Picnics in the lay-by or at the side of the road

It used to be very normal to see cars drawn in by the side of the road with the occupants having a meal or a snack. Many did it with an element of style – folding table, folding chairs, little stove (probably a pressure Primus stove or one burning Meta tablets), kettle and, quite often, a tablecloth too. Some people would have tea pots and china cups and plates, some a vacuum flask; it was not unusual to see proper cutlery too. For many people, the journey to their holiday was part of the holiday and, even if they could not afford to go to a restaurant, they were going to eat in style and enjoy the experience. Of course, years ago, there were few motorways so most travelling was done on what we would now see as relatively narrow roads with a lot more bends than they have now (they have been straightened);  there were many more lay-bys, many more places where once could stop to make and have a cup of tea.