Cork to Santander with a dog

I'm travelling from Cork to Santander next week with my dog. I have a pet friendly cabin booked I then intend on driving down to Quesada (8 hour drive)

I have never done anything this before. Has anyone any advice or tips pl?

A lot depends on what time of day you arrive in Santander. If it's early morning, then I would suggest you make the drive to Quesada in one go.

However, if you don't arrive in Santander till lunch time or later, then I would suggest a stopover in a hotel. somewhere just north of Madrid, and do the journey over 2 days.This also gives you the advantage of arriving in Quesada early afternoon, and giving you the chance to get some food shopping in when you arrive.

Hi, we're doing roughly the same thing - landing in Bilbao though, around about lunch time.
Because we have a dog we have decided to stop off over night.
We have booked (through a recommendation) Hotel Mavi in La Cabrera which is before getting to Madrid.
We booked through Booking.com. I think it was about £50 per night per room - extra for breakfast etc.
The hotel is pet friendly and pets stay for free.
Next morning after breakfast we'll take a steady drive to Quesada - I think about 4 hours.
Hope this helps - we've never done this before so it's new to us as well. Good luck!

You also have to take into account at both Spanish ports that they tend to off load the lorries first, and the cars last. As such, you can waste a lot of time in the 1st hour or two, trying to overtake loads of lorries. Also, speaking from experience, watch your speed. On my last 3 trips to Spain via a car, I have arrived back in the UK with 3 speeding fines on my door mat (see other posts on this subject). I believe they have started using drones in the sky with speeding cameras attached to catch you.

Thanks for the tips lads. I'll bear them in mind.

Ok, glad you have got the practical advice you were seeking, so now can admit I just love your actual topic title " Cork to Santander with a dog" , it would be a brilliant book title for your adventures, a bit like the book "Around Ireland with a fridge"...
Any chance of a travelogue from you on your experiences?

From the look at weather on the Bay of Biscay, I'd say I'll be far too sick to write anything.

I have tranquillisers for the dog, might give them a go if it's particularly bad

Murt wrote:From the look at weather on the Bay of Biscay, I'd say I'll be far too sick to write anything.

I have tranquillisers for the dog, might give them a go if it's particularly bad

Murt wrote:From the look at weather on the Bay of Biscay, I'd say I'll be far too sick to write anything.

I have tranquillisers for the dog, might give them a go if it's particularly bad

Don't do it, I did and ended up for 2 days having to pee up every lampost I passed.

Hi lads

Thanks for advice. Back home now. Most enjoyable holiday

Lessons

1. On his return trip your dog has to be given a worming tablet by a vet 12 - 36 hours before he lands in Irl or the UK, according to port officials at Santander. The vet must sign and stamp his pet passport confirming this.
Totally new news to me. luckily my ship was sailing in the afternoon and the local vets was open. If I had been sailing at night or weekend I would have been refused boarding. Cost E45. Obviously best to get it done in a vets in Quesada before you leave.

2. It's a very very long drive, for a single driver. 8.75 hours solid driving according to Google Maps when I was leaving Quesada before dawn. Also you must arrive at least 90 mins before the sailing. Also allow time for various doggie pit stops and delays. It took me over 12 hours and I was exhausted after it coming home, as I didn't stay in a hotel and had no hiccups but I will not do that again, I'll certainly break the trip next time. Wasn't so bad on the way over as I arrived early in the morning and had spent 2 nights aboard, catching up on lost sleep and resting during the voyage. (Feck all else to do.)

3. Driving on the LHS of the road in a RHD car is very easy and much simpler. You are on dual carriageways most of the way and don't need to worry about oncoming traffic when overtaking. During the time in Spain I really never had a problem with RHD, except at the exit and entrance to car parks without a passenger.