M7 Services/Stops on way to Cork with the least amount of humans?

blobert

Hello,

My family and I are planning on taking a trip to West Cork this week from Dublin. We'll be staying in a remote area, and short of going to collect click and collect shopping we're not planning any real interaction with anyone there/going to restaurants etc.

Normally we'd stop off at Junction 14/Midway or similar along the way for a toilet break/possibly food.

Not so keen on doing this at the moment so looking for toilet options that don't involve a crowded indoor area. We're also looking to do the trip as quick as possible as bringing a very car sick prone child, so even just eating some sandwiches on route and stopping to go to the toilet in bushes somewhere would probably suffice in terms of getting there quickly as much vomiting is inevitable:(

As far as I'm aware there aren't any picnic style service stops on the way (ie toilets/picnic benches etc) so wondering if anyone could advise on what's likely to be the best option in terms of somewhere to stop to go to the toilet or even just somewhere to pull in just off motorway that does not involve driving a few km out of the way.

Thinking Circle K Cashel might be an option as it's reasonably small and a bit over halfway along the route.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

mikeecho

blobert wrote: »

Hello,

My family and I are planning on taking a trip to West Cork this week from Dublin. We'll be staying in a remote area, and short of going to collect click and collect shopping we're not planning any real interaction with anyone there/going to restaurants etc.

Normally we'd stop off at Junction 14/Midway or similar along the way for a toilet break/possibly food.

Not so keen on doing this at the moment so looking for toilet options that don't involve a crowded indoor area. We're also looking to do the trip as quick as possible as bringing a very car sick prone child, so even just eating some sandwiches on route and stopping to go to the toilet in bushes somewhere would probably suffice in terms of getting there quickly as much vomiting is inevitable:(

As far as I'm aware there aren't any picnic style service stops on the way (ie toilets/picnic benches etc) so wondering if anyone could advise on what's likely to be the best option in terms of somewhere to stop to go to the toilet or even just somewhere to pull in just off motorway that does not involve driving a few km out of the way.

Thinking Circle K Cashel might be an option as it's reasonably small and a bit over halfway along the route.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/drivers-warned-to-stop-leaving-faeces-along-irish-motorways-1.3974293

Why stop.... My advice is.. Just fling it out the window.

I always find M8 J3 Circle K and M8 J14 Circle K the best for not being rammed most of the time. The latter has good big toilets too (the former, not so much).

Avoid M7 J14 and Cashel like the plague.

NutmegGirl

Cashel has McD’s so always busy
I’ve always found the J3 M8 service station quiet as well and there are a few tables outside that you could sit at
If you’re going around cork via the tunnel Mahon Point shopping centre is just 2 minutes off the road, plenty of toilets and could get some takeaway food , might be busier than you’d like though but would be further on your journey

Not sure which end of West Cork you’re going to but there’s a good Centra on the way into Dunmanway that has toilets if anyone is short taken late in the journey. There’s also public toilets when you turn in to park behind the Super Valu further into the town but I’m not sure they’d be open these days.

Squeaksoutloud

The Gandon Inn the next exit on from J14 is great. Relatively quiet station and toilets are actually in the Inn / Restaurant part of the building. Shop is small enough but decent selection. Midway Food Court at Portlaoise / Abbeyleix exit is huge and now has petrol station too. Gandon is quitest but food court is bigger and a lot quieter than J14 and Cashel. I always avoid those 2 also!

BrianJD

J14 M8 FERMOY has 8 picnic tables and a playground if you need a break. It wouldn’t be as busy as the other sites you mentioned.

blobert

Thanks very much for the replies guys, I really appreciate them!

We'll probably give J3 or J14 on the M8 a go as per recommendations above and depending on how long we can hold out.

Don't think I've been to either of them before but they look like good options!

Thanks again