And we’re off... (1 Viewer)

[Peppadog]

Some on here will recall me going through the purchase of our Sunlight Cliff 600 pvc. An ex rental, 2020 reg, white 600, with 32k miles on the clock. It turned out in better condition than expected on closer inspection. A new like look not expected considering its background. And it was cheap. At least £8000 less than a dealer, low mileage van.

We had our E&P self levelling system swopped over from our outgoing Hymer by agents, Courtside Conversions. They also added a spare wheel and carrier cheap.
Next was to buy and fit twin 11kg gaslow bottles instead of the single 6kg propane. The latter went into the Hymer along with one of its 11 kg gaslow bottles as the filler etc was already there, and its a good selling feature. That all came from Autogas 2000.
Then I needed more than the one Varta 95ah leisure battery, so out it came and in went three 50ah Lithium (LiFePo4) batteries, a 200w solar panel from Craig Solar, Victron mppt controller, Victron B2B charger. Victron IP22 mains charger and a Victron 800w inverter to charge the electric bike batteries and Remoska. All this electrical upgrade was a little over £1000. But it allows at least 4 days off mains while running everything as if on the mains hookup.

So with other jobs, like a tow bar, security locks and alarm not yet done, we set off last Saturday, loaded to the gunnels and weighing 3150kgs, for a few weeks in Spain. We took the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (one way- £325 van and two adults). Stayed overnight in an aire right by the Caen ferry terminal (free as the barriers were up). Drove next day to another aire at Futurascope by Poitiers (€20). Then to yet another aire in Biaritz 100 metres from Milady beach (€13). All these stops are in our aires books and selected based on what Sue reads and at about the distance we think we can reach by 3pm, or latest, 4pm. We intended to rest another day/night in Biaritz until we saw the week aheads weather forecast of heavy snow in northern Spain. So after just one night again, we drove to a campsite about 30kms north of Madrid today, where I am writing this.

The van has been perfect so far, and we obviously haven’t needed to pay for mains power at all.

We’re noticing, but not missing the size difference living in a 6m pvc after a 7m A class, and we are fitting into the layout of this van very well. Especially the king size double bed!

Oh yes. We discovered the last owners were using it themselves in preference to their other 6m camper rentals, and called it Snow White (it is Very white!). Sue likes the Tintin books and films. The dog featured in that is Snowy. So now thats it’s new name.

If you’re interested, I’ll keep you posted as our journey progresses?

 

[Winger]

Yes please! Keep us up date and photos would be nice

 

[Jo662]

Yes please,love a travel thread!

 

[chaser]

Some on here will recall me going through the purchase of our Sunlight Cliff 600 pvc. An ex rental, 2020 reg, white 600, with 32k miles on the clock. It turned out in better condition than expected on closer inspection. A new like look not expected considering its background. And it was cheap. At least £8000 less than a dealer, low mileage van.

We had our E&P self levelling system swopped over from our outgoing Hymer by agents, Courtside Conversions. They also added a spare wheel and carrier cheap.
Next was to buy and fit twin 11kg gaslow bottles instead of the single 6kg propane. The latter went into the Hymer along with one of its 11 kg gaslow bottles as the filler etc was already there, and its a good selling feature. That all came from Autogas 2000.
Then I needed more than the one Varta 95ah leisure battery, so out it came and in went three 50ah Lithium (LiFePo4) batteries, a 200w solar panel from Craig Solar, Victron mppt controller, Victron B2B charger. Victron IP22 mains charger and a Victron 800w inverter to charge the electric bike batteries and Remoska. All this electrical upgrade was a little over £1000. But it allows at least 4 days off mains while running everything as if on the mains hookup.

So with other jobs, like a tow bar, security locks and alarm not yet done, we set off last Saturday, loaded to the gunnels and weighing 3150kgs, for a few weeks in Spain. We took the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (one way- £325 van and two adults). Stayed overnight in an aire right by the Caen ferry terminal (free as the barriers were up). Drove next day to another aire at Futurascope by Poitiers (€20). Then to yet another aire in Biaritz 100 metres from Milady beach (€13). All these stops are in our aires books and selected based on what Sue reads and at about the distance we think we can reach by 3pm, or latest, 4pm. We intended to rest another day/night in Biaritz until we saw the week aheads weather forecast of heavy snow in northern Spain. So after just one night again, we drove to a campsite about 30kms north of Madrid today, where I am writing this.

