Motorway service stations aren't usually the kind of places that get glowing reviews. They're typically a quick stop for some fast food and a loo break, with the hope that there's still toilet paper and soap available.
However, Tebay Services in Cumbria is an exception to the rule, consistently being voted as the UK's top motorway service area. Curious to see if it really lives up to its reputation, we made a point of stopping there on our journey up north.
Just last month, Take That star Gary Barlow couldn't help but sing its praises after visiting during his trip from Scotland to Manchester for the band's much-anticipated homecoming gigs, reports the Manchester Evening News.
He took to social media to share his admiration, posting a picture of the services' sign with the caption: "The Rolls Royce of service stations #Tebay." He also shared a snap of a coffee cup from the venue, highlighting the other Westmorland Family-owned services in Gloucester and Cairn Lodge, Lanarkshire.
Opened in 1972, the north-bound Tebay Services was the first family-run motorway service area in the UK, established when the motorway cut through their farm. Sticking to its roots, it continues to offer simple, good food and local produce, which they claim remains at the heart of their ethos.
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Tebay Services in Cumbria is regularly voted the best in the UK (Manchester Family / MEN)We arrived mid-morning, famished after an early departure from Manchester, and were delighted to find that breakfast was served until 11.30am. I had anticipated a buffet-style arrangement, but instead found myself in a growing queue to order hot food from staff who were serving it individually, asking each customer their preference for scrambled or fried eggs, white or brown toast.
Despite the personal touch, the service seemed slow and payment added another delay before we could finally sit down with our food. However, for those in a hurry, there's a separate Quick Kitchen for grab-and-go options. While queuing, we heard whispers of 'no sausages', but soon discovered that a fresh batch was nearly ready. Crisis dodged.
The two Westmorland breakfasts (£9.95 each) we ordered were scrumptious - and the Cumberland sausages looked so tempting when they arrived on the counter, we couldn't resist ordering an extra one for the road. At £1.50, it was money well spent as they were the highlight of the meal.
We took a peek inside Tebay Services north (Manchester Family / MEN)
The Westmoreland Breakfast cost just £9.95 each (Manchester Family / MEN)One of the children opted for a breakfast bap, filled with - you guessed it - Cumberland sausage, while the other took advantage of the kids eat for £1 deal, choosing two items from the breakfast menu, plus toast. The food was impeccable, but it's just one aspect of what makes this place so appealing.
For those with young children, there's a small soft play area tucked away in the corner of the dining space. There's plenty of outdoor seating, a woodland picnic area and even a charming duck pond, which looked stunning in the sunshine.
Dogs are welcome, there's even a dog walking route, and they're allowed in the foyer area of the main building where you can grab a hot drink from the self serve machines, which we did before heading off, making sure we had some caffeine for the long journey ahead.
There's also plenty of space to relax outside too, the weather permitting, of course (Manchester Family / MEN)
The salted caramel ice cream cone from Kimi's Gelato was a delight (Manchester Family / MEN)The Farmshop here is on another level too. With a butcher's counter, deli and cheese counters and fresh fruit and veg, including boxes of strawberries stacked high, it's got the makings of a traditional high street all in one place.
We just about managed to resist the cakes on offer at the patisserie, but the kids weren't going anywhere without a taste of salted caramel ice cream from the Kimi's Gelato concession. Made less than 10 miles away at Kimi's Gelato Bar in Staveley, it's slowly churned using locally sourced free range milk to achieve the dense, creamy texture unique to Italian-style ice cream and is hand finished with seasonal ingredients and toppings.
There's lots more in the shop too, from clothing and homeware to skincare and a rather tempting display of hot chocolate bombs. In fact we loved it so much that we decided to stop off at the south-bound Tebay Services on our return trip.
There's all sorts for sale inside the Farmshop, including these delicious looking hot chocolate bombs (Manchester Family / MEN)
The Steak and Hawkshead ale pie from the Quick Kitchen at Tebay Services south was incredible (Manchester Family / MEN)We didn't have quite as much time on our hands so decided on the speedier Quick Kitchen, where we were greeted with a hot counter full of tasty looking savoury snacks and a central table packed with sweet treats like brownies, tiffin and the chocolate shortbread that immediately caught my daughter's eye.
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She first opted for some chips, which surpassed any service station chips we'd ever had, even outdoing some restaurants and pubs. The honey mustard chipolata sausage pot (£4.50) was too enticing to resist and tasted as good as it looked, while the Steak and Hawkshead ale pie (£5.85) was phenomenal, with shortcrust pastry filled with tender steak pieces in a rich, tasty gravy.
We picked up another coffee for the journey and headed back to Manchester, not only with cherished memories of our Scotland trip, but also of the extraordinary service stops that made it even more memorable.
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