Thinking of driving to Spa for this years Belgium GP
Discussion
Hi all,Ive been to silverstone many times for the GP now and was thinking of doing something different this year.Was thinking of flying somewhere at first but we are now thinking that a road trip to Spa for the weekend might be fun.
Of course on the face of it,what might sound like a great idea could turn out to be a total nightmare.Im wondering if anyone has done this and could offer any thoughts/info/advice etc.
I will be driving from the northwest of england so im guessing the south coast and the channel tunnel would be the usual route.My main concerns are accomadation and getting to and from the circuit when we get there.
Is the circuit in the middle of nowhere and would the only place we could find to stay be miles away?
Would this then require a lengthy drive to the circuit each day sat in traffic jams for hours on end?
I know Grand Prix wkends are very busy times,but if it is something that is going to just turn out to be a logistical pain in the arse I think i would rather consider something else.
Cheers.
Ps.Not sure if this is the best forum to ask this on,please move to more suitable if necessary.
Of course on the face of it,what might sound like a great idea could turn out to be a total nightmare.Im wondering if anyone has done this and could offer any thoughts/info/advice etc.
I will be driving from the northwest of england so im guessing the south coast and the channel tunnel would be the usual route.My main concerns are accomadation and getting to and from the circuit when we get there.
Is the circuit in the middle of nowhere and would the only place we could find to stay be miles away?
Would this then require a lengthy drive to the circuit each day sat in traffic jams for hours on end?
I know Grand Prix wkends are very busy times,but if it is something that is going to just turn out to be a logistical pain in the arse I think i would rather consider something else.
Cheers.
Ps.Not sure if this is the best forum to ask this on,please move to more suitable if necessary.
Edited by Nedzilla on Friday 20th April 10:09
We did it two years ago and we are going again this year...
We camp on a campsite a mile and a half from the circuit and so walk to and from the track to avoid traffic etc... a lot of the access roads are closed to the circuit (not sure about franchorchamps side) but we find the camping and then walking to the circuit worked very well. So not sure about staying further afield and driving to the circuit.
On travelling to Belgium we also got the ferry last time round from Dover to Dunkirk with DFDS which again worked pretty well. Was based in the North West at the time, now North East....still going to go down south that way, as the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge is more expensive
We camp on a campsite a mile and a half from the circuit and so walk to and from the track to avoid traffic etc... a lot of the access roads are closed to the circuit (not sure about franchorchamps side) but we find the camping and then walking to the circuit worked very well. So not sure about staying further afield and driving to the circuit.
On travelling to Belgium we also got the ferry last time round from Dover to Dunkirk with DFDS which again worked pretty well. Was based in the North West at the time, now North East....still going to go down south that way, as the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge is more expensive
We did it last year. Best to cross Dover to Dunkirk. Its then only a fairly short 3 hr blast on motorways to get there.
We stayed in a villa in Spa. Between 8 of us it worked out at less than £70 each for the weekend. On Fri and Sat it took us about 15 mins to drive to the track - no real traffic except in the town itself. You can park in the campsites right next to the track.
On race day it was busier and we had to park further away and get a bus in (laid on), but still only 45 mins really.
Very easy.
We stayed in a villa in Spa. Between 8 of us it worked out at less than £70 each for the weekend. On Fri and Sat it took us about 15 mins to drive to the track - no real traffic except in the town itself. You can park in the campsites right next to the track.
On race day it was busier and we had to park further away and get a bus in (laid on), but still only 45 mins really.
Very easy.
I camped last time I went (2008) but heading over with my dad this time and his aspirations are more luxurious than mine. We're doing Spa then continuing on to Monza for the Italian GP the following weekend. We're stopping in a hotel near Liege and driving in each day. Might be a bit of a pain but only 20 mins in clear traffic.
I'm not one for public endorsements but this is the fifth trip where I've had organisational help from Grandstand Motorsports and they're great. PM me if you'd like a contact there.
I'm not one for public endorsements but this is the fifth trip where I've had organisational help from Grandstand Motorsports and they're great. PM me if you'd like a contact there.
Did it last year.
From sheffield drove down to dover and crossed to Calais.
Drove up to Leuven for a night out on the Thursday the way up, and then continued into Spa Friday morning. Camped at the track - felt massivly out done by everyone else there. We turned up with a tent and a sleeping bag each along with a crate of ale or 6.
Some of the continental guys turned up with artics with fecking hot tubs attatched. And tanks of aceytlene(sp) for making things go bang constantly.
Superb weekend, right next to the track - 2 minute walk in every day. Close enough to walk to the village for a pub or a meal or just stayed on camp.
Far better than similar experience at Silverstone.
From sheffield drove down to dover and crossed to Calais.
Drove up to Leuven for a night out on the Thursday the way up, and then continued into Spa Friday morning. Camped at the track - felt massivly out done by everyone else there. We turned up with a tent and a sleeping bag each along with a crate of ale or 6.
Some of the continental guys turned up with artics with fecking hot tubs attatched. And tanks of aceytlene(sp) for making things go bang constantly.
Superb weekend, right next to the track - 2 minute walk in every day. Close enough to walk to the village for a pub or a meal or just stayed on camp.
Far better than similar experience at Silverstone.
Thanks for the replies so far guys,sounds like it wont be that much trouble after all.
Chevron b37,what exactly is it grandstand motorsports do for you? What would be ideal would be if someone could sort out all the relevent bookings ie: ferrry crossing,hotel accomadation,transport to the circuit ie park and ride and tickets for the race,although they would be pretty easy to get myself.
