How do you cross the Channel?

The black art of moving from A to B on foreign soil
Milo Tighfield
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by Milo Tighfield »

I'm only 110 miles from Hull and Approx 280 from Dover. Having done the crossing from Hull it does add up like you say. We used to leave early doors and get the 10:30ish ferry from Dover and then continue riding the rest of the day covering something like 450-500 miles. Now we leave in the late afternoon and take it easy and stay over in either Dover or Folkestone, up early doors the following day for an early crossing, leaving a full days leisurely non motorway ride to the Vosages or there abouts. Book well in advance and the tunnel is similar priced as the ferry, and all that still doesn't cost as much as the Hull crossing, and without the added bonus of the piss pots :whistle: :)
So Folkestone or Dover now for us (just grin and bear it for four and a half hours)
gspod
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by gspod »

My mum lives half an hour from Dover :) finish work on Friday and head down, hit the M25 around 9pm so quiet and arrive at mum's around 10.45 Catch the 7.30 ferry (thumbs)
We do like the Portsmouth Cean ferry as you say for the ride down - coming back that way this year.
Alan29
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by Alan29 »

Hull-Zeebrugge. I bite the cost bullet and see the crossing as part of tge holiday.
Book via caravan and camping club .... save loads and don't have to be a member. Online.
sid.
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by sid. »

3 of us are trying harwich- hook of holland in September sailing at 11pm on a Friday , not done this before normally we do dover-calais either tunnel or ferry ( we are based around Nottingham) plan is steady ride down stop for a meal before the docks, get checked in and a decent nights kip waking up refreshed then heading down to Austria stopping somewhere overnight in germany. Think it was about £150 each for 3 of us shearing a cabin 2week return tickets . anyone done this crossing ? Do they let you strap your own bikes down ? cheers sid
Tramp
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by Tramp »

Fast cat pompey to cherbourge..20mins from home to ferry...3 hrs in france...lunch in cherbourge tea in Loire....its faster to france for me than south wales lol....
johnnyboxer
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by johnnyboxer »

Alan29 wrote:Hull-Zeebrugge. I bite the cost bullet and see the crossing as part of the holiday.
Same here, 60 mins from Hull.....Hull to Zeebrugge in July for 2 weeks - 1 bike/1 adult and with a 2 berth Cabin, all to myself is just £250 return, so cheap enough

I've tried all the options, over the last 25 years from South Coast, cost all works out very similar - once you've factored in fuel/wear & tear costs on the bike/extra food/hotel stays... either in Dover or Calais - Hull is always the same or cheaper

Ferry companies know this, they price accordingly

The buggeration factor of a 4-5 hour trip from Yorkshire to Dover.... is a cost I am not prepared to bare anymore

Only go from Pompey if going to Spain and it's not too bad as you miss the hell-hole that is anywhere near London
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Mickdb1
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by Mickdb1 »

I do it a few more times than some folks but ------- If yer get 2 of you together you can purchase and share 10 tickets/crossings for £440 or 44 quid a crossing. They are good for car -bike -van -motorhome. Last year it worked out at 86 quid for car and trailered bike. Must be used in a year though.
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sven
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by sven »

DFDS have a 25% discount promotion for bikers at the moment and are also including breakfast for free, so it's £250 return for two people in an outside cabin from Newcastle - IJmuiden (Amsterdam) (thumbs)
Much better than heading south
daveuprite
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by daveuprite »

More people should try Newhaven - Dieppe. Living in Limousin and driving up to SE UK, I can do the trip in 7 hours in a van at legal speeds, spending just 15 euros on tolls by going A20 past Orleans, then Chartres, Dreux, Evreux, Rouen, Dieppe on N roads.
Both Dieppe and Newhaven are quiet sleepy little harbours with minimal checks and the ferry has never been late in my experience (must have crossed 25 times by that route). 4.5 hours on board is just enough time to get some kip. My tip is to take a bed-roll/inflatable and doss down by the games machines (but unplug them first when nobody's looking!). LD Lines (DFDS) prices are nearly always cheaper than the Dover crossings. Arriving at Newhaven I can get on nice country lanes north through Sussex and be on the M25 in Surrey/Kent within about an hour or so. The other way, Dieppe to Rouen takes less than an hour and from there you can avoid Paris to head south or south-west virtually toll-free (keep off the expensive Tours/Poitiers Autoroute).
Africa John
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Re: How do you cross the Channel?

Post by Africa John »

sid. wrote:3 of us are trying harwich- hook of holland in September sailing at 11pm on a Friday Do they let you strap your own bikes down ? cheers sid
Did this last year with Stena and am sure they do. Cabins are better than P&O from Hull as have a TV and there's no ghastly entertainment to keep the drunks up all night!

:lol:


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