DETAILS
Looking at the last minute flights to the closest airport in Brest, there were no flights below £900, which was a big ‘non’ just before Christmas, but there were a few viable ferry options that possibly fitted into our budget and timetable. After a quick scan through various websites, Brittany Ferries came up with the most favourable logistics; crossings with a vehicle and two passengers for £135 over to St Malo and then a return from Caen to Portsmouth for £109. The timing meant that on the outbound journey we would depart in the evening from Portsmouth at 8.15pm on Wednesday night and arrive in St Malo at 8am Thursday, followed by a 200km drive to the spot in Brittany. For the return we would have to drive 500km to Caen, then jump on an 11pm ferry and be back in Portsmouth for 6am on Saturday morning. On top of the cost of the crossing it is compulsory that you either book a twin cabin for £49 or pay for reclining seats at £5 a pop, making for a grand total of £309 for the return crossing. We opted for a cabin on the outbound journey and then the cheapskate seats on the return. So with all logistics set, Jamie finally gave the nod at 3pm on Wednesday afternoon, a mere 5 hours before departure. Fortunately the booking procedure was relatively straightforward allowing me time to pack my sleeping bag, pillow, waterproofs, passport and camera equipment to cover two days on the road and two nights on the water.
