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If you only had 7 days, where would you go? If you only had 7 days, where would you go?
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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 1 Nov 2010
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If you only had 7 days, where would you go?
The title says it all, you've got 7 days to get there and back from anywhere on the south coast of England, where would you go....?
Last edited by Wile E Coyote; 1 Nov 2010 at 22:40. Reason: additionnal text
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Old 1 Nov 2010
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Ride to Harwich over ferry through Hoek Van Holland
Hage to Düsseldorf (Germany) then across to Belgium to Calais
then Dover.

you could of course cut it short, or go out in from Dover.

It all depends on what you want to see / do really, also if you want, a leisurely ride or a bit of a zoom.

Or get map pair of dividers work out how far you ride in a day mark from home to 2 and half days, see where it takes you, then then give you 5 days riding to & from 2 days sight seeing.
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Old 2 Nov 2010
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If I was going in the summer I'd spend a day each way getting to the Alps and the other five days in them.

This time of year I'd probably head down into some part of Spain - Costa Brava, Barcelona.

In the depths of winter I'd either head for the Passau region of Germany (for the Elephant rally) or Stanstead (to see if EasyJet has a seat on a flight to somewhere warm)
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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No question about it - Portsmouth to Santander and then 3 days messing about in northern Spain, maybe the Sierra de la Demanda or southern Picos.

Either that or fly back to Chernobyl...
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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I would avoid the Alps this time of year in case you get caught in a cold snap and get stuck somewhere with snow on the roads. There is a real risk of snow down to 1000m with any precipitation and ill equiped it could be dangerous.

Head for Spain.
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by muppix View Post
No question about it - Portsmouth to Santander and then 3 days messing about in northern Spain, maybe the Sierra de la Demanda or southern Picos.
That gets my vote
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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No question about it - Portsmouth to Santander and then 3 days messing about in northern Spain, maybe the Sierra de la Demanda or southern Picos.

The Picos would also get my vote but for having to spend 36hrs in the floating version of motorway services to get there. Too much if you've only got 7 days.
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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Coast to coast South to North
I just got back from a quick trip up to the North of Scotland, leaving Thursday afternoon and back on the South Coast Monday evening. Fantastic roads and scenery on the West Coast - Kyle of Lochalsh, Applecross, Ullapool, Lochinver, Durness. Totally stunning and empty roads with good surfaces. Should still be OK but will start getting colder now. About 1800 miles, loved it!
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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The Picos would also get my vote but for having to spend 36hrs in the floating version of motorway services to get there. Too much if you've only got 7 days.
I take it you're referring to the Pride of Bilbao, P&O's rusty old tub, in which case I'd have to agree. I took that one back in 2001 and it was showing it's age back then, christ knows what it must be like now that they're retiring it and stopping the route.

I went with Britanny on the Pont Aven these last two years, and have to say it's brilliant by comparison to P&O. Clean, spacious, and everything seems to be quite reasonably priced: 3 course meal plus half a bottle of drinkable red for 13 Euros, and, being a French crew, the food is actually pretty good.
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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Forgot to say - it only takes 24 hours on the Pont Aven too, so you'd actually get 5 days riding. I don't think you can get to Spain faster or cheaper, not it you plan to be able to walk the next day.
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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Yes it was the Pride I was thinking of - last on it three yrs ago. It'd be ok for cross channel, Dover to Calais or something but 36hrs of burgers and Hi de Hi entertainment is more than I thought I could take again.

What amazed me was that some of the passengers didn't get off in Spain, they went straight back to the UK, treating it as a 3 day mini cruise. Not for me even if it was free
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Old 4 Nov 2010
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after reading this thread and being that Im off to the pyrenees / Barcelona end of next week for 9 days, I dont suddenley feel so much like a looney .. Bugger to find campsites open that way though...
Last edited by Midgy; 11 Nov 2010 at 16:48.
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Old 4 Nov 2010
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Forgot to say - it only takes 24 hours on the Pont Aven too, so you'd actually get 5 days riding. I don't think you can get to Spain faster or cheaper, not it you plan to be able to walk the next day.
It's only about 18 hours if you take the Brittany ferries crossing from Plymouth
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Old 4 Nov 2010
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We took the Port Avent out of Plymouth in May. It's got pretty good sailing times, but Santander is a nightmmare to clear and the port of Plymouth is pretty awfull to get out of when you return.

The Pride of Bilbao is a longer sailing, and yes it's pretty soul destroying, but at least you get in and out fairly painlessly, as is Bilbao. When you add the extra time it takes to get between Plymouth and Portsmouth the difference gets much closer.

Sailing is much better than the French motorways though, whichever one you take.


7 days..... where would I go...... Warmer places are nice, but in 7 days it's a little short, and the north west of Spain / Portugal gets the westerly weather just like we do (in the UK that is) at this time of year. Inland is getting colder so Germany, Austria etc doesn't float my boat.

Nope, if I had 7 days, I'd head north into Scotland, takin in the Dales, Northumbria, the Lakes, maybe Wales on the way. It's still going to be cold and wet, but the money you save on the ferry woud pay for some guest houses/B&B/hotels along the way.

Or... I'd save them up and take next year in the spring and make it a 10 or 14 day trip and get into Andalucia
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Old 7 Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by Bigmike View Post
I just got back from a quick trip up to the North of Scotland, leaving Thursday afternoon and back on the South Coast Monday evening. Fantastic roads and scenery on the West Coast - Kyle of Lochalsh, Applecross, Ullapool, Lochinver, Durness. Totally stunning and empty roads with good surfaces. Should still be OK but will start getting colder now. About 1800 miles, loved it!
did a very similar trip in September belive they have had a snow fall this weekend , so go to Spain and go to Scotland in May cheers Spud
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