# ferries to spain



## rugbyken (Dec 17, 2021)

just did a quick search not a crossing available from portsmouth with a cabin before the 18th and that costs £500 before booking a cabin and certainly not a dog friendly one showing up into march , so i looked rosslare to bilbao £376 on the 12th jan & dog friendly available from 26th, wales to france £145 so 800mls calais to bilbao allow 20mpg at £7 per gallon trust me the way i drive lol £300 for fuel £50 tolls £145 on tunnel there’s not an
ot in it is there & might be the only way to go , of course if you stay at 50mph you could save £75 of that fuel cost spending an extra couple of days driving but also with tesco vouchers you can save £95 on the sienna ferry to ireland , gotta check the ireland entry requirements though,


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## Norfolk NewBoy (Dec 17, 2021)

It's 18th tomorrow so you'd better make your decision soon!

Gordon


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## Trotter (Dec 17, 2021)

Having problems understanding your thoughts on this Ken. Okay, I don’t have a dog. But 35 minutes on a train has got to be better for Molly, than hours on a boat . Now you’re thinking of two boats. Unless of course you are thinking about spending the winter in the semi tropical south of Ireland. I can see a problem with that.

Fuel consumption.
Yes, my van is smaller, and a tad more fuel efficient. But, my experience over the last two or three trips show a massive difference on fuel usage. Driving at 60-65, instead of 70 most of the time, has changed my consumption figures from 29 to 32 mpg. I’m keeping up with most of the other traffic, and I really don’t think I’m taking any longer to get anywhere. In traffic queues, I’ve noticed that I’m just behind the folks who overtook me earlier. Leaves me feeling just a bit smug.

All the above could be academic. We might still be confined to barracks


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## wildebus (Dec 17, 2021)

Trotter said:


> ....
> Fuel consumption.
> Yes, my van is smaller, and a tad more fuel efficient. But, my experience over the last two or three trips show a massive difference on fuel usage.* Driving at 60-65, instead of 70 most of the time, has changed my consumption figures from 29 to 32 mpg. I’m keeping up with most of the other traffic, and I really don’t think I’m taking any longer to get anywhere. In traffic queues, I’ve noticed that I’m just behind the folks who overtook me earlier. Leaves me feeling just a bit smug.*


Ref speed, when I came back home at the end of September, it was a 400+ mile journey from Deepest Berkshire, mostly Motorway on the way.   It was at the time of the "fuel crisis" with most services, inc Motorway ones, run out, so I drove with the cruise control set to around 55MPH to try and save fuel without being too much of a nuisance to others.
It didn't seem to take me any longer to get home then usual, so I reckon that will be my MO from now on.


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## Trotter (Dec 17, 2021)

Ken, think I might have heard a penny drop. 
Were your ferry thoughts , your way of avoiding France? Makes a tiny bit more sense that way.


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## Trotter (Dec 17, 2021)

wildebus said:


> Ref speed, when I came back home at the end of September, it was a 400+ mile journey from Deepest Berkshire, mostly Motorway on the way.   It was at the time of the "fuel crisis" with most services, inc Motorway ones, run out, so I drove with the cruise control set to around 55MPH to try and save fuel without being too much of a nuisance to others.
> It didn't seem to take me any longer to get home then usual, so I reckon that will be my MO from now on.


Great minds thinking alike again


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## Wully (Dec 17, 2021)

Your trying hard Ken. Must be frustrating things changing kinda last minute. I always thought Ireland to Spain was a good option especially now the french are playing silly buggers.


