M1/M6 corridor - Northampton northwards

[Harters]

We'll be driving back to Cheshire and fancy lunch anywhere between Northampton and Stoke. A decent pub not far from the motorway would be fine. Any thoughts?

[MacD]

I'm not sure how useful this will be, but we have stopped off at the Boot Inn at Lapworth inthe past - it's a bit off your route though, as it is is near the junction between the M40 and the M42. It's very handy for those motorways, so if you could adjust your route from London, it might be worth a go. I haven't eaten there for some years, but it was always a good stop off. One word of warning - the last time we tried to eat there they were really busy, and so directed us to a sister pub not far away - and it was rubbish. Not very good food and it felt very corporate - I hope the expansion of the business hasn't influenced the quality of the food at the Boot, because it is a lovely haven.

Other than that, the stretch you are looking at is a bit of a desert - particularly the bit between Birmingham and Stoke.

[Harters]

I'm actually not travelling from London this trip - we're in Northampton overnight and for a little while the next morning.

I'll file away the Boot, though. I usually use the M40/42 route for trips "down south" and am off to Dover in April.

John

[Harters]

In the end, I can confirm the desert MacD suggested - so it was a ham sandwich when we got home.