Picos, northern Spain and France trip report

grantmac

grantmac

Commuting between NL & UK
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Ok. So I’ve decided to do a short trip report on this one. Full route details will be available upon return and I’ll post these on my website with a link.

So we’re off. Well I am anyway. Crossing on the Hook to Harwich ferry. Full of bikes coming home from the racing in Assen. Huge group of welsh blokes… sorry guys but I couldn’t understand a word they were saying….🤣🤣🤣
Decent cabin with a view across Rotterdam port.
Tomorrow heading north around London picking up my riding companion and then heading to the second ferry at Portsmouth.


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grantmac said:
And for the GSA haters actually there were loads of them. I counted 8 alone. By far the biggest bike type on the ferry. Must all be twats… I read it here….🤣🤣🤣
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GS are great bikes. Sacrificial theft magnets. Always pleased to see some GS, Multistrada and Superdukes in a parking lot.
 
Why is it KTM wants to be Ducati and Ducati wants to be BMW?
 
So we’re finally on the ferry leaving Portsmouth. Very nice ship. Didn’t try any food as we grabbed a bite in the small pub next to the truck terminal for the ferries.
Nice run down. I have to say I enjoyed riding through north Essex and Suffolk but the further west and then down through Basingstoke area the roads were atrocious and the traffic also. Picked up my riding colleague in the small village of Shabbinton where we stopped at a small pub The Fisherman. Arrived in Pompey at 1730. A few pics along the way. Stopped at a lovely old church in Suffolk and went for a look around. So much history and money in some of these churches
Tomorrow a day at sea.

Oh and forgot to mention the crew did a great job of securing all the bikes. Within 1 minute of you parking up the team was already there ratcheting your bike down.
Most of the bikers were old farts like us but the crew were all youngsters. In fact there was a very pretty French girl doing all the ratcheting and I could see some of said old farts were not expecting such a pretty young lady as part of the crew.
I thought it was brilliant and good on her👍👍👍

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grantmac said:
So we’re finally on the ferry leaving Portsmouth. Very nice ship. Didn’t try any food as we grabbed a bite in the small pub next to the truck terminal for the ferries.
Nice run down. I have to say I enjoyed riding through north Essex and Suffolk but the further west and then down through Basingstoke area the roads were atrocious and the traffic also. Picked up my riding colleague in the small village of Shabbinton where we stopped at a small pub The Fisherman. Arrived in Pompey at 1730. A few pics along the way. Stopped at a lovely old church in Suffolk and went for a look around. So much history and money in some of these churches
Tomorrow a day at sea.

Oh and forgot to mention the crew did a great job of securing all the bikes. Within 1 minute of you parking up the team was already there ratcheting your bike down.
Most of the bikers were old farts like us but the crew were all youngsters. In fact there was a very pretty French girl doing all the ratcheting and I could see some of said old farts were not expecting such a pretty young lady as part of the crew.
I thought it was brilliant and good on her👍👍👍

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👏. That's a good start you've made there Grant. I'll expect more of the same please. 😉
 
The Ship & Castle is well placed and a good option if you’ve the time. @JohnnyBoxer boxer an me went there last time we went out of Portsmouth. Slight girl on the deck crew? Ditto on Stena from Holyhead a couple of weeks ago and quite refreshing :)

Smooth trip
 
Looking forward to seeing your travels when you get there.
Wishing you a fair wind and calm seas.👍

PS, It must be quite something to get a good ratcheting from a young lady.🙂
 
Actually compared to the shite going from Hull or Newcastle this is positively luxurious. The Salamanca. Also far better than the Harwich ferry which is really only designed for freight anyway….
 
grantmac said:
Actually compared to the shite going from Hull or Newcastle this is positively luxurious. The Salamanca. Also far better than the Harwich ferry which is really only designed for freight anyway….
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Aye - - that Newcastle to Amsterdam ship is looking antiquated ( especially at the money it costs to use it !)
The Colour Line ferries out of Denmark - - put it shame !
 
I was a bit shocked at how uncouth the P&O Hull ferry was. The Pont Aven has a man that does all that physical strap work! I mean standards are standards you know 😁

Now I learn there’s a nice French girl doing it too. @monkeyboy would have got her to sign his helmet.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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