European Trip

[RandG]

Your obvious nearest port in Newcastle to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) though not much coast riding from there. Failing that as said, waaaaayyyy doon sooth, what a slog that is there and back, particularly back.

I flew out to Barcelona and hired a bike for a week and did the Pyrenees in September, that's an option.

[Redmurty]

cross to Belfast ride south to Rosslare job done (thumbs)

Ride the west coast of France or go straight to Santander

cheers Spud

[Kipper]

Why not make the trip down south part of the adventure? Maybe across through Snowdonia, Welsh coast, Brecons, Devon, Falmouth ferry I think to Santander. Picos and or Pyrenees. Up through France West coast. England through peak district?? I just made all that up but you get the idea!!

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Over the years I have tended to make the trip to the destination into part of the adventure. Without question if I was travelling with my son I would do that.

I meet a lot of bikers travelling Scotland/Belfast/Rosslare/France or Cork/France and its a very simple route.

You can take an early morning ferry from Scotland and be in France for 11am the next day from Rosslare or 7.30am if you take the PontAven from Cork [yep, same one as does the routes to Spain]. West side of France is lovely and we do a 1 night camp to get to Bordeaux but with 2 travelling cheap hotels are a very good and quick option. Take the slow route and go to the old WW2 submarine bases at St Nazaire, go down the coast to La Rochelle and Royan, you will make that in the same day.

I have done the long route down through England and the alternative from Belfast wins hands down and you don't have to negotiate mad traffic anywhere along the way. Another advantage with the Rosslare option is that there is a ferry every 2 days which gives flexibility. Sailings vary Cherbourg/Rosslare and there is a Titanic centre at Cherbourg too. with some clever planning you could hit them all on your trip as there is also one in Cork and Belfast.

Straight run Belfast to Cork is motorway all the way M1/M50/M7/M8/N40/N28 apart from the last 7 miles to the ferry port. Sailing is approx 4pm on Saturdays arrive Roscoff and off for 7.30am. 3 toll points, €1 for a bike on each one. No bike toll on the M50.

Kipper made a good suggestion and maybe consider come back to France West Coast but to Cork or Rosslare and up east coast of Ireland. A day in the Mournes or North Antrim Coast would be icing on the cake.

[Brads]

I`m near Edinburgh and tbh I just get a shift in and ride to Folkestone in a day. Get a cheap hotel (Holiday Inn express at the Eurotunnel) Chinese delivered and a few beers. Job done.

Off the train, 2 hr ride and you`re into the decent areas of France.

[-Ralph-]

I take it there's no ferry from Rosyth to Zeebrugge anymore?

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[sprintster]

I take it there's no ferry from Rosyth to Zeebrugge anymore?

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There hasn't been for a few years.

[-Ralph-]

I take it there's no ferry from Rosyth to Zeebrugge anymore?

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There hasn't been for a few years.

It cost a flipping fortune after Superfast dropped it anyway.

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[-Ralph-]

Don't forget Scandinavia as an option

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[HDv955]

Rosyth ferry is long gone