Question for a boring Tuesday afternoon

[The Large One]

What's your favourite motorway service station in the UK - and what's the worst?

I was thinking this as we stopped in Rownhams, west of Southampton last week, and thought how grotty and appalling it was - how most of them are. And yet, there are a couple that seem to have pulled their socks up a bit (the one near Oxford), and actually serve food that doesn't give you botulism, nor force you to take out a bank loan.

So, well-travelled NSCers - where do you like to take a break and have a big shit on your awayday travels?

 

[Flavor Flav]

Oxford Circus

 

[blockhseagull]

Well if you mean the one near Oxford as Cherwell Valley on the M40 it's burnt down

 

[Giant Seagull]

Always pop into the one at Beaconsfield on the M40 for a cracking dump in pleasent surroundings

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Doesn't get much better than Oxford services. I also stopped at the services in the Lake District and it was fab.

Most of the services on the M27 are awful

 

[Braders]

Oxford is definitely a winner for me - Peterborough too is quite good.

worst , tough to say really

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Norton Caines, on the M6 toll, is the best, as it is mercifully free of CHAVS, as they have all gone the slow way to avoid paying the toll.

Also, there is a nice little TWEE one, on the M6 in Cumbria.

 

[Wilko]

Warwick services is always a belter, lots of albion in there usually. It always seems to be exactly halfway between Brighton and a Lancashire based match too.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Thurrock can f*** OFF. It was a Monday afternoon, around 2, and I'd been at a festival for four days having only eaten a bacon roll in that time (ingesting other things was more important). I was craving a Burger King SO HARD and guess what? THEY WERE CLOSED.

2pm.

CLOSED.

I had to make do with the disgusting Maccy D's at Lakeside or whatever shitty reail park is just down the way.

WANKERS.

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

Oxford Services or beaconsfield for me.

As I travel to Solihull (Blythe Valley Business Park) every week one of the highlights at Beaconsfield Services is a very big morning shit which is beatifully wiped away by some of the softest loo roll to be found in a service station.

And the lattes are very good even out of the machine which then means a thoroughly enjoyable ride with a delicious latte, fag out of the window and the emptiest yet cleanest bowels and arse crack imaginable.

Lovely Stuff.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Beaconsfield on the M40 -

all new, and rather swanky, as you would expect for that part of the world

 

[Giant Seagull]

M4 Membury services once had the nerve to serve me a truely insulting hot chocolate.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I used to like the one by the old Severn Bridge as it had a panoramic view of the estuary and the bridge. Its gone now though - or been rebuilt at a location that has lost the view.

 

[Notters]

If you don't think Tebay (Westmorland Farm shops) is the best services then you either haven't been there or you need a full lobotamy.

They have locally sourced, good value food (e.g. Duck and Plum sauce Pies - £1.50), free cash points and a Barbeque in the summer. The views are also stunning, particularly from the north bound one.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Also, there is a nice little TWEE one, on the M6 in Cumbria.

It's that Tebay just above, that's my favourite

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It's that Tebay just above, that's my favourite

 

[Billy the Fish]

Oxford is easily the best, although most on the M40 are pretty good, cherwell valley and warwick are always plesant.

Most southern M1 services are pretty crap, i've never liked toddington or newport pagnell and watford gap is just horrible.

What's the one on the M11, that was always ok.

*edit* I forgot about Hook on the M3. I quite often stop for a shit and a KFC if I'm working out that way.

 

[The Large One]

Oxford is definitely a winner for me - Peterborough too is quite good.

worst , tough to say really

South Mimms (M25/A1) could do with not existing any more.

 

[Notters]

Apologies, I missed your little footnote. If they were all like Tebay the world would be a happier place. It may be twee but it's a lot cheaper than any of the others.

Oxford is easily the best

See above; none of these homogenised rip-offs get a look in.

 

[The Large One]

Motorway Services listed by road | Motorway Services - every UK motorway service area reviewed and rated

Nowhere gets a Five Burger rating - though Tebay is one of the few that gets a four.

Unsurprisingly, Rownhams gets a one.