Hull to Zeebrugge on ferry with child

[moia]

Hi, we're travelling hull to zeebrugge on the p &o with our six year old - all on our own bikes and I'm wondering about how well cyclists are looked after to get on and off the ferry safely by the staff - I've done it (without six year old) before a long time ago and it was fine, just can't remember much about it!

what about after we get off, getting from the port to the cycle routes? we are cycling to bruges along the canal...

any tips and hints appreciated

thanks

 

[Salty seadog]

Talk to them on the ferry about your concerns.

 

[alicat]

No experience of that particular ferry route or you/your child but they usually take steps to send traffic on in turns and it all seems well-ordered.

 

[jefmcg]

Lmgtfy

https://www.routeyou.com/en-be/route/view/831252/cycle-route/zeebrugge-to-brugge


http://www.poferries.com/en/travelling-with-bikes

 

[mjr]

I've not travelled that specific ferry route, but P&O have allowed bikes to board first when I've used them. The ramps are sometimes steep.

From photos and some websites, it looks like the difficult bit of getting out of Zeebrugge P&O on a bike is getting onto a two-way cycle track on the far side of the road at the first roundabout that almost all vehicles from the boat will be taking, hidden behind a low concrete wall... but if you follow that track, it takes you around roundabouts and over bridges, then across the road again to join a roadside cycle track that eventually heads south alongside the main road to Lissewege, where a left turn at lights into Stationstraat would take you towards the only green bit of the canal route.

Good luck! Post some pics of what you find!

 

[moia]

Hey folks, thanks for all the replies - we did it in August and the boarding and offloading from the ferry is definitely very safe and ordered. The only tricky bit is in Zeebrugge - we followed some friendly cyclists from the ferry when we arrived who showed us the (easily missable) way to the cycle path (mentioned above) and it was fine from there. Coming back in was a bit tricky as the cycle route was either non-existent or badly signposted and we ended up a bit stuck on a bridge trying to get back towards the ferry terminal. A helpful lorry driver let us out and kept his distance following us until we were back on a cycle path close to the check in. This meant he kept any other traffic well away from us too!

The route wad pretty good and our 6 year old managed the 27 km route to our destination the other side of Brugge. We had coffee and waffles in Damme and he still had energy for the trampoline when we got to our friends'!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Great stuff. I do like taking the bike on the ferry

 

[jefmcg]

Good tale. Maybe it would be useful (if you have it) to share the gpx file of your route from the ferry.

 

[Truth]

Great little adventure for your little one mate