Heading for the sun, sea and SAND! 😄

[ghiaguy]

I’m in Armacao de pera, algarve. Weather forecast is appalling, very windy this morning with prediction of 20mm of rain today, doesn’t look any good this coming week but we can live in hope.

 

[lizibit]

Well yesterday was a right palaver! When we crossed over on Wednesday we headed for Montreuil aire which was full but fortunately there's the big parking area next to it so we spent the night in there.

Yesterday morning we had a nice potter with the dogs along the outside of the walls then into the village so they were nice and tired and would sleep for our long drive ... And what a very long drive it turned out to be! I won't bore you with all the details but there were loads of roadworks and detours with more detours! By the time we got to Nonancourt it was full so we went to one at the fishing lake but it was a bit muddy so we just had a potter with the dog then set off to Prunay le Gillion going round the village a couple of times before finding the parking.

Fortunately yesterday morning hubby put a nice pork joint (half price from Tesco) in the Ecopot which we had for tea ... it was gorgeous and saved having to cook a full meal as we just had it with spuds and peas.

Just about to have giant a pancake for breakfast so I'll report back later.

The Ecopot sounds interesting. Having a look at them online. General complaint seems thar they are arriving without instructions or cookbook. Happy with yours? Enjoy the trip and hope you find some sun soon

 

[scotzsue]

I’m in Armacao de pera, algarve. Weather forecast is appalling, very windy this morning with prediction of 20mm of rain today, doesn’t look any good this coming week but we can live in hope.

Will hijack Minxy post to say don't care about the weather, one of my top 10 lovely area oh and the fish yummy.
minxy just go for it you are away from home and hassle, what's a bit of poor weather? p.s. it's brilliant sunshine here today

 

[roamingsykes3]

I sent the info just over a week before we needed it and got a notification in 3 days to say it was ready.

Don’t understand our vet wants a one hour consultantion at cost off £34 + AHC £94 are they’ll checking your dog over?

 

[Peg Star]

Just to tease you all this is the lovely pork joint we had yesterday and tonight for tea, with enough left for another meal!

View attachment 597156

So no checks on food then I take it? If they do check and you’re found with contraband on board, milk etc what happens ? Is it just confiscated or do you have to pay a fine like these border force tv programs when folks arrive at airports - is there a form which has to be completed declaring if you have any food on board?

***** have a lovely holiday *****

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[MotorhomersRus]

So no checks on food then I take it? If they do check and you’re found with contraband on board, milk etc what happens ? Is it just confiscated or do you have to pay a fine like these border force tv programs when folks arrive at airports - is there a form which has to be completed declaring if you have any food on board?

***** have a lovely holiday *****

Came over on the Chunnel Thursday never looked or asked what we had brought with us.
Freezer and fridge full to bursting.

 

[Peg Star]

Came over on the Chunnel Thursday never looked or asked what we had brought with us.
Freezer and fridge full to bursting.

Ok, interesting. So basically take what you don’t mind loosing if they check- no fines or forms. We’re duo to cross soon and I’m arranging to have our dog food (not readily available in usual retail stores even in uk) sent from a distributor in Germany to our campsite in France. Hubby would prefer just to wing it and say it’s his if they ask as it’s fish based and you can take fish , he doesn’t mind nibbling on a bit of kibble to prove his point .

Apologies digressing from thread.

 

[MotorhomersRus]

We’re also not sure what to do weather wise. Was going to Spain but the forecast is horrendous. So we might have to stay in Southern France

 

[MotorhomersRus]

Ok, interesting. So basically take what you don’t mind loosing if they check- no fines or forms. We’re duo to cross soon and I’m arranging to have our dog food (not readily available in usual retail stores even in uk) sent from a distributor in Germany to our campsite in France. Hubby would prefer just to wing it and say it’s his if they ask as it’s fish based and you can take fish , he doesn’t mind nibbling on a bit of kibble to prove his point .

Apologies digressing from thread.

I would just take it.
I’d split it up and not have it all in the same place.
Or on show if they look in. They would have to strip search the motorhome to find it all. Friends just came back with loads of bottles of sport.
But it’s your risk. So do what you must.

