Heading down to Devon for a week with MrsMomo next Saturday, where would be a nice place to stop off for some lunch, preferably somewhere interesting in its own right.

Thanks

Guessing that your route will take you past Gloucester Services on the M5. It opened recently (ish) and is run by the same crowd as Tebay. Really nice food. Massive shop selling good quality food and drink. It’s not cheap there but it’s a lot better than your usual Moto, etc type services. Bumped into a friend from my past there one day and it turned out he runs the whole show. It appears people who live in the locality actually go there for Sunday lunch. 😀

Or are you looking to leave the motorway altogether and drive a few miles for something to munch?

Bristol is around half way (maybe a little over). Loads of nice places to eat there, as long as you don’t mind heading into the town.

Personally, i’d have brekfast in the Cosy Club in Stamford, and lunch in the Cosy Club in Exeter!

bath

Gloucester services, defo

Rapha archive at Shepton Mallet

Rapha outlet shop at Shelton mallet is really nice – I was allowed an hour in there on ypth way to North Devon last summer.

lunch in the Cosy Club in Exeter!

A bit out of your way if you’re going to North Devon, as is Shepton Mallet. 🙄

Cheddar?

Eh I’m in Lincoln and went to Shepton mallet on the way to north Devon last year

Eh I’m in Lincoln and went to Shepton mallet on the way to north Devon last year

It’s a ballsache of a drive from the M5 though, although the North Devon expressway off the end of the M5 is probably the quickest way and you would be passing Exeter for that.

The North Devon Road (known locally as the North Devon link road) off the M5 is at least 20 miles before Exeter!!!!. The Devon Express Way is Exeter to Plymouth wrong coastline line to North Devon completely. Junction 27 for North Devon off the M5.

I think some of you need to look at a map. 😀

Rhyl.;)

Lincoln to North Devon, where to stop

Stop in North Devon or your car will get wet.

Go to dibbs’s house. It’s sort of on the back road to north Devon…

where would be a nice place to stop off for some lunch, preferably somewhere interesting in its own right.

Not M5 services then 😉

Take J25 off the M5 @ Taunton, take the A38 to J27 – some lovely pubs & a cider farm along that stretch.

Go to dibbs’s house. It’s sort of on the back road to north Devon…

We’re closed and anyway we have the grandson staying, you wouldn’t want to suffer that, I know I don’t.

The White Horse in Exford is nice.

Come off at J13, if you like fish then head to The Passage Inn at Arlingham overlooking the Severn on a nice bend. Before Arlingham you pass through Frampton, with the country’s largest village green (pub can’t vouch for it) and you cross the Sharpness canal. All 10 mins off the motorway.
Or if you like birds then down the A38 to Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, back on the Motorway JN 14.

Routing via Shepton Mallet adds 15 miles to your total journey.

I think some of you need to look at a map.

Innit! Bath!?

Seriously, OP – don’t even think about leaving the motorway around Bristol area if you cherish your sanity 😆

Thanks for the suggestions so far, we’re staying a few miles outside Barnstaple. My thinking is to make it a relaxed trip rather than my normal hammer the motorways in one hit run.

With it being the mid-easter break changeover day, would I be foolish to try to go cross country through the Cotswolds?

if you want a scenic route, turn off at bridgewater, follow the A39 to minehead and then the coast road via porlock and lynmouth. just don’t expect to be in a hurry…

Routing via Shepton Mallet adds 15 miles to your total journey.

And about an hour.

then the coast road via porlock and lynmouth. just don’t expect to be in a hurry…

Hope your bottom gear and clutch are OK. 🙂

Surely anywhere once you’ve got out of Lincolnshire… 😆

Serious answer – if you don’t want to stray too far from the motorway and you’re heading that way I’ve only heard good things about Gloucester services

The North Devon Road (known locally as the North Devon link road) off the M5 is at least 20 miles before Exeter!!!!.

It’s been a while, sorry. A361 is the way I meant. I’m off down there in a couple of weeks with work so will be refamiliarising myself.

Another vote for the new services at Gloucester. We have a holiday place in Bideford, and use Gloucester as a break point when traveling both ways to and from Worksop, notts

Thanks for the suggestions so far, we’re staying a few miles outside Barnstaple.

I live a few miles north of Barny on the edge of Exmoor.Its grim here at the moment but I hope it clears up for you by the weekend.

My parents sometimes take the scenic route across the Cotswolds from Lincoln to just into Devon and I’ve done it once or twice; the nice bits are very nice but I find the rest gets a bit tedious, especially if it’s busy.

We often use National Trust places for lunch stops, they generally have good cafes; Croome Court near Worcester would involve a not too lengthy detour between J7 and 8 of the M5.

London.

Excellent fish & chips on the beach opportunity in Lynmouth if you head that way.

North Hykeham, you don’t want to start off to hungry 😆

benji – Member
North Hykeham, you don’t want to start off to hungry

Momo towers will be serving a full cooked breakfast prior to departure, and anyway, there’s not really anywhere I want to stop in Hykeham!

phiiiiil – Member
My parents sometimes take the scenic route across the Cotswolds from Lincoln to just into Devon and I’ve done it once or twice; the nice bits are very nice but I find the rest gets a bit tedious, especially if it’s busy.

We often use National Trust places for lunch stops, they generally have good cafes; Croome Court near Worcester would involve a not too lengthy detour between J7 and 8 of the M5.

Thanks for this, we are NT members, so this could be a winner!

A friend who regularly does Lincoln to Taunton has also recommended a pub he stops at near Cheddar Gorge.

We’ll probably check out Gloucester services on our way home the following Saturday.

Jobro, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for an improvement in the weather, I’m bringing a bike down with me and was hoping to get a couple of mornings out on Exmoor!

If you’re in the NT then Snowshill Manor is a little bit further away (towards the Cotswolds, so it’s not all bad) and is a really interesting place. Also the source of the best cream tea I’ve ever had…

Excellent fish & chips on the beach opportunity in Lynmouth if you head that way.

If you want excellent fish and chips try Squires in Braunton while you’re down there.

Excellent fish & chips on the beach opportunity in Lynmouth if you head that way.

Had some of them the other day. There is a pair of very tame ducks that will pester you for some!

If you are heading down the M5 and fnany a break around Weston Super Mare then you could do a lot worse than Stones Cafe by the Marina (favourite of ours when walking the dog on the beach) or if you don’t mind a bit of a drive off the motorway then head to the Ethicurean just down from Bristol Airport.

The farm shop services at Gloucester are very good though and an easy option.

We sometimes stop off at Webb’s of Wychbold on the way to Devon. It’s a garden centre just off J5 of the M5. Around half way(ish). Has a nice cafe or a deli counter and a picnic in the garden (on the West side of the car park) if the weather is nice.

Is there still a Cotswold Outdoor at Webbs? We used to go play with all the gadgets… 🙂