UK to Crete (1 Viewer)

[The Dudess]

Now 16 days into our tour across Europe with our 2 dogs, destination Crete. This is our first big trip in the van ever and we have only stayed in it twice before setting off on this journey so we are very very newbies. I have been thinking about all the things which we have in the van that have been necessary that I wouldn't have thought of buying had I not been a Funster member and been trawling this forum for the past 3 months. I can honestly say, without the advice and guidance received from the forum we would have struggled. As it is, everything has gone really smoothly and the only essential I forgot to pack was mosquito spray - I now have bites on bites!

We are now in Delphi and crossing to Crete on Tuesday. The journey has been great on the whole and, apart from 3 days rain, we have had sunshine all the way.

So thanks to everyone who answered my posts and to those experienced Funsters whose posts I have avidly read over the last few months. We couldn't have done it without you. :thumb:

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Now 16 days into our tour across Europe with our 2 dogs, destination Crete. This is our first big trip in the van ever and we have only stayed in it twice before setting off on this journey so we are very very newbies. I have been thinking about all the things which we have in the van that have been necessary that I wouldn't have thought of buying had I not been a Funster member and been trawling this forum for the past 3 months. I can honestly say, without the advice and guidance received from the forum we would have struggled. As it is, everything has gone really smoothly and the only essential I forgot to pack was mosquito spray - I now have bites on bites!

We are now in Delphi and crossing to Crete on Tuesday. The journey has been great on the whole and, apart from 3 days rain, we have had sunshine all the way.

So thanks to everyone who answered my posts and to those experienced Funsters whose posts I have avidly read over the last few months. We couldn't have done it without you. :thumb:

Keep posting about your journey Elaine and I do enjoy reading about other people's experiences as it gives ourselves ideas on what to do next
Items like where you stayed good and bad travel costs ferry problems
Don't be shy lots of others will benefit from your experience

 

[The Dudess]

Hi Peter - actually my name is Ann - I think Elaine is your wife?!

Anyway, here goes regarding our opinions of the various parts of our journey:
Folkestone: The Drum Inn. £25 per night.No discount for eating in restaurant. Toilets/showers very basic. Well over priced.
Eurotunnel: Fast and efficient as usual. No problems.
Holland: Stayed at Recrenova Campsite in Sterksel. Beautiful site, very well maintained. Great for dog walks. Shower blocks have underfloor heating (only site I've come across where chemical disposal room was also heated!). Would definitely return.
France: First stop Camping Navarre in Langres. OK site almost in town centre by town ramparts. Showers/toilet block fine. We prefer countryside sites so wouldn't return although good for site seeing and shopping.
Second stop in Les Peupliers, Savoie. This is one of my favourite sites. Great pitches - very private. Views of mountains and right by a lake. Toilet/showers clean but basic, however the views more than make up for this. Bar on site and bread can be preordered.
Third stop in Campsite Saint Jean in Moustiers Ste Marie. Very nice site, Fabulous toilet/shower block. However weather was awful so it was a bit difficult with 2 wet dogs in van. Husband went into the village and said it was lovely. Shop on site. Nice people.

Italy: First stop in Mare Monti in Sestre Levante. Site full of old caravans and trailers - looked a bit like a shanty town. Showers/toilets very very basic. Bar and shop on site. Bread can be ordered. Wouldn't return.
Second stop at Camping Kursaal by Lake Trasimeno. Fabulous site right by the lake. Restaurant (expensive) and bar on site. One of the best shower/toilet block yet. Can buy bread, pastries and milk at bar. Would return tomorrow!

Second stop at Camping 5 Stelle near Puglia. Hated this site. Pitches on sand/grass. Loads of mozzies. People not very welcoming. Shop on site. Wi-Fi advertised but not available. Showers/toilets very basic. Would not return.

Bari to Igoumenitsa with Superfast: Camping on board. This is our first experience of this and would definitely do it again. You can use all the facilities of the ferry and there are good showers/toilets right by the camping deck. Very efficient loading/offloading service and you get EHU too.

