We're looking to go to Berny Rivière, La Croix du Vieux Pont this summer. We will be travelling from Aberdeen with a touring caravan.
I have looked at the 2 options to get there. The long drive south to Dover, estimated 13 hours. Or I can take the Newcastle, Ijmuiden option. The Newcastle option suites me better for the timings and also for the kids.
I've never driven abroad, so I am also looking at the 2.5 hours driving abroad from Calais v's 5 hours from Ijmuiden through Belgium.
Anyone done this? Any thoughts suggestions?
Thanks
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Going via Dover is 240 extra driving miles & you would need to pay for a nights stop on a campsite in the UK on your way so if its just the cost then its easy to do the maths to find cheapest way. For return Dover crossing you have 500 extra miles & 2 overnight campsite costs vs extra ferry cost via Newcastle.
If you are worried about driving abroad, either route is mostly motorway but traffic through Holland & Belgium on the route you are taking can be heavy. The route from Calais to your campsite is the most straightforward.
Also consider that you may not sleep that well on an overnight ferry crossing so you may not be that 'refreshed' in the morning. Its depends but some ferries are quite noisy & the movement can cause some not to sleep.
The costs are roughly the same. £670 for Newcastle. The ferry from Dover is £150 but like you say extra fuel, overnight stops etc.... There is not much in it.
500 miles less driving pretty much a winner!
------------- I pull it while she sits next to me!
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Quote: Originally posted by sheeprider79 on 03/1/2015
Hi,
Your both pretty much what I am thinking.
The costs are roughly the same. £670 for Newcastle. The ferry from Dover is £150 but like you say extra fuel, overnight stops etc.... There is not much in it.
500 miles less driving pretty much a winner!
Petrol for 500 miles in my gas-guzzler would be £120 max and you can get overnight stops for £10-£15.
So a total of £150 which still means a saving of over £300 on the Newcastle route - there's a lot in it
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
Well not sure on the cost of ferry Im in Cheshire so little point going that far north to go to south of France. I did however used to drive frequently from Aalsmeer (just south of Amsterdam) down to Gibraltar allowing half an hour mucking about gettng of the ferry I'm assuming its a morning landing in Holland tides and all.. so if you let the 9.00am traffic clear youll be in Rotterdam in around an hour As a guide I could France in 4 hours break I would usually be there You want to stay E19 south most of the way some A12 I reckon about 6 hours journey with caravan (I was was truck and drag so not much quicker)
------------- Mark
Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back
dover to callias/dunkirk every time.traffic in holland/ belguim usually heavy on the motorways,you need your wits about you. if you have never driven abroad before,go down to dover and once in france straight down to just north of paris
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I do Eurotunnel, leaving at tea time a little south of Stonehaven I can reach Westmoorland cc at a reasonable time. Then travel down to Folkestone for evening tunnel crossing next day and stop within hour of Calais for a overnight. This is just short of your destination.
If I were to do Newcastle I would be hours behind allowing for disembarking and being further north. I do drive a company car which sways the costing for the tunnel.
Towing in France can be less stressful than UK. For your first trip go on google street view and look at the ferry terminal exits and campsite approaches i find this being the most stressful part.
It comes down to what works for you, i have sussed driving on Saturdays to the tunnel works and driving on Sundays in France there is next to no freight moving.
Personally, I would go Ijmuiden. Even accounting for Dutch/Belgian traffic, would find that preferable to the M1/M25. Always found Harwich-Hook overnight much more relaxing than Dover-Calais with a stop. But each to their own.
P.S. Highly recommend Berny Riviere. Great place to stay.
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