# Does anyone know of any free parking for campervans off the M40?



## Alisonsvan (Jun 30, 2010)

Hi everyone, my name is Alison, me and my hubby have a motorhome and would really appreciate if anyone can help us to find somewhere that we can park off the M40, we are on our way to France and our ferry is at 12pm, we don't want to be fleeced by the the motorway services.
many thanks in advance
and nice to be here
Alison


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## steveandpat (Jun 30, 2010)

Could you not stay in the car park at the ferry port, we have stayed at the ferry port when our ferry has been going out at 6am and had no problems


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## Alisonsvan (Jun 30, 2010)

Hi Steve and Pat, thank you for the prompt answer, we are traveling from Derbyshire (south of Manchester), our ferry is at 12pm on the Sunday, but we cannot leave here till the hubby finishes work at 6pm on the Sat, when we booked our ferry we were under the impression that it was only £8. to park on the services, it appears that this is not so, it is apparently £20!!! we do not mind paying if we have to, but not what the services charge.  i do not drive the van so we do need to have a rest stop, so any idea,s would be great
Alison


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## vera (Jul 1, 2010)

*Stop over*

Hope Inn

Hi Alison
Take a look at this link I copied it a few weeks ago as we have a long drive to the ferry and are always looking for somewhere to crash.
I think you can park at the park and ride in Canterbury also, our problem is always on the way back when we have come off the m25  we tend to come back late at night to avoid the traffic.
You can as someone else posted sleep at the ferry port before sailing, and when arriving in Calais we drive to the Aire there and get amongst all the other vans parked up.
Enjoy your trip
Sue


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## Tigatigatiger (Jul 1, 2010)

If you come off M40 at junction 6 and turn for Lewknor, there is some parking just outside Lewknor village, there people park up to get the express bus to London.

Not brillant as right next too B4009, but later at night it maybe quieter??

Depends on how far you want to drive away from M40?


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## Tigatigatiger (Jul 1, 2010)

***** said:


> I would imagine that as Alisonsvan
> is coming from Derbyshire and heading down the M40 that  ferry terminal will probably be Portsmouth or Poole.
> If Dover the M1 would be the shortest route.
> Or you could turn east along the A14 and then south on the A1 where you will find a couple of well set back lay bys




And if you are coming down to Poole or Portsmouth the you'll be turning down A34, so then you have the park car at Abingdon (3 miles off A34). Come off at Abingdon North/A34 head towards  Abingdon town centre, then towards Culham, go over the only bridge over the thames car on your right jsut after the bridge-park in HGV parking area-sorted.


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## Alisonsvan (Jul 1, 2010)

Hi everyone, thank you for all this help and advice, it really is appreciated.  We are actually sailing form Dover, we always go south via Ashbourne as we prefer to go down the M40 and get on the M25 that side as its normally quieter and no queuing and paying at Dartford!  
best regards
Alison


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## Nosha (Jul 1, 2010)

If you come down the M1 and turn right at J15a you can stop in the lge layby's I've listed on A43, however it's a long/strange way to get to Dover... do you go round M25 anti-clockwise missing the Tartford crossing?

Dartford crossing is free from 10:00pm - 6:00am but they only charged us £1.50 car rate on way home.

We had tea, doze & shower left Northampton at 12:30 am and took a slow drive down, got to Dover just before 4:00am for a 2hr kip ready for the 6:00am crossing only to be waved straight onto the 4:00am crossing! So no sleep for me!! 

If you go early you can sleep on Marine Drive Dover or St Margrets Bay/Look out or in the queue in the port... if you don't arrive too early and get put on an earlier boat!!


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## Guernsey Donkey (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi Alison a a warm welcome to the site.

Pics:  http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/photo-gallery/7168-western-isles.html


Info:  http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/scotland/5607-isle-lewis-isle-harris-western-isles.html


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## Canalsman (Jul 2, 2010)

As a Site Supporter make sure you take a look at the Wild Camping Map & POI forum.

From there you can download a ZIP file and the accompanying readme.txt file.

The ZIP file contains a Google Earth file and satnav POI files, with over 1600 wild camping and pub stopover points for England, Wales and Scotland.

This will give you other options to consider, now and in the future.

Any information that you can provide about new spots, or updates about existing spots, is all most welcome. This information is used to update our database.

Have a good holiday 

Regards

Chris


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