Parking up at Portsmouth prior to ferry crossing
Hi, I am after some advice regards parking up at Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth. We travel to Santander on 24th Jan with our car and caravan but our sailing isn't till 1700hrs. I don't want to be worrying about getting there on time as it is a 263 mile journey for us so intend travelling down the night before.
I want to know if there is anywhere safe for us to park at the Port whilst we catch up on some sleep awaiting our crossing time?
Many thanks in advance.
Barry and Kim Jones
Comments
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The warden at Rookesbury Park told us you can park up there overnight before an early morning ferry, but I don’t know if you can lark up during the day when there are several ferries leaving. My advice would be to give Brittany ferries a ring & get it straight from the horse’s mouth.
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Hi thanks for responding we would be getting there between 5/6am. Our ferry doesn't leave till 5pm so anticipate being there all day. We have done crossings from Newhaven but they were all morning ones. We've not done an afternoon one from Portsmouth before.
Thanks
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Barry, that sounds like a long boring day in the ferry port car park.
It might while away the time if you towed into the Port Solent marina area when you ariive at 5 or 6 am. The Wetherspoons pub there, Sir Alec Rose, opens at 8 am. and starts cooking up breakfasts. And after that I think you might even with a caravan perhaps find somewhere to park around Southsea canoe lake for a stroll before you go to to docks.
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We did the same ferry trip in January this year. Our ferry was early morning so we parked up overnight at Port Solent Marina which is a small retail park overlooking a marina. It is ten minutes drive from the port. It is free and there are no height barriers. You need to turn left after entering and drive down to the bottom of the very large car park. There are usually several vans there. Bon voyage.
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Hi Barry, BF has parking info on their website but basically you would be OK to park from the departure of the ferry preceding yours.
If, as it sounds, there are departures between your planned arrival time and your departure you will need to make other plans.
Would think that 12 hours on the port is to be avoided if possible.
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Hi Barry,
Rufs is correct in saying Rookesbury Park site is not open in January and there is no parking at the port for vehicles over 2.2m high if travelling on anything other than the early morning ferry. Therefore, I think I would be inclined to use the information from dmreid. Alternatively these 2 websites might be of use to you........
http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/ or https://www.justpark.com/
Please always check for height restrictions though.
Have a great trip.
Tracy
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If using Port Solent with a towed van it might be better to continue on along the road as far as you can until you reach the harbour wall ( beware of two vicious sleeping policemen). The road then bears left to the MOD fire training facility. At the entrance there is a roundabout to enable you too retrace your steps and park parallel to the harbour wall. Motorhomes often use the main retail car park.
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I was just wondering why you don't make an early start and plan on arriving at 15:00 or so? I do accept that the M6 can be unpredictable but would have thought that allowing say 7 hours for the trip - setting off at 08:00 - would give plenty of leeway.
The port isn't the most pleasant place to spend the whole day although a couple of hours is OK.
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Or even drive down the day before, stay at an open all year site near Portsmouth such as Dibles Park, have a lie in next morning, then a good lunch, and drive to the ferryport mid afternoon.
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Even if I set off at 8am I hit rush hour traffic and travelling from the Wirral this would mean hitting all the rush hour traffic to Manchester on the M56 along with the southbound traffic on the M6 which still has the road works on it.
One accident or breakdown on the motorways could delay us. enough to miss our ferry. So rather than take that chance I would prefer to be closer to the Port rather than panicking about making it on time.
If we are okay to park up at the Port or nearby that would be fine.
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I like that idea, Dibles Park sounds Like a good plan.
Many thanks
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…but avoid Salisbury and its horrendous traffic jams at all costs.
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Thanks people, we have booked for the night before at Dibles Park.
Now looking forward to a panic free trip down there the day before, have a lie in on the Friday, a good breakfast and a rested un stressed short trip to the Port later in the afternoon.
Kindest regards
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Hi again,
I think I was misunderstood in my earlier reply.
I was answering the poster's question of whether you can park up at the port. In answering that the wardens at Rookesbury Park told us that you can - I meant they told us you can park at the port for an early crossing.
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We are on the Bilbao ferry sailing at midday and will be staying at Sunnydale Farm which is around 20 minutes from the ferry terminal the night before. You pass a big Tesco where you can pick up any last minute food items and fill up ready for the onward journey. Am pretty sure you could leave site mid afternoon for a small fee.
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Portsmouth is my home town and I also live on the Wirral. We regularly tow down to Rooksbury Park leaving at around 08:00 and arrive at the park by 13:00 at the latest so it's not a trip to get worried about in terms of time. I'd definitely travel down on the day of your ferry as personally I'd definitely not want to spend most of the day at the port or squatting in some car park myself.
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I've just done a check for Liverpool to Portsmouth on ViaMichelin towing a caravan and it's saying 5 hours, so unless there was a significant hold-up, allowing 7 hours doesn't seem unreasonable. Having said that and being of a pessimistic turn of mind, it only takes a major accident or a puncture to increase one's stress levels. Travelling a major part of the journey the day before equals less anxiety.
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Hi, it's nearly that time again to make the trip to Portsmouth and travel to Spain. This time are ferry leaves at 2245. So we intend travelling down on the day.
How early are we allowed to park up in the loading lanes?
Kindest regards
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