Changes

In case you are going to Edinburgh: once you are at any of the service stations on the motorway, you will find a lot of people going in that direction, i.e. going to Leeds and further. Somewhere north of Leeds, the M1 becomes the A1(M) highway; however, ensure that once you are on this highway going in the direction of Newcastle, and then Edinburgh, you do not get out at the last petrol station before Newcastle. Get out at the 2nd, 3rd or 4th last petrol station before Newcastle, but not the last one. The second last one has a huge McDonalds McD and more long-distance traffic than the last one, which has a Burger King and Costa and is just a small petrol station with mostly local traffic from Newcastle coming for petrol.A hitchhiking couple got stuck here and could not find a ride for 13 hours beyond Newcastle. So the rule of thumb here is: do not get out at the last petrol station before the city, unless it is a McDonaldsMcD. Ensure whoever is taking you drops you off only at a petrol station and not on a country road. After Newcastle, there is only one major/decent petrol station in a town called Alnwick (pronounced 'Annick'). Try finding someone who is going to Edinburgh directly from one of the earlier good McDonalds McD stations.A better alternative route to Edinburgh is to take the M1, M6, A74(M), and A707; this way, you won't have to bother about McDonalds McD and Newcastle.