Greece: First stop at Camping Kariotes in Lefkas. Lovely little site with olive and fruit trees. Very welcoming owner. Showers/toilets basic but clean. Would definitely return.

Second stop at Camping Chrissi in Delphi. Fabulous site with amazing views down to the coast. Shop, restaurant on site and pool filled even though out of season. Lovely welcome when we arrived even though it was Greek Easter Sunday and I am sure the staff would rather have been celebrating than working. Showers/toilets great. Would return.

Most of these sites are ACSI sites, although the one at Delphi is not in the book yet. All are dog friendly, which has been very important for us.

This is almost the end of our journey as we leave tonight to catch the ferry to Crete tomorrow where we will stay for a few months in an apartment. It has been a very steep learning curve for us but we've managed quite well considering we are newbies. There have been some great times and some not so great, but on the whole it has been an amazing journey and I'd definitely do it again................... well, we're going to have to on the return journey in a few months!

I have mileage and site and toll costs if anyone wants this info.

If anyone has any information on what we should so to the van whilst it is parked out in the open in an extremely hot/dry climate for several months then please let me know. Thanks.

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[Peter & Elaine]

Hi Peter - actually my name is Ann - I think Elaine is your wife?!

Anyway, here goes regarding our opinions of the various parts of our journey:
Folkestone: The Drum Inn. £25 per night.No discount for eating in restaurant. Toilets/showers very basic. Well over priced.
Eurotunnel: Fast and efficient as usual. No problems.
Holland: Stayed at Recrenova Campsite in Sterksel. Beautiful site, very well maintained. Great for dog walks. Shower blocks have underfloor heating (only site I've come across where chemical disposal room was also heated!). Would definitely return.
France: First stop Camping Navarre in Langres. OK site almost in town centre by town ramparts. Showers/toilet block fine. We prefer countryside sites so wouldn't return although good for site seeing and shopping.
Second stop in Les Peupliers, Savoie. This is one of my favourite sites. Great pitches - very private. Views of mountains and right by a lake. Toilet/showers clean but basic, however the views more than make up for this. Bar on site and bread can be preordered.
Third stop in Campsite Saint Jean in Moustiers Ste Marie. Very nice site, Fabulous toilet/shower block. However weather was awful so it was a bit difficult with 2 wet dogs in van. Husband went into the village and said it was lovely. Shop on site. Nice people.

Italy: First stop in Mare Monti in Sestre Levante. Site full of old caravans and trailers - looked a bit like a shanty town. Showers/toilets very very basic. Bar and shop on site. Bread can be ordered. Wouldn't return.
Second stop at Camping Kursaal by Lake Trasimeno. Fabulous site right by the lake. Restaurant (expensive) and bar on site. One of the best shower/toilet block yet. Can buy bread, pastries and milk at bar. Would return tomorrow!

Second stop at Camping 5 Stelle near Puglia. Hated this site. Pitches on sand/grass. Loads of mozzies. People not very welcoming. Shop on site. Wi-Fi advertised but not available. Showers/toilets very basic. Would not return.

Bari to Igoumenitsa with Superfast: Camping on board. This is our first experience of this and would definitely do it again. You can use all the facilities of the ferry and there are good showers/toilets right by the camping deck. Very efficient loading/offloading service and you get EHU too.

Greece: First stop at Camping Kariotes in Lefkas. Lovely little site with olive and fruit trees. Very welcoming owner. Showers/toilets basic but clean. Would definitely return.

Second stop at Camping Chrissi in Delphi. Fabulous site with amazing views down to the coast. Shop, restaurant on site and pool filled even though out of season. Lovely welcome when we arrived even though it was Greek Easter Sunday and I am sure the staff would rather have been celebrating than working. Showers/toilets great. Would return.

Most of these sites are ACSI sites, although the one at Delphi is not in the book yet. All are dog friendly, which has been very important for us.