The van has been perfect so far, and we obviously haven’t needed to pay for mains power at all.

We’re noticing, but not missing the size difference living in a 6m pvc after a 7m A class, and we are fitting into the layout of this van very well. Especially the king size double bed!

Oh yes. We discovered the last owners were using it themselves in preference to their other 6m camper rentals, and called it Snow White (it is Very white!). Sue likes the Tintin books and films. The dog featured in that is Snowy. So now thats it’s new name.

If you’re interested, I’ll keep you posted as our journey progresses?

Seems like a good start, keep us posted

 

[Peppadog]

Ok. I’ll try to inform and show how this trip goes.

We left La Cabrera campsite this morning on route to Cordoba. W’ve use La Cabrera on every occasion when passing through Madrid for the last twenty five years. Its a bit tired really, but clean and on the edge of a pretty enough village for a wander. Its also located at the foot of some spectacular looking mountains, which attracts walkers and climbers. An image of the site taken this morning is below, together with an image of the beach next to the Caen ferry port, which was Sword beach in the D Day landings.

The road south from Madrid is, we have discovered today, terrible. A poor, noisy road surface with potholes most of the way. After one pothole shock, we heard a noise, we lost some power and the Check Engine alarm came on! I stopped on the half wide hard shoulder to check but couldn’t see anything wrong, and no leaks, so started up and limped with hazards on to a slip road off about a mile or so on. Safely parked near a filling station I looked again and found the 3” or so air inlet hose right at the top had come off whatever item it lives on. The jubilee clip seemed ok so I slackened it and re-fitted the undamaged hose. Ensuring it was tight this time.

Sorted. It ran perfectly and we completed the 30 miles or so left of our journey to an aire near the centre of Cordoba. Its 20 degrees here but going down to 1 degree tonight!!. We will stay here for two nights, if allowed, to go and see Cordoba’s old historic centre. Pics will follow.

A quick look on the internet over a cuppa says I’ll need an OBD device, or a garage with the gear, to clear the Check Engine light. That might stay until we get home. We’ll not use that road again.

Nigel

Pics:
Snowy at La Cabrera. Milady beach, Biaritz and a little camper van that parked up alongside as at some service today. Sue wrapped up against a cold wind on Sword Beach.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peppadog]

Duplicated. Sorry.

 

[canopus]

Be interested to know, what, if any, your additions/modifications, have impacted on your payload ?

 

[Peppadog]

Well. I expect the three Li batteries are a similar weight to the one lead acid they replaced. The Victron gear is not heavy, but the E&P levelling kit add 50kg but not sure.

 

[Sapper520]

So you’ve painted it grey then?

 

[Peppadog]

Cordoba has a campervan car park / aire very close to the centre. Perfect location. There is no electricity and water to fill your tank is €2, but they do have a decent service point. Its not cheap at €23 per 24 hours, but its secure and monitored.
The city is well worth a visit. Lots of history and sights to see. We stayed two nights then made the sub two hour drive to Seville. There might be an aire there still, but we wanted a campsite so came to Camping Villesom in Dos Hermanas. A 1.75 euro bus ride every hour at weekends and every half hour during the week gets you into Seville. Again, lots to see here.
We are off to Conil de la Fronterra tomorrow. Its about 30kms south of Cadiz. We owned a flat there for about ten years, but sold in 2011. The bank account though is still there so we’re going to close it. We would have done it years ago but thought it sensible to hang on with the uncertainty of brexit. Plus we hoped our NIF numbers etc might make residency possible. Reality is it costs €100 or so a year in charges and we don’t plan to buy in Spain again so no point keeping it going. It’ll be nice to see it again though. We are booked into Camping Rosalida. Its a bit of a walk into town, but a nice site.
The van is now behaving itself, but the check engine light will stay on. My mechanic SIL suggested disconnecting the vehicle battery might sort it, but I’m worried what re-setting I might have to do after, so will just leave it until home I think.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peppadog]

Cordoba

 

[Peppadog]

Seville

 

[Peppadog]

We’ve moved from Conil de la Frontera to Rincon de la Victoria. Just east of Malaga. So Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean.

