NABman

I am taking my motorcycle on a road trip to the UK towards the end of October and returning at the end of the month.

Travelling from Malaga to Bilbao to Portsmouth and returning the same route.

If anyone has some recent experience / tips or suggestions regarding the planned travel, recommendations for a hotel near near Bilbao port , ferry sails about 10am so would prefer to be reasonably close I would very much appreciate to hear them.

Thanks

tebo53

I did that route 7 years ago but the opposite way. Portsmouth to Bilbao then to Benidorm. Returning via Madrid to Bilbao.
I stopped in the IBIS hotel in Bilbao which had free parking and was about 3 miles from the port.
A most enjoyable bike trip I did over 3 weeks. My trip was designed as a reke ready to move over permanently.

Steve

VEDShappy

I recently used this one in Hoznayo
https://grupolospasiegos.com/alojamiento.php?id=6
Cheap and cheerful, clean and all amenities within a couple of minutes walk. Just off the A8 between Santander and Bilbao.

olivefarmer

Just done the crossing by car.

i hate the roads up there. All on top of each other. Even with sat nav not easy to get around locally. Long distance is easier.

getting to the port is easy enough and signed. When you get there follow yellow signs marked ferry.

Have all your paperwork ready. You wont be allowed on without having done whatever is necessary. PLF and Negative Covid test. We did our test the day before in Bilbao.

Cafe and toilets in the waiting area after paperwork. You needto be there min of 90 mins before hand.

Disembarking takes about an hour.

agree_to_disagree

Retired in Euskadi

Take your Residency certificate/card. We were asked for it in Santander when disembarking 2 weeks ago from Plymouth. Never been asked for it in the 12 years we've been here.
Never been to the Bilbao ferry, but as Tebo said, the IBIS hotel could be an option. Think it's around €70 and close to one of the main thoroughfares parallel to the Gran Via, called Autonomia.
If you want to avoid motorway tolls, don't take the AP68 to Bilbao from near Miranda de Ebro, but from around Pancorbo (Provincia de Burgos) take the A625 which passes through Orduña, via the Puerto de Orduña, quite spectacular and close to where the river Nervion has an outstanding fall from the clifftops.
Buen viaje.

NABman

Thank you for your replies all very useful. The last long distance ride for me was in 1994 so am both excited and a little bit anxious so you have helped considerably.

Memory of 1994 is a bit vague, I recall the ferry crew secured our bikes, we left them and obviously no further access to the vehicle deck until disembarking. I doubt this has changed but boarding is not the time to discover I should have bought straps.

bobd22

I have done it a few times 3 by bike 3 by car. My ferry was later so I stayed in Lerma which was great but no use to you given time of your ferry. Its a nice ride especially as you approach Bilbao. I avoided motorways and came in over a National Park you end up way up high and come down a great road with hairpins into Bilbao very enjoyable. Take care when you get to the port area and as someone mentioned follow the ferry signs, the ferry is at the very far end of the port. Its easy to end up in the main freight port rather than the ferry port. You will ride past that and be ok if you follow yellow ferry signs.
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missile

No need for straps crew secure the bikes. If you have an alarm, de-activate it or your battery may be flat when you come to disembark. You might want to delay your trip until BoJo latest rule changes are implemented.

NABman

Thanks bobd22 and missile, more useful info.

Hopefully the relaxation of pre-departure testing will be dropped before I travel. If not then I will have to go with whatever the requirements are. If I had left it any later then the Bay of Biscay sea conditions and UK weather would probably be less than pleasant.

Retired in Euskadi

That's the BI623 which takes you over the Puerto de Urkiola. Spectacular, as you say.

bobd22

It certainly is.
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missile

You might want to search for a hotel with private parking. I would not want to leave a motorcycle overnight in a public car park in Bilbao.

NABman

Thanks Missile, I am looking for one with parking at the moment.

I will be carrying two disc locks and an Oxford chain lock and a bike cover which will hopefully deter people who would like to relieve me of the machine.

missile

When I parked my bike at Catalunya Moto GP. They cut the chain stole my helmet and left the bike.