aye, I'm completely sold on the Newcastle ferry option. I have an old 1995 1100 with 85k on it so I'm not too bothered about service interval as all it costs is a few quid on oils and filters. But having lived in Maidstone with family in Fife I know the monotony of that long commute better than I'd like to, so avoiding it makes sense and the times work out nicely, few beers and a decent kip on the boat and wake up fresh to go.
7 day pass from the wife - where to go??
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I'm doing the Pyrenees in September flying from Edinburgh and hiring a bike for 7 days, bike hire and flights cost just over £600. Had I choose to ride there it would cost me as much if not more in tyre wear/fuel/b&b etc plus it takes two days to get there and two days to get back, this is something you my also wish to consider, it's a no brainer for me.
I can tell you that for several years I have used the Rosyth and then Newcastle option.
Last year, for a change we came back through the tunnel. The journey from Folkestone to Scotland, even allowing for an overnight in Yorkshire in a very nice pub, was so fucking dismal I'm never doing it again. It was utterly dreadful. Too much traffic and too many shite drivers. My aged pa lives in Sussex so I'm quite used to the journey in a car but always go overnight or at least leave very early to get breakfast at Tebay, but during the day, on a bike, never ever again. Back to Newcastle both ways a couple of weeks ago thankyou very much.
it might cost a bit more but it's worth every centime to maintain any sanity I had to start with.
I'm hoping to try Hull next year but south coast? Never ever.
Oh, and no benefit seeking fuckers trying to crawl into my top box either.
Last year, for a change we came back through the tunnel. The journey from Folkestone to Scotland, even allowing for an overnight in Yorkshire in a very nice pub, was so fucking dismal I'm never doing it again. It was utterly dreadful. Too much traffic and too many shite drivers. My aged pa lives in Sussex so I'm quite used to the journey in a car but always go overnight or at least leave very early to get breakfast at Tebay, but during the day, on a bike, never ever again. Back to Newcastle both ways a couple of weeks ago thankyou very much.
it might cost a bit more but it's worth every centime to maintain any sanity I had to start with.
I'm hoping to try Hull next year but south coast? Never ever.
Oh, and no benefit seeking fuckers trying to crawl into my top box either.
cabby I see the benefits to flying and hiring, and may well do similar in years to come or if going much further afield, but I like the idea just now of using my own bike especially as it's quite new to me.
gerard yeah, the more I think about it the more I'm convinced that I've thankfully been talked out of a poor choice. that's why I posted here and I'm glad I did.
gerard yeah, the more I think about it the more I'm convinced that I've thankfully been talked out of a poor choice. that's why I posted here and I'm glad I did.
I like this idea
If you were serious about that, I'd suggest flying to San Francisco instead. I've got several friends there who ride and I'm sure would be happy to show you around. If they couldn't come up with a spare bike between them to loan you, I'd see if a friend who works for Dubbelju could do you a deal on a rental.
Sounds about right.
Not sure how it fits with your typical schedule, but a couple of years ago - I took the bike down to south coast, and got the afternoon ferry to Caen. Got in there around 21:30, and made our way to a cheap hotel on the outskirts of Caen. Early start in the morning and really piled on the miles.
Can't remember if it was Portsmouth or Poole we went from, or the cost - but it was great for getting an early start in France
Al
thanks for the kind offer Mike but that kind of trip will happen once the kids are a bit older and I have more than coppers and some empty bru bottles in the 'play' fund
Just had a week around Koblenz/Mossel area with Mrs.tree, had a great time.
Great thing about the night ferry (we did Hull to Rotterdam) is your on the road by 9am, plenty of time to get to where you want to be.
Great thing about the night ferry (we did Hull to Rotterdam) is your on the road by 9am, plenty of time to get to where you want to be.
just found that p&o hull to zebrugge return is £110 with the bike, as long as don't mind sharing a cabin (which I don't). perfect times too. sounds like a bloody good deal that.
Have you spoken to Micky? Worth a try.
You might find you are in the cabin - on your own
If you went to Thailand....... you wouldn't be on your own......
when I find myself alone I end up talking to myself, and my banter is shit.
I have a mate who went to Thailand 3 years ago for a holiday and never came back. I assumed he had fallen foul of the local mafia but apparently he's teaching Thai kids English now. the man could barely string together a coherent sentence himself, but he seems happy.
Gerard I'll definitely find mickey when I have some dates sorted. at the moment it revolves around work shifts and talking the maw-law in to watching the terrors.
Once you get all the car deck malarky finished then get up onto the top of the ferry at the stern, eurotrash belting out and lovely Filipino girls serving drinks...that's when the holiday feeling really kicks in 
We convert our Tesco club points to ferry tickets with DFDS = FREE passage
We convert our Tesco club points to ferry tickets with DFDS = FREE passage
doesn't sound too shabby that. is there much difference between the P&O and DFDS ferries entertainment-wise?
try newhaven dieppe , they do overnight crossing , sleep while you sail ! lands at 0500 hrs leaves 2300 hrs night b4 .
Cannot see how that could be beaten. Get it booked. Lots of accommodation options on t continent and cheap compared to the UK. (Bit dearer now than earlier this year.). Don't rule out Yoof hostels. You can book ahead on the Internet. They are usually pretty central in their respective towns / cities. Parking is not a problem. Plus you will find other folk there, usually English speaking, to compare notes etc. Eg http://www.jugendherberge.de/en
Definitely take the Newcastle crossing, riding all the way to Dover / Folkstone / Newhaven / Harwich or anywhere else and back just uses up stupid amounts of time. Either way you'll lose some part of your days away riding to Newcastle, then from the arrival terminal to your destination and back home again.
Bods often get carried away with the notion of wild camping and then journeying miles. Yes, it can be done but, unless you know what you are doing, it's often hard work. Municipal and private campsites are cheap, whilst budget hotels are not necessarily expensive. The latter has the advantage in that you do not have to make your walls, roof, door and table each morning and night on your way (as somebody suggested) to the Alps and back. Someone will even make your bed for you.
Me? I'd look at the Belgian, Luxemboug Ardennes and into that part of Germany. Why?
1. It's an easy distance
2. There is more good riding than you can shake a stick at
3. There are tons of pre-made / suggested routes, many on this site, available for you to download. This alone will save you hours
4. The whole area is littered with campsites and reasonable enough hotels
5. There is plenty to look at if the novelty of hooning your awesome steed on the wrong side of the road wains
6. It will save you flogging anywhere else
Bods often get carried away with the notion of wild camping and then journeying miles. Yes, it can be done but, unless you know what you are doing, it's often hard work. Municipal and private campsites are cheap, whilst budget hotels are not necessarily expensive. The latter has the advantage in that you do not have to make your walls, roof, door and table each morning and night on your way (as somebody suggested) to the Alps and back. Someone will even make your bed for you.
Me? I'd look at the Belgian, Luxemboug Ardennes and into that part of Germany. Why?
1. It's an easy distance
2. There is more good riding than you can shake a stick at
3. There are tons of pre-made / suggested routes, many on this site, available for you to download. This alone will save you hours
4. The whole area is littered with campsites and reasonable enough hotels
5. There is plenty to look at if the novelty of hooning your awesome steed on the wrong side of the road wains
6. It will save you flogging anywhere else