 

[GAVLAD]

Have a super time Minxy looking forward to following your thread again.
We’ve just returned from a weekend in knaresborough to test everything works after the winter lay up.
Unfortunately, the Speedo has stopped working again. Had this fixed on service & mot on last outing but it’s stopped again. We also had a lot of flies - must have thrown at least 15 out.

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[Minxy]

The Ecopot sounds interesting. Having a look at them online. General complaint seems thar they are arriving without instructions or cookbook. Happy with yours? Enjoy the trip and hope you find some sun soon

Very happy with our pot, will be using it again once we get somewhere sunny!

Don’t understand our vet wants a one hour consultantion at cost off £34 + AHC £94 are they’ll checking your dog over?

We took the dogs in and they checked their microchips, I think the original info I sent asked about their health.

So no checks on food then I take it? If they do check and you’re found with contraband on board, milk etc what happens ? Is it just confiscated or do you have to pay a fine like these border force tv programs when folks arrive at airports - is there a form which has to be completed declaring if you have any food on board?

***** have a lovely holiday *****

No idea what the consequences would be as we've not been caught! . No food declaration.

Came over on the Chunnel Thursday never looked or asked what we had brought with us.
Freezer and fridge full to bursting.

Same here, couldn't do without our bacon etc.

 

[Minxy]

We’re also not sure what to do weather wise. Was going to Spain but the forecast is horrendous. So we might have to stay in Southern France

We've been looking at the Venturesky app on our phones (free version) so have hot tailed it to the south west where it got a better forecast and are currently at Cestas SW of Bordeaux. Tomorrow will be heading for Sanguinet on the lake, somewhere we've been before, we will stay there a day or two as the weather is supposed to be good for a while and see how we feel. A lot of travelling today so we could get past Bordeaux before tomorrow when the lorries, workers etc hit the roads again - despite it being Sunday it was still quite busy so glad we did it today.

 

[MotorhomersRus]

Minxy
Looks like we’re a day behind you and heading in the same direction

 

[Mr porky]

Currently in the town of Ávila between Salamanca and Madrid. Unfortunately it's been raining all night and it's still raining. Probably because the motorhome got it's first wash yesterday since leaving the uk, (solar panels where caked in Sahara sand dust).
Although the weather is pants (at the minute, it has been better) I would recommend the region of Extremadura. A region we have always zipped past.

 

[Helen Ariel]

We stayed put rather than moving on today, sitting out in the sunshine for a few hours and taking the dogs on a couple of walks and a play in the field which they thoroughly enjoyed.

We're in a quandary as to what to do now as the weather isn't going to be good in eastern Spain for quite a while.

We're seriously considering going across to North Western Spain instead and spending some time there until the weather improves. Fortunately we haven't got so far through France that would make it silly cost wise to change our plans.

Typical though, our first foreign trip in over 2 years and it's already been a pain with all the roadworks and detours and now the flipping weather!!! Maybe we should just stay where we are for 2 months.

We've done the same but in reverse as we were heading home via the med Coast but we got caught in the horrible sand storm for 3 days then the forecast looked awful for the whole way back so we headed up to Bilbao. Lovely weather yesterday and heading into France the weather forecast is lovely all the way back. I'd definitely follow the good weather!

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[MotorhomersRus]

Helen Ariel
More sunnier this morning but was -1 when we woke up just higher up than Aqouleme.

 

[Minxy]

This was our parking spot at Cestas for the night, next to a stream with plenty of grass for the doggies to play on, although there was some refurbishment work going on at a nearby small block of flats it wasn't noisy and the compound with the new windows and doors etc stored in it had an unusual 'security guard' .... a pet rabbit! I managed to get a quick photo so you lot wouldn't think I'd gone loopy and was imaging it!

