TransCantabric 2024

[stinger108]

Good afternoon,

 

Here we have the new thread for TransCantabric 2024 with some initial information.

 

First a draft route that I found in the internet, not edited yet and used just as a reference.

 

 

 

The route crosses most iconic cities in the north of Spain: San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Oviedo and Santiago; and can be completed in 8 days.

 

Also I had a look to the calendar for dates and most suitable ones are Friday 19/4 to Friday 26/4. Sooner can be too cold and snowy. Later, 1 and 2 of may is bh in Spain (too many tourist, higher hotel prices); 6/5 is bh in England; 16 to the 20/5 is jeep trek; and 27/5 another bh in England. Then we move into June with holiday season, higher prices, hot weather and fire prevention restrictions on tracks.

 

For travelling there and back I have run some simulations of time and cost based in this year experience £0.33 per mile in UK & Spain, and £0.43 in France (tolls). Outbound ferry arrives to Spain on Thursday, short drive to San Sebastián and you can enjoy one of the best (if not the best) cities in the country. Then route starts on Friday. For the inbound finishing on Friday, drive to Santander on Saturday and take ferry on Sunday.

 

Cost of ferry not a massive difference to drive cross France.

 

Last, budget during the route, around £100 daily per person ( including fuel, food, drinks, and hotels) based on 2 person on the car. That is taken from this year actual costs.

 

 

 

Trans Cantabric 2024 options.pdf

[digger]

Well done once again Ignacio! You deserve a medal.

For me, I think your earliest dates are the best because  I need time to recover before ''Jeep Trek''. Second, its cooler and the cheapest. 

One can usually book ferries with different in and out goings. if this is possible here I would prefer to reduce distance and go to Bilbao and return from Santander.

 

Just my view!

Am I right in thinking its about 900 miles altogether ie there and back?

Edited September 18, 2023 by digger

[stinger108]

docking in Bilbao, 60 miles of motorway to San Sebastián (starting point of the route).

route around 800 miles.

then Finisterra (end point of the route) to Santander 340 miles all in motorway.

[UKTJ]

Amazing work @stinger108.  I think those dates look perfect, very neatly threaded between public holidays.  For me the ferry option definitely looks preferrable to the long drive - a much more relaxed way to start and finish the trip.  Are you looking for anyone interested to 'throw their hat into the ring' based on those dates?

 

[stinger108]

all going well I will do the trip. anyone interested more than welcome.

next I will research and book for hotels, all in booking.com that can be cancelled until the day before and no advanced payment is required.

ferries I will wait until the date comes as usually they have a penalty for cancelation.

the idea is not to waste a penny in case of last minute cancelation.

 

[UKTJ]

1 hour ago, stinger108 said:

all going well I will do the trip. anyone interested more than welcome.

next I will research and book for hotels, all in booking.com that can be cancelled until the day before and no advanced payment is required.

ferries I will wait until the date comes as usually they have a penalty for cancelation.

the idea is not to waste a penny in case of last minute cancelation.

 

Do you know if the ferries tend to get booked up and if the prices tend to move about?

I was thinking about booking the Early Bird price as the saving versus standard would be a lot less than the cost of decent travel insurance that would pay out if there was a need to cancel.  Anyway, just a thought.

[digger]

HI UKTJ, when went to Jeep Week in France via Caen recently I bought the ferry tickets ASAP. They seemed a bit dear but I hadn't used that crossing for years and as usual the crossing choice has been monopolised. When we crossed regularly in the past there was a much larger choice of both companies and routes. Late bookings were cheap.  However, this year, as time became nearer they increased rather than fell as they used to!  Its the same (now small) selection of companies to Spain. I think you take your chances! Centralised management!

It might be nice if once we know exact dates etc if those of us ''ferrying it'' booked the same boat.

[UKTJ]

3 hours ago, digger said:

HI UKTJ, when went to Jeep Week in France via Caen recently I bought the ferry tickets ASAP. They seemed a bit dear but I hadn't used that crossing for years and as usual the crossing choice has been monopolised. When we crossed regularly in the past there was a much larger choice of both companies and routes. Late bookings were cheap.  However, this year, as time became nearer they increased rather than fell as they used to!  Its the same (now small) selection of companies to Spain. I think you take your chances! Centralised management!