This is almost the end of our journey as we leave tonight to catch the ferry to Crete tomorrow where we will stay for a few months in an apartment. It has been a very steep learning curve for us but we've managed quite well considering we are newbies. There have been some great times and some not so great, but on the whole it has been an amazing journey and I'd definitely do it again................... well, we're going to have to on the return journey in a few months!

I have mileage and site and toll costs if anyone wants this info.

If anyone has any information on what we should so to the van whilst it is parked out in the open in an extremely hot/dry climate for several months then please let me know. Thanks.

Well Ann what can I say but fantastic
That is so well writen and your descriptions and very clear
This is just the right sort of information that Elaine and I need
We are semi retiring at Christmas with what we hope to be a 3 month vacation then back to work and if all goes to plan in 2015 6 months off in winter with 6 months working though UK summer
And yes I would be very interested in your travel costs
For our plans to work expense is a major factor we are not loaded as some of our family and friends seem to think but there again not skint
I think too many people go off half cocked with no back up plans no forward thinking all leading to a disaster then end up loosing out

I can see you are enjoying your selfs and I hope it carrys on for you the trip in to Greece is on my list of wanna does as I like the Greeks people and Rhodes island is a favourite of ours

Please keep dropping a post every no and then it is so informative

Thank you from Elaine and I

 

[ukbill]

ann thanks so much for all that info and yes please can you send me any costing and sites or any info that would be helpful to us this is not a trip i even thought about doing till i read your post thanks again if its easier you can email me the info

 

[The Dudess]

Same info with route, mileage and tolls added as requested by several Funsters.
Anyway, here goes regarding our opinions of the various parts of our journey:
Folkestone: The Drum Inn. £25 per night.No discount for eating in restaurant. Toilets/showers very basic. Well over priced.
Eurotunnel: Fast and efficient as usual. No problems.
Holland: Stayed at Recrenova Campsite in Sterksel. Beautiful site, very well maintained. Great for dog walks. Shower blocks have underfloor heating (only site I've come across where chemical disposal room was also heated!). Would definitely return.
Route: Calais, Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Sterksel.
Comments: Avoid Antwerp if possible
Miles = 184. Tolls = None
France: First stop Camping Navarre in Langres. OK site almost in town centre by town ramparts. Showers/toilet block fine. We prefer countryside sites so wouldn't return although good for site seeing and shopping.
Route: We detoured to Marche en Famenne in Belgium to see my brother-in-law so this route is from there.
Marche, Arlon, Metz, Nancy, Chaumont, Langres.
Miles = 245. Tolls 10.80 euros
Second stop in Les Peupliers, Savoie. This is one of my favourite sites. Great pitches - very private. Views of mountains and right by a lake. Toilet/showers clean but basic, however the views more than make up for this. Bar on site and bread can be preordered.
Route: Langres, Dole, Bourge-en-Bresse, Geneva, Aix-le-Bains, Lac de Lapin.
Miles = 242. Tolls = 31.40 euros
Third stop in Campsite Saint Jean in Moustiers Ste Marie. Very nice site, Fabulous toilet/shower block. However weather was awful so it was a bit difficult with 2 wet dogs in van. Husband went into the village and said it was lovely. Shop on site. Nice people.
Route: Lac de Lapin, Chambery, Grenoble, Sisteron, Digne-les-Bains, Moustier-Ste-Marie.
Miles = 205. Tolls = 23 euros

Italy: First stop in Mare Monti in Sestre Levante. Site full of old caravans and trailers - looked a bit like a shanty town. Showers/toilets very very basic. Bar and shop on site. Bread can be ordered. Wouldn't return.
Route= Moustiers Ste Marie, Draguignan, Frejus, A8 to Genoa, E80 to Sestri Levante.
Comments: Boring, ugly route. Bone and motorhome shaking roads. Services too small and very busy
Miles = 253. Tolls = 46.40 euros
Second stop at Camping Kursaal by Lake Trasimeno. Fabulous site right by the lake. Restaurant (expensive) and bar on site. One of the best shower/toilet block yet. Can buy bread, pastries and milk at bar. Would return tomorrow!
Route: Sestri Levante, E80, E76 via Florence, E35 to Castiglione-de-Lac, Lake Trasimeno.
Comments: Motorway road surface bad
Miles = 196. Tolls = 24.40 euros
Third stop at Camping 5 Stelle near Puglia. Hated this site. Pitches on sand/grass. Loads of mozzies. People not very welcoming. Shop on site. Wi-Fi advertised but not available. Showers/toilets very basic. Would not return.
Route: Lake Trasimeno, Perugia, Spoleto, Terni, Rieti, Poggio Imperiale, Torre Mileto.
Comments: Lots of diversions due to road works
Miles = 323 Tolls = 13.20

