UK to Morocco by road bike, March 2005

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #1 20 Nov 2004

Does anyone want to join a small group riding to Morocco for two weeks at Easter 2005? Some will be riding road bikes, so no compulsory detours across the Sahara! We can also spend some time in Spain, perhaps around the Picos de Europa.

[EDIT]
Current plan:
Depart Plymouth 20 March 16:00.
Return Plymouth 8 April 09:30.

The precise dates will depend on which ferry we use. I’m assuming Plymouth - Santander by Brittany Ferries. This has a quicker crossing than P&O. If two weeks is too long, you can return sooner by cutting out the final detour around Spain. Or you can hang around Spain longer if you have the time.
[/EDIT]

Expect the total cost, including tickets, hotels, food, fuel, insurance etc. to be about £1400. That’s all inclusive. In addition to the usual personal insurance and breakdown cover, you’ll need to arrange a Green Card insurance for your bike. Norwich Union will probably do it from the UK before you go. If your insurance company won’t do it, you can buy it in Algeciras or at the border in Ceuta.

[EDIT]
booked
Dee Duble Yuh (R-RS)
oldbaldrick (XTZ)
John (F-GS)
[/EDIT]

[This message has been edited by Dee Duble Yuh (edited 12 March 2005).]

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #2 20 Nov 2004

[EDIT]
This is our latest plan, but it's likely to change as we go.

20 March. Depart 16:00 Plymouth for Santander.
21 March. Arrive 11:30. Head south.
22 March. Crossing Spain, staying somewhere near southern Spain.
23 March. Midday crossing to Ceuta, staying in town overnight.
24 March. Early morning border crossing. Head south, maybe to Chetchaouen or Meknes.
25 March. Either along coast to Casablanca or more inland to Beni Mellal.
26 March. Head to Marrakech.
27 March. Rest day in Marrakech.
28 March. Over High Atlas to Ouarzazate.
29 March. Along Valée du Dadès, probably visiting the Gorges du Dadès and the Gorges du Todra. Stay near Erfoud.
30 March. Those that want to go into the desert to Erg Chebbi can do so. Others savour Erfoud.
31 March. Gorge du Ziz to Meknes or Fez.
1 April. Back to Ceuta.
2 April. Depart Ceuta for ALgeciras. Stay near Seville.
3 April. Cross into Portugal.
4 April. Tour Portugal heading north.
5 April. Tour Portugal heading north.
6 April. Cross back to Spain.
7 April. Depart 15:30 Santander for Plymouth.
8 April. Arrive 09:30 Plymouth. Tearful farewells/promise never to anything as mad as this ever again/plan a RTW trip.
[/EDIT]

[This message has been edited by Dee Duble Yuh (edited 22 January 2005).]

**blackbird** · #3 23 Nov 2004

Hi DW - I have registered on this site to let you know that there is an amount of interest in your proposed trip next Easter: in particular a riding friend of mine, who wants nothing to do with computers by the way, has a longstanding ambition to go to Morocco with his wife as a pillion. I have told him the outline of your ideas and he would be interested in talking with you but probably not on this means; he has much more faith in landlines!!
Thats about it for now - please let me know if you would be interested in contact via the telephone,
Cheers

Quote:

Originally posted by Dee Duble Yuh:
I’m looking for a small group of people interested in riding to Morocco for two weeks at Easter 2005. Most or all will be riding road bikes. No detours across the Sahara! We can also spend some time in Spain, perhaps around the Picos de Europa.

Current plan:
Depart Portsmouth 21 March 20:45.
Return Portsmouth 5 April 17:15.

The precise dates will depend on which ferry we use. I’m assuming Portsmouth-Bilbao by P&O. The Brittany Ferries service is slightly more expensive, departs two days later, returns the same day, but has a quicker crossing. Of course you can tailor the trip to your own requirements.

Expect the total cost, including tickets, hotels, food, fuel, insurance etc. to be about £1400. That’s all inclusive. In addition to the usual personal insurance and breakdown cover, you’ll need to arrange a Green Card insurance for your bike. Norwich Union will probably do it from the UK before you go. If your insurance company won’t do it, you can buy it in Algeciras or at the border in Ceuta.

At the moment I’m just interested in getting expressions of interest.

(I may edit this post as things develop.)

