Bit late and a long shot I know but driving from manchester to Cornwall tomorrow with 2 young kids so will need to stop and let them burn off some energy at some point. Preferably a park but i guess motorway services with play areas is more likely. Somewhere after Birmingham and somewhere Exeter-ish I’m thinking, need to be close to motorway coz its a long enough drive as it is without detours, what u got?

Forest of Dean maybe? Bit of a detour but worth it if you are stopping for more than a quick stretch of the legs. Come off M5 at Gloucester and back on the motorway at Chepstow.

See if there is an OK diner to stop and eat at

And avoid Gordano and Bridgewater services!

Depending on time of day, a detour into Bristol might be OK – lots to do and laces to eat.

Weston Super Mare? My lot got forced off the M5 there a few weeks back. Quite enjoyed an hour on the beach.

one of the ones on the M6 has a play area- most of them have something small and crap for them to play on

Pot luck but here is a list of one son the M5 with a play area

http://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Services_Search?reply=yes&road=M5&brands=Any&operator=Any&access=Any&rating=Any&ratingt=All&playarea=on#content

At least the car is plenty roomy for you all 😉

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/countryside/explore-the-countryside/countryside-sites-list/worcester-woods-country-park.aspx

Less than 5 minutes off the motorway. Nice reasonable value cafe. Great play area. Woods.

OK Diner at Cannock on the A5, great place for everyone to eat

Marvin fod is nice but according to google about 40mins detour, bit far I think
Martin not looking like beach weather tomorrow but if it brightens up a good shout, looks easy enough to get to, cheers.
Cheers aracer that looks promising too.
Junkyard borrowed my dads corsa thats about an extra 3 square feet of cabin space and a whole 1200cc of throbbing power, 50% upgrade poooooooweeeeer.

Have you lowered it , put some alloys on it and a big bore exhaust 😉

I’ve stalled it a few times :-)’ Nah just added DVD headrest thingies for the kids, already has alloys, my family are suckers for optional extras, if corsas had a heated wing mirror option this would have it.

Isn’t there a Diggerland just off the M5 in South Som/Devon somewhere?

If you’re looking for cheap places to stop and grab a bite around Brum, there’s a big ASDA with a cafe on the roundabout at J2 of the M5. And Ikea just north of the M5 has the usual ball pond nonsense and a cheapish restaurant.

Weston has arcades and stuff if it’s a bit rainy.

Isn’t there a Diggerland just off the M5 in South Som/Devon somewhere?

Tiverton. J27

We stop at National Trust properties (members, so we get in for free).

This is our Manchester – Cornwall stop off. Just off the M5 near Bristol.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield/?p=1356322822868

The visitors centre, barn, cafe, playground bit is very good for a picnic and it is covered. Not actually made it up to the house yet.

HtS I was subjected to too many NT places as a kid, scarred for life, kids are only 2 and 3 anyway so bit young to be taking them there 🙂

Cheers for the digger land info will bear that in mind, eldest loves diggers.

Thanks all, setting off imminently, wish us luck 😀

My youngest was only 2 when we went there last summer. Picnic in a covered courtyard, clean toilets, decent coffee from the cafe and a big tractor for the little ones to climb on for half an hour.

Have fun.

Where are you going to?

If you’ve kids in the car I’d just keep it to a couple of short loo stops & a stop for lunch.
If your using the M6 toll road then Norton Caines services is ok.
If not then I’d get south of Brum before you stop, probably the first services on the M5 at West brom.

For lunch/tea I’d give Weston a miss, its too far off the motorway & can get queues into town when busy.
Head into Clevedon, the junction before Weston. Its nearer the motorway & usually quieter. There is a nice little play-park with a car-park on the “sea” front, & a chip shop on the way. There is a Tesco also. CLICK

Not sure of any places on the A30 but if your going the A38 way then Stover Country park is a few mins off the A38.

Second the National Trust suggestion. Get the book. Stopped at Clumber Park near Leeds the other day while heading North, very nice it was, even had a soft play area for toddlers. Blobby jr is only 15 months so a quick pit stop isn’t really an option on a long journey unfortunately.

This is less than a mile off the Weston junction of the M5 (and critically, in the opposite direction to Weston!): http://www.puxton.co.uk/ Indoor/outdoor play and a decent size cafe…

Thinking about places we’ve stopped on the way down to Cornwall, Castle Drogo is nice. May be a bit too close to your destination though. It’s off the A30 near Exeter.

Well that was a waste of time asking, both of em fell asleep before birmingham, I had worcester woods and weston in mind for stops, drove passed both while they were sleeping, about 2mins after weston turn off eldest woke up and said he needed a wee so ended up in brent knoll, bit of grass for a picnic and little climbing frame park, not great but did the job. Coming home was a similar experience. Nevermind will bear your suggestions in mind for future trips.

Hotel was in camborne, we were visiting family in penzance, lots of driving up and down the A30 saw loads of lejog/joglers, quite fancy doing it myself but I’d be avoiding the A30, would hate to ride that.