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We are off to France in just over 2 weeks time, we are setting of at 18.00 from Huddersfield with our ferry time being 5.30 am the next morning, just wondering if we get to the docks will they let us pitch up for a few hours kip, my other thought is we stop at the services near Dartford, grap the kip there and set of early in time for the ferry, any suggestions please?

Jon&Trace

i know its no help now jon, but if you had booked throo hull-zeebruge (60 mile from you) you would have saved 250+ miles motoring had a nights kip in comfort and, if you traveled sat night the van goes free consiquently with what you save on fuel and a nights fees its as cheap(70 mile zeebruge-calais) anyway be safe and have a great time, its fab in france.

Dover docks have turned us away if we have been too early, they can be especially strict at times of heightened security or if there's a lorry backlog due to weather or french ports having mini strikes.  Motorway services half way down M2, are they the ones you mean?  If so, you'll be able to pull up there, usually near empty as they're dead crabby services.

Hi

You should've booked a ferry for your arrival time at Dover because there is a good sized car park you can use overnight at Calais. Fairly noisy but secure.

Tyreman

Quote: Originally posted by jontymo on 08/7/2007

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, my other thought is we stop at the services near Dartford, grap the kip there and set of early in time for the ferry, any suggestions please?

Jon&Trace

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I would not stop at Dartford services - not the safest place to sleep in the car.

I agree with the other post - stop at junction 8 services on the M20 - this is perfectly safe place - just outside Maidstone and probably only about an hr (at max) to docks from there. Check the map and see how many junctions it is from Junction 8 to the docks.

we are setting off  6ish from selby on the 26th, ferries booked for 2am but if we get there for midnight just going to try our luck getting on the earlier sailing,been no problem in the past.

as for going from Hull, yes we looked at that but for the caravan going free we would be 48 hours behind schedule for our departure time .by the time the hull ferry arrives at zeebrugge we will be 500+ miles down into france.to sail on a thursday night would have cost us approaching £600 (£400 with clubcard points), sailing on the saturday just doesnt give us the time we want in france.