ThreeDawg
Registered user
I know the south well, I'm English and lived in London for many years. I am talking about getting to or from a ferry port.
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Inspiration sought. Santander - UK
- Thread starter AberdeenAngus
- Start date
I know the south well, I'm English and lived in London for many years. I am talking about getting to or from a ferry port.
ThreeDawg
Registered user
We had one night on the Bilbao ferry, and it's about 4 1/2 or 5 hours to Larne (or Belfast) for the ferry to Scotland. This was in December, summer schedules might be different.
and if you wanted to head to the North Sea ports, simply swing NE from Clermont Ferrand via the Morvan, Champagne and onto the Ardennes.
It’ll be illuminating when (besides skirting cities) it’s revealed he’s set aside a week or, just as likely, two months. Either (or somewhere in between) may well require some rethinking of suggestions.
Await his words.
AberdeenAngus
Registered user
Initial post was abit vague - but deliberately so as I have no fixed plan.
Probably about a week - 10 days but flexible.
Done the Pico's and northern Spain before but would stand a revisit.
Point noted about the west coast of France being dull - perfect level of detail for what I need just now.
I didn't know there was a ferry from Bilbao to Rosslare - that certainly is an option. I'd far sooner ride up through Ireland than England.
Probably about a week - 10 days but flexible.
Done the Pico's and northern Spain before but would stand a revisit.
Point noted about the west coast of France being dull - perfect level of detail for what I need just now.
I didn't know there was a ferry from Bilbao to Rosslare - that certainly is an option. I'd far sooner ride up through Ireland than England.
I didn’t realise one was only allowed to visit an area once. Is this a Brexit thing? I’m going to be in serious trouble. I’ve visited a great many places numerous times, even bought the tee shirt from some. We’re going back to many of them this year. Bollocks, I’m going to need to re plan the whole summer now.Await news from the OP as to how long he has set aside for this bimble and just as importantly whether, besides cities, there is anywhere else he doesn’t want to go.
For example, it is crazy suggesting Provence and up the eastern side of France or, indeed, Portugal if he’s already “Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt”.
I can only apologise if I have suggested a place the OP has been before.
We often get suggestions (in response to vague requests for help) throwing up well intentioned ideas on places bods can go to / through / stay in, only to then learn:
A. That they only have a week’s holiday, of which two days will be lost getting to and from their home, before they even set foot on foreign soil. This is a common phenomenon on these pages.
B. That, only later, they have “Done Spain, mate” and really fancy going to Germany.
With a bit of gentle prompting and a touch of filling out of the OP’s (deliberately vague) opening post we now know:
A. That the OP has “About a week / 10 days” for (we can only assume) his entire door-to-door holiday which might (or might not) dictate or limit the sea crossings and / or control how he gets from Santander back to Aberdeen ie. well north o’ the border.
B, That he’s “Done northern Spain” but, even so, doesn’t mind doing it again. But, he did mention returning via France and / or Ireland.
Now all we wait to hear is whether the week / 10 days really is door-to-door or if it isn’t, what the door-to-door period is. The combined whit and wit of UKGSer can then be channelled into providing the fellow with as many combinations of return routes as there are quills on a porcupine.
PS A reminder that the OP wants:
from Santander. I guess 400 mile days every day are not on the cards.
A. That they only have a week’s holiday, of which two days will be lost getting to and from their home, before they even set foot on foreign soil. This is a common phenomenon on these pages.
B. That, only later, they have “Done Spain, mate” and really fancy going to Germany.
With a bit of gentle prompting and a touch of filling out of the OP’s (deliberately vague) opening post we now know:
A. That the OP has “About a week / 10 days” for (we can only assume) his entire door-to-door holiday which might (or might not) dictate or limit the sea crossings and / or control how he gets from Santander back to Aberdeen ie. well north o’ the border.
B, That he’s “Done northern Spain” but, even so, doesn’t mind doing it again. But, he did mention returning via France and / or Ireland.
Now all we wait to hear is whether the week / 10 days really is door-to-door or if it isn’t, what the door-to-door period is. The combined whit and wit of UKGSer can then be channelled into providing the fellow with as many combinations of return routes as there are quills on a porcupine.
PS A reminder that the OP wants:
from Santander. I guess 400 mile days every day are not on the cards.
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To give the OP something to chew on, here are two simple ideas, using nothing more than Kurviger, taking reasonably ‘Twisty, mate’ roads. I have used seven days for illustrative purposes only. If it’s 10 days free, then the daily average mileage drops, obviously or the routes can be altered.
1. Santander to Aberdeen, via Calais
1,650 miles in say, seven days is 235 miles a day, with no days off. Doable? Yes. Look OK? Yes.
2. Santander to Zeebrugg to catch a ferry to Hull, as the journey from south east England to Scotland is never to be even contemplated, ever.
1,000 miles, let’s say six days to give the fellow a day to get from Hull to Aberdeen, 160 miles a day, definitely doable. Look OK? Yes.
Hull to Aberdeen direct is then another 400 miles on top, I guess doable in a day if it suits the OP.
