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21 Jan 2016
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: King's Lynn UK
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This one come's up so often.
It all depends. Where you are starting from. If the Portsmouth ferry is on your door step then take that. If Dover is closer use the Dover crossing. Crossing at Dover will get you in to Spain in less than 24 hour's. So that one cheap over night stay. And the petrol money down. I live in King's Lynn. So Dover is the best one for me.
John933
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To buy petrol in Europe. Pull up at station. Wait. Get out a 20 Euro note, then ask someone to fill up the bike. Give person money. Ride away. Simple.
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21 Jan 2016
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: the MK riviera
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Thank you everyone for your advice; it seems there is no choice so I'll be sailing with Brittany.
I'm planning one way UK to Spain to keep the mileage down reducing tyre/chain/sprocket wear and avoiding potentially bad weather through France in April.
Returning in May when hopefully it'll be warmer and drier, I'll ride through Spain and France to Calais, approx 6 weeks away
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24 Jan 2016
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London and Granada Altiplano
Posts: 3,166
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John933
...Crossing at Dover will get you in to Spain in less than 24 hours. So that's one cheap over night stay. And the petrol money down
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These are the comparative figures I researched for my last Morocco presentation at 2014 HUBBUK. These are actual figures based on the return trip prices for October 2014. Obviously if you have an old bike then depreciation on excess milage might not come into it.
riding 700 miles each way through France
return cross channel ferry.........................£65
overnight hotel each way @£25 ............... £50
1400 mile share of servicing/tyres/depr... £140
1400 miles @ 45mpg ............................ £140
total (assuming no toll roads)................. £395
return ferry Portsmouth to Santander
solo with cabin ..................................... £340
two sharing cabin ..................................£275
four sharing cabin .................................£255
I haven't checked how the prices have moved for 2016, perhaps the gap has closed. But if you chill out for 24 hours on the Santander ferry, take in a movie, have a few drinks and relax, you are more inclined to make good progress through Spain on the way to Algeciras.
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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
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19 Feb 2016
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Gatwick UK
Posts: 510
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Def the way to go, could not get a return from Spain last year as I didn't book a return and they were all full. The costs of tolls alone travelling back through Spain and France
will seriously dent the old wallet, the Spanish charge bikes at car rates and I think I personally paid for the construction of the peage once I crossed the border  never again. If you could leave your trip till October I have a spare bunk in my cabin you could have for free
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24 Feb 2016
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rotherham
Posts: 47
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what about cost of sea sick pills........arghhhhhh.....
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24 Feb 2016
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HUBB regular
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rotherham
Posts: 47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
These are the comparative figures I researched for my last Morocco presentation at 2014 HUBBUK. These are actual figures based on the return trip prices for October 2014. Obviously if you have an old bike then depreciation on excess milage might not come into it.
riding 700 miles each way through France
return cross channel ferry.........................£65
overnight hotel each way @£25 ............... £50
1400 mile share of servicing/tyres/depr... £140
1400 miles @ 45mpg ............................ £140
total (assuming no toll roads)................. £395
return ferry Portsmouth to Santander
solo with cabin ..................................... £340
two sharing cabin ..................................£275
four sharing cabin .................................£255
I haven't checked how the prices have moved for 2016, perhaps the gap has closed. But if you chill out for 24 hours on the Santander ferry, take in a movie, have a few drinks and relax, you are more inclined to make good progress through Spain on the way to Algeciras.
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And tie ya stomach down as well as the bike......
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24 Feb 2016
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Midlands UK
Posts: 144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gsadvman
And tie ya stomach down as well as the bike...... 
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It's not bad. The boat has stabilisers. I take travel pills because I can even feel sick in small boat in the harbour. On the last trip I took paracetamol instead by mistake and I was still fine. Perhaps I'm cured.
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20 Jul 2017
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3
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Any feedback following your trip? Or anyone else in the mean time?
Hubby on K1300 & me on R1200RS are just back from 2 weeks in the French Alps & have itchy feet to plan Spain Picos & Portugal for next June. Brittany Ferries release their Winter 17 & Summer 18 crossings in the next week or so & we are weighing up Cap Finistere on the Friday evening crossing or Baie de Seine Economie on the Saturday morning in a Premiere cabin.
How do the respective bike parking areas/strap down help compare on the two and is the smaller Seine less stable if it is rough? We both have reasonable sea legs but I stress about the bikes if it is rough!
Keen to cut down on the miles to get there as I have neck/back issues that worsen the more miles I do. We previously did Portsmouth-Caen 2 yrs ago when we did the Picos & Portugal but we wanted to try Santander on the way out to save some miles & Caen on the way home.
Helen
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21 Jul 2017
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London and Granada Altiplano
Posts: 3,166
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I've been in force 6 seas in the Baie de Seine and didn't really notice it.
The crew tie down the bikes whilst you wait and watch.
I've sent a PM with Club Voyage discount details which will save 10% off vehicle and passenger fees.
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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
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24 Jul 2017
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New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3
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Thanks for the info Tim & thanks so much for the discount code, that is very kind of you. Roll on later this week when we can book it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
I've been in force 6 seas in the Baie de Seine and didn't really notice it.
The crew tie down the bikes whilst you wait and watch.
I've sent a PM with Club Voyage discount details which will save 10% off vehicle and passenger fees.
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12 Sep 2018
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Hereford, UK
Posts: 73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
I've been in force 6 seas in the Baie de Seine and didn't really notice it.
The crew tie down the bikes whilst you wait and watch.
I've sent a PM with Club Voyage discount details which will save 10% off vehicle and passenger fees.
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Hi there,
I am thinking of a trip to Morocco later this year and have never done the UK - Spain ferry but it looks like it could actually save money, as you say. And I quite fancy relaxing in a cabin for a couple of nights.
If I ask nicely could I use your discount details please?
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