Driving Down

[KED]

Is there anyone on here (and I'm sure that it's been covered many times.....so I apologise for repeating a thread!) had experience of driving down to Malaga area, both via Calais and via Bilbao or Santander?

We drive a LWB Frontera (!!) 4x4 and will be loaded to the gunnels when we finally come over inc. a small trailer and roof box.

The Bilbao route, whilst quoting about £650 is obviously going to mean less driving = less fuel (more green) + less stops.
The Calais route is £229. When factoring in 4 or 5 tanks of fuel at about £50 / tank and two stops at approx £50 / stop you get to the realms of the Bilbao crossing.

But what are the journeys actually like? Roadwise - fast / slow? Tolls (an extra cost MOH has just reminded me about!!) Major cities to avoid etc

Any advice or recommendations appreciated.

[ValL]

OK, not from Malaga but from/to Sevilla, have been up and down many times by different routes. Will be off on Sunday for the Santander ferry to Plymouth (again) on Monday. Santander - Plymouth by Brittany Ferries is shorter than Bilbao - Porstmouth at 20 hrs compared to 30 hrs. Ship is newer and better than P&O. Santander does not run either side of christmas - this years looks like no ferry for about 4 months. Bilbao runs all through. Prices for Bilbao (P&O) similar to Santander. Roads from Santander to Sevilla either via Madrid or on Ruta de la Plata are toll-free. From Bilbao there is a small toll over the first range of mountains. Burgos down to Sevilla or Malaga is toll free if you avoid the new M-ways round Madrid. M30 straight through the middle of Madrid is a bit hectic but the quickest. www.viamichelin.com gives very good directions including tolls. If through France we do Caen which means another full day drive from Spain/France border. France route does include lots of tolls. For Malaga you would join our route just North East of Cordoba so most of our experience holds true for you. On the moto (bike) we prefer Santander and only do through France in car as backsides need the rest of the ferry. We can easily do Santander or Bilbao to Sevilla in one day with car although on way up we plan one hotel near Burgos to easily make check in times without very early morning starts. Come back if more questions.

[Heston]

Hiya

weve done them all between us!! When I moved over with our furniture we did calais as we had our dog and I cant "do " boats..stopped over just past Paris for one night and was only 40euros for the three of us ( the dog!) heat of July and long long Qs through France and every road seemed a toll road( strongly advise good route plan to avoid as it gets expensive!) Cheap for the ferry but petrol and tolls and arguments..never again planes only for me!!

Bilbao is a three day mini cruise and often you have groups of young people on celebrating..which is fine if you havnt got a long drive ahead of you the next day...hubby said never again..quite expensive on the boat too and you have to pay it as your captive!

Santander..hubbys favourite only 18 hours on the boat but it stops around October until March ( not exactly sure) as it can get rough in the bay of Bisque( sorry cant spell!!)..hubbys favorite and he has done it a few times now either in a car or van ( always loaded up too!!)

Thats just my thoughts lots of people on here done different routes good luck!

[peteroldracer]

it can get rough in the bay of Bisque

Is that where lobsters come from?

[Faire d'Income]

I'd forget about the supposedly green dimensions of using a ferry if you're really worried about it. I've just completed the round trip using the Dover-Dunkerque route (Norfolk Line) for £100.00 return.

Its an easy day and a half trip down and saves messing about on ferries which take far too long - 18 hours from Portsmouth? You can drive through France and on to Bilbao in less time.

[ValL]

Portsmouth is 30 hrs ! we did it at Christmas

[BENIDORM]

Also worth checking out Speedferries........Quick checkin and departs from the old Hoverport.....Dover to Bolougne about 50 minutes and costs from £20.00 each way, depending when you travel..
We've done this trip at least 20 times and usually pay around £25. each trip,also further down than Calais...so saves a bit of 'juice'...

[alaninspain]

I have tried it all ways, and prefer the Portsmouth - Bilbao route. It is 30 odd hours each way, there is a small difference because of the current. The problem with the Plymouth-Santander route is that is summer only. The routes via France all incur heavy toll road fees unless you use the A roads which take longer. Either is tiring even if there are two drivers, it is no fun hacking down European roads for 12-15 hours a day.

[MarkF]

it is no fun hacking down European roads for 12-15 hours a day.

Got to disagree there, I love it I really enjoy the trip wether I am driving or riding. Also, I'll second the Speedferries recommendation, cheap, cheap, cheap! Do they still have only one craft?

[ValL]

Santander/Plymouth is hardly just summer, they run 30th March till 28th October.

The journey through Northern Spain has awesome scenery. Looking forward to it on Sunday/Monday on motor bike

[Faire d'Income]

it is no fun hacking down European roads for 12-15 hours a day.