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## jagmanx (Dec 17, 2021)

We mainly drive at 55mph yes up to 60 at times and return a respectable 30 mpg.
Renault 2.5 dci 6 forward gears and low profile and 3500kg
If desirable I will go to 65/70 but rarely and only for short distances.
As has been posted it makes little difference to the overall journey time.
The tea breaks or traffic make the difference. All told I estimate travel times based on 60kph to include stops! And other


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## r4dent (Dec 17, 2021)

rugbyken said:


> just did a quick search not a crossing available from portsmouth with a cabin before the 18th and that costs £500 before booking a cabin and certainly not a dog friendly one showing up into march , so i looked rosslare to bilbao £376 on the 12th jan & dog friendly available from 26th, wales to france £145 so 800mls calais to bilbao allow 20mpg at £7 per gallon trust me the way i drive lol £300 for fuel £50 tolls £145 on tunnel there’s not an
> ot in it is there & might be the only way to go , of course if you stay at 50mph you could save £75 of that fuel cost spending an extra couple of days driving but also with tesco vouchers you can save £95 on the sienna ferry to ireland , gotta check the ireland entry requirements though,



Crossingmath is a subset of Bistro maths!
First decide on the answer that you want, then manipulate the figures to prove that you are being rational.

A lot depends on where you are starting and where you want to get to.

Whatever figures I put in, I always get the answer to use the 2 night Crossing to Bilbao and a Bilbao or Santander ferry back.
Because that is my preferred route.
It works out a couple of hundred pound more expensive and gives a few days extra sunshine.

Hints for newcomers to Crossingmath. The following can be manipulated or ignored depending on the required answer.
1) Site fees during journey.  
2) Food or meal costs during journey
3) Gas cost. 
4) Difference in UK/EU fuel cost.
5) Wear and tear on vehicle (i.e. non fuel costs)
6) Do nothing days on Journey
7) Tolls
8) Tesco vouchers

This list is by no means exhaustive, but should help you justify your decision.


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## 1807truckman (Dec 17, 2021)

With my previous motorhome (Hymer A-Class) travelling at 68 - 70 mph gave me 19 the idiots too much 20 mpg dropping that down to 60 - 62 mph improved the mpg to 24 - 26 so for me it was a no brainer, meant I was faster than the trucks and didn't get in the way of the idiots too much.


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## rugbyken (Dec 17, 2021)

our normal preferred route is portsmouth st malo on an overnight one good days driving gets me below bordeaux 5 hrs driving at 70/80 giving approx 19 mpg works for me then over the border next day but that had gone anyway because britany ferries had substituted the ferry with one with no kennels so molly would have to spend 12 hrs with her legs crossed we had decided to go dfds newhaven dieppe but now mesuir macron has stopped that , the irish option is one of many avenues i even looked about going to the hook of holland?


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## Trotter (Dec 17, 2021)

r4dent said:


> Crossingmath is a subset of Bistro maths!
> First decide on the answer that you want, then manipulate the figures to prove that you are being rational.
> 
> A lot depends on where you are starting and where you want to get to.
> ...


I've been using this branch of mathematics pretty much all my life. Without knowing it was a thing. Does that mean I'm brighter than I thought, or as stupid as I expected. One way or another, I've learnt a new ology.
Thank you r4dent


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## r4dent (Dec 17, 2021)

Trotter said:


> I've been using this branch of mathematics pretty much all my life. Without knowing it was a thing. Does that mean I'm brighter than I thought, or as stupid as I expected. One way or another, I've learnt a new ology.
> Thank you r4dent


 Formal definition

*Bistromathics* is the most powerful computational force known to parascience. A major step up from the Infinite Improbability Drive, Bistromathics is a way of understanding the behavior of numbers. Just as Einstein observed that time was not an absolute, but depended on the observer's movement through space, so it was realised that numbers are not absolute, but depend on the observer's movement in restaurants.

Nonabsoluteness​The first nonabsolute number is the number of people for whom the table is reserved. This will vary during the course of the first three telephone calls to the restaurant, and then bear no apparent relation to the number of people who actually turn up, or to the number of people who subsequently join them after the show/match/party/gig, or to the number of people who leave when they see who else has turned up.

The second nonabsolute number is the given time of arrival, which is now known to be one of those most bizarre of mathematical concepts, a recipriversexclusion, a number whose existence can only be defined as being anything other than itself. In other words, the given time of arrival is the one moment of time at which it is impossible that any member of the party will arrive. Recipriversexclusions now play a vital part in many branches of maths, including statistics and accountancy and also form the basic equations used to engineer the Somebody Else's Problem field.

