Home to A1 Truck Stop

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Home to A1 Truck Stop

Motorhome Journey from Home to Truck Stop on the A1

Although we have been out in our Hymer B544 during 2026 this is going to be our first long trek, before setting off the Hymer was serviced locally, usual things – oil change, filters and the usual mechanical checks. We expect to travel about two thousand miles on this trek, servicing is a good investment before setting off.

We are breaking the outward journey from Lancaster to Le Shuttle (Channel Tunnel at Folkstone), the journey is around 325 miles which is a lot to drive in one day. This means we can take an early crossing, drive the short distance to Auchan at Dunkirk for a French shopping stop, then drive on to one of our preferred stops such as Esquelbecq where there is an interesting aire de camping cars. Our alternative is to drive all the way to Folkstone in one day, take an early evening crossing to France and then either stay on the CampingCar-Park site in Calais or drive the short distance to Oye Plage where there is an aire de camping cars. There are advantages and disadvantages to both plans, unexpected delays on the UK roads are the most likely cause of problems and are something that you can’t really avoid, but have contingency plans ready for when they happen.

Yesterday the clocks went forward by one hour, heralding the first day of spring. We are tired as we have lost an hour of sleep! No matter, up and finish packing Hymer with clothes and food. We have lunch and leave about 2.30pm, via Garstang to fill Hymer with LPG at 99.9p/litre. Diesel is now £1.85/litre, and rising thanks to the Iranian war closing the Strait of Hormuz (at the kink in the Persian Gulf Between Iran and Dubai) causing a blockage for the passing through of oil.

Onto M6 at Preston to M65 via Blackburn because of crash on M61 causing a 30 minute delay. North of Manchester via M66 and onto M62, past Saddleworth Moor where we change drivers at Hartshead Moor services (about half way). Back on M62 with G driving the rest of the way: passing Leeds and M18, we turn south at Ferrybridge onto A1M through south Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Past Newark we are reminded of the purchase of Hymer in 2014, and into Rutland, we find the Bumblebee café lay-by near Oakham and park up with the trucks.

We have made good time, four hours and no delays or holdups. We stop and take stock while being entertained by half a dozen workmen who are doing… we aren’t quite sure what but it takes 5 of them to watch as one of them is busy! We have our (prepared) tea of beef meatballs with chilli sauce and spaghetti (quick and easy) finishing the rest of the melon. We are both tired so are in bed by 9.30pm for an early (and quiet) night.