Introduced my mate into bikepacking last weekend with a trip to Bruges and back.

We used the Eurotunnel bike service (£36 return at this time of year). A man (Chris) comes to collect you from Cheriton Holiday Inn in a minibus with a trailer, loads up and then drives you onto the train and dumps you in Coquelles on the other side.

We did 180 miles over 3 days, up the coast along the North Sea route and then back, inland via canals and country lanes. There may have been some food, beer and ice cream involved. Perfect touring.

I used my Boardman CX while he used his winter road bike.

Pics here:

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Calais to Bruges by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Did you not have any beer or ice cream then?

s8tannorm wrote:Did you not have any beer or ice cream then?

Nah, none

That looks like a great trip Dan, one of the few downsides to living up here in the wilds is the lack of eady access to the Continent.

I'll definitely use the tunnel service again. 8am pickup here with a 6pm return mean that overnights are a real option. We did two nights camping. 7 euros each per night. Loads of options along the coast.

vaguely exciting!

Love the pics!

Got my St Malo to Nice trip coming up in about 7 weeks (yoiks!) and cant wait!

That's a great idea. Never heard of the Eurotunnel service.
Sounds quite reasonable.
Being in Essex that sounds like a future trip.

It's a great service Tony. Eurotunnel actually make a loss on it bit are bound by a clause to take all wheeled vehicles.

Do you have a copy of your route I could look at please?

Yep. Give me your email address and I'll email you the gpx files or you can have a look on the Bear Bones club on Strava.

PM sent.

Been reading up on the eurotunnnel service thats vaguely exciting. How was parking?

You can park at the Holiday Inn Express where you get picked up from but it's £9 a day I think. I parked in a side road (turn off the main road at the traffic lights at Tesco and then take the first left).