Santander in October

[Hut van]

Me and the wife are thinking about a trip to north Spain for a week or so in October, not by bike but in our Z4.
I’ve never used the Portsmouth-Santander ferry before but have read some of the reports here already.
Could anyone give me a clue about the weather conditions during this crossing in October as I’ve heard in could be a bit rough and general temperatures in the north of Spain at this time of year.

 

[autogs]

I've crossed on that route in October for the last 4 years and it's been very calm bar a few hours one year late afternoon evening .
Hopefully this year will be no different

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[autogs]

Re temps some early mornings in the picos were 3 or 4 or up to 12,during the day can be 22 or more.
Rain has been surprisingly scarce

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[Arsey]

Me and the wife are thinking about a trip to north Spain for a week or so in October, not by bike but in our Z4.
I’ve never used the Portsmouth-Santander ferry before but have read some of the reports here already.
Could anyone give me a clue about the weather conditions during this crossing in October as I’ve heard in could be a bit rough and general temperatures in the north of Spain at this time of year.

I’d avoid 4-8 October as there’s a huge depression forecast which could cause stormy seas . Outside of these dates the Bay of Biscay should be benign .

 

[karlp]

I’d avoid 4-8 October as there’s a huge depression forecast which could cause stormy seas . Outside of these dates the Bay of Biscay should be benign .

Is that when you are booked and want less on the road in Spain

 

[ThreeDawg]

I've been down there in November and it has been fine. Lots of bikes coming back from Morocco late October last time, weather was warm. The crossings have varied from flat calm to very rough, but that's the Bay of Biscay for you. Biggest issue is how unpleasant the Brittany Ferries staff can be.

 

[wessie]

I've done Biscay crossings in 4 of the last 6 years on the bike. Some in September, some in October. One was delayed due to a storm, the return to Plymouth and I got very wet in Spain and especially riding home in the UK. The wind was so strong they had pilots on board and the Pont Aven was pushed into the dock by two large tugs. A lot of poorly people on board but I had a nice dinner in the main restaurant and many beers as I am unaffected by rough seas. No queue in the bar was a bonus.
The other crossings have had nothing more than a bit of a swell.

As for weather in N.Spain. It's a mountainous and maritime climate known as Green Spain for a reason. In the year of the stormy weather, I was in sunshine at 27C in Potes then a few km later at the top of San Glorio Pass, 4C and hail. Half hour later, back to 25C going across the P210 to Cervera de Pisuarga. It can do this in July! Most years it is between pleasantly warm and too fucking hot to ride, with 43C one year in Leon in the first week of October.

You'll be in a car so why worry?

 

[Hut van]

Thanks for all the replies lads, just thinking out loud for later in the year, we usually fly out to the canaries for a bit of sun in December but I’m really getting pee’d off with airport’s especially Edinburgh which is our local.
Portsmouth is a major trip from here, so food for thought.

 

[Dirty Ming]

We moved to Spain for 4 years about 20 years ago and went in October, Plymouth to Santander. Bay of Biscay was fine that day, even our spaniel was unaffected, up in the kennels on the top deck.
Roads south towards Burgos were lovely, but bloody cold at the top. As long as it's not raining, and you have heated seats, it's gotta be roof down motoring

 

[squibb34]

Surely a fly-drive will work better, given your domicile - the painful bit is soon forgotten.

That flog Scotland to Pompey, then the risk of an uncomfortable crossing would make the decision easy for me. OK, it's not quite in the same spirit of adventure, but since when did that matter in reality.

After perhaps a dozen trips to Spain/back with BF, we have only had 3 rough crossings that I can recall, all late September. When the BoB gets choppy, it's a miserable experience; even if you've got sea legs, you come across the groaning remains, the odour of those that haven't. Luckily it's a fairly rare event.

Whatever, enjoy the trip.

 

[Wapping]

Me and the wife are thinking about a trip to north Spain for a week or so in October, not by bike but in our Z4.

Could anyone give me a clue about the weather conditions during this crossing in October as I’ve heard in could be a bit rough and general temperatures in the north of Spain at this time of year.

Surf away and draw your own conclusions:




Failing that, these guys will have their finger on the pulse of all things specialist weather wise for a BMW Z4, no doubt being able to advise if it’s top down or batten down……

 

[Hut van]

You the man, Richard, that gave me a smile, well done.

 

[Wapping]

You the man, Richard, that gave me a smile, well done.

Enjoy your holiday.

 

[crumbles]

Portsmouth is a major trip from here, so food for thought

Can you not go via Ireland..
A bloke I followed on Utube did this on his return too Scotland...from Spain..

 

[Wapping]

Portsmouth is a major trip from here, so food for thought

Can you not go via Ireland..
A bloke I followed on Utube did this on his return too Scotland...from Spain..

I fear that suggestion will only prompt a question about October’s weather in the Irish Sea and / or in Ireland itself.

 

[Hut van]

Aye, still food for thought, I do like Ireland

 

[Arsey]

Aye, still food for thought, I do like Ireland

But the second week in October is often wet. Better to go towards the end of the month .

 

[Ectopic]

The crossing could indeed be very rough, but the roughest crossing we had was in June. Force 9 winds, 3 metre waves and a huge swell. I was afraid I would die, then afraid I wouldn't die. My wife literally spent the whole 36 hour crossing lying in her bed, moving only to use the bog. Also very worried that the bikes in the car decks would just be one huge pile of wrecked metal and plastic in one corner, but they were all fine.

| got off the ferry swearing blind we would never use the ferry again, even planning to ride home through France from that holiday. But been several times since then and it's been fine.

 

[jefformston]

Me and the wife are thinking about a trip to north Spain for a week or so in October, not by bike but in our Z4.
I’ve never used the Portsmouth-Santander ferry before but have read some of the reports here already.
Could anyone give me a clue about the weather conditions during this crossing in October as I’ve heard in could be a bit rough and general temperatures in the north of Spain at this time of year.

I’ve crossed in October a number of times and never had a rough crossing, but that’s no guarantee. As with weather at anytime of year in the Uk and Northern Europe it is changeable.

I regularly travel down to Portsmouth and back from the North East of England (Newcastle area) with a mate who lives west of Edinburgh, he never seems to find the journey a problem, apart from the one time it got down to -1c on the return leg.

I’m booked again for October this car, strangely enough in the car with the wife, sail out 2nd October returning 25th and had not even given the possibility of bad weather in the Bay of Biscay a thought. (Bike trip is in June/July this year to Croatia, returning via Garmisch).