurch/Southam?

If you've got Windows 8, there's an app called Meet 1/2 way and you can put Oxford and Durham in it and see where it comes up as being in between. That might help you focus on an area and see what's around.

Thank you both will look at those now

Chatsworth is quite a hike from the M1 and really needs more than an hour or two.

Bolsover Castle (EH) and Hardwick Hall (NT) aren't far from the M1 and are both in Derbyshire

Or there is Magna just off junction 34 of the M1, or even Meadowhall if you want to go shopping.

Yorkshire sculpture park - it's great

Bicester is very close to Oxford