Want to "collect" ferries of Europe -- prettiest? rockiest? smoothest? longest?
 

Hi,<BR><BR>I've embarked (pun, yup) on "collecting" trips on all the ferries of Europe. My wife is willing to go except on the ones that will have her hanging over the rail. <BR><BR>So how about some help in compiling the list, with nominations for certain categories like costliest, quickest, longest, rockiest, smoothest, most beautiful, most difficult to get to, most pointless, etc. etc.

Good luck....<BR><BR>A candidate for the shortest trip is the King Harry ferry.<BR><BR>A week or more could be spent catching ferries between the various Scilly Islands. Then there is Lundy Island, and Padstow to Rock, and this is only Cornwall, UK (and not all of that)!<BR><BR>I think you have a lifetime's work ahead.

I was going to mention King Harry's ferry but Ruth beat me to the punch!<BR>(It was awhile ago we traveled on it tho, and I can't remember WHERE it was!<BR>Cornwall????)<BR>If you want to party on a ferry, take the trip from Stockholm to Helsinki!

Hi<BR><BR>a nice ferry is Kiel - Gothenburg.<BR>It is a 14 hr trip and leaves at 19.00 each night, both ways.<BR><BR>The voyage across the sheltered waters is generally smooth. The boat has good food available, and a nightclub with live music.<BR><BR>The "so called " duty free shop has few bargains !<BR><BR>Peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com/<BR>

Scariest (by happenstance, usually it's smooth or so I gather)and smallest: ferry from Rathlin Island to Ballycastle (Northern Ireland). You know the phrase "small craft warnings"? Well, it was meant for this craft. My apartment is bigger than this boat. Coming back, hit a storm (we are talking six miles of open sea) that sloshed water into the passenger deck, waves that the boat had to crest - looking aft, sometimes we saw sky, sometimes we saw Rathlin Island, sometimes we saw sea. I'm not Catholic, but have attended enough Masses to know Hail Marys and I was sayin' 'em. The four of us traveling together spotted the lifevest cabinet, and slid along the bench toward it.<BR><BR>We arrived in Ballycastle without having to avail ourselves of the aforementioned cabinet. The next day, at Giant's Causeway, we met some folks who'd been on the boat with us who said "oh yeah our landlady couldn't believe they set out in that weather. She expected we'd spend the night on the island".

I'll report on the Kennecraig-Islay one when I get back :)

.. how about the Isle of Wight ferry, from Southampton? might be one of the shortest. The Gozo ferry in Malta/Gozo must also be one of the shortest journeys. (about 20-25 mins)

My friend Helen believes that any Caledonian MacbRayne ferry journey is the most romantic thing in the world.<BR><BR>I think I posted a long time ago on the "takes your breath away" thread that sailing from Oban to Tiree up the Sound on Mull at 6am on the 1st of May with a golden pink sky was absolutely stunning.<BR><BR>Take one of Calmac's Rover tickets and see what you think when you've sampled a bunch of them

We were very lucky to recently inherit a trip on The Lord of the Glens, a reconverted ferry boat that cruises the waterways of of the Caledonian Canal. It has to rank up there as the most fabulous ferry. I have been meaning to do a trip report, and haven't had time, but this ferry post caught my eye.<BR><BR>Sheila, we too recently witnessed a magical pink sunrise at Tobermorry after a passage through the Loch Linnhe and the Sound of Mull. On our way back to Fort William we crossed the Firth of Loin to the delighful harbor town of Oban, where we witnessed yet another incredible pink sunrise. And the Isle of Iona, which we reached by commercial ferry....what a marvel! <BR><BR>The ferry crossing from Fionnphort to Iona has to rank as one of the shortest. Since we were totally fogged in and the water was perfecly smooth, it felt as if we hadn't moved at all! No sooner we got on than we got off. <BR><BR>Lucky the fog lifted in Iona. Within the span of a five minute fog-shrouded ferry crossing, we were transported across centuries.<BR><BR>Scotland is absolutely beautiful, and I look forward to many more visits (and ferry trips) there. Sheila, might you be able to direct us to the web site for the Scotland ferry system? <BR><BR>Mahalo,<BR>k

Sheila, found it under Caledonian MacbRayne:<BR><BR>http://www.calmac.co.uk/<BR><BR>(Thanks for the correct name!) <BR><BR>

ttt

There are some ferries where you would not expect them at all: Between the Basque towns of Hondarribia (Fuenterabbia on older maps) in Spain and Hendaye-Plage in France. You can also go by ferry across the river Guadiana between Portuguese town Vila Real at Algarve and the Spanish town Ayamonte.<BR><BR>Sweden has lots of free car ferries, because they are considered to be part of the road.

The ferry between Kylerhea on Skye and Glenelg is one of my favourites. It only takes 6 cars and the scenery is wonderful. We've seen seals and otters playing in the sea when we've crossed. There's supposed to be a pair of golden eagles nesting around there but I've never seen them.<BR>I also love the ferry between Southwold and Walberswick in Suffolk. It is just a rowing boat and for years was operated by a very old man. It is now rowed by a young woman.

Try the ones between Sweden and Finland. Huge ships like floating hotels, and beautiful archipelago almost all the way.

Check the website www.silja.com

I just realised you want bad experiences too.<BR><BR>The short ferry crossing from Scrabster on the north coast of mainland Scotland to Stromness in Orkney over the Pentland Firth has a shocking reputation. I've only ever done it once. <BR><BR>I was sick, literally:(

For a short ferry crossing try the chain ferry from Poole to Sandbanks in Dorset. Further afield how about the trip from Bonafacio in Corsica to Sardinia, the views are just wonderful.

How about the "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey'? There really is such a thing! Liverpool now offers a one hour cruise several times a day, to augment the usual commuter runs. There's an audio history of the river, a fine view of Pier Head, and a snippet of Gerry and the Pacemakers as you leave. How about "most nostalgic" ferry? I've been listening to that song since I was ten!

Stena Line's Harwich(London) - Hook of Holland, when you get on they let you know how smooth the passage will be for your overnight trip.

Since this stuff was up first, I've come across and read a book called &quot;Away with the Ferries&quot; which is a personal memoire of a Glasgow dentists who, not so much island hops as, ferry hops on Calmac ferries in the Hebrides for a long weekend every spring. Now THAT is sad.