[This message has been edited by Dee Duble Yuh (edited 20 November 2004).]

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #4 25 Nov 2004

Thanks. I have e-mailed you.
----------------
Dee Duble Yuh (Dave)

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #5 11 Dec 2004

I'd like to book ferries soon, which means deciding dates, so I need to know if anyone else is interested. Jack is keen on going into the desert, so we might want two sub-groups: road bikes and dual-sports.

**oldbaldrick** · #6 14 Dec 2004

Hi,
A friend and I are interested in this, riding F650 GS and XTZ 750.
Loads of questions, but mainly at this stage, why the P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao route?
I've just checked on their website for the dates you mention, and the best price I can get is a whopping £378.00 return. And they go round in circles, taking forever to get there, so that you spend loadsa money on board!
I've also just checked the Brittany Ferries site, from Plymouth to Santander. Best price there is £237.50 and gets the job done in half the time. The boat does however leave the UK one day earlier than your preferred itinary, (Sunday rather than Monday).
Apart from this, we are interested and would like to be involved with any further progress that is being made regarding this trip.

**DougieB** · #7 14 Dec 2004

if you are planning to do half the UK-Morocco journey by boat then another (cheaper) option is Sete in France. It's 128 euros for person and bike, takes 36 hours and goes to Tanger. Don't think there's a way of booking in advance though, but the ferries are every two days.

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #8 15 Dec 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by oldbaldrick:
... why the P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao route?
I've just checked on their website for the dates you mention, and the best price I can get is a whopping £378.00 return...
I've also just checked the Brittany Ferries site, from Plymouth to Santander. Best price there is £237.50 and gets the job done in half the time...
Apart from this, we are interested and would like to be involved with any further progress that is being made regarding this trip.

That's great. There's no preference for route; when I looked back in November, P&O were much cheaper than Brittany Ferries. I found out this morning that BF have recently announced price cuts. Their ships are faster too!! As I said, almost anything is open to negotiation. Jack G wants to depart sooner, so BF looks better.

Quote:

<font face="" size="2">Loads of questions,...</font>

Send them to dwfarthing @ bcs.org.uk . In the meantime I've added you two to the "Interested" list. (As soon as you are happy, I'd love to add your names to the "Firm" list!)

[This message has been edited by Dee Duble Yuh (edited 15 December 2004).]

**bobkat** · #9 16 Dec 2004

My wife and I are interested also, but with one problem. Our plans are for March of 2006. Please keep us posted on your route and adventures in Morocco, so that we can learn what to see and what to avoid.

**oldbaldrick** · #10 17 Dec 2004

Dave - I've e-mailed you.

**Chris IMM** · #11 10 Jan 2005

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Morocco around the same time as you guys but I'm travelling down from Eastern France where I'm living at the moment.

I'm hoping to do a fair bit of piste bashing in the desert (using some routes from Chris Scott's excellent Sahara Overland book) but it looks from your plan that our paths might cross.

If you don't mind I might keep an eye on your plans and maybe catch up with you at some point (No pressure to be at a certain place at a certain time).

Cheers,
Chris.

**Dee Duble Yuh** · #12 10 Jan 2005

Hi Chris. We'll keep an eye out for you. At the moment our group has two dual sports bikes and one road bike (hence not much piste bashing). Looking for more to join us, though.

It would be great to meet up, but our plans are fluid... so fluid we'll probably decide each day's itinerary the previous evening!

[This message has been edited by Dee Duble Yuh (edited 10 January 2005).]

**Chris IMM** · #13 11 Jan 2005

No worries, my plans are also pretty fluid but I'll keep an eye out for your bikes when I'm over there.

BTW I'll be on an old red and white Yamaha XT600 Tenere (probably with the tank off fixing the engine!)

Cheers,
Chris

**ewano** · #14 21 Jan 2005

I'm going to be heading that way, but a little earlier - if I can get everything sorted on the new bike that is...

I'm looking to be leaving the UK by mid Feburary, heading to northern Spain and then round to Portugal before heading into Morocco for a little while. I'll be mainly geurilla camping just off the road, but if you guys are around we can meet up sometime..

**speedy** · #15 3 Feb 2005

Hi,
Just perchased a dual sport, and need a trip to bed it in. Can't commit to your dates at the moment, due to nature of my work - but I am very interested.
Good luck !