Ferry to Jersey

[miasmum]

Thanks Suff

Blimey high speed and still takes 4hrs 40 mins. We would be staying in a cottage or similar so parking wouldn't be an issue. I had pretty much decided on Guernsey rather than Jersey simply because its only 3 hours.

However, I then went and google drove it and also my friend sent me some photos and yes the channel islands are beautiful but look just like Cornwall. So I thought why spend £400 on travel, and worry about it.

So we've ditched the Channel Islands and have decided to spend the £400 on luxury self catering as it was going to cost more than the UK for a holiday let.

We are looking at Northumberland now, as we loved it last time we were there and looking at the luxury holiday let market as it will cost less than the above

but thank you for all your advice

[Osc]

Shell, you go on the ferry if that is what you prefer - I get a lot of what you say about flying, what used to be a fun start to a holiday years ago is now something to be endured. Four hours is not long on a ferry, by the time you get out of your car, find your way around, maybe have something to eat, then back to the car to disembark. IMO a cabin would be a waste of money for that short a time. If you are like us, we make the car drive part of the holiday, bringing snacks or a little picnic, playing our favourite music or listening to the radio.

We spent our honeymoon in Jersey, just coming up to 52 years ago I didn’t drive at the time, so we hired bikes and had a great time. I suspect it might have changed a bit since then

Ooops, just read the above!

[saundra]

You go where you like MM must be lovely just throw everything in the car and zoom away
Iv been on the condor years ago folkstone to callie? Brilliant experience for us at the time
suff you always do brilliant reports used to enjoy reading about your travels over the years

[JoM]

I’ve never been to Northumberland Shell but friends of ours moved there a couple of years ago and it looks absolutely beautiful.

John and Tom got the Eurostar to Brussels last month and John’s been raving about it ever since, apparently we MUST do that sometime. My issue isn’t travelling from London to Belgium but the train journey from here to London and (then back again), but as Osc said flying isn’t a pleasurable alternative any more.

[miasmum]

Thank you Osc, honestly it's not so much the time but my flipping phobia. If it was so much as forecast to be breezy I would be panicking and it's just not worth it.

Jo, funny you should say that, we are thinking about the Eurostar but to Bruges. At the moment we dont even have passports so that would need sorting first. Now Tim has changed his job and reduced his hours, things like that are more doable. Be even more doable if I didnt have to work.

Northumberland was truly beautiful. I am usually a coves and harbours kinda gal, but those amazing beaches just blew me away.

The only problem is I do really want to take Toffee dog (another black mark against the ferry) but so many 'extra nice' holiday lets say 'dogs welcome but only in the kitchen and utility room or not on the furniture even if you do put your own covers on' I do understand it, but makes it hard when your dog is used to being a human.

[saundra]

And passport are going up as well
How can you only have a dog in certain rooms ?
How would the owners know unless they put camera every where

[JoM]

Shell, they really loved Bruges.
They travelled on the Monday and they’d booked an Airbnb in Brussels so explored the city on the Tuesday and then the next day they caught a local train to Bruges for the day. They then travelled back home on the Thursday and despite there being three trains involved they left Brussels at 9am local time and were back home by 4 (would’ve been earlier but Tom had left his car on my Dad’s drive which is by our local station so they had half an hour with him).

[miasmum]

Thanks Jo. We would look at an Air bnb type thing I don’t do hotels

[Suff]

Thanks Suff

Blimey high speed and still takes 4hrs 40 mins.

Jersey is about an hour thirty by normal ferry from St Malo. If you take the Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to St Malo it is around 12 hours. Hence high speed is 4hrs 40.

The Condor from St Malo to Jersey is way faster than the old ship from a French company, I've forgotten who operated it. However the French ship was cheaper and mostly half empty.

One of the main advantages of the Channel Islands is you are very close to Brittany and in Summer get Brittany weather.

[Kaz]

The Gower was stunning, I have to say! Huge open beaches to walk Fraggle on. Rather more accessible for us here in Glos than for you, I suspect, as it was just M5 and then M4 all the way to Swansea. We stayed at The New Gower Hotel, in a dog-friendly lodge.

On the subject of ferries etc I went by hovercraft across the channel once - it was so quick we barely had time for a drink and a snack, and it was very smooth. Not sure if they're still a thing though