Yesterday we drove down from Conil, past Tarifa, Algeciras and Gibraltar on our way to Rincon. The road down to Tarifa is lovely and straight. N244 I think. Lots of campsites along the way, and halfway is a road to the beach at Trafalgar. Battle of…Nelson etc. We didn’t stop this time but have in the past. The smallest plinth imaginable used to stand there in recognition of the event! And probably still does? Not an event celebrated by the French or Spanish.

After Tarifa, the south western tip of Europe, is a hilly, bendy road around the last headland toward Algeciras.you can get a great view of north Africa from this road. There’s a bar/cafe with parking more or less on the summit. Algeciras is a large, industrial town on one side of its namesake bay with Gibraltar on the opposite side. Its a long detour to get to Gib’ from the AP7 that goes to Malaga and beyond, so we didn’t visit.

So, we are at a campervan stop called Camper Areas M&H. We will stay here for up to two weeks so we can meet some friends and visit the lovely city of Malaga. A forty five minute bus ride away. I’ll keep you posted if you haven’t all fallen asleep already?

 

[March Hare]

We’ve moved from Conil de la Frontera to Rincon de la Victoria. Just east of Malaga. So Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean.

Yesterday we drove down from Conil, past Tarifa, Algeciras and Gibraltar on our way to Rincon. The road down to Tarifa is lovely and straight. N244 I think. Lots of campsites along the way, and halfway is a road to the beach at Trafalgar. Battle of…Nelson etc. We didn’t stop this time but have in the past. The smallest plinth imaginable used to stand there in recognition of the event! And probably still does? Not an event celebrated by the French or Spanish.

After Tarifa, the south western tip of Europe, is a hilly, bendy road around the last headland toward Algeciras.you can get a great view of north Africa from this road. There’s a bar/cafe with parking more or less on the summit. Algeciras is a large, industrial town on one side of its namesake bay with Gibraltar on the opposite side. Its a long detour to get to Gib’ from the AP7 that goes to Malaga and beyond, so we didn’t visit.

So, we are at a campervan stop called Camper Areas M&H. We will stay here for up to two weeks so we can meet some friends and visit the lovely city of Malaga. A forty five minute bus ride away. I’ll keep you posted if you haven’t all fallen asleep already?

I'm really enjoying reading your account of your trip - I think we just have been at Cordoba at the same time as you! It's a great Aire isn't it, perfectly positioned for really easy access to the beautiful city. We're going in the Westerly direction so headed across to Seville where we stayed at the Porto Gelves Marina, one of our favourites right beside the river and like your sure, easy access via local bus to Seville.

We've also had some technical problems like yourselves - although ours are with our Truma heating and hot water system so have been waylaid a bit trying to get that fixed. After Seville we've headed into Portugal and are now set to visit Lisbon, but I hope you have a great stay near Malaga!

Btw, if you get to Granada on this trip, the carpark up near The Alhambra visitor centre is in a fantastic location. It's basically a car park with no services, and fairly pricey (€36/24hrs) but it was still quite full when we were there and the location can't be beaten for visiting The Alhambra and Granada.

 

[Peppadog]

Sue paddling on the beach at the north end of Conil, called Fuente de Gallo.
They don’t call this the coast of light (Costa de la Luz) for nothing!
Also the air feels somehow so clean.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peppadog]

Oh no. The wife caught me lazing about on our pitch at M&H In Rincon

 

[f6c]

Peppadog would you recommend Conil De La Frontera?

 

[Peppadog]

Peppadog would you recommend Conil De La Frontera?

Depends what you are looking for.

The nearest Camping at this time of year is where we stayed - La Rosalida. But its on the outskirts and a fair walk to town. Nice but remote. Bikes essential. There might be a bus, but we didn’t see one. During the holiday season, another, smaller site on the same road - Camping Eucalyptus, is nearer.

The town itself is a typical white Andalusian place in appearance, with lots of cafes and restaurants and a wide variety of non big name shops. But not much English is spoken. Its not like the Med’ costa’s. The beaches are huge and fantastic, a bit wild feeling. The large holiday season caters mostly for the Spanish, but a number of Germans as well.

We knew it well twenty plus years ago because we bought a holiday apartment there, which we kept for ten years, following a 3-4 week roaming holiday in our, then, VW campervan. It was a revelation after the Med’ resorts. We got bored going there in the end and sold it. Our kids have never really forgiven us! One of our girls would still go and live there if she could I think. Its grown a bit since, but its still different. A bit of a Moroccon feel within the EU.

