ferry from plymouth to santander then drive south

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jennym
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ferry from plymouth to santander then drive south

Postby jennym » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:29 am

Hi all,
We are moving to our villa in march. We have 2 doberman dogs one of which is very nervous. I am too scared to put them on a flight in case it gives one of them a heart attack so, I am thinking of coming over with Brittany ferries with the dogs as I can visit them on board and exercise them as and when I wish. Trouble is, my husband is very very sea sick and will not go on the ferry so, he will meet me at Santander and drive us all to Mijas in our 4x4. What I need to know is, has anybody else taken this route before? Is the crossing really rough? and is it a bad journey from Santander to Mijas? People are really turning me off doing it this way saying that it is a really long drawn out route for both myself and the dogs and that they may even get sea sick? It's just the thought of putting them on a plain terrifies me! Is there anybody out there who has been in the same dilemma as me and, if so, what did you do? would appreciate your help please>

Lorraine - Mijas
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Postby Lorraine - Mijas » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:41 am

Hi Jennym,
Have you not thought of going through the channel tunnel with the dogs, would solve both a rough sea crossing and your seperation from your husband as you would all go straight through in the car.
I have friends who bring their border collie over with them every year and they find this option works well for them.
I wish you all the best for your new life in Spain, I'm sure your dogs will love it here, mine did, it gave him a new lease of life.
Lorraine.

poshtotti
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Postby poshtotti » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:51 am

Hi Jenny

I've done the drive twice on my own & 3 times with my partner. It's a really easy drive & took less than 10 hours. The ferries have been fine, even a crossing last November wasn't rough. I highly recommend booking a suite rather than a cabin, it's certainly worth the money & with you having the dogs too, it'll be a real advantage as you get preferential treatment for boarding & disembodiment.

If you have a very nervous dog, have you tried Bach Rescue Remedy? - We used to use it for our dogs & horses, I've used it on me too!! It's a herbal remedy you can pick up from health food shops & all you do is drop a few drops on the tongue & it has a calming effect without sedation & causing danger to you or your animals. - Yes, it might sound a little odd, but it really is great stuff.

Good luck, Caroline

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jennym
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Postby jennym » Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:11 pm

Thank you both for your replies, I will definitely consider both options now!

paulellis
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Postby paulellis » Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:15 pm

We have done both channel tunnel and ferry with a highly-strung german shepard. Vet gives him the equivelant of valium & apart from sleepy & thirsty for 24 hours, no bad effects.
Sister did ferry to Bilbao and took her time travelling down with daughter, husband and dog. They made a mini-holiday of the trip, arriving Bilbao on the Tuesday and arriving in Marbella on the Friday

spanish hopes

Postby spanish hopes » Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:25 pm

I have driven down to the Costa Del Sol many times and use the route from Calais. I think that the Plymouth / Santander route is a rip off.
I have not brought animals with me yet but when I do I will still use the Calais option, probably the tunnel as the pets will not be left on their own that way.
The Etaps and similar are usually happy for pets to be included not like in the UK. It is a quite easy three day trip (less if you want to trash it), with 2 overnight stays.
The rest areas on French motorways (not just those with restaurants) are ideal to stop and give your pet a little exercise and unlike the UK you don't have to pay if you have a break over 2 hours.

Alan-LaCala
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Postby Alan-LaCala » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:10 pm

We paid to have someone bring the dog and cat via the tunnel, and then drive down.

Took 2 days, but they both arrived completeely non stressed and fit and well.

The dog in particular would have been terrified in a plane.

Good luck.

Alan
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frank
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Postby frank » Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:48 pm

it's worth bearing in mind that the ferry can be very rough, especially through the Bay of Biscay. Personally, I have not been, but friends of ours vowed you'd never get them back on that ferry. Not trying to be alarmist, but it's best to be aware it's not always like a mill pond.
Regards, Frank

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Postby Guest » Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:53 pm

Another option, which I've taken several times is Dover-Calais, although of course now you can use the Eurostar, drive to Paris, put your car on the train to Madrid, you Go on a seperate overnight sleeper, very comfortable with a nice restaurant car and bar, you leave Paris (gare d'Austerlitz) at about 8.00 pm in the evening and arrive Madrid about 10.am the following morning where your car is waiting for you, and then you have a four-five hour journey to Mijas, this is the most relaxing way of doing the journey as it's almost stress free with easy driving stages, the total journey time is less than 30 hours including a good nights sleep.
Bon chance!

poppylou
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Santander crossing

Postby poppylou » Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:41 pm

Hi there

I have done the Plymouth-Santander trip 3 times, with 2 labradors and 1 seasick husband. The dogs first: the nervous one loved it, the other more robust one dislikes it. But the facilities for the dogs are great: you can visit them anytime during the trip (and I think some owners actually sleep up there with the dogs!). Although you have to book 2 kennels if you have 2 dogs, the steward will let you put both together in one of the large kennels if you wish.

Good dog stops: Lerma: Hotel Alisa - ideal for a coffee stop going south, as you can give them a walk by the river (best the other side of the road from the hotel). If travelling back to UK, this is good as an overnight stop from the south as dogs are permitted in rooms.

Overnight stop if required going south: Tryp Hidalgo at Valdepenas or NH La Perdiz at La Carolina - both allow dogs in your room, and the NH has some private garages which back on to your room (ideal if all your worldly possessions are on board).

And now to the sea sick husband: he has found some tablets that help, and although our first trip was in a Force 6-7, he was not put off giving it another go. And our most recent trip was like crossing a mill pond (a term not usually used in connection with the Bay of Biscay).

Yes, it is expensive, and it makes me cross that the Property Owners Annual Fee is going up again next year. It seems a neat trick to remove that extra cost from the already exorbitant prices.

I hope it all goes well.

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Postby katy » Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:44 pm

I took one of my dogs to the USA a few years ago and she was fine. Would like to spend 6 months again but she is 9 now and I am scared she may be too old. The worst part was sitting on the plane for 8 or 9 hours knowing she was in the hold. Many people here regularly fly our with their pets, some dutch friends can even have their pet in the cabin.

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ian.wilson
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Postby ian.wilson » Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:51 pm

We completed the drive from Bilbao to Marbella in ten hours, the boat was a 2 and half day journey but actually great fun. Well worth it.
Oh Yes! another day in paradise!

poshtotti
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Postby poshtotti » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:45 pm

Sorry to jump on this link.......but does any one know where to find train information & costs from Malaga to Paris via Madrid??

We, (unfortunately) have to go back to the UK for a couple of weeks in February & are thinking about taking a car & the mutts this time.

Thanks

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Postby Guest » Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:08 pm

poshtotti wrote:Sorry to jump on this link.......but does any one know where to find train information & costs from Malaga to Paris via Madrid??

We, (unfortunately) have to go back to the UK for a couple of weeks in February & are thinking about taking a car & the mutts this time.

Thanks
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