Portsmouth ferry parking

OH parked up with our caravan a few years back. No problems. The latest web site states parking is available after 12pm midnight for the early morning ferry, no facilities. 

We are hoping to stay on the Port Solent carpark overnight before our 9am sailing early January. Have a look on Google Maps its the one next to the cinema. Tends to be used more by Motorhomes however after contacting them they indicated we would be OK to stop one night. You need to contact their security team so they know you are stopping there. I contacted Lisa@portsolent.com who was very helpful. Only a short run to the port in the morning.

It obviously depends on timings but I wouldn't park at Port Solent in lieu of the port merely because it means getting up earlier and moving (even a short distance) t9 the dock...why not be parked where you need to be..?

Perhaps because  you can’t park at the port till midnight and the OP is arriving at 3 pm..?

"We certainly don’t want to have to drive 30 miles on the morning of our departure which is 9am. Parking at the ferry port would be the ideal with no morning rushing about but I am pretty sure that we are not allowed to do this and also we are driving down from the Manchester area so expect to be in Portsmouth about 3PM so need somewhere other than a lay-by to pass the time."

Hi, Its the second part of your answer that is where the problem lies-you are allowed to park at the port, as per my post, but not till after the overnight crossing has loaded leaving the lanes empty.

Looking at the BF timetables it seems the other crossing that day, to Caen, leaves in the afternoon so I would email BF and ask them.

As alternatives you could consider the crossing that I mentioned above or arrive later, other factors allowing, than 3pm. 

Which was why I qualified my post...

That’ll be us, et.

We are Dibles fans.

It's at Warsash. Fuel filling station nearby. Its a static park mainly but with a nice little tarmacked touring area at the entrance with about 6 or so pitches with lekky. A very clean toilet/shower block. Very nice for an early get away. About 20 mins to the port.

Oh! and a really nice lady running it.

So there, between us all, we have given the original questioner the full list of choices close to Portsmouth port - from free of charge to £25 a night.

You would think the Club would have put that list together years ago and published it for the benefit of folk sailing in and out of Portsmouth in the winter. But no, they leave it to us.

My best regards  to all travellers.

There are a few parking places along the top of the hill on the B2177 overlooking Portsmouth. One even has a resident "Mick's Monster Burgers" van plus the Churchillian pub across the road.

For clarification - my post said 30 mins away (half an hour max) not 30 miles.  To not correct it, would be doing a dis-justice to the site itself.

Agreed 30 miles for a morning crossing is a little too far for comfort!