First ferry to spain trip... (1 Viewer)

[SteveandSueJ]

We have travelled France/spain in our MH many times but always driven to spain via France. Decided to try portsmouth to bilbao on Salamanca this September (the boss worried as not a good sailor). Doing Portugal for 1st time also. For the ferry, do I assume the 3 way fridge remains off or can I leave it running on gas?(suspect not). Does anyone know what is the earliest we can arrive in Portsmouth Dock as have longish drive from Essex to do. We have 4 weeks and would welcome any suggestions fir a scenic route down thru portugal, across to Seville/Cordoba and back, then back up thru Portugal to ferry home? Would appreciate some must see suggestions that I can factor in to our route... finally, do we need an auto toll payment system like Via Verde in case we have to use toll roads? Would prefer not to use tolls or pay as we go but not sure how it works in portugal... appreciate and grateful for all suggestions....

 

[David and Sally]

Gas off definitely.
You can arrive several hours early at Portsmouth but suggest to pitch up at Port Solent for a few hours. Free parking and shops, bars, restaurants to visit.

 

[Vic]

Day and a half on a tug. Hated the crossing. If you wanted anything, hand in pocket, pay for this pay for that. Bay of Biscay interesting. Had a forward cabin, crash banging of the anchor chains all night long. Never, never again. Oh, the film that night in the cinema was De ja Vue....about a bomb on a ferry.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Freeze a couple of bottles of squash or water before you leave home to leave in the fridge.
Take a travel kettle, tea,coffee, milk, sugar to use in cabin.
Trip is usually boring but saves driving through France.
Expensive but sometimes worth it

 

[OldCodger]

We came that route two weeks ago on the Santander (ship not port!). It’s a nice trip. Food is expensive on board as is booze so take some if your own. We treat ourselves to the Commodore Lounge where we can get places. You get three light meals included. Not quite al la carte and a bit repetitive but still excellent food. Based on on board prices of food and wine we think we get excellent value from it. Places are limited. Wine (and only wine /soft drinks) is provided free in the afternoon and evening.

On the gas fridge question we were not asked to turn the gas off. Motorhomes are loaded on the truck deck which remains open to the sea, so there’s no risk of build up. We have never been asked to turn the gas off and after a trip to the deck one day (because some numpty left the lights on in Betsy) I can see why it’s ok. You do get asked on the French crossings and on the train, but the Spanish routes (Done Santander and Bilbao) are ok.

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[MichaelT]

We drive down but here's a route we did couple of yeas ago

 

[HugoBNB]

The Bay of Biscay has a reputation for being a bit "choppy" at times. We got well battered on out last crossing in February. If you are able to get it in your budget, plump for the Commodore Lounde access. It is a really nice area with complimentary food and drink served throughout the day. Breakfast, too. It saves traipsing around the boat looking for something to waste your money on. As for your route, my advice would be to decide as you get off the boat having looked at the weather. The Asturias region is beautiful, but it tends to suffer from more cloudy days than the sunny south. We headed west along the northern coast stopping at Gijon and Santiago de Compstella before running down the coast of Portugal then back in along the Algarve and into Spain near Seville. We went on along to the Costa del Sol, but have turned up towards Cordoba, Casares, then on up to Burgos in the past. There are plenty of good suggestions in posts on here which we used, along with a but of YouTube, to make our rough plan. Ditto for tolls. We have a Ulys tag, but try to avoid the toll roads unless we need to put a spurt on to get somewhere specific. We didn't touch any on this year's trip into Spain and Portugal until we decided to hoof it up through Central Spain to have more time in France at the end of the trip.
Have a great time!

 

[Just smiffy]

Salamanca is indeed a lovely place to see for a day on route to Portugal, Lisbon too is a great place a few campsites out of town but good buses to get in.
Foz do Arelho, a cheep basic aire but right on the waterfront and a beautiful beach and small town..

