Portsmouth ferry parking
We are booked on the Portsmouth - Santander ferry on the 1st February with our caravan and was wondering if anyone could recommend somewhere local to stop for the night prior to our departure. Rookesbury club site is closed at this time of the year and we don’t think the authorities will allow us to stop within the port all night but I am happy to be proved wrong on this.
Thanks for any help that anyone can give.
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And others say they use a commercial site called Dibles Park, though I know nothing about it
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Try Sunnydale Farm Touring Park. 30 mins away from the port and "open all hours"
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Depending on how early the ferry is, I can't see the point of being 30 miles away and having all the extra mileage, and time, to get up and going when being on the dock sees you exactly where you need to be.
although Poole won't be used this spring (so far) we have used the dock there for 8:30 departures for the past n years...
why drive 30 miles (and get up 90 mins earlier) when the boat is a few yards away?
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The Search for Sites website has details of free overnight parking in the Marina Keep area of the Port Solent complex - it includes a phone number to check in with the site security staff, photos of the parking area, and up to date reviews from people who have stayed there in the last few months. It’s 7 miles from the ferry port.
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Hi, Whilst it always pays to check BF have always allowed parking in the departure lanes but after any evening crossings have departed.
We have also done this at Harwich where the same policy applies
BF website says;
OTHER PARKING OPPORTUNITIES
For early morning sailings, you can park your caravan or motorhome in the check-in lanes after midnight.Your vehicle is parked at your own risk and should not be left unattended. No port facilities are open overnight.
We are considering an early crossing next year, before the Plymouth-Santander starts and, if going around the time when you are, would go for the 3rd Feb at 2215.
This allows us the day to travel to Portsmouth, gives a new experience with two nights on board and arrives at 8AM giving a full day for travel.
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We certainly don’t want to have to drive 30 miles on the morning of our departure which is 9am. Parking at the ferry port would be the ideal with no morning rushing about but I am pretty sure that we are not allowed to do this and also we are driving down from the Manchester area so expect to be in Portsmouth about 3PM so need somewhere other than a lay-by to pass the time.
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We stayed at the Portsmouth ferry quayside a few of years ago for the night before our early ferry. No problem, just noisy! We were told we could arrive after the last ferry had left around 11.30pm. Don’t know the rules these days but it worked fine for us - if it’s still allowed!
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We are hoping to stay on the Port Solent carpark overnight before our 9am sailing early January. Have a look on Google Maps its the one next to the cinema. Tends to be used more by Motorhomes however after contacting them they indicated we would be OK to stop one night. You need to contact their security team so they know you are stopping there. I contacted Lisa@portsolent.com who was very helpful. Only a short run to the port in the morning.
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It obviously depends on timings but I wouldn't park at Port Solent in lieu of the port merely because it means getting up earlier and moving (even a short distance) t9 the dock...why not be parked where you need to be..?
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Perhaps because you can’t park at the port till midnight and the OP is arriving at 3 pm..?
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"We certainly don’t want to have to drive 30 miles on the morning of our departure which is 9am. Parking at the ferry port would be the ideal with no morning rushing about but I am pretty sure that we are not allowed to do this and also we are driving down from the Manchester area so expect to be in Portsmouth about 3PM so need somewhere other than a lay-by to pass the time."
Hi, Its the second part of your answer that is where the problem lies-you are allowed to park at the port, as per my post, but not till after the overnight crossing has loaded leaving the lanes empty.
Looking at the BF timetables it seems the other crossing that day, to Caen, leaves in the afternoon so I would email BF and ask them.
As alternatives you could consider the crossing that I mentioned above or arrive later, other factors allowing, than 3pm.
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Which was why I qualified my post...
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That’ll be us, et.
We are Dibles fans.
It's at Warsash. Fuel filling station nearby. Its a static park mainly but with a nice little tarmacked touring area at the entrance with about 6 or so pitches with lekky. A very clean toilet/shower block. Very nice for an early get away. About 20 mins to the port.
Oh! and a really nice lady running it.
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So there, between us all, we have given the original questioner the full list of choices close to Portsmouth port - from free of charge to £25 a night.
You would think the Club would have put that list together years ago and published it for the benefit of folk sailing in and out of Portsmouth in the winter. But no, they leave it to us.
My best regards to all travellers.
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There are a few parking places along the top of the hill on the B2177 overlooking Portsmouth. One even has a resident "Mick's Monster Burgers" van plus the Churchillian pub across the road.
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For clarification - my post said 30 mins away (half an hour max) not 30 miles. To not correct it, would be doing a dis-justice to the site itself.
Agreed 30 miles for a morning crossing is a little too far for comfort!
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You depart at 9am, but you have to be there 90 mins, at least, before that for check-in. So that means 7:30 at the latest, so that means getting up at.....and then driving through morning traffic.
We drive down from the Scottish Borders and have stayed overnight in the check-in lanes, when the rule was "after the last ferry departed". (there will probably be people turning up to park before midnight)
I would overnight at the Port as it will be a lot less stressful and so no chance of missing the ferry.
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Many thanks for all the suggestions and we are going to mull over everything that has been posted. We particularly like the idea of getting in the check in line at whatever time we can and relax knowing that we have arrived and not fretting about what time to get up, traffic enroute in the morning, punctures, breakdowns and all the other things that could happen. Also a good point about the club having a list available of stops available near all the ferry ports at all times of the year.
Stay safe everyone and again many thanks for your input.
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