channel hopping

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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peter b
Posts: 11
Joined: 15 Jan 2012, 4:27pm
Location: Warsash near Southampton

channel hopping

Post by peter b »

We are cycling from Warsash (Southampton) to Dover where we catch ferry to Calais, where we travel west along channel to Le Havre for Portsmouth return ferry.
we plan to use minor roads where possible. We have provisional daily stops at Day 1 Newhaven, Day 2 Folkstone for Dover Ferry at start of day 3, Day 3 Berck (France), Day 4 St. Valery-en-Caux, Day 5 Le Havre to Portsmouth and home…..any good places to stay, avoid? Any suggestions on routes?
colgren
Posts: 4
Joined: 2 Sep 2014, 12:25pm
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Re: channel hopping

Post by colgren »

Just back from Calais to Dieppe long weekend- heading south from Calais is very hilly and I had a fierce headwind which really slowed me down on the first day.. I'd recommend Witesse as a good place to stop, and the other St Valery (sur Somme) was spectacular- great campsites and the town is incredibly pretty. Le Touquet is worth a visit. You're in for a treat!
andy D
Posts: 49
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 9:59am
Location: Deal, Kent.

Re: channel hopping

Post by andy D »

If your route takes you into Folkestone could I suggest that you make the climb out of Folkestone before you find somewhere to stay. All routes out of Folkestone involve a climb and I wouldn't want to do any of them at the beginning of the day. If you're following the old Dover road route there are a few places to stay in Capel Le Ferne but there is also a Travel Inn on the same route just outside Dover. The route from Capel Le Ferne to Dover is also mostly down hill and because of the new A20 is fairly quiet. Hope you have a good trip.
wallyone
Posts: 146
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 3:38pm

Re: channel hopping

Post by wallyone »

I'd second the advice about the climbs out of Folkestone, in fact much of the south coast route is hilly, although the NCN2 along the cliffs are spectacular from Capel le Ferne, I live in Gosport and have done the circuit you're thinking about many times over the years although I tend to take the train to Dover these days. Don't forget the french coast you're talking about is a continuation of the South Downs so you can expect some pretty stiff climbs there as well. It does make a nice short break if you live near Portsmouth, another is Newhaven - Dieppe - Neufchatel - Rouen - Le Havre.
This year I came back through Calais for the first time for some while and found it quite scary. Approaching the port there are gangs of people trying to get on vehicles and we had to wait while the CRS tried to control a huge fight between some of the groups, one person had been killed earlier. A group of Belgian scouts I met were expecting to stay at the campsite near the port but that wasn't available to them because the campsite is now a refugee camp. While waiting in the lanes in the port area all hell broke loose behind me with dogs and security as they'd found a person hiding in the engine/wheel area of a coach which necessitated the dismantling of the engine compartment to get him out. Then a large group of people got into the port area and tried to get on to a ferry with me and a number of other cyclists legging it in the opposite direction. For several years there has been a surreal feel to the approach to the Port at Calais especially if you come around the Rue des Garennes though I never really found it threatening, but now I'm personally avoiding it preferring Dunkirk instead, I tend to use Dover to get to/from Belgium or Holland anyway so for me Dunkirk is the port of choice. One other option could be the Eurotunnel from Ashford but that's only available to cyclists twice a day I think.
If you're going soon the weather looks like it could be good and the forests will just be getting a golden autumnal feel to them with fresh mornings, good for cycling. I hope all goes well and that my recent experiences don't put you off.
peter b
Posts: 11
Joined: 15 Jan 2012, 4:27pm
Location: Warsash near Southampton

Re: channel hopping

Post by peter b »

Thanks to Wally one, andy D AND Colgren for their very helpful advice. we set off 8:30 Thursday 11th from Warsash for our first stop just west of Newhaven. Fairly uneventful ride in very pleasant weather. Terrain fairly flat an easterly breeze in face all day. Reminded how poor road surfaces for cyclists towards edge of road where often parts of red surfacing had lifted. Short stretch of new coastal path under ch on a number of timesalk cliffs easterly from Brighton well worth using. Poor signage when trying to keep to National Cycle Route 2 which lead us on a merry chase and "lost" us several times with no directions at some junctions. This increased our journey time and mileage. Set off in high hopes Friday to catch the 17;30 ferry from Dover to Calais. Underestimated the number of punchy climbs during the day in a wind that was getting brisker in our faces by the hour. Climb out of Seaford and Folkstone worthy of note especially after 70+ miles in them for the day!!!. Again the National Cycle Route 2 added to mileage and left us stranded scratching our heads at times. Missed the 17:30 but managed the 19:30 from Dover landing in Calais 22:00 French time to spend another 45 minutes looking for our hotel some 4 miles outside Calais (Quinell area)….somehow managed 89 miles start to finish.
Day 3 Calais to St Valery sur Somme…now wind behind us…hooray!!! enjoyable day, hills not too bad even the lumps for the first hour out of Calais. St Valery sur Somme very pretty as stated. Day 4 St Valery sur Somme to Fecamp along D940 which was very busy with long, fairly boring dead straight roads. Day 5 very long day in saddle due in part to trying to get on the very impressive Pont de Normandie at Le Havre when we could not join a two mile no cycling road straight to the bridge. Instead we were advised to go 10 miles or so out of our way to reach the estuary road which got us to the foot of the Pont de Normandie which was quickly despatched, using the walkers path up the bridge for safety and onto the cycle area down the bridge descent. Rested just over the bridge at charming and beautiful Honfleur. From Honfleur we then had a fairly gruelling lumpy in places to Caen. the messing about at Le Havre pushed mileage up to 89 when low 70's was anticipated.
23:00 ferry to Portsmouth….very uncomfortable reclining seats that do very little if no reclining…people were giving up and laying on floor.
Portsmouth arrival at 07:00 grey and damp for an easy, flat 15 mile journey home, sweet home. 430 miles 5 days…two unsupported pensioners who enjoyed the experience immensely and would recommend.
wallyone
Posts: 146
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 3:38pm

Re: channel hopping

Post by wallyone »

Glad to see you had fun and the weather was kind. You're right about the climb out of Folkestone if you took the NCN2 it's certainly more fun coming back from Dover. I understand there's a coast route but that's only accessible during work hours and sometimes you can get stopped by security. Next time you come back through Portsmouth you should pop round for a cup of tea, but not a 7 am as I set off to work in Portsmouth around then, I'm not quite retired yet. Maybe we passed each other on the ferry?
Seems they're about to close the DFDS Portsmouth/Le Havre ferry route so our options for weekends away may be further limited.
Once again, glad to see you enjoyed it.
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