Best place to go with 7 days?

Plan nothing and wait until a week before then decide, my best tours have been deciding what to do day by day France on euro tunnels from Manchester you can be there in 6 hours and as long as you stay off the motorways you can choose which direction which day depending on weather or what you fancy doing. There are some fantastic war memorials all over France and worth going to, Belgium although pretty flat has sone great cities so no booking just go with the flow and chase the sun


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No shit Sherlock ..... :D

You’d be surprised how often, in the excitement, bods forget the coming back bit. The question is how? Spend at big more time booming / go a bit further and hit the motorways?
 
Some great suggestions.. I was hoping to set off on the Friday night after my mate finishes work, but he doesn't finish until 8pm so he's putting a bloody block on it (I finish work a few days earlier on my annual leave but my mate can only have a week off) so it'll have to be early Saturday, coming home the following Saturday as I'm back in work on the Sunday..

Regards Ireland: I actually toured Ireland a couple of times with about 10 other biker mates in my early 20's, more that 15 years ago, and coincidentally it was at the same time of year as we went to the Northwest 200, and it has crossed my mind to go back, but I can't see the weather being any better in Ireland than Scotland.. Also I imagine the ferry will be busy, due to the NW200..

As you have now reduced the trip to 6 nights, how about riding down through the Peak District, lunch in Stratford then head into the Cotswolds. 2 nights here with a day riding around the Cotswolds and Wiltshire Downs. Cross the Severn into the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley and head for the Brecon Beacons on Monday. Again 2 nights somewhere, leaving Mid Wales on Thursday to stay in North Wales.
 
This is the correct answer though I’d be contacting Mickey and getting a ferry from Hull and planning my holiday over breakfast on the ferry an hour before landing.

Download Archies for a comprehensive list of European campsites and it’s hard to make a mess of things. Booking.com should be your back up in case the weather goes badly wrong and it’s raining at 5pm.

I've already downloaded the Archie’s app, and will be replying on it, too! 😂
 
two suggestions

Hull rotterdam , holland Belgium Germany ,nurburgring ,eiffel mts etc easy do that with 1 day out ,five days there, 1 day back.
Scotland ,up towards the Galway Forest. get ferry to Ireland, do some of the Coastal route , Giants Causeway, NW200 Track, etc, boat back from Dublin to Holyhead, great ride through N Wales to Manchester .
 
Seven days, less the time it takes you to get from Manchester to wherever you plan on landing on the continent and coming back home.

I’d look at the overnight ferry to Holland / Belgium and then head to the Harz and / or Ardennes, probably both. Retrace for the return.

... As does this...

I quite fancy Germany, never been before
 
One way to "extend" the holiday is to finish work on the Friday afternoon and then ride down to Portsmouth. Take an overnight ferry to Caen, St Malo or Le Havre. Then ride to whichever part of France you fancy. The Le Havre ferry departs at 11pm so you have plenty of time. You can keep the cost down by "camping" on the boat in a £5 recliner chair rather than a cabin.

Personally, I hate camping and would use a F1 or Premiere Classe motel for 30 euros a night in preference to canvas. 15 euros each for an en suite room.

I defiantly want to camp, and have invested quite a lot of money getting some quality gear to do it, but I'll look into your suggestions, cheers.
 
Some great suggestions.. I was hoping to set off on the Friday night after my mate finishes work, but he doesn't finish until 8pm so he's putting a bloody block on it (I finish work a few days earlier on my annual leave but my mate can only have a week off) so it'll have to be early Saturday, coming home the following Saturday as I'm back in work on the Sunday..

Regards Ireland: I actually toured Ireland a couple of times with about 10 other biker mates in my early 20's, more that 15 years ago, and coincidentally it was at the same time of year as we went to the Northwest 200, and it has crossed my mind to go back, but I can't see the weather being any better in Ireland than Scotland.. Also I imagine the ferry will be busy, due to the NW200..

The Eurotunnel runs all night, so leave late on the Friday night, get past Calais and late check in to a pre-booked hotel. Wake up in France, holiday's started and you don't need to be chasing a crossing time!
 
The Eurotunnel runs all night, so leave late on the Friday night, get past Calais and late check in to a pre-booked hotel. Wake up in France, holiday's started and you don't need to be chasing a crossing time!
Can you just turn up and jump on a train or is booking required?
 
Can you just turn up and jump on a train or is booking required?

you can, but a lot cheaper to prebook, but that only needs to be 30 minutes before departure so you can do it at a comfort stop on the way down using a phone

Ibis on the French side has 24 hour reception and is only 5 minutes from the terminal
 
... As does this...

I quite fancy Germany, never been before

Then you now have an excellent chance and it matches your timeframe well.

Go to the ‘Germany calling’ sticky. Find the ADAC and / other maps for for the Harz, Ardennes, Belgium and Luxembourg and you are as good as done.

Here’s the Luxembourg ADAC map’s link:

https://www.adac.de/_mmm/pdf/TK_10_Eifel_ Luxemburg_210807.pdf

If you follow the ‘Germany calling’ thread, you’ll find the excellent Kurvenkoenig site. It’s in German but it’s easy enough to guess who to subscribe, which is free. Once subscribed you can download the PDF and GPS files. It’s worthwhile making the effort. For example, they have lots of very nicely set out suggestions for the Harz, all or any of which would suit you.

Yes, you do have to do some work but it’s worth it. I don’t speak a word of German but can work my way through it and then create some great tours, without too much difficulty.

Here’s a sample of the Harz:

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Just from these two samples, you can see how you could perhaps stay in or near Goslar (very popular) and have two days’ worth of good riding.
 
... As does this...

I quite fancy Germany, never been before

Fab country

7 days you say?

Plenty of time for Ardenne & Mosel and maybe Black Forest and back up via the French Vosges

Get your map out and do it in the hoof
 
Depending on the time of year, I'd head to the French Alps.

It's a pity you can't persuade your mate to go from work (but understandable). Though if he doesn't get off until 8pm you'd be hard pushed to make any of the overnight ferries from Manchester.

Even so, a good run to the mountains is easily do-able, even with camping. For example
Saturday Manchester to Charleville-Meziers (long day, motorway as far as Cambrai)
Sunday Charleville to Arbois (via Verdun and Neufchateau - not much motorway)
Monday Arbois to Bourg St Maurice (via Gex, Annecy and Cormet Roselend - only a little motorway, mostly mountains)
Tuesday Bourg St Maurice to Jausiers (Col de l'Iseran, Col du Mont Cenis, Col d'Izoard, Col de Vars. All mountains)
Wednesday Jausiers to Gap (Col de la Bonette, Gorge de Daluis, down to Castellane, north on Route Napoleon. All mountains)
Thursday Gap to Roanne (through the Vercors for Col de la Machine. Mostly cross-country/mountains)
Friday Roanne to Reims/Epernay (cross country through the Morvan, maybe some motorway at the end of the day)
Saturday Reims to Manchester (probably mostly motorway - certainly from Peronne north)
 
Depending on the time of year, I'd head to the French Alps.....

Mid May, Simon

I was hoping to set off on the Friday night after my mate finishes work, but he doesn't finish until 8pm so he's putting a bloody block on it (I finish work a few days earlier on my annual leave but my mate can only have a week off) so it'll have to be early Saturday, coming home the following Saturday as I'm back in work on the Sunday..

I agree that it’s a shame that he’s hamstrung by his mate’s timetable.

Might it not be an idea to set off independently and your mate then catches up by hacking down the motorways? That way, you both win or you kick your heels until 8 pm on Friday and probably won’t set off (from Manchester) until some time on Saturday.
 


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