Parking up at Portsmouth prior to ferry crossing

The warden at Rookesbury Park told us you can park up there overnight before an early morning ferry, but I don’t know if you can lark up during the day when there are several ferries leaving. My advice would be to give Brittany ferries a ring & get it straight from the horse’s mouth.

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Hi thanks for responding we would be getting there between 5/6am. Our ferry doesn't leave till 5pm so anticipate being there all day. We have done crossings from Newhaven but they were all morning ones. We've not done an afternoon one from Portsmouth before.

Thanks

Barry, that sounds like a long boring day in the ferry port car park.

It might while away the time if you towed into the Port Solent marina area when you ariive at 5 or 6 am. The  Wetherspoons pub there, Sir Alec Rose, opens at 8 am. and starts cooking up breakfasts. And after that I think you might even with a caravan perhaps find somewhere to park around Southsea canoe lake for a stroll before you go to to docks.

 

dont think Rookesbury park is open during the winter months

We did the same ferry trip in January this year.  Our ferry was early morning so we parked up overnight at Port Solent Marina which is a small retail park overlooking a marina.  It is ten minutes drive from the port.  It is free and there are no height barriers.  You need to turn left after entering and drive down to the bottom of the very large car park.  There are usually several vans there.  Bon voyage.

Hi Barry, BF has parking info on their website but basically you would be OK to park from the departure of the ferry preceding yours.

If, as it sounds, there are departures between your planned arrival time and your departure you will need to make other plans.

Would think that 12 hours on the port is to be avoided if possible.

Hi Barry,

Rufs is correct in saying Rookesbury Park site is not open in January and there is no parking at the port for vehicles over 2.2m high if travelling on anything other than the early morning ferry. Therefore, I think I would be inclined to use the information from dmreid. Alternatively these 2 websites might be of use to you........

http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/ or https://www.justpark.com/

Please always check for height restrictions though.

Have a great trip.

Tracy

If using Port Solent with a towed van it might be better to continue on along the road as far as you can until you reach the harbour wall ( beware of two vicious sleeping policemen). The road then bears left to the MOD fire training facility. At the entrance there is a roundabout to enable you too retrace your steps and park parallel to the harbour wall. Motorhomes often use the main retail car park.

I was just wondering why you don't make an early start and plan on arriving at 15:00 or so? I do accept that the M6 can be unpredictable but would have thought that allowing say 7 hours for the trip - setting off at 08:00 - would give plenty of leeway.

The port isn't the most pleasant place to spend the whole day although a couple of hours is OK.