I’m considering treating myself to one of the amazing looking Basque MTB holidays but the faff of packaging the bike, getting a bike box, paying for the bike on the flight etc etc sounds like a total pain and looking at costs it would be much cheaper to drive. Has anyone ever driven themselves down there? Am I crazy?

Maybe would be the answer – having done both (drove to the Coastal holiday last year and flew to the Backcountry holiday this year), I’d say fly 🙂

5 of us went in a van using the Portsmouth to Santander ferry in September and it was only because there were 5 of us did it bring it to a comparable cost of flying, however, it is a 24 hour crossing each way so do you have the extra time available.

Driving from Calais would take at least 12 hours I would expect. That’s a lot of time, fuel and tolls on top of the ferry cost.

I used to live there and did the drive a fair few times.
Eurostar to Basque country is one full day of driving. The Motorways are great apart from the ring roads round some of the cities. You’ll have to factor in the cost of tolls (the non toll route takes a lot longer).

If you have time, break up the trip and stop overnight in one of the lovely French cities along the way. If you do Formula 1 is your friend for hotels.

Alternatively, Ferry to Santander then drive from there (about 2 hours)

Thanks all. Ferry looks ££££ and it’d be me on my own so no opportunity to split the costs. Sounds like flying is the way forward then.

Couple years ago I went year after year after year to the Pyrenees – mostly to Aragon.
Had plenty time and always spent 3 or 4 months there…
Live in Germany and always loaded the van and went by car. Each route two or more days (went via south of France). (The highway fees in France cost a bit…).
If I could turn the clock back: would be there again.
Went to Cantabria, Basque country, Navarra, Rioja and so on and so on.
Many “non touristic”, very “lonely” and remote areas. In Aragon “bomb proof fantastic summer”.
Easy to get lost, easy to get into dangerous situations.
At these times: very low living costs there. Especially in Aragon. The ugly part: these crazy civil construction projects which they start und stop (looks like shit then).
Not many “marked trails”. Biked also in the mountains bit south of the main Pyrenee mountains. Absolute fantastic. But the villages there are .. empty! Many small mountain villages don’t even had roads – and since Franco time the people are gone. Strange. Crazy. Often beautiful. Adventure for the mountain biker!!!
Have fun!

Thanks for all the info. Looked at flights from the north of England and noone seems to go on a Saturday..this is why I wanted to drive!!

Fun:
met a nice UK climber in the Pyrenees – he also spent always “plenty of time” there.
He took the ferry.
I remember him saying: “well. Many UK retirement people on this ferry. And the ferry takes long. And close to the end of these ferry trips I have to calm me down not TO KILL SOME OF THESE RETIREMENT people”…
This was a strange statement. 😈
Didn’t ask further questions to this climber.
But I should have.
This is still going around in my head: what’s bad happening on this UK Spain ferries?
🙄
Maybe you have a chance to tell us in this forum later on?
😉

I’ve done both and the best way for me was the train! Bottle of wine and a good book, 24 hours total door to door from here to the north of Scotland. Flying isn’t bad, packing the bike is a 20 minute job if you hire a bag or box. Lots of places offer that. You could always hire a bike, we have nice bikes to hire but that means it’s not a cheap option. Drop me a line and I’ll see if I can give any tips.

I flew, but there were a bunch of us meeting up at Heathrow (actually at some house and then sharing a van). Two of us drove down from the NE the night before.

Book your flights now if you’re going 2018 and flying. You’ll save a lot. Check a few quotes. I found BA to be the best deal, I checked the bike in as my gold luggage l, and the cabin allowance gave me a daysac and a 45 litre rucksack in the cabin. The cheaper airlines often have your eyes out when you start wanting luggage.

Thanks all, Doug I’ll drop you an email!