Because there’s always treasure where you least expect it…
If you’re planning a bank holiday getaway or a longer UK staycation this summer, you probably haven’t yet given your route there much thought. Travelling long-distance by car is simple but tedious and most of us just hit the motorway crossing our fingers it’s not at too much of a standstill.
And when it comes to comfort breaks and lunch stops, well, a curly sandwich at a sterile table (if you’re lucky) on the side of the road is often as good as it gets.
But with a little planning and research, you might just find there are some real gems only a stones throw from the motorway junctions.
There are places like Tebay services - the first family run motorway service station, which was set up by Cumbrian Hill farmers John and Barbara Dunning when the M6 was built through their land. With farm shops, a butchery and cafe serving only local food, it’s as far from a normal service station as you can imagine and has become a destination in its own right. Then there are the plethora of National Trust properties just minutes away from motorway junctions where you can immerse yourself in history, stretch your legs and have a proper scone and a decent cup of tea - and all without a Burger King in sight. But beyond that, every stretch of Britain’s major roads have near them somewhere a lovely lake, a peaceful copse with picnic benches or a great view from a hill. You just need to know someone in the know.
So we’ve had another of our brilliant ideas. We’d like Simple Things readers to pool their knowledge on all those wonderful, secret places just off the motorway and we’ll collate them and make them into a booklet for a future issue. We’re hoping it will be a little gem you’ll keep in your glove box with the boiled sweets and road atlas so that next time you find yourself contemplating a curly sandwich and a raft of fruit machines you can take a different turn off and make a real moment of your comfort and lunch break.
Leave your votes for your ‘spot just off the motorway’ in the comments on our blog or on our posts on Facebook and Instagram and we’ll do the rest.
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