h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Please do not miss a junction on the M4
It is one of the worst motorways to do this as it will in places mean a round trip of 30 miles or more to recover from this.

If you miss the junction for Chippenham when you are going east you can still get off the Motorway though by coming off at the services (Leigh Delamere) and going over the bridge (as if you are going to the travel lodge) and rejoining the carriageway on the other side.

Perhaps we could compile a guide entry of all the Motorway service stations where this is possible

By the way did you know that I used to work at Leigh Delamere? They said that at the time it was the largest service station in Europe. I wonder if it still holds that honour.

Heston Services is a little tricky, but do-able

If you're heading into London, skate round the left hand side of the services, past the petrol station towards what looks like a scrapyard and a hole in the fence - the road is unmarked and unlit, but has a sign for travel lodges, which brings you out at a T-Junction just before a road bridge over the M4.

Turn Right, continue along the road until you get to a mini-roundabout next to a TA Centre - go straight over towards a row of shops and turn right at the next mini-roundabout. Head up Cranford Lane until you see a road on the right called Phoenix Way (past another couple of mini-roundabouts and humps in the road) - turn right down there (was a small sign for the Travel Lodge last time I looked) and follow the road round - you'll appear in a lorrypark out the back of the Travel Lodge. Follow round the left hand side of the services and rejoin the exit ramp just past the petrol station - you're now heading back out of London

Police cars occasionally patrol the section if lots of people are using it and theyve got nothing better to do - but the last time I saw one down there was a good six years ago...