Obidos a good tourist attraction with motorhome parking and Aires…

 

[Mikeco]

We came that route two weeks ago on the Santander (ship not port!). It’s a nice trip. Food is expensive on board as is booze so take some if your own. We treat ourselves to the Commodore Lounge where we can get places. You get three light meals included. Not quite al la carte and a bit repetitive but still excellent food. Based on on board prices of food and wine we think we get excellent value from it. Places are limited. Wine (and only wine /soft drinks) is provided free in the afternoon and evening.

On the gas fridge question we were not asked to turn the gas off. Motorhomes are loaded on the truck deck which remains open to the sea, so there’s no risk of build up. We have never been asked to turn the gas off and after a trip to the deck one day (because some numpty left the lights on in Betsy) I can see why it’s ok. You do get asked on the French crossings and on the train, but the Spanish routes (Done Santander and Bilbao) are ok.

I don’t understand this post as I don’t believe that there is a ship called Santander and every time we have sailed to Spain we have been parked on an enclosed deck so it’s not okay to leave your gas on.

 

[David and Sally]

Salamanca or Santona.?

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[Barclaybasher]

I don’t understand this post as I don’t believe that there is a ship called Santander and every time we have sailed to Spain we have been parked on an enclosed deck so it’s not okay to leave your gas on.

Rarely have I been asked to switch the gas off on ferries, always on the tunnel

 

[Mikeco]

Rarely have I been asked to switch the gas off on ferries, always on the tunnel

I’ve never been asked either so they must therefore assume that anyone travelling with gas onboard has turned them off as stated in the travel information.

 

[SteveandSueJ]

Thank you all...gas off as I suspected, can leave frozen water as mentioned. There are a few route suggestions that I have found online and would welcome suggestions of 'must see' places to visit...

 

[OldCodger]

I don’t understand this post as I don’t believe that there is a ship called Santander and every time we have sailed to Spain we have been parked on an enclosed deck so it’s not okay to leave your gas on.

My apologies, it was the Salamanca.

We have been on this deck everytime we have sailed. Having been on deck during the sailing it is very windy.

 

[carolyn]

I’ve never been asked either so they must therefore assume that anyone travelling with gas onboard has turned them off as stated in the travel information.View attachment 922743

I think because there aren’t big signs telling people that they must turn their gas off they “choose” to believe it’s safe and think that it’s the ferry companies fault for not making it obvious! I am one of those people who try to prepare for everything so the first time we travelled on a ferry in a motorhome I googled what you needed to do and it must have said it there. All because lots of other people have said it’s probably a fuss about nothing I’m not taking a risk. My Dad was a stoker, he would have been one of the ones least likely to get out.

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[nicholsong]

I have always understood that the reason for turning off the gas is that if the fridge is running that provides an ignition source for any escaped petrol fumes from other vehicles and that ensuring the gas is off is the easiest way to police that.

 

[SteveandSueJ]

I agree above and Gas shoukd be off...

 

[BillyBear]

Here’s a couple of places for you to checkout. Santillana del Mar, not far from Santander and Bilbao and Tomar in Portugal. Put your shining armour on, grab a Tuk Tuk and think “Knights Templar”.

 

[OldCodger]

Plus one for Tomar, but I’m biased I live there!

Last night was the Templar Festa

 

[OldCodger]

I’d also add places like Óbidos for history, Nazare for the beach and surfing, Foz do Arelho for the Motor home park right by the beach, Sintra near Lisbon for the palaces.

Fatima is a place of pilgrimage for Catholics and is truly awesome to even heathens like me. Dont go on a weekend! Theres half a dozen Moho parking spots as well.

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[SteveandSueJ]

Can I ask about toll roads... can you avoid toll roads (preferable) or should I get a via Verde pass??? Is it possible to just pay if we end up on a toll road, like france, as we go???

 

[OldCodger]

Yes. You can avoid tolls. In Portugal there’s often a fairly good alternative, they can be a bit (lot?) busier and will be slower going. The Portuguese don’t like paying tolls so the motorways there are quieter EXCEPT around the Algarve and the big cities. There aren’t many tolls in Spain, with the notable exception of the routes through the hills/mountains around Bilbao.

