Unlocking the lockdown

[John H]

Brittany Ferrys do.

One of our favourites time wise left Portsmouth on a Sunday at about 7.00pm, gave you plenty of time to get down there, and docked in Santander on Tuesday morning at about 7.30am.....you then had a full day to travel down to GA, apart from busy traffic in Santander or around Valancia or Madrid whichever route you take the roads are a revelation, lovely and smooth and very quiet.

Regards all

John

[Tony Gillam]

Plymouth - Santander or Portsmouth - Bilbao/Santander.  Bilbao knocks about 40-50 miles off the trip to GA. From S Wales or anywhere from Bristol westwards, Plymouth would be your probable choice. Anywhere else in the UK, then Portsmouth is the obvious departure port. Even if driving through France, Portsmouth is often a better choice than Dover as it avoids the tedious hack round Paris.

[Derek]

The other good thing about Plymouth to Santander is the journey time which is only 20 hours.

Derek

[DaveG]

Hi Beachlife, I would say your estimates are pretty much spot on. If you are contemplating the eurotunnel then the hardest part of the journey is getting to Dover.

Rather than hacking round Paris I head south to Rouen and then straight down through Le Mans / Tours / Poitiers to Bordeaux and down to the border at Irun in Spain. On the whole route to GA from Calais Rouen is the only part where you have to go off motorway and traverse the town; very easy though.

A long drive and a bit tedious but very direct; the bit from Bordeaux to the border is very busy in the school holidays with people heading to Arcachon, Bayonne and Biarritz.

I have some fairly detailed directions that I have honed over time that are a good backup to a failed satnav if you want a copy.

Dave

[BeachLife]

I drive a EV (iPace) and I did some research on Charger availability rules out a drive down in that. Its fine in France but Spain hasnt given me much of a chance, even with good range there isnt much between Valencia (City) and Alicante - and Alicante only has 3.2KW chargers in the Marina carpark which will take forever, certainly nothing local

Going to wait until I'm safe on the plane !

[Tony Gillam]

Glue some solar panels to your roof.

[kevinb]

https://mol.im/a/8422103

Spain opens to Brits from the 21st June

[Derek]

The problem comes after visiting Spain with Brits returning to the UK having to enter quarantine for 14 days.
 

[kevinb]

I won't be going to Spain until the autumn at the earliest if at all, just don't think it's worth it. I can understand the Spanish wanting us there as apparently we do spend money but I will wait until the crowds have gone home.

[BeachLife]

Good to go from 21st June (UK travel into Spain) - no flights mind you for another 10 days after that


UPDATED - Spain are saying that unless UK lifts quarantine period there is likely to be a reciprocal action in Spain as well (14 days) - Bluff ?

[kevinb]

Probably a bluff, I do reckon the Costas are desperate for Brit spenders.

[Tony Gillam]

As far as Brit residents are concerned, until the FCO changes the "essential travel only" advice, any travel insurance will be invalid and you will be relying solely on your EHIC.

[BeachLife]

Ryanair not hanging about !!

[chris and jackie]

Spain have confirmed British will not have to quarantine, looks likely that U.K. Will reciprocate on 29/06.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53122825

[BeachLife]

Common sense should prevail