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Important *** : If you are getting in a car here, ensure that the driver is driving atleast 50-60 miles and not getting off on some nearby town before 50-60 miles. From this point on to until 50-60 miles on this highway there is no Petrol Station at all. So ensure you can get a ride with someone who knows a petrol station on this highway and can drop you to a Petrol Station. In case you are going to Edinburgh: once you are at any of the petrol service stationson the motorway, you will find a lot of people going in that direction, i.e. going to LEEDS 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 down 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. The and more long-distance traffic than the last one , which has a Burger King and Costa and it is just a small petrol station with mostly local traffic from Newcastle coming for petrol.
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This is a very good place, however one user recommends right next to the car repair center ( on the right of it )there is entrance for the M1 Motorway which is slightly going upwards before meeting the highway. You may go up and make sure to stand atleast 100 meters away from the point where cars enter on this road from the redlight behind, since they need some time to spot you and there is plenty of space for them to stop ,if you have a sign that says M1. Worked quite well on 18th Aug 2014. If you are too close to the entrance incline they will zoom past by you so ensure you walk up a bit and give them enough distance to see you and your sign.
*** Important *** : If you are getting a lift from here, ensure that the driver is driving to at least the next service station (Toddington), which is approximately 50-60 miles from this spot.
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 McDonalds. 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 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 and Newcastle.