Got to disagree there, I love it I really enjoy the trip wether I am driving or riding. Also, I'll second the Speedferries recommendation, cheap, cheap, cheap! Do they still have only one craft?

Mark, I'm with you on this one. Even driving a 17 year old Range Rover I had some great fun and managed to do it for €1100.00 return which I'd never do on the Bilbao/Santander ferries.

[MarkF]

Yes, we are all different. I am 45 but as soon as my wheels touch the continent I feel like a little kid, I don't feel I'll ever lose that excitement, at least I hope not.

[burrotaxi]

I've only driven over once andc came via Santander but the trip thereafter was remarkably easy and took around 8 hours with a single stop for re-fuelling. The Santander fares though seem to be prohibitive so I'll consider a trip through France in future and see how that goes.

[spanish hopes]

I'm with Mark on this one. we've done it several times and always via either Calais or Dunkirk. We take 3 or 4 days for the trip sharing the route between A roads and toll roads. we treat the trip as part of the holiday and enjoy it from start to finish.

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Hi Ked

I did a similar posting Tue 3rd April. It's in the "travel and destinations" section page 6.

There's quite a lot of info there.

Rick

PS where is Ceredigion?

[swerve]

Well I've read all you posts but I'm still not deterred from driving down if only to say I've done it and to see a bit of France and Spain other than from 30000 feet.

This is my intended route but if anybody has got any tips or advice then ill gladly listen


Sunday 1am leave Newcastle arrive Dover 7 or 8 am hopefully an hour and a half kip in between arriving and boarding ferry.

Monday Board speed ferry at 10.40 arrive boulogne between 11.30 and 12.00 drive to Bordeaux hopefully arrive around 8pm then sleep.

Tuesday Depart Bordeaux around 1am heading for around Toledo other side of Madrid then sleep.

Wednesday Depart Toledo 1am heading for vinuela

Any comment please feel free to fill you boots

[spanish hopes]

I'm softer than you swerve and though I originally hail from the North East I now live in Leicester.
I usually book ahead, into a formula1 or etap in Calais for the first night, get a late evening ferry over and get a good nights sleep. Fill up with continental breakfast then hit the road.
You can certainly do it your way but you will be knacked that first day, which will take away some of the enjoyment.
I have had good deals with SallyLine and also Norfolkline who go into Dunkirk.
Enjoy it whichever you do.

[BENIDORM]

Swerve,
Sounds as if you are going to 'push it' a bit, on your planned trip, can I suggest that you take a little more time with your proposed journey?
We always take a least 2 days through France now, and always stop in at least 2 hotels, they are not expensive, but you take a chance if you don't book ahead, it really is 'pot luck' if you get in...The cheaper motels like Formula One, Etap are the first to fill up..We now book into B&B's, usually British, quite often a little off the 'beaten track', but good value and your belongings in your vehicle will be safer, and you will get a good nights sleep and usually a good breakfast....There are plenty of search engines to locate them...I'm not sure when you are setting off, but if it is this month ( August), you will find it difficult to find accommodation...
Fuel costs are not that much different in France from Uk, so I would suggest that you fill up in UK, several Tesco stations in Dover area, there aren't many filling stations open in Bolougne and usually queues...When you get to France don't expect to find many petrol stations open on a Sunday, only on the motorways, also you can't use a UK credit card in the self serve pumps that aren't manned....
A few tips ...wear loose clothing, stop every 2 hours and walk around, and take plenty of mints to suck!....
Best place I've found to stop is Biarritz, then you can drive Spain in the day, avoid stopping near Madrid, especially if you are thinking of sleeping in the car...bandit country....!
Hope this helps, we've done the trip countless times...and 7 times over the last year....

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Good advice there Benidorm

As you do the trip so often I wondered if you have considered having a cheap car in Spain. However it sounds like you are just enjoying the trip down. Mind you 7 trips a year at about 3000 miles(?) per trip is putting a lot of wear on your car. What is it?

[Campo Kenny]

It's got to me this thread as I'd love to do the leisurely drive to Andalucia taking 3 or 4 days to do it.

On the 3 occasions when I've done it over the last few years it's been to either take a car over or to take items for new house etc.
On each occasion I've loaded pressure on myself and done the trip from NW England to Andalucia via Calais in a fraught and rushed 26 hour blur, usually because OH flies out next day and I have to get back to Malaga to pick her up.....too much and never again.

The other thing that doesn't work is taking a mate to "share" the drive like I've done on the 3 occasions.
I've found the passenger gets just as knackered as the driver, so when driver 1 has done his first 10 hour stint he hands over to driver 2 who's just as knackered and you have to stop anyway for an hour or so's kip in a lorry park...........usually with a duvet over you both and looking like a pair of rent boys

Nope next time, as previous posters have said, I'll be with Mrs. and treat it as part of the holiday.

Kenny