It is mainly the ferry,hotel and transport i am more concerned about,being in a foreign country and that I wannt as least hassle as possible when we get there.
I am only looking for general admission tickets as i like the idea of wandering around the circuit and viewing from different places (particularly along the back straight just before les combes!)
Cheers
Chevron b37,what exactly is it grandstand motorsports do for you? What would be ideal would be if someone could sort out all the relevent bookings ie: ferrry crossing,hotel accomadation,transport to the circuit ie park and ride and tickets for the race,although they would be pretty easy to get myself.
It is mainly the ferry,hotel and transport i am more concerned about,being in a foreign country and that I wannt as least hassle as possible when we get there.
I am only looking for general admission tickets as i like the idea of wandering around the circuit and viewing from different places (particularly along the back straight just before les combes!)
Cheers
Edited by Nedzilla on Friday 20th April 14:42
Dan_1981 said:
Did it last year.
From sheffield drove down to dover and crossed to Calais.
Drove up to Leuven for a night out on the Thursday the way up, and then continued into Spa Friday morning. Camped at the track - felt massivly out done by everyone else there. We turned up with a tent and a sleeping bag each along with a crate of ale or 6.
Some of the continental guys turned up with artics with fecking hot tubs attatched. And tanks of aceytlene(sp) for making things go bang constantly.
Superb weekend, right next to the track - 2 minute walk in every day. Close enough to walk to the village for a pub or a meal or just stayed on camp.
Far better than similar experience at Silverstone.
Did the identical trip (Even the starting from Sheffield part.) in 89, on bikes.From sheffield drove down to dover and crossed to Calais.
Drove up to Leuven for a night out on the Thursday the way up, and then continued into Spa Friday morning. Camped at the track - felt massivly out done by everyone else there. We turned up with a tent and a sleeping bag each along with a crate of ale or 6.
Some of the continental guys turned up with artics with fecking hot tubs attatched. And tanks of aceytlene(sp) for making things go bang constantly.
Superb weekend, right next to the track - 2 minute walk in every day. Close enough to walk to the village for a pub or a meal or just stayed on camp.
Far better than similar experience at Silverstone.
Camped in the forest, wandered the track side.
On Sunday walked to the top of Eau Rouge and watched the race from up a tree.
I don't have the words to describe watching the cars plunge down from La Source and then up Eau Rouge, it's astonishingly steep, far more so than it appears on TV. A stunning vantage point.
The whole area (Ardennes) is spectacular and the town/village of Francorchamps is great, friendly with a good atmosphere, plenty of bars, all round nice place to be.
The best GP weekend I've ever spent, and to this day still my favourite track.
On Sunday after the race, a motorcycle is the only viable way of leaving.
If you're in a car stay the night and leave on Monday.
We are going the weekend after next for the WEC been going there since 1985 for the GP's latterly for the sportscars instead stunning area have a list which stands at about 25 for activities for the spare day we always include... Nurburgring, Mosel, War memorials, underground caves, breweries in Abbeys, micro breweries, dams, Bruxelles, Mosel ...etc etc.... we now only need to schedule in a visit to the chocolate factory in Eupen.....
Nedzilla said:
Chevron b37,what exactly is it grandstand motorsports do for you? What would be ideal would be if someone could sort out all the relevent bookings ie: ferrry crossing,hotel accomadation,transport to the circuit ie park and ride and tickets for the race,although they would be pretty easy to get myself.
Sent you a PM, mate. chevronb37 said:
Nedzilla said:
Chevron b37,what exactly is it grandstand motorsports do for you? What would be ideal would be if someone could sort out all the relevent bookings ie: ferrry crossing,hotel accomadation,transport to the circuit ie park and ride and tickets for the race,although they would be pretty easy to get myself.
Sent you a PM, mate. Prices seem very reasonable too,I will definately be contacting them.
Cheers
Nedzilla said:
Cheers mate. Ive been looking on Grandstand Motorsports website and they seem to be just what im looking for!
Prices seem very reasonable too,I will definately be contacting them.
Cheers
They're a total pleasure to deal with. I'm sure you can put packages together yourself but I'm generally quite busy with a million and one other things so happy let somebody else track down the best deal on my behalf!Prices seem very reasonable too,I will definately be contacting them.
Cheers
Darren - PM sent to you as well, buddy.
Great place and dead easy to get to, used to go every year for the bike endurance racing.
Don't be surprised when following signs for Liege that it suddenly changes to Luik, one half of Belgium speaks French the other half speaks Flemish, confused the hell out of me the first time round Brussels ring road.
Don't be surprised when following signs for Liege that it suddenly changes to Luik, one half of Belgium speaks French the other half speaks Flemish, confused the hell out of me the first time round Brussels ring road.
chevronb37 said:
They're a total pleasure to deal with. I'm sure you can put packages together yourself but I'm generally quite busy with a million and one other things so happy let somebody else track down the best deal on my behalf!
Darren - PM sent to you as well, buddy.
Thanks mateDarren - PM sent to you as well, buddy.
Nedzilla said:
Cheers mate. Ive been looking on Grandstand Motorsports website and they seem to be just what im looking for!
Prices seem very reasonable too,I will definately be contacting them.
Cheers
I get the use of sites like this perhaps for long haul flights and deals where you travel round the world, but really for driving to belgium and the GP? It is not particularly time consuming to do it yourself and you will no doubt save yourself some dollarPrices seem very reasonable too,I will definately be contacting them.
Cheers
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