 

[Peppadog]

Its been awhile… The longer we are away, the lazier I’m getting!!

So. An update. We stayed at the M&H Areas in Rincon for two weeks. We had friends on the site already, known from a sailing forum I go on, and another couple - He’s English and also on the same sailing forum. She’s Spanish, and they live in Rincon, hence the reason to go there.

Whats it like? The campsite, or Areas (Aire) is pretty small and always full apparently (they were turning about 10 vans away every day! So booking required). Our sailing forum friends had booked us in a couple of weeks prior fortunately. It only holds 40 -50 vans in individually fenced pitches (photo a couple of posts above was our pitch) an office with shop etc and an amazing price - off season - of 14 euros a night including 4 kW of leccy per day. Its run by a Brit, Cath, and is very friendly. Rincon town, which is a 30 minute bus ride east of Malaga is a fair walk from the site, but it can be along the seafront promenade, with numerous bars and beach front Chiringuito’s to extend the time taken. Its not a resort town like those along the western side of Malaga. Very Spanish, but we loved it.

There is a couple of Mercadona’s nearby, we also drove out east to Torre de Mar for its huge shopping centre. I realised after a bit of driving that the engine management light had turned itself off. No idea why, but very pleased as I thought I was stuck with it on until we got home and had it turned off.

We eventually moved on the the top end of the Mar Menor - Torre De La Horadada and Camping Lo Monte. The sat nav said it was 258 miles from Rincon, but it was an easy drive on the mostly free E5/AP7 dual carriageway all the way.

Lo Monte is a big site with some big pitches. I have never seen so many Morello / Concorde’s and generally very big motorhomes on one site. Even our neighbours van is a huge German all terrain type like the one that parked up next to us on our way south from Madrid.

We are here until Saturday when we will start to head back up to Madrid. This time, we want to stop in the city. There is an aire apparently. Anyone here used it, or know of one?

Some pictures to follow…

 

[Peppadog]

A bit of missing info if you find yourselves looking at Camping Lo Monte. The out of season price is only 21 euros a night for a standard - 6m x 6m pitch. Though most pitches are at least double that on this site.. The price includes 4kW of power per day and there is a water tap and grey water drain on every pitch. Which we always think is a good thing to have. Toilets and showers are clean and the water piping hot. Two pools (filled but not currently open), a large bar / restaurant with very reasonably priced food is positioned in a spacious, green lawned are area.

There is nothing we can criticise this site for. We booked for a week, but added three extra days, cause its good.

You need bikes really to get to the beach / town. The coastline here - Costa Calida) is lovely. This town is clean and great for cycling with loads of dedicated cycle tracks, but its a bit of a dormitory of housing really as its more of a holiday town. Lots of Spanish around currently. They are probably outnumbered in the summer though.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peppadog]

My boating forum friend and me making music - sort of, in his 8.5m tag axle Burstner
A couple of pictures of the Malaga restaurant ‘El Pimpi’ which we understand is famous for its celebrity customers past and present.
A beach bar in Rincon de la Victoria (Rincon)

 

[Peppadog]

Camping Lo Monte

 

[Peppadog]

I’m on a roll…. So what about our Sunlight Cliff 600 after our first journey in it and now over 4 weeks living in it?

So far, so good is a pessimistic conclusion. We chose this van as we liked the less fussy furniture, fitting and clean layout of the Cliff. The first one we saw for sale was a 2018 540. We liked all the things I said but thought it might be a bit lacking in storage and the toilet is small. We bought the next one we saw, which is a 600. A 640 would be the same but with bigger beds. We are only 5’8” tall or less now, so the king size wide but transverse bed in the 600 works well for us. The bathroom is still restricted. It looks bigger than it is, but so are plenty of others. The worktop space is better than our outgoing 7m Hymer A class but you can‘t compare the two beyond that.

Its fair to say its got everything we need but there’s not much room to pass each other in our PVC compared to the A class. However, driving in towns, parking, getting into and out of pitches is a big win for the 600. Though on the open road though this van is very good, the Hymer was a dream.

We changed due to a heart condition that makes it more difficult to keep my C1 next time. We are very happy we did. We were VW campervan owners for over twenty years overall, so the downsize is easy for us to cope with. Others may not agree.