Bari to Igoumenitsa with Superfast: Camping on board. This is our first experience of this and would definitely do it again. You can use all the facilities of the ferry and there are good showers/toilets right by the camping deck. Very efficient loading/offloading service and you get EHU too.
Route: Torre Mileto, San Severo, E55 to Bari
Miles = 135. Tolls = 10.10 euros

Greece: First stop at Camping Kariotes in Lefkas. Lovely little site with olive and fruit trees. Very welcoming owner. Showers/toilets basic but clean. Would definitely return.
Route: Igoumenitsa, E55 to Vonitsa, small road to Lefkada
Comments: Picturesque route mainly following coast
Miles = 95 Tolls = None
Second stop at Camping Chrissi in Delphi. Fabulous site with amazing views down to the coast. Shop, restaurant on site and pool filled even though out of season. Lovely welcome when we arrived even though it was Greek Easter Sunday and I am sure the staff would rather have been celebrating than working. Showers/toilets great. Would return.
Route: Lefkada, Vonitsa, Amfolichia, Antirio, Itea, Delphi
Comments: Stunning scenery. Route follows beautiful coast road
Miles = 165. Tolls = None
Most of these sites are ACSI sites, although the one at Delphi is not in the book yet. All are dog friendly, which has been very important for us.
All sites with the exception of Sterksel cost either 14 or 16 euros with EHU. Showers were free, except Sterksel which was 0.50 cents, and washing machine was 4 euros.
We got very good Wi-Fi on all sites where it was available by using our Wi-Fi booster (invaluable bit of kit). No site charged for the dogs.
This is almost the end of our journey as we leave tonight to catch the ferry to Crete tomorrow where we will stay for a few months in an apartment. It has been a very steep learning curve for us but we've managed quite well considering we are newbies. There have been some great times and some not so great, but on the whole it has been an amazing journey and I'd definitely do it again................... well, we're going to have to on the return journey in a few months!

I have mileage and site and toll costs if anyone wants this info.
Please let me know if you want any further info on any of the sites.

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[ukbill]

thanks again ann for the in depth info but can you include the price of the ferries please
have a great time and safe roads :thumb:

 

[Beemer]

Excellent info & beautifully written. Makes me want to jump into my MH & set off immediately !!!

I have always had an idea to take my MH to Crete and/or Cyprus but haven't got very far with my research yet. I would however be very interested in all the details regarding the ferry to Crete - especially the fare.

Enjoy your journey & once again thanks

Dave

 

[The Dudess]

Ferry Costs

Here are the Ferry costs for our journey:

Bari to Igoumenitsa with Superfast:
Dep Bari @ 20:00, arrive Igoumenitsa @ 06:30 the next morning
Camping on board
Outbound on 2nd May, return mid Sept = 492 euros return

Piraeus to Heraklion with Minoan on the day boat:
Dep Piraeus@ 11:00, arrive Heraklion at 18:00
Deck passengers (2)
One way only on 7th May = 239 euros

N.B. The day boat only runs on a few special days out of season (this one was because of the end of the Greek Easter celebrations). However in high summer it runs frequently.

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[Philiphall]

ann thanks so much for all that info and yes please can you send me any costing and sites or any info that would be helpful to us this is not a trip i even thought about doing till i read your post thanks again if its easier you can email me the info

Oh no Bill not another trip to be sorted!