We're heading over to the continent next year, which means a fair drive on this side first.
It's about 5 hours drive to Dover from us so we have a couple of options:
1. Leave damn early and drive all the way in one, then get the train at around noon and have a stopover on the way to Germany
2. Leave home at 7pm night before and drive for 3 hours to around Reading, then stay overnight in the late arrivals area of a campsite. We would still be looking to leave by 8am and get the same train (or maybe a bit earlier if we can). Being fresher, maybe make it all the way to Germany without a stopover.
Any thoughts on option 2? Would a campsite let us stay overnight in the visitors area without any fuss, or is there a better option?
Not really much help but we gave up doing things like that years ago. But, not all campsites have late arrival areas. If you are a member of the Caravan Club you could book a pitch at Folkestone, Blackhorse Farm. They have a big area outside the barriers.However I would check direct with the site as at one time they restricted arrivals times from the UK side. You do have to pay in advance so that would be one issue dealt with. So perhaps an option would be to leave home a little earlier and drive to Folkestone in readiness for you morning departure. There is a site near Dover called Hawthorn Farm which allowed 24 hour arrivals, you put the money through the door but again best to check. If you drove for 3 hours how far would you get?
Caravan club black horse site just outside Dover do ferry pitches where you can arrive/leave at any time. We use it. Arrive there mid night and get 10 am ferry
Thanks folks. We would be leaving after work so no chance of leaving before 7pm by the time we get home and changed etc.
After a day at work, I'd rather not then drive all the way to Dover. I don't want to start the holiday totally knackered and I'm a morning person :-)
3 hours driving should see us get to around Newbury - Reading area. Chieveley services have a long-stay parking area for £10, but I don't know how busy/noisy that would be.
We travel from West Yorks and it's 5hrs plus to Chunnel. We have done both scenarios and far prefer the early start after some sleep. Then cross and stay close to Calais or if we have made good time travel a few hours towards our final destination. Fair to say we travel out of main holidays so pre booking of sites doesn't hinder us. Always feel far more refreshed this way, and the hours time difference is out of the way on day 1.also easier to time approach to Chunnel as we have the car park known as the M25 to deal with,
Hugh
------------- Hugh and Penny
2014 30+ nights.
2015
Jan 3 nights Chatsworth
Feb 2 nights Bridlington
March 3 nights Greatham Retreat CL
April 4 nights Crofton Hall CL
May/June Germany 15 nights
Quote: Originally posted by saftlad on 15/10/2013
We're heading over to the continent next year, which means a fair drive on this side first.
It's about 5 hours drive to Dover from us so we have a couple of options:
1. Leave damn early and drive all the way in one, then get the train at around noon and have a stopover on the way to Germany
2. Leave home at 7pm night before and drive for 3 hours to around Reading, then stay overnight in the late arrivals area of a campsite. We would still be looking to leave by 8am and get the same train (or maybe a bit earlier if we can). Being fresher, maybe make it all the way to Germany without a stopover.
Any thoughts on option 2? Would a campsite let us stay overnight in the visitors area without any fuss, or is there a better option?
Thanks
Post last edited on 15/10/2013 20:00:24
I would leave early morning with a couple stops and then stop overnight early afternoon in France/Belgium I also prefer A303 M3 M25 route I drive it a lot as an LGV Driver.
If you want to stop at Reading then easiest is to park on the motorway services, you have to pay about £20 though, it would be better to go another hour or so around the M25 though & park at Maidstone services on M20. I doubt there is a campsite at Reading convenient for M4 anyway, you don't want to be going far out of your way.
Can't recommend Chievely services last time I stopped on there ended up with a wagon with a refrigeration unit next to us . The noise from it was awful hardly slept all night . Not a good start to our holiday adventure and vowed not to use motorway services for overnight stops ever again !. Caravan club black horse site gets my vote!