It might be nice if once we know exact dates etc if those of us ''ferrying it'' booked the same boat.

As far as I can see there is only one option on those routes, Brittany ferries.  In terms of outbound Ignacio shows two options, but there seems to be little to be gained from the Plymouth sailing unless being in the UK on 16th is an issue or you live much nearer to Plymouth.  I think most people on the ferry down would therefore be on the ferry out of Portsmouth on 16th.  Coming back a leisurely drive to Santander on 27th for the ferry on 28th seems sensible.  I may consider taking the more rushed option of driving back to Santander on the Friday evening / Saturday morning as there is also a ferry from Santander at 1pm on the Saturday, which arrives on the Sunday.  This depends on whether Abby could get holiday from her work placement spanning three calendar weeks.

 

In terms of late versus early booking, apart from price I was also thinking about cabin availability.  As the outbound is two nights on the ferry I wouldn't really want to do that sleeping in a chair.  I have no idea of how many cabins there are, but wouldn't want to find they had none left.

[digger]

I didn't make myself clear. By less options I meant there is no choice in operator! Routes and operator numbers have gone down radically in the last 15 years since I went to France regularly. As for cabins there is no choice ,you have to have a birth on longer and night crossings(wherever!) , its in with the ticket unless that's been changed too! They used to say it was Health and safety! We need to check this. I think the 4 birth cabin is an extra 'treat'.

I could use Portsmouth or Plymouth. Portsmouth is a little easier, Plymouth may be a little cheaper. its about convenience  and crossing times.

I used 'Ferry Savers' for Jeep week in July, they produced the best deal in the end.

[stinger108]

Good evening.

 

As the date comes the price of the ferry increases, and can be significant. They price separately the ferry and the cabin as you can choose reserved seat (£9) and not book a cabin, which personally I think is mad (2 nights struggling on a seat!!!). Cabin fits up to 4, guess can be 2 cars with 2 people each?.  Cabin availability usually you won't have problems to the last minute; what happens is the cheap ones fully booked sooner and then you need to go for the expensive ones. And yes, all traffic monopolised by Brittany Ferries; DFDS is doing only cargo now.

 

Early bird v. standard ticket: cost difference is not significant (£30) but with the early bird you need to fully pay at booking (and can be a thousand pounds), not refundable but changeable for £20.

 

And for the rush version instead of sleeping in Finisterre and next day drive to Santander, we can drive same day to Santiago (50 miles, 1 hour), early morning in Saturday and drive to Santander (300 miles, 5 hours). Ferry leaving at 1pm you need to be there 1 hour ahead (I would say 90 minutes for security) means arriving to Santander 11.30am and leaving Santiago around 6.30am. Plenty of time to rest in the ferry later.

 

Santiago is the end of the most famous pilgrim way in Spain (St James way, aka El camino; I have done it 5 times) that runs 800 kilometres in the north of Spain and absolutely worth to visit. if you like shellfish Santiago is your place!

 

 

 

[UKTJ]

OK, so Abby's boss is not being super helpful, looks like she can't take the Monday at the end, so we will definitely have to do the quicker return for the ferry on the Saturday.  But that does not mean anyone else needs to, everyone else could take the more relaxed approach and get the ferry on the Sunday.  She also has to take a full two weeks off, so we are thinking that maybe we would get an earlier ferry and spend a couple of extra days in Santander and / or Bilbao area before the trip proper begins.  We could then meet everyone at the ferry port when they arrive and head to the start of the route with everyone else.

 

 

 

 

[V]

Are the dates fixed now?

[UKTJ]

9 minutes ago, V said:

Are the dates fixed now?

From @stinger108's post it looked like there was little scope for flexibilty.  Any earlier in April is Easter school holiday and risk of snow, later gets into Spanish / UK Bank Holidays and Jeep Trek.  After that it is June when there may be restrictions on trails for fire prevention.  Do the dates work for you @V?

[stinger108]

@UKTJ The alternative is the Sunday ferry Portsmouth-Bilbao arriving Tuesday 8:00 am and having Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday for local touristing. many places to visit in the area.

 

@V dates are proposed to better fit avoiding days when can be busier or more expensive. having said that and being 7 months ahead, I am quite flexible. it is only when expenditures are required (i.e. booking ferry) when dates must be confirmed.

[digger]

I am happy to go along with other views but I am flexible ,the longer it takes the better for me! I must have a cabin on the boat.

