...and burn off some unspent energy for a two and four year old.
We will be travelling from Nottingham to Edinburgh next week.
I tried 5minutesaway but they only do motorways, Leeds to Edinburgh is not a motorway !!!!
Will be travelling late afternoon so somewhere between Wetherby and Darlington/Durham would I think be the best location.
Any recommendations within 15/20 mins. of A1 would be gratefully accepted as I usually charge through and have probably missed lots of very good places to eat and have a break.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 15 May 10 at 17:21
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Wetherby services is now fully open and has an enormous barn-like seating area with the usual food outlets.
Plenty of room for the young 'uns to run around inside or out and it's all nice and shiny and new.
The stretch of the A1(M) from Wetherby to Scotch Corner is being widened, so it's 50mph all the way and some junctions are restricted.
You probably won't want to stop, but if you did, the North Yorkshire market town of Bedale is only a mile or so off the Leeming Bar turning.
Disc parking is free in the central area - get a disc from one of the shops - and there are all the usual small town type amenities along the main street.
Scotch Corner has the Scotch Corner hotel which does a reasonable lunch, or if you're in a rush, head a few hundred metres along the A66 west to the first layby in which there is toilets and a brick built burger and sandwich bar.
The lorry drivers use it, as do I. The food is cheap, but very cheerful with generous portions. Small grassed area to sit, run around in.
The next few junctions going north lead into the poorer parts of County Durham which don't offer such rich pickings for the casual visitor.
Aycliffe Village, signposted Newton Aycliffe, is an exception. It has a village green and surroundings which could be in the Cotswolds.
There's a small service area just before the village and the green is home to a couple of pubs, including the one to which Tony Blair took the French president a good few years ago.
Durham City has a good park and ride service at the A690 junction. While it's no York, Durham is a World Heritage Site and there's plenty to do if you were stopping for two or three hours.
Final suggestion would be the next junction up, signposted Chester-le-Street.
The town's Riverside Park is within a mile or so of the motorway.
Cheap parking, a play area for the kids, large grassed area to run around in, riverside walks, a small formal garden and another brick-built refreshment kiosk.
Or have a look at Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside Ground which is nearby.
There's a bar/restaurant there which opens every lunchtime even when there's no game on, and a Duncan Banatyne fitness centre if the children really do need tiring out.
Last edited by: ifithelps on Sat 15 May 10 at 19:00
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Thanks for that IIH ! I thought you'd be the chap knowing that area.
I've stopped at Scotch Corner a couple of times for P breaks but never thought of going West.
Only other place I have found is Brewers Fayre at Pity Me or is that not worth the trip ?
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...s Brewers Fayre at Pity Me..
Recently been redone and it does have the kids' play area.
If you wanted a similar style of food - but no play area - there is a a newish steak house off the A690 at Belmont, which is the 'right' side of Durham City for your purposes.
Not sure which chain, but it's the usual attached to a motel arrangement.
There's a few car dealers along the same road if you fancied looking at some shiny metal.
Durham City Retail Park is a few hundred metres away - PC World, Argos, etc, and a drive through KFC.
Also a sit down Pizza Hut - I was in there for the first time a week or so ago - agreeably surprised.
Plenty of people in and cheerful staff made for a nice ambience.
Children welcome, too.
I had a Meat Feast pizza and an adults-size visit to the ice cream fun factory.
There must be a more unhealthy lunch available locally, but I can't think where. :)
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If you decide to go that way, Lindisfarne island is worth a look if tides and weather permit. Take a picnic. Kids will love it. Oh and buy some mead.
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...if tides and weather permit...
Access via a causeway which is covered at high tide.
Tide tables are published on the internet - just Google the obvious.
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I shall be up that way in July, Have rented a cottage for a week in Northumberland. Lindisfarne is on the agenda.
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...rented a cottage for a week in Northumberland...
Wide open spaces and next-to-no traffic - a chance for some real motoring.
