First Trip Away - Scotland to Spain HELP!

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miles away

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Hi, I'm planning a week(ish) long trip from scotland, down to dover, across to calais, then heading down to northern Spain, This is my first trip away and I'm looking for any advice, or tipos on where's good to visit, stay etc. can anbody help? Any advice is welcome
thanks in advance.

ps, This trip might not fit in, as we only have a week, so we may re-plan it and do northern france, belgium, germany luxembourg etc. anybody done any week long trips, where to and how did it go?
 
miles away said:
Hi, I'm planning a week(ish) long trip from scotland, down to dover, across to calais, then heading down to northern Spain, This is my first trip away and I'm looking for any advice, or tipos on where's good to visit, stay etc. can anbody help? Any advice is welcome
thanks in advance.

ps, This trip might not fit in, as we only have a week, so we may re-plan it and do northern france, belgium, germany luxembourg etc. anybody done any week long trips, where to and how did it go?
Click to expand...
Personally, I'd get the ferry from
Plymouth (Brittany) or Portsmouth (P&O) and save your self many many miles if Spain is your destination
 
If you're prepared to put in some long days it can be done.

The way I'd advise is to Portsmouth and the overnight ferry to St Malo/Le Havre/Caen. Then you have a long 5-600 mile day down to Pau area to play in the Pyrenees or Bayonne to get into northern Spain.
 
miles away said:
Hi, I'm planning a week(ish) long trip from scotland, down to dover, across to calais, then heading down to northern Spain, This is my first trip away and I'm looking for any advice, or tipos on where's good to visit, stay etc. can anbody help? Any advice is welcome
thanks in advance.

ps, This trip might not fit in, as we only have a week, so we may re-plan it and do northern france, belgium, germany luxembourg etc. anybody done any week long trips, where to and how did it go?
Click to expand...

Dont overplan or try to cover too many miles as i did first time over there
Days spent hammering down toll roads get very tedius and expensive and you will probably be missing out on some fantastic roads Towns and Villages
Portsmouth Caen Ferry drops you in Normandy and a short ride to Adrians Coxs place in Arromarch
Great host and lots to see (especially if your into war nostalga ) worth a couple on nights stay at least
Where ever i am i try to finish riding around 4.00 and just look for a B&B or Hotel with safe bike parking leaving you time to enjoy the evening
Fill up around 100 m mark as stations can be few and far
A week trip last year took us through france Switzerland and into Italy did pass through most of France on Toll roads though
Either way do it once and your hooked :beerjug:
 
Inverness to the south coast isn't a day's riding - it's two.

But - Newcastle or Hull are do-able if you get up early.

If you can make it as far as Hull - then you can start your "continental" riding from Zebrugge.

English motorways should not be considered to be part of a "holiday"

Al :)
 
Blackal said:
Inverness to the south coast isn't a day's riding - it's two.

But - Newcastle or Hull are do-able if you get up early.

If you can make it as far as Hull - then you can start your "continental" riding from Zebrugge.

English motorways should not be considered to be part of a "holiday"

Al :)
Click to expand...

+1 on that route
 
Why Spain?

You're giving yourself a hell of a trip. I'd be less ambitious distance wise and focus on enjoying the trip. Go for the Newcastle ferry. Enjoy the overnight ferry as part of the trip. Then head over to the Ardennes and into Germany via the Moselle and the Rhine valleys. Far more enjoyable if you've only got a week.
 
Ferry

:rob Im surprised u dont try Rosyth before it closes this year gets to Zeebrugge then Europe is awaiting you rather than wasting time and expense travelling to Engerlund. :oonyack
 
On a more serious note ...

Scotland to Northern Spain for a week and having to ride all the way through England and France seems like not a great introduction to motorcycle touring ... UNLESS you love riding motorways for hours on end.

Is there a ferry option that can take more of that mileage out? Would you consider havin g your bike shipped to Spain .. and fly budget airline down there?

It's do'able but is it what you are looking for?
 
fgilz said:
:rob Im surprised u dont try Rosyth before it closes this year gets to Zeebrugge then Europe is awaiting you rather than wasting time and expense travelling to Engerlund. :oonyack
Click to expand...

I think the Rosyth ferry is still quite a bit dearer than the Newcastle one, and the roads from Edinburgh to Newcastle aint too bad.

Earlier this year, the Rosyth ferry didn't dock in Zebrugge until 13:00 or thereabouts - has that changed? 13:00 arrival is bloody hopless.

Al :D
 
Blackal said:
Says Tom "How many satnavs should I take? will I need more than three spare?"

good one, Tom :blast

Al :D
Click to expand...

That's the trick you are missing!

One GPS gives you the primary route.
second GPS to give you an alternative if for example you hit road works
Third GPS just in case any of them break

That's how you do it.
 
For an introducuction to Continental Bike Touring I would forget Spain, and all of those other places you mention, they can come later. From Inverness you have all day to get to Hull and the Evening Departure to Zeebrugge. Next morning hit the Motorway System (Tolls are not that bad for a Bike) and get some serious miles in before looking for a night stop aroung Dijon or Beaune (Book Ahead for Beaune). Next morning aim to be South of Lyon by midday then bearing left a bit Northern Provence is soon on the horizon. Now you are in serious Biking Territory. Fantastic Roads, Food, Wine and a better chance of decent weather. Many years ago we did our first Biking Tour off these Islands to Brittanny where it pissed down for 10 days and pissed us off in the process and nearly put us off France forever. Everyone will have their favourite place in France and ours begins south of Junction 18 on the A7.
Mike Tee.
 
Don't have a plan set in stone just a start ferry and if you must return ferry (most inc tunnel you can just turn up and get on back to blighty). I prefer to ride and decide as I go, forget the sat navs just a trusty paper map on tank bag follow the sun and good roads and feel the love. As a few have said better with the alps, make Dijon asap then follow ya nose either south or east.
most important enjoy.
 
thanks everybody for the useful responses. i'm not going to do soain, ai it's too far for a week long trip.. gonna go from Hull and do france, maybe belgium, netherlands etc. sorry for the late reply, but i'm currently in Hawaii for the whle month! (its a hard life )
thanks again
 
One trick i use on the tunnel is buy a ticket for a cheaper time and turn up at a better time that is usually dearer and just ask if you can get on the next train up to know it has worked every time, How about Newcastle- Amsterdam
try motorsport travel 01759 301010 always been cheaper for me, head for the Eifel area on your last day you can have a blast round the ring
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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