Message Forums

Someone did at some point a little while ago.

I seem to remember someone posting about doing this and going to Spain - buying some 'kit' out there and then leaving it with a note on for people to help themselves if they need it, before flying home.

Can't remember the members name or the name of post or section they posted it in.

Maybe someone else can.

It's been a couple of years now but we used to do a lot of bike touring. We would sometimes use ferries and sometimes use planes. We never had any problems flying with all of our kit. The key is keeping things down to bear minimum and packing things so that breakables are wrapped up sleeping bags for example. 

Over the last few years or so budget airlines have influenced the major players in that all airlines seem to charge for everything nowadays - rightly or wrongly.  When we were flying we were never charged extra for the bikes and invested in ultra light weight equipment which probabley weighed less than a couple of large suitcases. 

I think that if you wanted to take camping gear onto a plane you need to go onto the airlines website and see what their policy is. They will offer you advice aswell on how to package everything. For more information say for walkers and backpackers who want to camp abroad I would take a look at the Rough Guide website.

Thanks guys. Definately cant afford to be buying equipment there and leaving it, its a waste of money when we already have perfectly good equipment.  I know some people do it, but I just think its daft.  Makes the whole holiday too expensive.

We were on a few sites in Spain last year.  There were lots of people going with operators like Eurocamp, Canvas etc.  All you need is your clothing.  Get a taxi from the airport or a hire car.  These holidays are not that cheap unless you fill the tent or caravan, but the sites we were on were all very good quality with loads of activities included.  Swimming pools, evening entertainment in some places & kids clubs thrown in.  So apart from food & drink there was little that needed to be bought when there.

Only other option is backpacking as light as possible.  A friend of mine used to take his bike too.  Take the handlebars & pedals off & you can put it in a bike bag.  Not sure how much he had to pay excess though.

This is the very topic we have been discussing recently !!

Very interested in any more info.

Suppose you could hire bikes which might be cheaper than paying to transport - worth a thought !!

We've taken Ryanair and Easyjet to Italy before for camping trips, but the luggage allowance isn't great (we just had backpacking gear, small sleeping bags and no cooking equipment).  Other airlines may be better for weight allowance.

If you're thinking of going to France though, it may be worth considering Eurostar - you can get to a lot of the country with just one change in Lille, you don't even have to cart your gear through the metro in Paris. 

Hope this helps.

As someone else mentioned - depends rather on how lightweight your stuff is.

We've never tried flying: for long distances we take the train and hire a car (if necessary) at the destination. Train is more fun, less destructive to the environment and there's no weight limit! 

Has anyone ever looked into the options of packing tent etc. onto a pallet and sending in advance by courier?  This company looks like it buys cheap space with major couriers and sells it on ( or something) http://www.interparcel.com/., but there's loads of haulage companies do regular runs to France and Spain. I haven't costed this myself, there's always the worry that all your equipment disappears of the face of the  earth!

This year getting to S of France cost me about £200 petrol  £350 ferry  £120 hotels plus about another £100 for meals out plus best part of two days each way in travelling time. I reckon I could get fly drive quite a bit cheaper than that.

Johnny Hamster

We took our small tent to Spain by Easyjet a few years ago, plus airbeds and a double duvet cover to sleep in, thermal undies for nights in the Pyrenees, plastic glasses, melamine plates and a knife, ate out mostly but bought rolls, cheese and tomatoes for breakfast. Hired a car. Do not recommend the campsite near Barcelona airport btw.

Anne