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Have a drive through Kielder forest too Z. You have to pay something to do so but it's not much. There's a speed limit too as I recall but well......Took the Westie through there on hard packed snow once (in our leather flying helmets ) Ended up racing a a guy on a sledge being pulled by huskies. We won.
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>> ...rented a cottage for a week in Northumberland...
>>
>> Wide open spaces and next-to-no traffic - a chance for some real motoring.
And I hope, some good walking and good pub grub.
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Give me a clue what area, driving distance and what you like. I was born and grew up in that county. If you don't like history and are looking for theme parks FORGET IT !!!
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Just outside Longframlington. Pubs with gardens and good food, No Newcastle Brown Ale (foul stuff) about 30 mins .
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>> Just outside Longframlington. Pubs with gardens and good food, No Newcastle Brown Ale (foul stuff)
>> about 30 mins .
>>
North Yorkshire is more than 30 mins. away so that's Dog out the way.
Try the Cook and Barker Newton-on-the-Moor.
If you head out to Cragside to see Lord Armstrong's place, continue on to Thropton, can't remember the name of the restaurant/bar, it is on your left as you head through the village after the hump(h)back-bridge.
Alnwick Castle (where they filmed Barry Trotter, or was it Harry Potter ?) the Treetop restaurant.
Bamburgh is worth a visit just for the castle.
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Nicole, the trophy wife, insists on Fish and Chips ont he coast, where is best along that stretch?
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>> Nicole, the trophy wife, insists on Fish and Chips ont he coast, where is best
>> along that stretch?
>>
Oh ! "Trophy Wife, Fish and Chips"...One mans meat/poison springs to mind.
Having said that you drive a Mitsubishi so I can assume newspaper is OK ?
If you want the dogs danglies then I would suggest making a detour on the way up or down via Whitby and the Magpie (if you make a reservation in advance).
In the N.E. you have to go to Craster (where the Kippers come from) maybe try the Jolly Fisherman. Nearby is also the home of Earl Grey tea in Howick.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 15 May 10 at 20:43
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Not sure Nicole woudl like to be labeled Poison!
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Pinnacles in the High St of Seahouses is without doubt a great place for Fish and Chips ( its recommended by the Hairy Bikers ) .
Its literally 50 metres from the harbour where you depart for the Farne Islands so I would take a trip to the islands and then grab yourself a meal there .
If you want to try some of the home made local produce pop in to the butchers in Bamburgh up the road and get yourself some of their sausages to take back with you or their home made scotch pies - beautiful. Visit the castle and the Grace Darling Museum and take a walk along the coast - absolutely stunning views.
The Old Ship in Seahouses does good food as well but I can also highly recommend the Ship ay Newton by the Sea and the Masons Arms at Rennington, just to the north of Alnwick.
As someone else here mentioned , the Cook and Barker is also worth a visit.
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>> If you head out to Cragside to see Lord Armstrong's place, continue on to Thropton,
>> can't remember the name of the restaurant/bar, it is on your left as you head
>> through the village after the hump(h)back-bridge.
>>
You could make a loopback via Elson and Winter's Gibbet. One of the few left in the country I believe.
northumberland-cam.com/winters-gibbet/
That's what they do to Southerners from Newcastle up in Northumberland :)
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>> If you decide to go that way, Lindisfarne island is worth a look if tides
>> and weather permit. Take a picnic. Kids will love it. Oh and buy some mead.
>>
I'm from that neck of the woods...bit too far North for my purposes this time but yes, you are right, ideal for those Southerners such as Zero to visit and give Seahouses Lifeboat a runout :)
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 15 May 10 at 19:53
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>> There's a few car dealers along the same road if you fancied looking at some
>> shiny metal.
>>
I'm trying to be a good boy ! I'm determined to wear the Volvo shiney before I get rid.
I want a new bike before considering a car as I will soon have a ticket to ride 200MPH trains twice a week for work.
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My bil has just been on the phone to tell me about the Ducati something-or-other hugely fast he's just picked up in Manchester today having traded his Honda Fireplace in for it.
Good for him.......
:-(
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>> having traded his Honda Fireplace in for it.