 

[SteveandSueJ]

I would prefer non tolls tbh but would you advise we register before we go via the easy toll link, say fir 30 days as likely enough? If i read it right, small registration fee via CCard then only a fee it I hit the toll road by accident? Any other better option?... thx for help..

 

[Just smiffy]

If you have a sat-nav just set it to non tolls… works for me..

 

[OldCodger]

I would prefer non tolls tbh but would you advise we register before we go via the easy toll link, say fir 30 days as likely enough? If i read it right, small registration fee via CCard then only a fee it I hit the toll road by accident? Any other better option?... thx for help..

That’s correct. Link Reg Number to credit card and away you go. On the traditional via verde tolls, take a ticket and pay on exit. DON’T use the fast lanes. It just works for us.

If you are there for more than 30 days you have to reregister!

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[SteveandSueJ]

That’s correct. Link Reg Number to credit card and away you go. On the traditional via verde tolls, take a ticket and pay on exit. DON’T use the fast lanes. It just works for us.

If you are there for more than 30 days you have to reregister!

Brilliant, thank you...

 

[rosalan]

If possible, do not miss Merida in Spain. South of Salamanca, it was once the Roman capital of Spain.
A town we discovered this year was Badajoz on Portuguese border, especially if you have bikes. Aire is mostly sloping a little but good and free.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

We have travelled France/spain in our MH many times but always driven to spain via France. Decided to try portsmouth to bilbao on Salamanca this September (the boss worried as not a good sailor). Doing Portugal for 1st time also. For the ferry, do I assume the 3 way fridge remains off or can I leave it running on gas?(suspect not). Does anyone know what is the earliest we can arrive in Portsmouth Dock as have longish drive from Essex to do. We have 4 weeks and would welcome any suggestions fir a scenic route down thru portugal, across to Seville/Cordoba and back, then back up thru Portugal to ferry home? Would appreciate some must see suggestions that I can factor in to our route... finally, do we need an auto toll payment system like Via Verde in case we have to use toll roads? Would prefer not to use tolls or pay as we go but not sure how it works in portugal... appreciate and grateful for all suggestions....

Will follow with interest as we are travelling to Santander mid September for four weeks, with a view to seeing Portugal. Like you we know we’ve been to Spain a few times before in the motorhome but never Portugal.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

If possible, do not miss Merida in Spain. South of Salamanca, it was once the Roman capital of Spain.
A town we discovered this year was Badajoz on Portuguese border, especially if you have bikes. Aire is mostly sloping a little but good and free.

I’ll second Merida, although it is in Spain so may be off their itinerary.

 

[OldCodger]

If it helps, the Parque de Autocaravanas (Aire) in Tomar is right by the old town, 5 minute stroll to the river side where there are restaurants and a cafe. 10 minutes and you are in the heart of the historic centre. The convent (the former head quarters of the Knights Templar) dominates the town.

There is so much to see and do I would allow two full days at least. You can walk around the castle for free but to go inside the convent you need to pay (about €10 but with a discount for oldies). Both need 2-3 hours minimum and a lot of walking.

You can walk up to the convent from town. It’ll take 30-45 minutes and the hill is steep - but it is also accessible by Motorhome- coaches get up there ok!

A coffee and Pastel de Nata will cost you €2 in town, a beer €1.20 a glass of wine €2. The local wines can be bought in the local supermarkets for €2.50 a bottle. It is very easy to eat out in the town for under €30 including drinks. If you crave a good curry there is the Star Kitchen is 5 minutes walk - restaurant and take away.

The Aire itself is the former municipal camp site, now used only for Motorhomes. It’s a bit untidy but is level, safe, quiet (when there’s not a festa on) and very convienuent. It has water, cassette dump, drive over grey water dump but no EHU or other facilities. Oh and it is free!

Hope this helps

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