now have access to a PA28 at Breighton
Does that PA28 have an ELT and a Mode-S transponder? Without those two flight planning will become seriously, let's say, "interesting", particularly in the Netherlands.
Furthermore, just a few things:
- Check custom requirements. Exit procedures UK, entry procedures to get into the Schengen area, and vice versa on the way back. UK GAR form is very helpful. On the mainland Europe side (Schengen!) need to enter/exit via a Customs airport. Some of these are 24H or OPS HR, other have 1H or 2H PN for customs. Once within Schengen, no more customs formalities required when crossing borders.
- ICAO flight plan required for all border crossings, even within the Schengen area.
- Perfect VMC over the channel is just like IMC, because the blue-grey of the sea melts seamlessly into the grey-blue of the sky, leaving you without a visible horizon. Have a plan to deal with this. Turn back immediately if you're uncomfortable with it.
- Consider life vests, life rafts, PLB, immersion suits, smoke, flares, signal mirrors etc.
- Check the layout of airspace in general. Different countries have different ways the airspace is divided, and not all airspace divisions (particularly the horizontal division between G and E) are shown on the map.
- Transition altitude varies by country.
- None of these "basic service", "procedural service" and things. Just a Flight Information Service from e.g. Brussels Info, Dutch Mil info.
- Crossing the channel you're almost guaranteed to enter the Oostende TMA (class C), either directly or when leaving French airspace. Need permission to enter.
- Over the channel, you need to have your ETAs handy and most likely report coasting out and in.
There's a lot of information on this in this forum. I know the search function is not all that great, but if you use "Channel Crossing" and limit your search to the Private Flying forum, you should be getting plenty info.