Overnight stop with trailer

[GinIceAndASlice]

Really excited, planning our first big camping trip abroad, to the Netherlands. We've chosen Beekse Bergen site which is an easy 3 hour drive from Calais. The DC are 5, 3 & 3.

However, we are travelling from Liverpool which is a 5 hour trek to Dover, so including ferry its roughly a 10 hour journey not including breaks. Apart from restless children, we will be knackered and need to set up the tent etc.

Thinking of a stopping enroute in a travel lodge type place as its too much of a faff to set up the tent, but we will have a trailer and I am concerned about security.

Where would you break the journey?

Has anyone done this? Any recommendations or tips?

As its about £600 cheaper than Hull to Rotterdam, which we've done previously so a huge saving.

Dh wants to just start daft O'Clock and motor on through, and take the hit of being tired and grumpy whilst we pitch.

We usually pick bed and breakfast places on farms / countryside either in uk or abroad - that was we are guaranteed somewhere to pull off and keep the trailer safe.

My fear like yours is waking up to either the trailer gone or emptied of its contents

That's a great tip! I think perhaps get the ferry out the way so we've broken the back of the journey and then we will be refreshed the next day.

Now do we set off early on the first day or later to avoid traffic???

We usually set off early and get a late morning ferry or tunnel ( we live nr to Chester)

Then another couple of hours further down and stop off for tea at the B&B

Were traveling from Liverpool too and would love to get the hull ferry but can't justify the cost of it .
We leave home around 6am towing a caravans and arrive in Dover around lunch time. Get ferry about 3 or earlier if there's space and stay near Calais for a switch off before a long journey the next day.

I'm having an issue finding a family room for 5. Everywhere wants us to have 2 rooms or silly money. Dh refuses to take a pop up tent for the journey.....aaaahhhhh!

Here www.hotel-bal.com/hotel_presentationen.php have family rooms that sleep 6. We've used the adjoining campsite as it's very close to Calais.

Thanks!

Now contemplating Hull to Rotterdam on the way out and Calais Dover on the way home.

The idea being we can flop and drop when we get home but would prefer to be fresh on arrival at the campsite to pitch and unload.

I think I would do Hull to Rotterdam as after factoring in the time as well as fuel and hotel on route and worry about security you really aren't going to be saving that much

And it's an overnight ferry, car and trailer secure below decks with no one allowed down there, get up refreshed, have breakfast and be at the campsite just after lunch or sooner

I'd like that on the way home, to know that from getting of the ferry its only 2 hours home. I dread the return journey and being stuck on the m6

... Which happens a lot...

Yes... I agree

we bought a couple of popup tents and camped on the journey - the kind of tents that take 2 minutes to erect. Have sleeping bags and mats handy too. Then you just eat out in the evening and for breakfast. We stayed in some lovely places that way (watching beavers on the river bank in france one year was a real high point!)

To my surprise I ended up booking with Eurocamp Independent who had the ferry much cheaper than going direct with P&O. The difference by time I factored in extra petrol and over night stops was less than £200.

So Hull/Rotterdam both ways!

3.5 hours driving versus 10 plus breaks to stretch legs etc

Its less than an hour once we get off the boat so we'll be nice and fresh.

Thanks for all your input....now I have an excuse to look at more important stuff like an IceyTrek v electric cool box .....