We ('er indoors and I) are motoring to Cornwall on Saturday from Esher, Surrey to St Ives via Lostwithiel.
Assuming we use M3, A30 and A303, where would be a good spot to stop for breakfast after about 3 hours driving? Little chef would do at a pinch and I don't mind a clean and tidy transport caff.
Any suggestions please?
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Just around the Yoevil area there is a little chef, reasonably new one. Probably about 3 hours in?
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When you get to Honiton, which is exactly 100 miles from Basingstoke going that way, there is an amazing roadside place in a layby that does the best bacon sandwiches I have ever tasted.
There is also a proper away from the road service area like the ones you get in France at Cartgate once you get into Somerset.
Although, unless you're leaving very early or travelling very late, I think yo're a little bit crazy doing that journey on a Saturday, especially at the end of the Easter break!
Edited by PoloGirl on 16/04/2008 at 20:43
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Solstice Park, opened not long ago, just to the East of Stonehenge IIRC, which has a Harvester, Pizza Hut and KFC???
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I find a useful stop is the Morrisons just off the Wincanton junction, not sure whether they have a cafe though. DB.
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>>Solstice Park, opened not long ago, just to the East of Stonehenge IIRC, which has a Harvester, Pizza Hut and KFC<<
Doesn't that sound just the most depressing place imaginable in a setting that should, more than most places in Britain, be inspiring the imagination? And to call it Solstice Park is an affront.
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"Assuming we use M3, A30 and A303"
You mean M3, A303 and A30 I presume? - A303 starts directly from the M3 just west of Basingstoke.
You should be OK going that way on Saturday barring accidents - most of the little dears should be coming back in the other direction.
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I almost hit a dear last night. It just came out of the hedge from nowhere. Renault brakes saved the day - and the dear.
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I almost hit a dear last night.
Poor Old Dear.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 16/04/2008 at 22:59
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> almost hit a dear last night
was it a dear (as in old dear) or a deer (as wot sometimes comes out of hedges)?
Oh no, beaten by FT. Deer me.
Edited by Billy Whizz on 16/04/2008 at 22:51
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I don't know the name of the place but there's a BP garage with a small café shop attached on the A303 about 5 - 8 miles before the large roundabout near Yeovil where the Taunton road goes off to the right.
Nearly always stop there on our trips.
On the way back there's a big Shell garage with a large diner style place a couple of miles nearer to London which has some old vehicles in a museum next to the eating area; large glass wall separates the two so you can see the old cars but not access them.
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The Morrisons store at Wincanton does have a cafe, the breakfast isn't bad, it's a lot cheaper than the Little Chef and it's right off the road junction.
As an intersting aside Wincanton is twinned with Ankh-Morpork, Discworld, and even has a Consulate.
When we are in France the supermarkets put up signs on major roads telling you where they are from the next junction. This is a great help when you are travelling. We never visit Little Chef type places as we've had some horrendous experiences in the past and now look for supermarket cafes where the quality and value are far better.
An interesting alternative might be the cafe at the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton, you don't need to visit the museum and it's just off the A303. Haven't eaten in there myself though.
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Thank you for those responses. You are deers aren't you?
It has suggested that the cafe - not the Little Chef - at Willoughby Hedges near West Knoyle is quite good. Can anyone confirm?.
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I know the one you mean, in the lay-by just after the Little Chef. Haven't used it myself but have availed myself of the toilets there.
If you're coming from Basingstoke on a good day you would be at Willoughby Hedge about an hour after leaving home. (I would anyway!) You would hopefully be somewhere near Exeter after three hours.
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Muggy, I suspect you are referring to Sparkford - home of the Haynes manuals!
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There is an excellent cafe, on a corner, in the centre of the delightful village of Mere,which is on a short loop from the 303,so will not take you out of your way.The place is so attractive it puts you in the holiday mood,and it is a most civilised cafe. Geriatric.
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Could try the cafe at the Haynes Motor musem at Sparkford, about 2 mins off the A303 near Yeovil. Open from 9.30am. You don't have to pay admission to access the cafe, but if you are tempted to have a quick look around - pay with the tax declaration and you'll get free return admission so you can pop in on your way back!
www.haynesmotormuseum.com/about-us/how-to-find-us....l
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There is an excellent cafe on a corner in the centre of the delightful village
snipquote, and top posting reversed
Hi
Any chance that you might recall any more info about exactly where in mere this is, what it might be called, if its in the centre etc
Thanks very much
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 26/06/2008 at 22:01
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and watch out for the speed cameras that have sprung up along the A303, usually in hidden dips.
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and watch out for the speed cameras that have sprung up along the A303 usually in hidden dips.
There are not too many on my last trip down 303 on Sunday, but watch the one going downhill past Soltice services at Boscombe, an another coming out of a small village where there are 2 lanes going up the hill. People mistake it for a dual carriageway but it is single lane in the opposite direction! seen a few people get caught by that one.
As for where to stop there is Solstice park, various reasonable little chefs but quite spread out.
Hope you have a goo journey give me a wave at yeovil as you go past!
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Somewhat delayed response, but I know you are all gagging to find out how I got on.
I couldn't find/missed the cafe at Willoughby Hedge that I was looking for and finished up in a Little Chef at Podimore.
The Little Chef wasn't at all bad, lots of the staff were in mufti, so it was sometimes hard to spot who were staff and who were punters. Food was quite good in a fry-up sort of way.
Sad to see so many filling stations and cafes boarded up at various points along the A303.
I haven't been that far West along the A30/A303 for many years, the A303 in particular is now a good road.
Edited by drbe on 03/05/2008 at 08:44
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Use to get the nicest bacon butties at Polyphant when we drove down. Don't think it was there last time. Been stopping there on the way down to Cornwall pretty much every year since I were a lad!
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Just in case you venture West again on the A303, I have used the Cartgate picnic area on the roundabout for Yeovil/Weymouth and other such exoctic places (with apologies to any Yeovilians reading!). Cafe is open 24 hours have had some good meals there - bit of a truckers cafe but clean and freshly cooked food. Have also used the Harvester at the Solistice services just before Stonehenge - not sure of breakfast but early bird lunch was worth it. Happy motoring - Phil
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No connection with me folks.
Happy Motoring Phil I
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