Mileage ( not per gallon!)

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Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:48 pm
by Ianrow (deleted)

When we bought out Triton in 2019 one of our ambitions was to head back to France (or even further afield) Certain events have conspired against us thus far but ever the optimist we are starting to look ahead to next year. This has sparked a few thoughts and conversations about how far and how long folk consider driving in a single journey. I find that after or six hours or so (with comfort breaks) I am getting ready to pitch up for the night (i am the sole designated driver) As we live in the frozen north this just about gets us to the chunnel. With our trailer tent we regularly made trips to the Alps, Pyrenees and Southern France usually with a single overnight stop en route after an early morning channel hop. Towing an Eriba doesn't feel too much different to our old trailer tent but i wondered what other folks experience was in making trips "overses". How far do you go, how do you break up longer trips.

2002Triton 420 GT & Ford C max 1.6TDI

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:23 pm
by eribaMotters •

| 6.061 Posts

Ian, it really is down to what you feel comfortable with, and the strange thing is it's not just mileage but when/how the journey takes place.
We used to live in Essex, get up at 2 am, leave by 2.30 am to get the 5.00 am tunnel or Ferry 115 miles away. We would then either drive about 330 miles [comfortable] to the Loire or 530 miles [knackered] to the Dordogne, stopping every 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a loo break etc.
We moved to Merseyside in 2017. In 2018 I really did not know how to structure my journey so we set off at 8.30 pm and drove the 300+ down to the Tunnel, where we crossed at 2.00am. On landing we kept on driving and 330 miles later we arrived at our Loire campsite, set the awning up, sat back and enjoyed the sun. I was amazed at how fresh I felt as I do all of the driving. When it came to the home run we set off after breakfast to catch an earlu evening ferry and drove into the early hours to make the journey home in one go. I felt terrible and do not want to repeat that run. Finishing a long journey at night and tired is not a good idea.
Your run from Carlisle is a good 90 miles longer and about 1 1/2 hours over ours, but it is an excellent run. I would be thinking of a similar 8.00 pm start, catch an early morning, 4 to 5 am ferry or tunnel, and then stop around Rouen a couple of hours down for the night. We did this in 2019 before travelling on to the Isle De Re. I would take this route if wanting to go to the west coast or further south.
If you do decide to take this route and are heading south you can avoid big toll fees and still make good time by putting Dreux in as a via point on the likes of viamichelin mapping website.

Colin

aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.

Last edited Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:41 pm | Scroll up

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:24 am
by Islay Corbel (deleted)

I really like to enjoy the journey as much as the holiday itself so I reckon on leaving at about 9-ish, stopping for a nice lunch in the van somewhere, and arriving at a campsite around 3 so we have time to set up, nose around and be ready for an apéritif and leisurely dinner before repeating it all the next day. 300kms is a treat. 450 is a chore in my book. Especially now with the mover fitted, changing campsites is a breeze.

So much depends on the roads. In France, the difference between motorways (expensive but good with lots of places to stop) and ordinary roads with the endless roundabouts....Interesting fact. There are more roundabouts in France than anywhere else in the world

Betty, 1998 Triton 430 and Colin, a Renault Mégane.

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Last edited Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:26 am | Scroll up

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:58 am
by eribaMotters •

| 6.061 Posts

It must be about 10 years or so ago that we decided to go toll only when we had to. Tolls from Calaistot near Sarlat had got out of hand.. We use https://www.viamichelin.com/ .You can set this to avoid tolls or include them and juggle the via points to find a good compromise on time and toll costs.Heading west from Calais you really have to go toll as. Using the route south from Rouen via Evreux, Dreux, Chatres shows as a little longer, but in reality it is little different when you can still tow at 55mph on good roads for most of the route. You find more rest points, cheaper fuel, no toll queues, lovely scenery and there is only one pinch point to slow you down.

Colin

aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:04 am
by Shady Pines •

| 68 Posts

If you like roundabouts ,then you want to go to Milton Keynes .Each roundabout is approx 1/2 mile a part and they are all grid locked at the moment with people queuing for fuel.

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:25 pm
by Ianrow (deleted)

Never really liked driving overnight (though it is quieter) did it once to Plymouth to get the early morning boat to Santander - don't think we were towing then.

I am looking forward to having more time and extended stays rather than the two week, two centre family holidays that we typically used to do.
I was taking recently with a mate who used to drive from Inverness to the channel ports overnight then on to their chosen site in France - he did share the driving though.

2002Triton 420 GT & Ford C max 1.6TDI

RE: Mileage ( not per gallon!)

in Where did you go, what did you do, who did you meet? Wed Sep 29, 2021 1:28 pm
by eribaMotters •

| 6.061 Posts

I have to admit that I also do/did not like travelling at night. Now retired I can have have an easy day and find setting out I'm on a motorway with little traffic. It is a lot easier than your normal evening trip in the dark with lots of traffic on busy A and B roads. I still do not like the idea of ending a long trip in the dark and have avoided this in my planning for 2022.

Colin

aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.

Last edited Wed Sep 29, 2021 3:42 pm | Scroll up