How about a good clear out then extra bags via BA but instead of bags use boxes (which is allowed, lightweight and easy).

I have done this back in the day where you could get 2 each, would get 6-8 boxes and that is a lot of bits and bobs and clothes.

Thank you all for your help! I've taken in all of your advice and I think I'm going to do a huge clear out and leave most of my stuff here in storage. Aiming to slim down my belongings to around 4 suitcases.

We will rent a car and drive down to Newhaven, drop off the car there. (For anyone wanting to rent a car between countries DONT! It's over £1,000) pop on a ferry with the dog over to dieppe and then rent a car from dieppe to the Swiss border and get collected by the boyfriend at the border!

It's going to be quite a trip!

Check on that because I know on the shorter cross channel routes foot passengers CANNOT bring pets with them. Never done Newhaven-Dieppe, but check to make sure before you book up.

Edit:

This is the info for DFDS Newhaven-Dieppe.

"Motorists can take their pet with them in the same manner as our other routes by booking online in advance for £18 per crossing per pet. You can visit your pet in your car during the crossing if accompanied by a crew member, but not during the first or final hour of the crossing. On the Newhaven to Dieppe route, foot passengers may carry a pet in a suitable cage.​​​"

How big is your dog - will he fit into a suitable cage?

before you spend ££££ on storage (as many us have in the past) think about the real value vs cost, cause it all adds up!

The only crossing i have found that allows dogs with foot passengers is the stena one to hook van holland. i was surprised as i thought this would be a totally normal thing. All in all with an overnight trip either on the train or stena i think it can be done. its not cheap, you have to book a cabin to youself (requirement with dogs 130 + 30 chf or so) if you overnight train it.
ps the other stena ireland? north england? ones might too but it sounds like you are coming from the south.

not to give false hope, but she looks small maybe she might be allowed in the cabin of the plane? thats becoming more common now and the trip will be far easier.

Oh you're right, looks like I'd need a car for the dog to be allowed! Hmm, might need to try and find someone to take me across on the ferry and then go back! This is turning out to be very difficult!

She's deceivingly big, she's a border terrier mix so she looks like a little terrier but she's actually 15kg and I think dogs have to be under 15kg to travel in the cabin.

In which case, you'd be much better with the Tunnel- and keep the dog in the car with you.

Not read much of the abvoe but...I did the trip from London to Zürich in a van last summer

1. Van + Dog does not work in Eurotunnel so went on a ferry (P&O I think). You have to leave dog in the van and you can't stay in the van so be sure that your dog is OK with that.
2. Couldn't register at the Border in Basel on the weekend ( this could have changed since) so we took it easy and arrived Monday morning at Basel
3. Dropped off stuff and left dog with the wife and drove the empty van back all the way to London.
4. Got a flight to Zürich.

Yes 3. is lonely and if you are alone you might have trouble finding a dog sitter to just take your dog with no prior contact. Maybe someone on EF will dog sit? Or I guess kennels could work.

Also with the passport, make sure you get the passport stamped on border crossing. The guy who "processed" us was slack and didn't do it and we had to go with some paperwork to the customs office in Zürich later.

Hope this helps and apologies if I am repeating what's above.

All our dogs are rescue dogs. They flew long haul in the special hold for pets from Asia back home with us to Switzerland. They were absolutely fine. The key is to make sure your dog is really comfortable with being in the crate.

If you find the car thing impossible to arrange, you could look at the day ferry (uk-nl), overnight train (ams-zur) as a bit of an adventure, spend a day in ams, they have a ton of museums (you could see the night watch a famous painting in the rijks museum), the museums are all within walking distance, but wear sensible shoes and ams is one of the natural wonders of the world being on stilts over water!, nl is also very dog freindly, hotels cafes etc. you shouldnt find a problem finding a hotel. they mostly speek english so language is not a problem for a tourist

ive found its the journey thats more fun than getting anywhere but if you are an A type, this could be harder to accept

have a good trip, getting there is half the fun

Is there any possibility of your boy friend driving to Newcastle, collecting you and your dog, and returning via channel tunnel. This would be the easiest and cheapest version.

There is also the Newcastle -> Amsterdam overnight ferry to consider, https://booking.dfds.it/seaways/Mypage?mode=m&market=INT&route=NA&odate=151217&itt ype=S&foot=N&car=CAR&tra=NON&adl=2&chd=0&inf=0&_ga =1.71049878.748740221.1448789211&__utma=1.74874022 1.1448789211.1448789211.1448789211.1&__utmb=1.2.10 .1448789211&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1448789211.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28o rganic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=%28not%20provided% 29&__utmv=-&__utmk=88069784

You could probably easily move across between Christmas and January, boy friend almost certainly has time off work then.

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Exactly- much much easier. Bonne chance.

In addition to what Medea wrote, you will have to go to so-called Hundespolizei, and to Customs office (to ensure the dog does not have cut ears and tail, as this is illegal in CH).

Be prepared to pay around 250 CHF for the dog (registration in Anis, customs, etc.)

You don't have to visit customs. If you've purchased a dog shortly before the trip (less than 6 months AFAIR) and its worth is more than 300 CHF (again, AFAIR), you have to pay the VAT. You can do it by mail, you just have to find a special customs box (most big train stations have them somewhere), fill in a form, attach the purchase agreement and mail it to them. You will get the purchase agreement back along with an invoice.

Re: Hundepolizei -- again, you don't have to bring the dog. You register there for tax purposes.

Re: docked tails and ears -- yes, those are forbidden, but with my current dog nobody was asking me about it. They just assume somehow that I know it's forbidden and I will abide the law