Harwich to Hook Zandvoort route/ stayover recommendations

[pancholi]

need some advice please.
first time travelling to the circuit.
i am based in Leicestershire, so i presume Harwich to Hook is the most convenient.
track day is Sat 28th Feb
taking the Friday day ferry on the 27th that arrives at 5.30 pm...would have taken the overnight ferry but arrives at 8am at The Hook post + 1hrs drive so would not arrive on track for at least 10am.
thinking of taking the 10pm overnight return on the 28th Sat
1) any alternatives?
2) friday night accommodation any suggestions? i know all cars to their their owners is treasured valuables, so looking for somewhere that the car is super secure.

any advice to a Euro track newbie would be welcome..
thanks

[brillomaster]

Interested to hear others thoughts on this, also thinking of doing zandvoort next year.

I've done one euro trackday, which was spa (leamington) to spa (francorchamps) and that was a simple Dover calais ferry the day before and the day after, with two nights in francorchamps.

Personally, I'd just have another night in zandvoort then get the ferry back the next day... wouldn't fancy doing a trackday then immediately getting an 8hr ferry overnight home, unless you need to be home in a rush on Sunday.

Edited by brillomaster on Sunday 16th November 10:44

[Wh00sher]

I use Hull to Rotterdam, but have also gone Hook to Harwich, but that's quite a bit longer drive in the UK for me.

I've done Spa then taken the Hook ferry and Zandvoort then the Rotterdam one, just meant I had to pack up around 17:30 and missed the last 15 to 30 minutes of tracktime.

Both have restaurants and it's a opportunity to get some food, have a beer before a good night's sleep.

I'd use whichever is closest to you in the UK or as you suggest, the one that arrives late afternoon the day before from Harwich

[pancholi]

thanks for the advice.
so did you do Spa and Zandvoort back to back?
i have heard that this is possible...
can dates between the two circuits work out with such lucky coincidence?

[RizzoTheRat]

From Leicester, Hull might be just a close as Harwich so worth checking if the times are more convenient, however it docks the far side of the river from Hoek so it's a slightly longer drive. and the ferry take longer, which is great on an overnight but less so on a fast ferry.

Do you have the to take the overnight a day earlier? If you have a day to kill in NL the Louwman museum is in route https://louwmanmuseum.nl/en/

The Netherlands being quite built up, it's relatively common for hotels to have underground car parks so maybe dig in a few hotels websites. I'd have a look at the bigger hotels around Haarlem to see what they have.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Monday 17th November 21:16

[UMSGTR2009]

Why not do Newcastle to Amsterdam - overnight Ferry journey time is only 40 mins to Zandvoort

[Jamescrs]

I would also recommend the Hull- Rotterdam crossing i've done it many times and it's a decent overnight crossing but unfortunately you are still going to have to do a night in Zandvoort the night before because you won't get off the ferry and to the track in time for the briefings etc.
I've been to Zandvoort as an area when the F1 wasn't on to have a look around and it seemed relatively quiet so I doubt you will have much issue finding hotels

I'm considering doing the Zandvoort track day that weekend too but at the moment i'm not sure what state my car will be in for it so i'm holding off booking until January.

[Wh00sher]

I was at Zandvoort this weekend, Saturday night Hull ferry. Arrived in Zandvoort Sunday morning. Stayed at the Centre Parcs.

Large barriered carpark next to the hotel, but if that's full I was going to leave the trailer and towcar in the carpark next to the circuit.

Trackday Monday morning, left the circuit at 17:15 and was checked in for the ferry by 19:00. Disembarked Tuesday morning and was back home before lunch.