A1M/A66 stopping places?

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

We are travelling up to Dumfries and Galloway with two dogs and our two older kids. Anywhere to stop for a leg stretch/picnic/dog stop on A1M/A66.

How far north do you want to get before stopping?
Clumber Park
Fountains Abbey at Ripon if you don't mind a bit of a detour
Barnard Castle (eye tests also readily available)
Appleby is pretty

Appleby sounds about right - will take a look - don't really want to be in a town particularly, a park would do or somewhere like Clumber!

Avoid Scotch Corner services. The car park is a bunfight

Cross lanes farm shop is on the a66 just outside Barnard castle. Little play area, nice cafe, some space for kids and dogs to run about. Not quite sure whether its out of the way for you though.

Thanks - definitely will be avoiding the services wherever possible. 'Kids' are 24 and 18 so will be travelling in their car separately- we will have bikes so can't leave car and also dogs aren't the friendliest....
Ideally we want a quiet type of services with a loo and picnic area - not sure if they exist??!!!

Mainsgill farm and shop on the a66 is nice, they have animals and a nice cafe/restaurant and outside seating and picnic area

Where are you starting from? Some of these suggestions like Ripon are pretty far south. I've always wanted to stop at the llama cafe on the A66 but never done so yet!

South Yorkshire so I think somewhere around Appleby/Penrith would be good before we get onto the M6. We will probably have to stop again on the A75 for more leg stretching and dog comfort breaks!!!

Divert off the A66 at Brough and go down the A685 to Tebay, then up the M6 to Tebay Services. They're amazing. Or stop at Rheged just beyond the M6 at J40, same company as Tebay Services so great food. There's also Gretna Gateway, an outlet village with cafes etc

Don't take diversions for Tebay just not worth the hype ate there about 2 weeks ago and it was a disappointing as the first time we ate there. Mainsgill would seem to meet your requirements. Not scotch corner. A66 not very populated so no service stations really.

We definitely won't be stopping at the services with dogs and bikes on the car so it needs to be a picnic spot that we can keep an eye on the bikes.
Wondering about somewhere around Brough castle area if anyone knows that area at all?

I think it was Mainsgill that we stopped at, but it was years ago. We also live in South Yorkshire and it was a good place to stop en route to D & G.

Whereabouts are you travelling to?

Monreith near Port William.

Fairburn Ings and Brough Castle