To Wales from Brussels in LHD Tesla

[expat]

I'm driving up to northern Wales from Brussels in a couple of weeks and I thought I'd ask you for some advice. I have done some driving in the UK earlier, but only in rentals with the steering on the right side.

Charging:
Can I rely on the Tesla chargers to get there and back again or would you recommend signing up for some other charging providers as well? I've got plug&charge set up with fastned and a couple of charge cards from Shell recharge and Chargepoint. I don't even know if my shell recharge works in the UK (It didn't work when driving around in the baltics and nordics this summer). Are there options to pay for slow charging without dealing with apps?

I usually bring my UMC as a last resort charging option when on long drives, but that wouldn't work in the UK. Does there exist an adapter that is safe to use with it?

Train or ferry?
I like the idea of driving the car onto the train that takes us under the channel. It seems like a smooth and efficient way, but the prices are high and I'm worried about the border and check-in hassles that I've heard about. Would the ferry be better?

Co-pilot?
My co-pilot will be a 13 year old with a low attention span, so I am not expecting too much help. Except for car parks and the like, is there any thing in particular I should be aware of when driving around with the steering wheel on the wrong side? Fortunately I'll be bringing a proper co-pilot with me on the way back.

And finally, is there snow in Snowdonia in November - would I need my winter tyres?

Thanks for any help!

 

[UkNorthampton]

Some thoughts.

Tesla superchargers better than others.

Instavolt slower but reliable, bit expensive.

Consider zapmap in uk.

Abetterrouteplanner can be helpful.

Many chargers take credit/debit cards which might have high fees or bad exchange rates.

Consider the card you have on tesla or other charging accounts for fees.

Wales not great for chargers compared to other parts of UK. Granny charger can have uk plug I believe. Not sure where to buy, in /out uk, but check tesla shop online.

Others should have better advice.

 

[Cloggie]

Having driven LHD in the UK before and vice versa, I find roundabouts 'feel' funny. Mostly there will be lots of other traffic and you'll get used to it very quickly. I have taken the ferry from Calais to Dover and it was easy, I guess for you a Belgian port could be an option. Can't comment on train.
You'll be fine with Tesla superchargers, unless you plan to drive lots in North Wales. They' are a bit sparse around there.
If your copilot on the way is anything like mine of that age, I recommend a tablet with Netflix ;-)
Agree with @UkNorthampton , ABRP and Zapmap are great for the UK. I think Zapmap has a payment system as well now.

Have a great trip!

 

[GRiLLA]

Snow is unlikely to be a problem on any roads in Snowdonia in November, but the weather is unpredictable these days.

Getting there with SuperChargers will be easy, not worth thinking about going to other networks. As above the charging options in that part of Wales are minimal, so if you can't charge where you are visiting then d some research. The Instavolt's at Rhug farm are perhaps worth waypointing as the only charging hub in the region. Electric Vehicle (EV) Rapid Charging Station - Corwen

Eurotunnel is great, even better if you pay extra for the Flexiplus option that allows you to turn up anytime and get on the next train. In terms of border crossing I very much doubt ferry would be better, both will have queues. Avoid obvious busy times of year and times of day and it's no big deal.

 

[M1tch]

Snow - SNOWdonia - not really related. Especially at this time of year. You should be fine.

I wouldn’t cut through wales and would rather skirt up the side of England or across the bottom of wales and up the coast - purely due to supercharger locations.

Personally 3rd party chargers are as much use as indicators on space ships.

UMC cable should be workable, Tesla sell adaptors on their website. I have EU and commando ones - roughly £35 each iirc.

Co-pilot - consider a data plan that will allow them to be on feacesbook, twatter and other things teenagers do so they aren’t annoying you - or grab a UK SIM on arrival.

 

[pgh69]

Hi,

Firstly have a safe trip!

Driving a LHD shouldn't be too much of an issue, I have driven a lot of my previous rwd cars in Europe and within 5 mins you should be OK, especially is you keep to the major motorways.

I wont repeat what others have said.

Without knowing exactly where in North Wales, I'd personally I would take the M6/M56 to North Wales and the last 250KW Supercharger is at Flint Mountain, so definitely you will need to stop here for a top up.

In North Wales a lot of the National l Trust (beach carparks) have 1 or 2 destination chargers that's are free to use (11KW) but remember to pay for your parking.

I go to the Abersoch area frequently from the midlands and find this the best route and then can leave my car overnight in a car park on charge when I arrive and give me enough juice to get back to Flint.

There are some 50wk BP pulse chargers en-route but these can get busy!

