Where to stop between London and Cornwall?

[JassyRadlett]

Advice please, wise MNers!

We're going on holiday to Cornwall (near Wadebridge) from SW London in September. I will be 34 weeks pregnant when we set off (holiday booked before conception!) DS will be just four, blessed with a bladder of steel and is generally good in the car.

When going on holiday we usually try to break the journey on the way, so it takes a day to get to our destination but we have a nice lunch and see something interesting on the way.

We usually go for National Trust places as we're members, but nothing is leaping out at me at the moment. Any ideas? Our criteria are: somewhere to have a halfway decent, child-friendly lunch, somewhere for DS to stretch his legs, and something relatively interesting to stickybeak at.

Thank you!

We've stopped at both Killerton and Castle Drogo (both national trust) on the way down to Cornwall. But we are coming from Essex so they may be too close to your starting point.

Lanhydrock is also worth a visit but it may be too far on for you. It has a great playarea right next to the cafe so you can let your DS play while you have a cup of something.

@ Bristol is a sort of science museum place that mine have enjoyed when they were younger or if the weather is good the ss great Britain is fun to wander round though more for you LO than you.

Without a doubt the railway carriage at South Petherton v close to A303 near Ilminster. Come off at sign for Barrington Court (NT). Google it! Excellent food in a railway carriage. May need to share a table. Great for a break and a run around.

Stourhead is our default stop (Wiltshire), the cafe is great, and if you sit outside round the side of the building chaffinches come out of the bushes for the crumbs (it's sweet, not gross!). Then a walk round the lake is worth it, it's just beautiful!

Drogo has lovely gardens worth a spin around. (The house is currently undergoing years worth of repairs but they've done some interesting things with it that you can see.)

Lanhydrock (Bodmin) has the best kids play park ever!

Oh, and whatever you do DO NOT stop at the Route 303 Diner at Honiton, it's awful. (Mimi's Diner in St Austell, however, is brilliant!)

Stonehenge or Avebury?

Was going to add Shaftesbury. Lovely peaceful market town. Gold hill, the view, the abbey ruins. Eat at the half moon pub restaurant just outside town.