My concern is all about getting a passenger. I'm fingers crossed at mo that I may have achieved this but will not be sure for a couple of weeks. If he can't make it I will try to find another (volunteers?)

On the assumption that I have a passenger, my only comment is that I would try to minimise effort and tiredness as much as possible. Sadly, I may have to take advantage of some of Ignacio's 'shortcuts outgoing and on the return I would prefer to stop over at least one night halfway. Passenger or not with me.  I will have to book the ferry(out Bilbao, return Santander for less driving) and take a risk that its possible that  I go as a passenger with one of the lovely folk who have kindly offered me a lift!  I know from my recent France trip that I cannot do this event ,driving entirely on my own.

 

I think that the effort Ignacio has put in for this is incredible. I think he is a Legend and deserves a medal let alone a brilliant T shirt!

[otruk]

I am in if that is ok, just the sort of adventure needed also I think Palo would want to join in too.  Fantastic work Ignacio.  Digger if you need back up I am sure either myself or wife would be willing to help out.

[stinger108]

great news @otruk welcome on board and thanks both @otruk and @digger for the very nice comments.

 

penciled the dates 19/4 to 26/4 I will work out the draft route in the next few weeks

[digger]

Many thanks for another kind offer Otruk.

 

Hi Ignacio, I'm a bit confused (not difficult) . i understood 16/4 to 28/4 . I guess these include the ferry! i will go out with everyone but may return on a later ferry.

Edited September 27, 2023 by digger

[UKTJ]

1 hour ago, digger said:

Many thanks for another kind offer Otruk.

 

Hi Ignacio, I'm a bit confused (not difficult) . i understood 16/4 to 28/4 . I guess these include the ferry! i will go out with everyone but may return on a later ferry.

I believe the 'base' plan is:

Leave Portsmouth 16th, arrive Bilbao 18th and drive to Donostia.  Start Transcantabric 19th.

Complete Cantabric 26th, drive Santander 27th, leave Santander 28th, arrive Portsmouth 29th.

 

If people plan to arrive earlier or leave later I think the fixed points are being in Donostia to start on 19th (am) and finishing in Finsterre 26th (pm).

[stinger108]

1 hour ago, UKTJ said:

I believe the 'base' plan is:

Leave Portsmouth 16th, arrive Bilbao 18th and drive to Donostia.  Start Transcantabric 19th.

Complete Cantabric 26th, drive Santander 27th, leave Santander 28th, arrive Portsmouth 29th.

 

If people plan to arrive earlier or leave later I think the fixed points are being in Donostia to start on 19th (am) and finishing in Finsterre 26th (pm).

 

that's correct @UKTJ

[digger]

Yep , I'm happy with that too.

If I am driving (+passenger) , my return will be slower involving at least one more overnight,possibly more. Its that long drive back to the ferry in one day that worries me.   Obviously Its best for all for me to  decide whether I drive(preferable) or passenger before  the ferries are booked.

If I went as a passenger I would go along with the driver's needs and help with driving, share costs etc  as much as I could .

[stinger108]

a slight variation on dates to fulfil (I think) all requirements while not splitting the group:

-Sunday 14/4 21:45 ferry leaves Portsmouth arriving to Bilbao Tuesday 16/4 at 8am.

-Tuesday and Wednesday local tourism and drive to San Sebastian Wednesday evening

-Thursday 18 to Thursday 25, route.

-between all Friday and Saturday c. noon drive 340 miles to Santander, including an overnight stop in some place in the middle.

-Saturday 27/4 1pm ferry leaves Santander arriving Sunday 28/4 17:30 at Portsmouth.

 

if everybody is happy I will design the route based on the above

[doodle]

woah there @stinger108... Top work already..

19th to the 26th were looking perfect for me...Ill have to take a closer look at work for the amended dates but could be possible

[stinger108]

thanks @doodle

 

alternative schedule is just starting one day sooner, hope it is ok for you.

 

In the spreadsheet anyone interested can vote for preferred dates:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Z0maxHFbYohaX7VmZvb8MmpfqyplIjEakpwx_GVhXrk/edit?usp=sharing

 

[digger]

I'm ok with 14th leave uk but no earlier or my possible passenger will not be able to come, as he is away before , returning on Sat or Sun(hope not!)