Good luck

 

[WannabeOwner]

I usually bring my UMC as a last resort charging option when on long drives, but that wouldn't work in the UK. Does there exist an adapter that is safe to use with it

Us Brits get our UMC with an adaptor that fits our electric sockets here. You could buy that (13AMP UK Adaptor for UMC) from Tesla if you think you will use it enough, or you'd like the reassurance that you "can".

Folk travelling from here to the continent ask same about e.g. Schuko adapter (for UMC). Often UK Tesla is out of stock, so they have Tesla e.g. France ship one to their Hotel to await their arrival. I guess that would work in reverse.

Otherwise a robust adaptor UK-Plug-to-Continental-socket. I think that means that your UMC will consider that it can run at 16 AMPs, if that's the case that's too much for UK as our 13AMP circuit is rated 10AMPs for continuous use. You can reduce the AMPs from the dashboard (or APP).

I like the idea of driving the car onto the train that takes us under the channel

I haven't taken the ferry in a very long time, so things may have improved.

My recollection is loading / unloading is slow. You may be put in an awkward position so early-to-board but last-to-leave.

Tunnel has customs at the departure end, so when you arrive no queueing just straight onto the motroway. So the queueing for "admin" is when you arrive at the tunnel, where you have probably allowed plenty of time.

There is some tolerance for arrival time, and then just go on the next train (although I think they are a bit stuffy about letting you board an earlier train). Or, as already said, pay for Flexi and just turn up and get on the first train (and if the train has not yet started boarding you will be first on AND first off).

Both sides have Superchargers "before departure", but at the France side there are chargers (only 2 stalls) at the Flexi lounge - that is "air side", so you can charge up until a fairly short time before the next train departs. With the ones "before departure" you THEN have to do Passports / Customs / random Explosives check ... so you have to stop charging in good time to allow time for Admin before then going to board your train.

Others have mentioned ABetterRoutePlanner / ABRP. If you haven't come across it before here's a link

ChatGPT says:

Ferry from Dover - min check-in 30-45 minutes, crossing time 90mins
Tunnel: check-in 30 mins, crossing 35 minutes. Trains generally run every 20 minutes during peak, but in the middle of the night can be once an hour, or less.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

I agree with some of the other posters - what I would say, if you’re driving at night, especially after a long drive from the tunnel, I’d stick to motorways as much as possible. The a5 from Shrewsbury or other routes across country from the M54 aren’t a nice drive in dark wet conditions for locals, and the M54 is tempting as there is a supercharger near its end.

Otherwise your two main bottlenecks will be around London, and then when you’re near Birmingham. There is one of the few toll roads to get past Birmingham but it only solves part of the problem and your co pilot will need to do the credit card action at the booth.

If you travel late at night (after about 10pm) you may find a lot of roadworks as that’s when they tend to do them.

Safe trip, just take it steady. I’d allow probably 5 - 6 hours to get from the tunnel to north wales primarily due to the traffic. I’m about 90 mins from North wales and would struggle to get to the tunnel in 4 hours.

 

[NewbieT]

Eurotunnel or ferry you will be fine. Depending on your direction around London M25 you may have to pay for the Dartford Crossing.

Superchargers fine.

I strongly recommend M6 -> M56 -> A55 but follow Tesla Sat Nav.

Last charge recommended before you arrive, Flint Supercharger or Rhug Estate. Fill up to 90%!

Charging in Wales… well… 50kW max.

If you want to borrow a UK UMC adapter then you can borrow mine (free), DM me. If you want to buy one: https://shop.tesla.com/en_gb/product/united-kingdom-adapter

 

[M1tch]

If you travel late at night (after about 10pm) you may find a lot of roadworks as that’s when they tend to do them.

You’ll find lots of areas coned of for miles and miles and miles with signs saying the billions of speed cameras are there to protect the workforce - next to a sign saying they are working elsewhere so no actual progress is ever made.

 

[expat]

Thanks for all the advice!

We're actually headed to Snowdonia to go hiking over a few days. We've decided to try out the closest Norwegian-looking mountains to Brussels. The Alps are too pointy and the Ardennes too flat.

My co-pilot insists on staying over at the Stonehenge on the way there. Could be interesting, though. I saw it from the car window once in the 80's with my parents, but have never been to the actual site.
So it looks like we will be entering Wales from the south eastern corner and crossing over towards Porthmadog and from there north. It looks like a nice drive, but I suspect it will be dark most of the way. Surprisingly there are no superchargers in the middle of wales, but ABRP says I'll arrive with sufficient charge to leave it over night and find a slow charger the next day. I'm only a little worried about having to deal with lots of non-function apps.

