Something to do on the way between London and Dumfries! (Visitor attraction and hotel)

[mummypig]

We are driving from London to Dumfries at half term. I was thinking of getting past Birmingham and then going somewhere to amuse the kids, then staying in a hotel somewhere past Manchester so that we don't have too far to drive the next day.

We have 3 ds's, aged 7, nearly 5 and 10 months.

Any recommendations? I was thinking maybe Ironbridge or RAF Cosford to visit, but I have no ideas about hotels.

OK do this route fairly often to visit the clan. Have you considered going the other way (A1, A66, I always do as it avoids the Manchester and Birmingham traffic) and stopping off somewhere in Yorkshire (including York itself)?

No, I haven't, but would consider if you have good recommendations on the way. We are so used to going up to Brum (family there) that I hadn't thought of the A1.

RAF Cosford and Ironbridge are a great day out, we went in February and the kids preferred Cosford to Disney, we had to drag them away.

I am hopeless with links but the Park Royal hotel in Stretton, Cheshire, has a nice pool and makes an effort with kids. It is close to the M6, M56 and is on the A49, which you can follow up from Shropshire, stopping at numerous ice cream "farms" along the way.

Thanks serin, I have never visited Cosford as an adult although the name triggers very vague memories of being there as a child. But I thought the boys might enjoy it. Is it still good in the rain?

DadInsteadofMum are you still around?

Why stop at all? It's not that bad a journey. We have done this A LOT and always set out at about 6pm with kids in PJ's and they slept most of the way. IT helps if you get a portable DVD player. If you have to do it in the day break it up with lunch / loo breaks. It just seems to me to be a massive faff to stop and unload and pack again etc etc.

Willali, maybe when they are older we can try that, but I know the 10 month old won't deal very well with all that driving. Also we're meeting up with my sister and her family on the first day there - they will be leaving in the afternoon - so would rather have had a fair night's sleep otherwise we won't be very sociable.