Exploring North Portugal in June

[Duvs]

thanks for the comments guys, I was hoping I might get some feedback. My default thoughts had been ferry back for the obvious reasons, but I'd not expected the cost or inconvenient timings. I did Guildford to Mimizan in a day once, but that was in a 'normal' car, no chance I'm pushing rex at 78mph for nearly 12hrs! I planned to take my time in france down the coast to portulal anyway. As the ferry would get me back to Portsmouth 6days before the wedding I need to be back for, I'm happy to leave later and take perhaps anther 3-5 days to come back up stopping off other places - my time isnt tight in that respect. I 'eurocamped' many summers as a kid in france, so many places feel somehow familiar and I feel quite at home there.
Vehicle fatigue really does concern me though - the truck's 22yrs old, and TBH is already fatigued before starting! On Jim's (previous owner) last big trip (morrocco and back in a long week?) it blew a rear axle seal on return leg in northen france. But then I gotta accept the possibility of such occurrences, if I wanted a straightforward drive I'd take my Audi and not have anywhere near the same sort of fun. Doing this trip is partly a reliability tester for me and the machine. If I get on well It'll may help me do more such trips.

@Froggy steve -thanks for the invite!! a BBQ in the Dordogne sounds awesome!!

 

[moggy1968]

ld lines are now offering crossings from poole much cheaper than Britney. The cost has meant the last 3 times I have done this I have used the chunnel and driven down.

http://ldlines.co.uk/timetables/poole-gijon

 

[wobbly]

Its always a difficult choice between ferry and driving down, for me the ££ saving isnt enough to warrant the drive, certainly the ferry over is my best option, although the return is a bit tedious as you are awake longer.

The economie ferry may be a cheaper option, but I was booked up before they announced it.

Not sure about 2015 yet Mike, am thinking Greece. Romania....maybe. Or more likely, Portugal.....

 

[mettisse]

Also on these long transit drives through Europe you have to think about vehicle sympathy and driver fatigue.
We have done it both ways over the years and always found sailing to Northern Spain always out weights the drive through France when time and deadlines may be tight.
Remember you have to drive back as well!

This may be fair comment, however, it is how you view your holiday, our holiday starts as we leave the house, holiday mode, attitude frame of mind, don't matter what you call it, it's when the adventure begins! We are lucky in that we enjoy the drive, enjoy the night stops, the fun of searching out new places to stop and explore. Sometimes nix, sometimes winner!! But it's all part of the trip ( for us anyway ) anyway, we are all overlanders, and that's what we do. I don't know how the time compares from ferry to driving to the same place but if time is short it may be worth checking how economical the ferry is for time. For me I only live an hour and a bit to Dover, so to Southampton or Plymouth add plenty of time and fuel to the equation, so, gotta do the sums and make your choice ( we actually enjoy the ferry and the drive, so we alternate as the fancy takes us) lots of good information coming out here, thanks to all , we appreciate your input. Best regards , Bill Westley

 

[ratrace]

Remember you have to drive back as well!

thats problem now don't like the drive so much

Saying that i'm going to Romania next year 3,000 mile round trip

 

[Chas]

thats problem now don't like the drive so much

Saying that i'm going to Romania next year 3,000 mile round trip

and that's without the tracks we might do.

 

[ratrace]

and that's without the tracks we might do.

looking forward to the trip

 

[clivehorridge]

looking forward to the trip

 

[wobbly]

I will keep my options open still, would be nice to go in a convoy.

Its the 1500mile journey each way - not so much the cost - thats 115 gallons, at say £6 a gallon, so £690 plus ferry, not actually much more than Portugal.

Just the thought of driving that far.....

Pete

 

[AndyCook]

And autoroute tolls too

Ferry was great when we went to morocco
Since we had a days drive from scotland down to portsmouth
The ferry, then another 2 days drive across spain.
We would have been knackered if we had also spent 2 days drive across france instead of spain ferry


Sent from my GT-P1010 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ratrace]

I will keep my options open still, would be nice to go in a convoy.

Its the 1500mile journey each way - not so much the cost - thats 115 gallons, at say £6 a gallon, so £690 plus ferry, not actually much more than Portugal.

Just the thought of driving that far.....

Pete

Same for me when i work the cost out of both trips it was almost the same

to be honesty u still have another year before you need to book anything so plenty of time to decide what u want to do

 

[Chas]

And autoroute tolls too

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Tapatalk 2

Sat Nag can be set to avoid them, I did a tour of France last year and never touched one.

 

[wobbly]

Bill Westley

Did you go?

Pete

 

[mettisse]

Bill Westley

Did you go?

Pete

Hi, yes and no, SWMO "didn't fancy" Portugal, so we went first by air to Northern Spain for 4 days of eat and drink delight , then we came home got the bruiser ready and went to Normandy for the D Day commemoration event. We camped out, met loadsa very nice people and saw virtually everything worth seeing, great event, very sad, very moving. We have been before but this was very special, I will go again. We are going to the Italian alps first week in August for an off road trip through the mountains, last year we were in the Pyrenees and camped out, good fun. Hope this year will be as good. I still hope to go to Portugal I have this feeling that it could be one of those places that's off the main route and could be very good. Thanks for asking, best regards, Bill Westley

 

[wobbly]

I did a 4wd tour of some of the less accessible cwgc cemeteries in 2012 (I think?), really worthwhile.

Portugal is on lots of peoples lists, but many dont make it - worth the effort though.

Will be going again in 2015........

Pete

 

[mettisse]

I did a 4wd tour of some of the less accessible cwgc cemeteries in 2012 (I think?), really worthwhile.

Portugal is on lots of peoples lists, but many dont make it - worth the effort though.

Will be going again in 2015........

Pete

Hi again, my wife and I have also visited a lot since a visit to Thiepval many years ago, my wife's great uncle is listed there, as you probably know for many poor souls there was no body to bury, great uncle Bob was among them. My mother in law was happy to go with us and sign the commemorative book, part of the " healing" process I think. Sad for all, they were very young, I am impressed by the lovely way the cwgc maintain all the graves, very fitting and proper.
yes, I would like to think that Portugal is ' on the back boiler' just waiting for an opportunity to make a trip, would you kindly keep me informed of your proposed adventure please. Best regards, Billy