Portsmouth to Santander Ferry
After hours of joyful research using the "new improved" overseas booking website we are considering booking the Portsmouth to Santander ferry. This route is new to us as we usually go from Portsmouth to Caen. Grateful for some advice on a couple of points.
- The ferry is due to arrive in Santander at around 6.30 pm in mid May. Any recommendations for a relatively close site for the first night (or longer if it is in a good position).
- Our initial rough plan is to spend around a week to ten days in Northern Spain before heading up through France towards Caen for the ferry home. What are the "must see" areas in Northern Spain?
- Further to the above question, any good caravan sites near those "must see" areas? A potential problem here is, like many I am sure, we would rather avoid small cramped pitches. I understand this could be a problem in Spain.
- I appreciate the weather in May in that part of Spain can be very changeable. If in the worst case scenario it is forecast to bucket down with rain for the week or so we are there what would be the best Plan B option for us if we wanted to stay in Spain (ie driving south for three or four hours?)
Grateful for any advice. Just for info it is our first trip to Spain with our caravan. We have just over four weeks in all.
Thanks
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On arrival in Santander at that time of day Camping Virgen del Mar and Camping Cabo Mayor are both within easy reach for a first night or two - but nether of them take dogs. Is that a problem for you?
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In respect of a nearby site - whenever we have taken that route we have used Caravaning Oyambre which is about an hour from Santander. We usually book via the Club and that way the site knows you are going to be an 8.00 p.m. arrival - as compared to just turning up with your ACSI card. It is a good site with an above average restaurant and an indoor pool - the local town is well worth a visit as well. The site takes dogs.
In respect of a route back to Caen I cannot really comment as you will be spoilt for choice and these things are so personal The Club has a number of excellent sites to choose from and at that time of the year availability should not be a problem.
Hope this helps and wish you an excellent trip
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Another vote for the Bilbao ferry as it arrives at a better time. If Roman remains are your thing and you do head south, the remains at Merida just south of Caceres are wonderful.
David, I know you know a lot about birds. Would April be a good time to visit the Monfrague National Park? We had to postpone our trip and are now planning to go at the end of March.
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LTC - Excuse me for interrupting David but yes it would be a good time to visit Monfrague. The Vultures breed in the park, plus the migrants like Red Rumped Swallows will be back. You may also be lucky and see Rock Buntings and Spanish Sparrows.
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Stato, I'm not sure what your interests are but you could head into the Picos da Europa, a wonderful mountainous area just to the east of Bilboa. If you like walking or climbing it should be excellent in May. Vultures such as Lammergeiers also breed there. They are very rare. Once again if you are interested in birdwatching then the Steppes just south of Zaragoza hold rare birds such as Bustards. If you need more details then let me know.
As for plan B you could reach the outskirts of Madrid in a day. See the Escorial palaces, a bit outside the city or Aranjuez, then take a train into the city.
Let people know what you are interested in and we can advise on routes and things to do on the way back to Caen.
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Back in 2013 I used Brittany Ferries to spain , using Cap Finistere. I have also used the Caen route and preferred these ships. To the best of my memory the self service restaurant is up on an outer deck , whereas the Caen ships are inside. However you might be on Pont Aven or a new vessel. Just posted to update you re vessels, not sites. Enjoy your trips
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Good point. It's widely held that the most convenient sailing to Santander is the Sunday afternoon 1615 sailing from Plymouth.
It's the quickest sailing of the week, and on Pont Aven, the biggest and best ship, and after a leisurely breakfast in the smart, waiter service restaurant next morning it arrives in Santander at 1215 - with time to do as you wish.
But there are no dog friendly cabins on that ship - only kennels - and that puts many Club members off.
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Stato
A differning view here in my opinion, don't do it stay with Caen we live here and now always use Caen and drive though both Spain and France.
We have used the Santander 12 times now and that was 12 times to many in fact the last time was in August and we met a force 12 storm in the Bay of Biscay not nice believe me.
May in The north of Spain is not to disimilar to the UK late teens or maybe a 20 something but no where near the temperatures further south around Valencia.