The third and most mysterious piece of nonabsoluteness of all lies in the relationship between the number of items on the bill, the cost of each item, the number of people at the table and what they are each prepared to pay for. (The number of people who have actually brought any money is only a subphenomenon in this field.)

*Numbers written on restaurant checks within the confines of restaurants do not follow the same mathematical laws as numbers written on any other pieces of paper in any other parts of the universe.*


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## colinm (Dec 17, 2021)

rugbyken said:


> i even looked about going to the hook of holland?


The French announcement makes no mention that I've seen that distinguishes between direct or indirect travel to France, I'd not want to piss off any Gendarme.


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## Trotter (Dec 17, 2021)

r4dent said:


> Formal definition
> 
> *Bistromathics* is the most powerful computational force known to parascience. A major step up from the Infinite Improbability Drive, Bistromathics is a way of understanding the behavior of numbers. Just as Einstein observed that time was not an absolute, but depended on the observer's movement through space, so it was realised that numbers are not absolute, but depend on the observer's movement in restaurants.
> 
> ...


This explains why the number of people who say they will attend a Motorhomer meet, compared to the number who actually attend, is so different.  Gosh, it's like a veil falling from your eyes.
Note to Admin and Jeff Mossy. This simple equation answers years of head scratching.


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## Jo001 (Jan 25, 2022)

Has anyone used the Rosslare to Bilbao crossing recently? We’d be travelling from Scotland and there’s a big incentive in saving the time we would drive through France. And, our trip from home to Rosslare wouldn’t be anything like as long as home to either Dover or Portsmouth. 

Specifically, I’m thinking about the dog. I think we would need to get the Animal Health Certificate completed for Eire, as the first EU country we reach; and it would then be valid for onward travel to Spain. Is that right?

The last time we visited Ireland, I seem to remember driving along a motorway between the North and the South, are there border checks there now?


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## TeamRienza (Jan 25, 2022)

Motorway basically the whole way from Belfast to Rosslare (with at least 2 tolls). There are no border checks between N. Ireland and the Rep of Ireland. ROI is not part of Shengen so everyone leaving for the continent needs to produce passports. Cannot help regarding pet passports.

Davy


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## alcam (Jan 25, 2022)

TeamRienza said:


> Motorway basically the whole way from Belfast to Rosslare (with at least 2 tolls). There are no border checks between N. Ireland and the Rep of Ireland. ROI is not part of Shengen so everyone leaving for the continent needs to produce passports. Cannot help regarding pet passports.
> 
> Davy


I would assume the Animal Health Certificate [AHC] will be required going from NI into Ireland ?
Curious about the cost of going this way .
Going from Dover I can get an AHC for £98 . My vet charges £250 .


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## Jo001 (Jan 25, 2022)

Yes, my vet charges £250 but it is worth shopping around, I know of someone who only paid £80. I think the AHC is needed even if you are only going to Northern Ireland, and not necessarily crossing into the ROI, and you need a tapeworm treatment for NI too.

Another option is to try to get an EU passport. Some countries are more relaxed than others about having an address in their country. But a GB vet making any subsequent entries in the EU passport would invalidate it so you would need to arrange to be in the EU when your dog needs their rabies booster and have it done there.


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## alcam (Jan 25, 2022)

Jo001 said:


> Yes, my vet charges £250 but it is worth shopping around, I know of someone who only paid £80. I think the AHC is needed even if you are only going to Northern Ireland, and not necessarily crossing into the ROI, and you need a tapeworm treatment for NI too.
> 
> Another option is to try to get an EU passport. Some countries are more relaxed than others about having an address in their country. But a GB vet making any subsequent entries in the EU passport would invalidate it so you would need to arrange to be in the EU when your dog needs their rabies booster and have it done there.


EU passport does have its own problems . UK vets can't stamp them . Last EU [French] vet visited was quite specific they couldn't be issued without residency . Rabies injection abroad has to be done annually . Just paid £90 for rabies renewal here .
Depending on travel habits possibly not much more expensive suffering the AHC system until things , hopefully , change


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## Jo001 (Jan 25, 2022)

In Spain, I've read they are more relaxed about the residential address and some give the three year rabies booster.

It is such a pain, particularly since we don't have rabies in the first place!


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