Stops on the M6

[SFRSmum]

We travel up and down the M6 regularly when going on holiday, usually starting at Carlisle all the way down to Birmingham.

Just wondering if anyone has any hidden gems to stop at just off the motorway. (Happy to travel a few miles off route)

Looking for as cheap as possible, ideally free, large parks, estates, visitor centres ect

We've stopped at Brockholes before and Williamson Park in Lancaster.

Anybody got any others?

Nip off the motorway on a clear day and walk up Rivington Pike near Chorley.

Thanks for this, this is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for.

Do you have a rough idea of the detour it would involve? I've googled but it's confusing 🤣

It's not free (a family ticket is £15) but Tatton Park is quite close to J19 of the M6 (at Knutsford)

https://www.tattonpark.org.uk/visit/your-visit-attraction-prices-and-tickets.aspx

Perfect, thanks.
And I see for £8 you can visit the parkland and play park. That's ideal.

Killington Lake. Been there a few times when travelling from the north of Scotland down to the Midlands! Between junctions 36 and 37 on the M6 - southbound. Beautiful. 😍 (Gorgeous scenery - and it's also a motorway service station of course.)

Lots of info here. (The lake is pretty much right next to the motorway.)

https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/things-to-do/killington-lake-p1213021

It's confusing because the motorway it's off from is the m61 not the m6, and you'd have to get off that at J8 and go through Chorley and then some minor roads... you'd need to follow a satnav . And then there's not a particularly obvious way to get back to the m6 south from there. I like rivington pike but i wouldn't take that detour if travelling Carlisle to brum.

If you're National Trust members, Dunham Massey isn't too far from junction 19. House, gardens and deer park.

Heysham village, viking graves and heysham barrows

I'd recommend Mow Cop (free) and Biddulph Grange, Little Morton Hall (NT) and Jodrell Bank all near Congleton.

Haigh Hall, Wigan, if you have kids in tow

This is a fantastic farm shop and cafe, with. Viewing gallery down to the milking parlour from the cafe!

Low Sizergh Farm Shop

https://www.lowsizerghbarn.co.uk/

Stop at the MacArthur glen outlet

https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-west-midlands/

there’s a playground and a nature reserve you can walk around just next door

Tebay services of course. Trentham monkey forest is completely brilliant and very weird.

Trentham Gardens Estate and the Wedgewood Museum aren't far from Junction 15

I.was going to suggest Dunham Massey or Tatton Park

It's a 3.5 hr journey, why would you want to detour? even when my DC were young I'd just power on if they're settled, less stops=quicker journey.

Tbh we hardly ever stopped on similar length m6 journeys (preston to Gloucester or Bristol). Except a few times Jodrell Bank because it's somewhere we wanted to go that was a bit far for a day trip. (Not been for ages now... I'm trying to remember if it's somewhere we'd still enjoy without kids)

The M6 is rarely a 3.5 hour journey due to the "upgrades" and regular accidents

I'm happy to do 4 hours and my regular 250 miles journey is very rarely under 4 hours these days whereas 6/8 years ago it was usually 3.5 hours without doing 70mph

Kenyon Hall Farm is just off junction 22 near Warrington. Farm shop, cafe & small play area. It's geared more towards younger kids. There's various things on through the year - sunflower walk, fruit picking etc but quite a lot of the organised activities require booking in advance.

I also stop at trentham fairly regularly as I like a wander in the garden centre/shopping village. There's also the monkey forest but that charges. It's between 2 junctions so I like not needing to double back when I've finished.

Exactly @RandomMess

My regular 250 mile journey using the M6 is usually in the 6-7 hours range these days.

"It's a 3.5 hr journey, why would you want to detour? even when my DC were young I'd just power on if they're settled, less stops=quicker journey."

Tell me you've not driven on the m6 lately without telling me you've not driven on the m6 lately 🤪🤣

@shreknjumps 😂😂😂

Getting past Preston at more than 50mph is a miracle these days! Feel sorry for those that travel on a daytime commute. Not sure what happened over the Covid years but slow traffic and accidents seem daily now.

Later evenings in winter don't seem too bad however from about 10pm they start lane reductions for maintenance and all too often get stuck uphill behind a lorry

Only the parkland is open at the moment, the hall is undergoing loads of restoration work. Can be difficult to park as well.

@RandomMess it's a bloody nightmare. The A6 is rammed most weekends for "bridge work" or accidents. Longest stretch of motorway in the uk I believe, maybe it needs a j33a