Even from these two simple ‘What if’ maps, the ‘simplest’ (least miles) might well be the Bilbao to Rosslare option. Then the ferry back from Belfast to the UK mainland and the ride back to Aberdeen. That of course assumes the fellow wants to see plenty of Ireland and not France.
Everything now hinges on the OP’s response.
1. Santander to Aberdeen, via Calais
1,650 miles in say, seven days is 235 miles a day, with no days off. Doable? Yes. Look OK? Yes.
2. Santander to Zeebrugg to catch a ferry to Hull, as the journey from south east England to Scotland is never to be even contemplated, ever.
1,000 miles, let’s say six days to give the fellow a day to get from Hull to Aberdeen, 160 miles a day, definitely doable. Look OK? Yes.
Hull to Aberdeen direct is then another 400 miles on top, I guess doable in a day if it suits the OP.
Even from these two simple ‘What if’ maps, the ‘simplest’ (least miles) might well be the Bilbao to Rosslare option. Then the ferry back from Belfast to the UK mainland and the ride back to Aberdeen. That of course assumes the fellow wants to see plenty of Ireland and not France.
Everything now hinges on the OP’s response.
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good luck with that, never resumed after Covid
Europoort, Rotterdam is where P&O sail from
To add just a tiny bit of weight to the importance of finding out how long a period people have available to complete a journey and / or what distance they might fancy “Gently sauntering’ over, here’s another possible route, from Santander to Zeebrugg but via Provence and the west side of France.
It’s 1,400 miles, which (using our six days model) is 235 a day. Doable? I guess so. Then it’s the 400 miles back to Aberdeen from Hull. Sorry, can’t do much about that.
Does it look OK? Probably, yes.
It’s 1,400 miles, which (using our six days model) is 235 a day. Doable? I guess so. Then it’s the 400 miles back to Aberdeen from Hull. Sorry, can’t do much about that.
Does it look OK? Probably, yes.
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Not much point riding to Zeebrugge. The ferry stopped going there a good few years ago. Europort, Rotterdam now.
Well there you go. Anyway, it makes little difference to the overall bit on the mainland of Europe. Thankfully, I rarely have to venture north from the shitehole of the south east and have all but zero desire to ever go to Hull.
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To continue with the go across France to then catch a ferry to Ireland idea.
A. Santander to Cherbourg
Is 800 miles, on top of which you’d have to ride through Ireland and then across to Aberdeen, via whatever godforsaken northern port the ferry lands at. That aside, does it look OK? Yes, but the Cherbourg peninsula is pretty dull.
B. Santander to Roscoff
825 miles. Looks OK but then the Eire / UK legs.
As dull as it may seem, those days available / miles per day, really are important,
A. Santander to Cherbourg
Is 800 miles, on top of which you’d have to ride through Ireland and then across to Aberdeen, via whatever godforsaken northern port the ferry lands at. That aside, does it look OK? Yes, but the Cherbourg peninsula is pretty dull.
B. Santander to Roscoff
825 miles. Looks OK but then the Eire / UK legs.
As dull as it may seem, those days available / miles per day, really are important,
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Roscoff is a good port . Takes you through some great roads in Brittany and some nice restaurants in town to have lunch before boarding ferry , though I’ve no idea what time your ferry would be as have only got the mid afternoon one to PlymouthTo continue with the go across France to then catch a ferry to Ireland idea.
A. Santander to Cherbourg
Is 800 miles, on top of which you’d have to ride through Ireland and then across to Aberdeen, via whatever Godforsaken northern port the ferry lands at. That aside, does it look OK? Yes, but the Cherbourg peninsula is pretty dull.
View attachment 479432
B. Santander to Roscoff
825 miles. Looks OK but then the Eire / UK legs.
View attachment 479433
Those days available / miles per day, really are important, as dull as they may seem.
Roscoff 4pm, arr Cork 7 or 8am depending on the ferry used. Pont Aven quicker than Amorique
Brittany Ferries
Warming to a theme and returning via Rotterdam (to satisfy the crowds) this, if time allows, might well be OK.
1580 miles. Over six days, that is 260 miles a day. Doable? Yes. Over seven, that drops to 225 miles a day. You can do the rest of the maths.
Here it is in a downloadable but unchecked format:
PS I only hacked it out.
1580 miles. Over six days, that is 260 miles a day. Doable? Yes. Over seven, that drops to 225 miles a day. You can do the rest of the maths.
Here it is in a downloadable but unchecked format:
PS I only hacked it out.
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I'd ride in the French Pyrenees towards Perpignan. Then up through the Cevennes and Ardeche towards Lyon - lovely riding, underrated in my view. Cut over the Rhone somewhere towards Geneva, then ride up the eastern border of France through the Juras, Vosges and Ardennes.
After that, any roads in the UK will be a huge disappointment, so get a ferry from Rotterdam to wherever the ferries go from there.
After that, any roads in the UK will be a huge disappointment, so get a ferry from Rotterdam to wherever the ferries go from there.
From Hull, up through the North York moors, Northumberland, Scottish Borders, and up to Aberdeen. Not a bad ending.
What oil will you be using?
