A lot of people rave about Tebay Motorway Services in
Cumbria, which, to be fair are pretty good.
I also like Killington Lake Service
Station which is a little further down just south of J38.
It’s a bit close to home for me to use very much but if I’m
en route to Kendal and early for an appointment I will stop there for a coffee.
Look at the view! No,
not him! That isn't me, by the way, nor do I know who he is. I found the
picture on Google Images so presumably he knows he’s there for the world to
see.
I like writing in
motorway service stations for several reasons
- They are impersonal. Once you've bought your
coffee and sit down, no-one bothers you.
- If you choose the right one, the views are
stunning – but not too distracting.
- The background noise is a fairly constant hum
unless you consciously choose to tune in to it. If you’re stuck, you can listen to conversation
at other tables to get ideas.
- If you’re stuck for a description of a
character, you can see someone who fits the profile and write a description of
him/her. Studying someone without them knowing can be quite tricky so be
careful with that one. It’s good for spotting some really telling details.
- The building itself might be like somewhere
you’re writing about. In the novel I am currently working on, He’ll
be watching, I used the interior of Tebay Services as a description of
a cafeteria on a university campus.
- If you’re using a laptop, you can find a plug to
keep it charged up.
One downside I have
found:
- In the winter it gets a little cold with the
outside doors constantly opening and shutting (but fingerless gloves are a
wonderful invention).
If you see me, come and say hello. I’ll be ready for a break.