We have a deposit on the Hymer now and, although sold by Motorhome Depot, it will be going to a local person. We look forward to going through everything with them once we get home in early April.

Oh no. Less than two weeks to go. I’m not ready to go home. Its sunny and warm down ‘ere
Nigel

 

[Otter Spotter]

Well. I expect the three Li batteries are a similar weight to the one lead acid they replaced. The Victron gear is not heavy, but the E&P levelling kit add 50kg but not sure.

Can I ask, why 3 batteries and not just one large 150 or 20AH battery?

 

[Peppadog]

I wanted a 200 or even 220ah under-seat lithium battery, but the two I found were both out of stock until the end of March. We left in mid Feb!. So another supplier, recommended on here I think, suggested his 50ah batteries might work. I bought two, placed them in position and felt sure I could fit a third. So thats the only reason. Though both the underseat batteries were over a grand at the time. The three 50’s were £600.
So far, with 200w of solar on the roof, they are only losing 15-20% capacity per 25hrs. But its sunny. Plus we find we are paying for 4kw per day on some sites as its included. So 150ah is plenty atm

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peppadog]

Heading north…

We left Camping Lo Monte after a week and a half in the end. But only went half an hour south to spend four nights at Camper Park La Ribera in San Javier. This is actually right alongside the Mar Menor, the inland sea closed from the sea by La Manga. We didn’t bother to go there. Its just a long road on a spit full of hotels if I remember it. It does have a big campsite at the bottom but it seems to have a poor reputation in recent years, so we avoided it.

La Ribera is just a huge car park really with. Toilet good blocks and a very popular bar / restaurant. Again, mostly German plated vans, a number of big American vans that, we understand, live there all year round. Very cheap at ten euros per night, or fourteen with electric if you need it. We didn’t for four nights (The 150aH of lithium’s and the 200w solar panel replenished them from 80+ percent used during the evening / night back to full during the sunny days easily).

We went there to access the Mar Menor town and beaches, which are a five minute cycle ride for the camper park. Image below.

We then set off north, deciding to find somewhere to overnight just south of Madrid. In the end we carried on past Madrid and went back in La Cabrera about 30 kms or so north Of the city. Its the worst campsite we stayed on tbh. And expensive at 27 euros inc electric - not optional! So again, we only stayed the one night and drove up to Burgos the next morning.

The site - Fuentes Blancas - is about 3 km’s from the city, which is well worth a visit. Easy through a park all the way whether on foot or bike. But its back to long trousers again here!! This campsite is about 20 euros per night including unlimited electricity. But they are all grass pitches. Hard enough though fortunately.

We will leave here on Sunday morning for Santander, where we get the ferry to Plymouth on Monday afternoon. Last year, we found an aire near the city’s football stadium so we’ll head there in hope as the only campsite is well out of town.

I’ll write a conclusion of our trip when back home next week.


The Plaza Mayor in Burgos. The beach in San Javier, and one of the plane statues on the promenade depicting the military air base’s history where they train Spanish airforce pilots. Including their equivalent of our Red Arrows - the Patrulla Aguila, which gives you a regular airshow when on the camper park or beach as they practice their manouvers.

 

[Peppadog]

Back home….
After extending our stay in Burgos to four nights, we drove straight up to Santander for the ferry to Plymouth on Monday. A visit to a supermarket once nearby, then the usual wait to be loaded and away. A flat, smooth crossing followed and we were home near Bath at 6.15pm on Tuesday.
We managed to unpack most of the van yesterday morning while also getting the Hymer filled up, charged up and heating on ready for its new owner to take in the afternoon.
Full marks to the Bristol and Somerset Motorhome depot agent, Noel, for doing everything while we were away. It just left us doing the handover together.
The new owner is local and has seen it on the drive over the last few years. So a for sale sticker on it would almost certainly have found them. But hey ho! Anyway, we actually received more for it than I advertised it for in our classifieds, so no complaints.

Its cold, crowded and ‘orrible being back. So we’ll have to get planning the next trip!!

So. Its a big downsize in internal space from a 7m Hymer A class to a 6m pvc. What do we think after six weeks in it?
Well the bed is actually bigger, the alleyway from front to back is strictly one at a time, the seats a fine but not as good as the Hymer’s. The only thing I would change is the stupid door into the bathroom. Its too big to fully open and should be a sliding tambour type door like they used to fit.
Overall, we’re very happy with it.
N