Where to stop on the A303: driving from Devon to London
I’m constantly driving from Devon to London, from my home in Exmouth to where I grew up (and my mum still lives) in Bromley.
There are plenty of places to stop on the A303, but I prefer those that have a bit more character to them – in some locations, I even enjoy the South West scenery just off the road!
So here are the best places to stop on the A303.
Cartgate Picnic Area
Cartgate Picnic Area is close to Yeovil. It’s literally just off the A303; it’s a left turning at a roundabout, so is super easy to access.
This is my favourite place to stop on the A303. It has tonnes of parking spaces, shady picnic spaces, toilets and a cafe. You can get breakfast from around £4.95 (mushrooms/ beans/ egg on toast); a full English starts is £7.95 – £9.95.
You can also get fresh sandwiches for £5.75 or mains (like sausage egg and chips or fish and chips) for £10.50 – £12.45.
The full menus are posted below.
I tend to just take a salad from home (as I’m around an hour away) and eat on the picnic benches for dinner.
The Hub 303
The Hub303 is just down from Cartgate Picnic Area (around a seven minute drive). It’s next to Townsend Garage (so is perfect if you want decent food but also need petrol!) and has indoor and outdoor seating.
With food like a Somerset Ploughman’s Board or a vegan alternative, it’s very different to your standard Burger King or KFC that you might get at other service stations!
Teals
Teals is a lovely farm shop just a couple of minutes’ drive off the A303.
It encompasses a farm shop selling local produce, a restaurant and a deli counter. I’ve never sat down at the restaurant to eat (it’s a little expensive) but I have grabbed a few cakes and ice cream from the deli!
There’s also a tipi outside where we usually take a seat. It’s amongst fields too, so you could stretch your legs here – it would also be one of the best places to stop on the A303 with a dog!
Stonehenge
A circle of stones is definitely not an obvious a-road rest stop, but it’s right there!
To enter Stonehenge, you need to pay a rather hefty fee (£26!) or have an English Heritage or National Trust membership. Then, you can head all the way up to the stones – although you can’t stand right next to them.
That said, you can enter the cafe, public WCs and the gift shop for free, although if you’re not a member, it costs £5 (payment with Ringgo).
Solstice Services
And, if you just want a classic service station, there is Solstice Services! Here you’ll find a Costa, Greggs, Taco Bell, Harvester, KFC and Pizza Hut.
There’s an ASDA Express with a fuel station and a Holiday Inn to stay at!
Solstice Services is located just after Stonehenge, close to Amesbury, and is one of the last large places to stop before you reach the M3!
There are, of course, plenty of petrol stations on the A303, but in all my drives up and down the road, these are the spots I usually choose to stop at!