We'll be driving a two year old 82kwh model3 LR - still with decent range. And a friend is lending me his granny charger with a UK plug that I'm hoping to be able to use at the airbnb we're staying at. It was originally for and old Hyundai Ioniq. I hope it works, because I have now way of testing it out here.. (Thanks for the offer, NewbieT!)

 

[aq42]

Going South to North in West Wales is difficult, to put it mildly. If it's November you're not going to have a lot of daylight for sightseeing. I would suggest that you would be better off going north from Stonehenge round Swindon to Gloucester and picking up the M5 there. Then it's M5 > M6. If you're heading for the North-West of Wales - Conwy/Bangor - then take the M56 and A55. If you're going south eg Porthmadog take the M54 to Telford and then A5 - A483. Either route crosses Wales East-West which is a lot more practical. I once did Chester - Cardiff and back which had to be done via Gloucester.

 

[khyros]

I'd like to do this at some point too, any recommendations for cabins or similar with mountain views? it seems everything I find is much closer to the coast

 

[M1tch]

About 10 mins from Stonehenge is service station with a 250kw supercharger, a hotel and multiple food options. Pretty sure it’s called Amesbury and it’s off the A303.

 

[WannabeOwner]

My co-pilot insists on staying over at the Stonehenge on the way there

Looks like a 2 hour detour, on a route from Dover to North Wales.

Probably a daft idea, starting from Brussels, but you could cross using a ferry from Le Harvre or Cherbourg

 

[GRiLLA]

Thanks for all the advice!

We're actually headed to Snowdonia to go hiking over a few days. We've decided to try out the closest Norwegian-looking mountains to Brussels. The Alps are too pointy and the Ardennes too flat.

My co-pilot insists on staying over at the Stonehenge on the way there. Could be interesting, though. I saw it from the car window once in the 80's with my parents, but have never been to the actual site.
So it looks like we will be entering Wales from the south eastern corner and crossing over towards Porthmadog and from there north. It looks like a nice drive, but I suspect it will be dark most of the way. Surprisingly there are no superchargers in the middle of wales, but ABRP says I'll arrive with sufficient charge to leave it over night and find a slow charger the next day. I'm only a little worried about having to deal with lots of non-function apps.

We'll be driving a two year old 82kwh model3 LR - still with decent range. And a friend is lending me his granny charger with a UK plug that I'm hoping to be able to use at the airbnb we're staying at. It was originally for and old Hyundai Ioniq. I hope it works, because I have now way of testing it out here.. (Thanks for the offer, NewbieT!)

Snowdonia is a lovely place to visit, beautiful scenery and lots of history and things to do if not hiking. Stonehenge is some rocks in a circle surrounded by crowds of largely foreign visitors in an otherwise unnoteworthy location.

Driving South-North through wales as noted is a fairly slow drive, on a good day it could be a lot of fun, in November maybe less so. I would certainly avoid it to spend more time at the destination.

Bring as much rain weather gear as you've got.

 

[expat]

Snowdonia is a lovely place to visit, beautiful scenery and lots of history and things to do if not hiking. Stonehenge is some rocks in a circle surrounded by crowds of largely foreign visitors in an otherwise unnoteworthy location.

Driving South-North through wales as noted is a fairly slow drive, on a good day it could be a lot of fun, in November maybe less so. I would certainly avoid it to spend more time at the destination.

Bring as much rain weather gear as you've got.

Ok, So we'll avoid South-North then. But since we're foreign visitors we need to see the Stonehenge.

We don't mind a bit of rain. We have been warned, but I'm curious to see how bad it can be.

I'd like to do this at some point too, any recommendations for cabins or similar with mountain views? it seems everything I find is much closer to the coast

I'll report back.
airbnb put us in a cabin in what looks like some hills right next to mt. Snowdon. Never been there and don't know what to expect other than that the buildings seem to be made out of stone.

 

[spdpsba]

I saw it from the car window once in the 80's with my parents, but have never been to the actual site.

Just being polite here not as open as @GRiLLA - it is the same what you’v seen from the car window is what you will see in the actual site.

 

[expat]

Just being polite here not as open as @GRiLLA - it is the same what you’v seen from the car window is what you will see in the actual site.

I understand, but this is what needs to be done to get the kids to go hiking in Wales.

 

[spdpsba]

I understand, but this is what needs to be done to get the kids to go hiking in Wales.

I guess if you are there during half term include an hour of delay as this is a known traffic black spot - And Amesbury SC isn’t interesting other than the petrol station and few other fast food shops. If you are stopping over for overnight stay the only advantage is SC and early view of Stonehenge when the crowd hasn’t started.