We were driving back from Exeter on the M5 when the traffic suddenly slowed to a standstill. We were a few feet from a turn-off so I called 177 on my Orange phone for an RAC traffic update. It said ‘M5 northbound five miles of standing traffic. Avoid.’ So we turned off and took an A-road toward Bristol. We’d been on this road for a few miles when I saw a sign for Chapel Allerton 2 1/2 miles, which was unexpected because we come from Chapel Allerton in Leeds and were about 200 miles from home. Caroline said ‘can we go?’ so we turned down a country lane and followed the signs for Chapel Allerton, which turns out to be a quaint Somerset village (pop. 321 (1991 census figure, honest, though I know the 321 bit sounds made up)). We took photos standing in front of a parish council noticeboard on the village bus stop. Which was nice. Maps here.
Matt Edgar writes here 