Tunnel from Black Horse Farm
We are planning to cross from Black Horse Farm, aiming for mid France for first overnight. What is the amount of time needed from leaving the site to the tunnel terminal check-in, i.e. we will book an early crossing. I understand that there are specific
pitches to help with a quick getaway.
Thanks
Comments
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It's about 8 miles - say 20 minutes drive to the tunnel check in once you are hitched up and ready to roll .But if only they had drive-through pitches at Black Horse where caravanners could stay overnight without unhitching it would make things even quicker in the cold clear light of morning. Have a good trip. Take care.
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Mark, yes there are specific pitches, they call them Ferry Pitches.
Basically, they are pitches in an area nearer to the exit. They have their own toilet / shower block, which is basic but satisfactory.
The ferry pitches had spread into the next area when we were there a few weeks ago. Just the same though - hardstanding, non-awning pitches.
They like you to ring them prior to arrival, to pay for the night and to tell them what time you will be leaving (although I can no longer see where it says that on the web site). They seem to allocate pitches based on departure time - earliest leavers nearest
the exit......although you will still hear a lot of door slamming etc in the early hours.It's close to the Tunnel terminal - I'd say 15 minutes. There is a 'back way' into the terminal, off Spitfire Way (the road from the A2) but last time we ended up back on the A2 and coming off at the slip road. Still 15 minutes.
Biggest drawback of this site is that there is little to do nearby if you have a spare afternoon. Don't waste your time going into Folkestone, it's a dump. Canterbury is further away but far better.
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Have used 'Black Horse' twice now and as ET says, 20 minutes is all it takes once leaving the site. Ferry pitches really are not an advantage to yourselves for a quick getaway, but just a standard pitch in a location that hopefully/supposedly won't wake anyone up with your leaving.
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I can stay hitched up overnight for early morning ferries on the other side of the water at commercial sites at Roscoff, Caen and Calais. And I can do that also in the big field at the commercial site called Hawthorn Farm in Dover But at the Club sites at Folkestone and Plymouth where I am a sub paying member. No. How about at Rookeshury Park for Portsmouth ferries? Is that a No too?
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Another tunnel query; we normally travel with 2 bikes on Sorento roof, which puts us approx 2ft higher than caravan. Are we best to put bikes inside caravan for tunnel?
mark
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I can stay hitched up overnight for early morning ferries on the other side of the water at commercial sites at Roscoff, Caen and Calais. And I can do that also in the big field at the commercial site called Hawthorn Farm in Dover But at the Club sites
at Folkestone and Plymouth where I am a sub paying member. No. How about at Rookeshury Park for Portsmouth ferries? Is that a No too?It would be nice if Rookesbury Park was open all year same as Black Horse, anyone using winter ferries have little choice of where to stay.
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Another tunnel query; we normally travel with 2 bikes on Sorento roof, which puts us approx 2ft higher than caravan. Are we best to put bikes inside caravan for tunnel?
mark
Write your comment.They would probably be TOO high.Check with the tunnel for height restrictions.
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Coming back from France we used pitch 1 at Black Horse Farm. It's not a 'drivecthrough' pitch as such, but probably the nearest you could get to it. We drove on the pitch from the back (there was no-one behind). We unhitched the car and parked it by
the side overnight. We then hitched up very early the next morning and drove off the opposite way. It appeared to be the best pitch for a quick getaway, but not the prettiest pitch around!David
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Hi Mark, well they put you in with the coaches so bykes probs wouldnt be a prob as some of them "coaches" are bloody high, but have to say if your arriving at Black Horse and being a bit nervey of the whole day ahead, just use it as a place for the night
and if you want unwind a bit have a couple of beers in the pub hundred yards down the road and maybe have a bite to eat there, but as someone else mentioned if youve got loads of time go earley you'll get an earlier train...Relax and enjoy..Oh if you have
a dog, the dog walk is a joke...0 -
Blackhorse Farm site only makes sense if you are arriving quite late. We booked it once but when the slip road to the tunnel appeared we couldn't resist trying to check in! They let us on OK so I phoned the Club who very generously arranged a refund. I also
phoned ahead to Vivier Aux Carpes and confirmed that a 9 pm arrival was OK.The other option which we have used many times is to cross over, drive for an hour then spend the night on an Autoroute Aire. This was with two children by the way so don't be put off by scare stories.
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Mark - plenty of people carry bikes on car roofs on the Tunnel. You will be using the 'high vehicle' carriages anyway, so not a problem.
We said that we wouldn't use Black Horse again, because it's far cheaper to get across (under) the water and find a site on the other side. But Mrs H was worried about timing (with good reason, as it happened - the M1 was like a car park for much of the
160 miles we were on it). However, we did have a pleasant afternoon in Canterbury before heading off.0 -
Another tunnel query; we normally travel with 2 bikes on Sorento roof, which puts us approx 2ft higher than caravan. Are we best to put bikes inside caravan for tunnel?
mark
If you put bikes inside the caravan, you risk overloading the caravan. Check your weight before adding in two bicycles.
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Thanks Hakinbush and Ian, I thought that would be the case, so will leave the bikes in place. We are actually 3 nights at Black Horse in order to 'do' the relatives in Margate and Brighton, and note the comments about the site. Will probably leave early
morning but not too early! We are aiming for Chateau de l'Eperviere near Macon for first night, so need as much of the day as poss for travelling. Will look to book tunnel next week or so.Thanks again
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If you are staying 3 nights at BHF, you really do not want to be in the "ferry pitch" area , not if you like a decent sleep!!
What time of crossing are you going to book?
If very early, book an ordinary pitch and discuss with the warden on arrival whether you could move to the "ferry area" for the last night.
If it is fully booked, select a pitch where you will be able to leave very quietly without disturbing your neighbours, make sure you have everything prepared the night before, and avoid door slamming and leaving your engine running.
As a frequent BHF user, we always book at least 2 nights and never book a crossing before 10am, so no early departure needed.
If you are leaving from 8am onwards, being in the main area would not be a problem.
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Chateau l'epervier was always our second night after spending the first night not too far from Calais but you could do it in one go. Our usual site in Sennecy was the one at Lac de Laive which is a bit easier to get to and is ACSI. There are several sites
between Chalon sur Saone and Tournus that you could use so I recommend not booking unless you particularly want Epervier which can be full due to the number of Eurocamp type installations. I am told the restaurant is good so that's probably why you are going
there!Our memories of l'epervier go back 30 years before it was upgraded. Our young daughter was quite ill driving South so we grabbed the Club site book and ended up there. It was nearly empty and the proprietor helped us get a doctor followed by a mad dash into
Sennecy following this maniac Doctor driver to get some antibiotics. We returned many times until it got the upgrade.0 -
We were once on the ferry pitches at Black Horse Farm and in the evening it was full. We awoke reasonably early to get to the tunnel but most of the other units had gone and we didn't hear a thing!!! Pitches on that site are usually allocated and you might
find that you are further into the site depending on your leaving time.David
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KjellNN
Clearly I do but tend to have the opposite problem in that I find some things tend to prevent me getting to sleep like people talking or loud music which is something you are more likely to find on a campsite where people are staying longer.
David
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Another tunnel query; we normally travel with 2 bikes on Sorento roof, which puts us approx 2ft higher than caravan. Are we best to put bikes inside caravan for tunnel?
mark
Write your comments here...
bear in mind that you travel with coaches and any other high vehicle it should not make any difference
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