Campsites are usually of good standard some better then the CAMC there I said it, if you like cities I can recommend Burgos a really fantastic city and it has a good campsite by the river called Fuentes Bancos easy walk into town.
Phil
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Thank you all for your very helpful replies.
We chose the Santander route for a number of reasons. It is one of the quicker crossings, we didn't fancy two nights as was the case on some of the economie crossings. It's the Pont Aven, which I understand is one of the "cruise" ferries (and with all car decks undercover). Travelling from Kent I only really want to go as far as Portsmouth.
I may look again at the route options, especially if the overseas bookings website improves in the very near future lol.
Thanks for the info re Picos de Europa. That looks right up our alley. We do like to do a little bit of light hiking. The Monfrague NP looks excellent too, although I think it will be a tad too far south for us if we will be returning home via Caen. I may have another look at returning from Spain. Although I do think the cost is probably going to be too high - £1,100 is too much for me.
Grateful for more suggestions for good Spanish sites with decent sized pitches. The French sites and route I am less fussed about. Unless we have to follow the weather, our preferred route will be Dordogne or Atlantic Coast and Loire Valley/Brittany.
Thanks once again.
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Thanks Phil,
I did ponder staying with Caen and Normandy/Brittany. We've been there three years running and really enjoyed ourselves. Some of the sites have been fantastic, and extremely good value for money.
We decided on Spain and South West France this time because we've got longer than usual, four and a half weeks rather than two and a half. And we have to go earlier in the year than I would have liked - mid May rather than mid June. I understand the weather in Northern Spain is similar to the UK, but am hoping the weather in South Western France may be a bit warmer. Of course it could tip down with rain for the whole four weeks lol.
And as for the Bay of Biscay.... I may have to hide your post from the wife lol. Especially as I have reassured her that the ferry is so big you would never know we were at sea.
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Thank you Wherenext and David.
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We are going over mid April, Portsmouth to Bilbao and coming back mid June Caen to Portsmouth.
We have done the Santander crossing once before on the Pont Aven, the crossing was fine a little bouncy mid crossing but not rough seas.
Reference going down to the Monfrague NP its not that far to go if the weather is against you in northern Spain. If you were to stay overnight at one of the suggested sites at Santander, we stayed at Cabo Mayor.
Then the next day you could be at Escorial for say 2 or 3 nights, then an easy drive to Monfrague for a few days. Caceras is again an easy drive from there for a few days, then time to turn around and drive to say Salamanca for a few days then head for the Spanish/French border.
The roads are really good in Spain with motorways now 'FREE' its actually a delight to drive over there.
I guess it depends on how much time you want to spend in Spain compared to France. We recently came back from the border of Spain to Caen in 3 overnight stops, it wasn't hard driving or all motorway. Not the way we usually return from holiday but we had to on this occasion.
What ever you choose I hope you have a great time, by the time you get over we should be right down the bottom of Spain.
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Thank you all for your replies. Very helpful.
You've certainly given me food for thought. I will look again at the return trip from Santander/Bilbao. It will certainly help if the weather turns out to be poor. This is our first long holiday in our van and the big fear is we have four weeks of inclement weather. Trouble is I can't get my head around paying £1200 or so for a ferry. This is not our only holiday of the year and it seems a lot of money to pay out. Perhaps I'm just a tight git!
As an aside, has anybody ever changed their return route mid holiday with the Caravan Club/Brittany Ferries? It may not be feasible but I just wondered how easy it is.
Tammy girl - Thank you for your suggested route. I will definitely keep it in mind. Have a great time.
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Stato I changed our bookings this year, done through the club. I couldn't make the March crossing to Spain due to hospital appointments and rearranged it for September. I was surprised to find that the price for the latter crossing was the same as for March. Nevertheless I ended paying an admin fee of £20 to the club for the change.
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Stato, if I were going by ferry to Spain I would book two separate Flexi singles with Brittany Ferries - using a borrowed Friends and Families discount code. Each Flexi ticket can changed on line with Brittany Ferries up to 4 hours before departure without any amendment fee.
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