The volcanic activity in Iceland in mid-April 2010 caused widespread disruption to air travel – but property in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal could still be reached by other means.

As Eyjafjallajokull pumped ash into the European skies, airports across the continent closed and flights were either delayed indefinitely or cancelled completely.

In all, the continent shut down for almost a week before flights resumed – and services were still disrupted in some places, such as Finland, as others got back to normal.

But for people trying to reach property in France, Italy, Portugal or Spain, it was an opportunity to take the road trip of a lifetime or relax in the classic surroundings of a long-distance rail ride.

Reaching overseas property by car

Your own car could be a relatively easy way of reaching property in France or Spain, if not the slightly further afield destinations.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) lists the documentation that you should take along with you if driving to the continent – including your full motor insurance policy details, driving licence and contact details for the British Consulate and emergency services in the country you are planning to drive through.

It is also important to remember which side of the road you should be on – a classic issue when driving abroad, but one that also affects overtaking and the direction you go around roundabouts, not to mention being on the ‘wrong’ side of your car for the best road visibility.

However, being in your own vehicle could still be the best option, as the FCO previously published research from Manchester University’s Professor Geoff Beattie showing that rented vehicles can prove problematic, at least for the first 60 minutes of a journey.

Whichever option you choose, by sticking to familiar speed limits and taking your time until you grow accustomed to the different driving conditions, you can increase your confidence on the roads and soon be speeding towards your holiday home.

Getting the car to the continent

There are a number of ways of taking a car to the continent, with ferries being the classic option.

During the volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland, the ferries understandably saw greater levels of passenger interest as people sought alternative ways to travel.

Ultimately the Maritime and Coastguard Agency issued guidance for all boat operators, ranging from the ferry lines to small craft owners.

This warned owners of small craft that they should not attempt to rescue passengers stranded overseas unless they had the necessary documentation in place for crossing the Channel.

But it also permitted ferry operators to take on more passengers per journey than is normally allowed, speeding up the recovery of people who were unable to fly.

Alternatively, the Eurostar rail link is able to carry cars under the Channel, getting the vehicle and its occupants to the continent so they can continue their journey.

Go by rail

Of course, you do not need a car to take the Eurostar, as the rail link can carry passengers to the coast of France and on to inland destinations.

Much like the ferries, Eurostar laid on extra trains during the no-fly period to help transfer as many people as possible as seats on its regular services began to run out.

If a similar situation does occur in the future, Eurostar’s advice to travellers may be worth keeping in mind.

The rail operator recommended that passengers without valid tickets for travel should not head to Eurostar stations.

However, for people trying to reach property in France, rather than attempting to return from the continent, seats remained more easily accessible.

While there are no guarantees that this would be the case during any future disruption, it highlights the efforts that transport operators of all kinds made to ensure that routes remained open while Eyjafjallajokull erupted.