>>
>> Good for him.......
>>
>> :-(
>>
Those wooden fireplaces are hugely overated :)
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I used to call it that to irritate him. Have to think of something to suit the Duke.
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...traded his Honda Fireplace in for it...
Ho-ho - presumably it ran on gas.
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>> If you wanted a similar style of food - but no play area - there
>> is a a newish steak house off the A690 at Belmont, which is the 'right'
>> side of Durham City for your purposes.
>>
It's not the food, more the area to release the KJ of energy pent up in the car which the Government cannot harness.
Two small children and five-ish hours in a small saloon car do not make for happy motoring.
Thank God! I have the roofbox fitted so we can use the boot if required
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...It's not the food, more the area to release...
Fair enough, I don't think you'll find a similar establishment closer to the A1(M).
Means going through Durham City twice, but this is the North East, so there is unlikely to be much in the way of traffic.
A small point of interest, on the way to Pity Me, you will pass close to Frankland top-security prison, which is where Ian Huntley was assaulted a few weeks ago.
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>> A small point of interest, on the way to Pity Me, you will pass close
>> to Frankland top-security prison, which is where Ian Huntley was assaulted a few weeks ago.
>>
Kewl ! Left or right so I know which way to throw the Nappies ?
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On the right as you approach the Brewer's Fayre - you will see a sign HMP Frankland or HMP Low Newton, which is the womens' jail next door.
Curently home to Rose West, who an insider tells me spends a lot her time reading Shakespeare, but that's another story.
Thinking about it, after lunch it would be simpler for you to turn onto the A167 north towards Chester-le-Street to rejoin the A1(M).
It's dual carriageway and will save you dragging back through Durham City.
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>> Curently home to Rose West, who an insider tells me
Warden, Warder, Visitor or Inmate?
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...Warden, Warder, Visitor or Inmate?...
Not saying.
It might surprise one or two on here, but I wouldn't post any piece of information if I wasn't pretty certain it was right.
Going back to your Northumberland holiday, Alnwick Gardens is an obvious 'must do'.
Her Grace has spent millions in a short space of time - not something that has been done anywhere else in Europe.
Some people have criticised the result, but it's certainly worth a look for anyone with an interest in gardens.
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Yes Alnwick is on the must do list.
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>> Yes Alnwick is on the must do list.
>>
If you are going to be there July 17th, Jools Holland is playing Alnwick then. It's always sold out.
www.ents24.com/web/event/1907846/Jools_Holland.html
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Noo Back in the Surrey Hills by then
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We found Alnwick Garden a bit of a theme park with not much in the way of plants - big cascade, and modern sculpture, and a 'poison garden' gimmick. It was pittling down when we were there though, had it been warm and sunny we might have been more charitable.
We ended up in Barter Books for about 2 hours that day - well worth the visit.
www.barterbooks.co.uk/
And walk Fifi on the beach at Alnmouth, followed by an ice cream with monkey's blood.
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>> Thank God! I have the roofbox fitted so we can use the boot if required
>> "JOKE!!!"
>>
For those from social services I had written JOKE in chevrons which had been removed by the website !!!
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www.archersjerseyicecream.com/location
Not far from the A1 in Co. Durham - nice ice cream and the bairns can run about if it's sunny.
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Thanks for that.
I would then have a dilema on leaving. Do I turn right and back to the A1, arriving in Edinburgh relaxed and bored out of my brains or turn left onto the A68 and arrive in Edinburgh with a roofbox full of broken bits ? Decisions, decisions...
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IIRC mind the speed camera in Longframlingham (30mph, tucked behind a tree) and indeed many of the villages.
The Alnwick gardens I thought were excellent. Don't go if you want flower beds with name tags on them; do if you want something that's more architectural/thematic.
Alnwick Castle; Barter Books bookshop in Alnwick old railway station. Farne Islands (by boat from Seahouses).
Try Morpeth; I've never been but it's supposed to be a charming town.
If you go to Edinburgh, use the A697, not the A1.
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Places to eat... - Iffy
