Ferry to Northern Spain

cooperman

cooperman

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Hello all you good people. I want any information, tips and advice if I wanted to go by ferry to Northern Spain in my Motorhome.
Details about companies to use and ways to get the cheapest crossings all greatfully received.
My prefeared exit ports would be Portsmouth or Southampton. I am thinking this trip would start mid October this year.
Thanks in advance Ray
 
Northern Spain ferries are Portsmouth or Plymouth, not Southampton, or I believe from Southern Ireland to Bilbao in the summer or Santander all year. It's a pleasant 36 hour crossing... assuming no storms! It pays to shop around and early booking gets best price, try the resellers like Direct Ferries and discounts from Camping & Caravanning club and similar but we have always ended up borrowing a friend's Brittany Ferries 'Club Voyage' account which gives a substantial discount if you can find someone on this or other forums to pass on their Club Voyage details. Good Luck and Bon Voyage
 
cooperman said:
Hello all you good people. I want any information, tips and advice if I wanted to go by ferry to Northern Spain in my Motorhome.
Details about companies to use and ways to get the cheapest crossings all greatfully received.
My prefeared exit ports would be Portsmouth or Southampton. I am thinking this trip would start mid October this year.
Thanks in advance Ray
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We always use Portsmouth to Bilbao.All ferries are expensive!
 
Or, for the price of your ticket one way, you can drive through France, there and back, using aires as you go and a multitude of routes and brilliant places to visit! Think of all the baguettes and Pain aux Chocolate you can eat on the way! ;) 😋🙂
 
We crossed Portsmouth - Sandander 3 weeks ago. Prices vary so worth checking over several weeks - if your dares are flexible. Boundless (CSMA) members get a 5% discount. A cabin adds a lot to the price. Since 2010 on many trips we take sleeping bags and 'wild camp' on the comfy lounge settees. Yes, through France is an option and we have done it one way a couple of times, but if you want to be in Spain then its a ferry.
 
Annsman said:
Or, for the price of your ticket one way, you can drive through France, there and back, using aires as you go and a multitude of routes and brilliant places to visit! Think of all the baguettes and Pain aux Chocolate you can eat on the way! ;) 😋🙂
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Not really. We have done the return calculation as we are pondering whether to head to the French med or northern Spain from La Rochelle and have been comparing a £250 Caen crossing with a £550 Bilbao crossing. For 600 or so miles to cross France rapidly going north including motorway tolls comes in at around £300 not including vehicle wear and tear. The Michelin route guide app did the calculation for us.

Agree though that if you avoid French toll motorways it would be cheaper but slower and not as relaxing a drive as you won’t be able to use cruise control.
 
Size matters (as always)
Also if you have extra roof height and bike racks, it is more expensive.
Northern Spain is cold in winter so after driving the length of France you still have the length of Spain to go. A lot of extra miles.
If you don't book early enough for a two bunk cabin you will have to pay extra for a four berth, whether you need it or not.
 
Annsman said:
Or, for the price of your ticket one way, you can drive through France, there and back, using aires as you go and a multitude of routes and brilliant places to visit! Think of all the baguettes and Pain aux Chocolate you can eat on the way! ;) 😋🙂
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The plan is to visit the Silver coast of Portugal my main issue is Time; I only have about 25 days and I don't want to drive more than about 2 hours a day and prefer the countryside route as opposed to Motorways. If I drive all the way I will probably have very little time at the destination before starting the return journey.
I have already put on 2kg just thinking about visiting the wonderful Boulangeries en route😂😂
 
Spanish ferry is definitely the best way if you're time poor, and hopefully cash rich. 2 hrs per day driving won't get you very far, but most of the Spanish motor ways are empty and free, and stress free. You just need to choose a cruising speed you can afford to fuel... And a good playlist.
 
cooperman said:
The plan is to visit the Silver coast of Portugal my main issue is Time; I only have about 25 days and I don't want to drive more than about 2 hours a day and prefer the countryside route as opposed to Motorways. If I drive all the way I will probably have very little time at the destination before starting the return journey.
I have already put on 2kg just thinking about visiting the wonderful Boulangeries en route😂😂
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you wont get very far restricting to 2 hours a day methinks :unsure:
 
zzr1400tim said:
you wont get very far restricting to 2 hours a day methinks :unsure:
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Did you read my original post? The post you have commented on was my reply to other members suggesting I drive through France & Northern Spain to get to Portugal as opposed to getting the ferry to Santander.
 
whether you drive through France or Spain you aint going to get very far limiting yourself to 2 hours a day ..100 miles at the most and thats on the fast toll roads!
 
cooperman said:
Did you read my original post? The post you have commented on was my reply to other members suggesting I drive through France & Northern Spain to get to Portugal as opposed to getting the ferry to Santander.
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Yes: I was thinking Santander to Portugal... ; to Porto is 400 miles, which Google says is 6 hrs (in a car at the limit...). I'd want to get most of that done in one day, or find an interesting place to stop after (or before) a stiff drive.
From my own limited experience Leon and Sergovia are interesting and worth the detour, crossing the border via Braganca, so arriving via the Douro valley can be fun. Toledo is very van friendly with a free aire 1/4miles from the escalators to the citadel; if it fits with your route.

On ferries, the Bilbao route has a work-friendly return sailing at Sat noon, landing around 5.30pm Sunday, ready for an evening trundle home after unwinding on the boat.
 
zzr1400tim said:
whether you drive through France or Spain you aint going to get very far limiting yourself to 2 hours a day ..100 miles at the most and thats on the fast toll roads!
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I have no intention of using fast toll roads. It is all about the Journey! The Destination is just somewhere I end up; and until I arrive is an unknown!
 
With respect, IMO you need a reality check.
You haven't said how long you have for your trip, but to me it seems akin to a trip to the Scottish highlands (from London), without using Motorways and stopping whenever there's something interesting... You wouldn't actually reach Scotland.

Conversely, most Spanish motorways are free (apart from the Med coast and around Madrid?) and whilst the north coast is fun, the interior reminded us of the American mid-west. Check Google earth...
Good luck, wherever you end up.
 
Your Ferry options are Bilbao or Santander, 2 hours driving each day off toll roads only works with these routes unless you dont have to comply with the 90/180 day rule. And driving 2 hours per day trough France avoiding main routes would be hell tbh.

Bilbao to Lisbon (via the Silver Coast route) will also take in the Green coast (much nicer) at 2 hours driving per day sticking to the coast you'll not get any change out of 14 days but you may want a day or two off so allow maybe 16 days each way.

Then you would be mad to drive to Lisbon and not go onto Setubal so chuck in 2 more days each way.

October would avoid the heat but I've seen some bad weather in Northern Portugal on the coast in October so be prepared just in case.

If you do the trip then Os Barros, Rua Principal do, R. do Alto da Guerra N 18, 2910-011 Setúbal, Portugal is a must, just tell them no tourist menu, just bring whats good today.
 
cooperman said:
Hello all you good people. I want any information, tips and advice if I wanted to go by ferry to Northern Spain in my Motorhome.
Details about companies to use and ways to get the cheapest crossings all greatfully received.
My prefeared exit ports would be Portsmouth or Southampton. I am thinking this trip would start mid October this year.
Thanks in advance Ray
Click to expand...
Brittany Ferries the only choice, and very expensive. Last time we did it, years ago, the off ramp up at an angle off the boat, part of the dock rather than the boat, was very coarsely corrugated, so much so that the van shook violently causing the grey water pipe from the shower to fall off our nearly new van. Inconvenient!
I don't rember which port it was in Spain.
 
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