Over night ish near Dover

trevorstretch
trevorstretch Forum Participant Posts: 52
edited March 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

hi we are catching a 4am ferry at Dover so looking for a stop over ie early evening to we leave to catch ferry, m aware that motorway services only allow parking for two hours. Any suggestions?

thanks

Comments

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #2

    You can park at motorway services for longer in this country, but you have to pay a fee.  There used to be plenty of parking in and around Dover, but they seem to have clamped down on this in recent years, and never having stayed on a site near Dover I'm not able to recommend anywhere.

    Our usual plan when we had the caravan on the back was to get a ferry at whatever time we turn up (we have a journey down from Yorkshire) and spend the night on either a site in France which takes late arrivals such as Le Bien Assise, Les Erables, or Les Epinettes, or in our case at the Aire de la Baie de Somme, motorway services  don't charge a fee for overnight stays in France.

    Baie de Somme is used by caravanners of all nationalities, and there is even a dedicated bay with picnic tables, litter bins, and parking bays for caravans and motorhomes.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #3

    Trevor, might it be better to leave home about 10 pm, arrive Dover about 2 am., hope for an earlier ferry,  and sleep somewhere on the other side of the water at 4 am.?   It all sounds brutal timing but perhaps you are younger than I am. 

  • trevorstretch
    trevorstretch Forum Participant Posts: 52
    edited March 2016 #4

    Hi

    i like the idea of earlier ferry, we are leaving our house on Tuesday, staying at local campsite, up till Friday and ferry is sat  morning, will they allow us on to earlier ferry?

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #5

    Trevor, At quiet times many people get loaded on the ferry at Dover which is the one before they booked. At peak weekends, when the ferries are fully booked, and on other days when there is a lot of freight traffic, they don't.

    So just look up the timetable for your particular ferry company, find the sailing time of the one before yours, arrive in time for that one, and smile nicely at the lady in check in. If it were somewhere in Asia I would say offer her money as well, but that's perhaps not necessary at Dover.

    Good luck. 

  • volvogolfer
    volvogolfer Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited March 2016 #6

    There are a couple of certified locations just before you enter dover that are excellent for stopping at for an early start. much better than risking a night in a layby.

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #7

    Hi

    i like the idea of earlier ferry, we are leaving our house on Tuesday, staying at local campsite, up till Friday and ferry is sat  morning, will they allow us on to earlier ferry?

    Trevor, because we live in Yorkshire, we could never be truly sure what time we would arrive, but always found that we were put on the next ferry, whatever time that was.

    One time we 'chanced it' because OH had a chance to work the day before near Knebworth, so we stayed overnight in the caravan nearby, and when he finished work about 3.00 pm we set off down to Dover.  We had a ferry booked for 11.50 pm, but were put on the ferry about 6.00 pm - the next one following our arrival in Dover.  

    I always think that being 'on the other side' early in the morning gives you a really good start to the day, apart from the croissants and lovely coffee for breakfast!

  • TheAdmiral
    TheAdmiral Forum Participant Posts: 506
    edited March 2016 #8

    There's a CL in the Sites Directory at Dover owned by The Keizers, very convenient at the top of the hill before dropping down to the Port

    Admiral 

  • dunton10
    dunton10 Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited March 2016 #9

    last year we stayed at lenacre court farm no.847 on page 380 of the directory. listed under Dover. from there its only 3 miles down the A2 to the ferry port. very convenient. We found the access easy and the owners very pleasant. there is a large grass area
    and also a large hardstanding area that still allows you to hook up. Depending on pitch selected you can even leave your car hooked up which will save time in the early hours. I must say though I agree the ferry times are not great and you'll be leaving about
    2.30 ish. I'd consider the suggestions above above about crossing earlier but if you do decide to stay at Dover you wont go wrong with this CL

  • Mistrom
    Mistrom Forum Participant Posts: 20
    edited March 2016 #10

    Blackhorse Farm CC Site is useful. They have pitches available for ferry crossings and you can leave in the very early hours without disturbing anyone.

    Another site I have used for a 4am crossing was 'Little Switzeland' Touring Site in Folkestone. It is easy to leave that site very early with minimum fuss and is used a lot for early morning crossings..

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