We're now at Sanguinet SW of Bordeaux next to the lake on the 'free aire' (there are 2, one charges out of season but this one doesn't). Today it must have been at least 25 degrees at times and not much less at others. We spend a lovely few hours on the beach with the dogs having a play in the sand, snuffling in the vegetation, paddling etc ... Tazzy was in heaven frog and bug hunting. Managed miraculously to get all 3 of them to stay on a tree trunk to take a photo ... yes they were being bribed with treats by hubby at the time hence their tongues being out!

We'll probably stop here tomorrow and be doing similar again ... might as well enjoy the sunshine as that's what we came for!

 

[Minxy]

Oh forgot to mention, we used the Ecopot again today, stuck in 4 large spuds and some peeled carrots at around 10.00 am and had a cuple of spuds and the carrots for tea tonight with some bacon ... the spuds were cooked to perfection and tasted great, the carrots were cooked but didn't have much taste so might have been better to have put them in a bag to keep the flavour in, or it could be that they were cheapo ones from Lidl I suppose. We left the spuds and carrots for about 8 hours so they were hot enough to eat but not really hot so next time we'll start it off a bit later so that it isn't left for more than 6 hours. Certainly made for an easy meal though which is one of the main reasons we wanted one, very happy with it and are already thinking of things we can cook in it.

The other 2 spuds will be cubed and fried off tomorrow to go with the rest of the bacon and eggs for tea.

 

[mikebeaches]

Oh forgot to mention, we used the Ecopot again today, stuck in 4 large spuds and some peeled carrots at around 10.00 am and had a cuple of spuds and the carrots for tea tonight with some bacon ... the spuds were cooked to perfection and tasted great, the carrots were cooked but didn't have much taste so might have been better to have put them in a bag to keep the flavour in, or it could be that they were cheapo ones from Lidl I suppose. We left the spuds and carrots for about 8 hours so they were hot enough to eat but not really hot so next time we'll start it off a bit later so that it isn't left for more than 6 hours. Certainly made for an easy meal though which is one of the main reasons we wanted one, very happy with it and are already thinking of things we can cook in it.

The other 2 spuds will be cubed and fried off tomorrow to go with the rest of the bacon and eggs for tea.

Where did you buy the Ecopot and how much please?

Have a good trip!

 

[Minxy]

Where did you buy the Ecopot and how much please?

Have a good trip!

EcoPot on Ebay with 20% Ebay discount until tomorrow

Same as Mr D's thermal cooker, this is the Ecopot version that is extremely popular in Australia. There are 2 capacities: 3.5L (20cm diameter) and 5.0L (30cm diameter), both being around the same height, so we've plumped for the larger one as we like to cook joints etc as well as just single...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[mikebeaches]

EcoPot on Ebay with 20% Ebay discount until tomorrow

Same as Mr D's thermal cooker, this is the Ecopot version that is extremely popular in Australia. There are 2 capacities: 3.5L (20cm diameter) and 5.0L (30cm diameter), both being around the same height, so we've plumped for the larger one as we like to cook joints etc as well as just single...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Thanks Minxy !

 

[MotorhomersRus]

This was our parking spot at Cestas for the night, next to a stream with plenty of grass for the doggies to play on, although there was some refurbishment work going on at a nearby small block of flats it wasn't noisy and the compound with the new windows and doors etc stored in it had an unusual 'security guard' .... a pet rabbit! I managed to get a quick photo so you lot wouldn't think I'd gone loopy and was imaging it!

View attachment 598004
View attachment 598005

We're now at Sanguinet SW of Bordeaux next to the lake on the 'free aire' (there are 2, one charges out of season but this one doesn't). Today it must have been at least 25 degrees at times and not much less at others. We spend a lovely few hours on the beach with the dogs having a play in the sand, snuffling in the vegetation, paddling etc ... Tazzy was in heaven frog and bug hunting. Managed miraculously to get all 3 of them to stay on a tree trunk to take a photo ... yes they were being bribed with treats by hubby at the time hence their tongues being out!

View attachment 598020

We'll probably stop here tomorrow and be doing similar again ... might as well enjoy the sunshine as that's what we came for!

Tried to get on there yesterday…….road closed no way in as far as we could see. Further down the road now.

 

[Minxy]

The other 2 spuds will be cubed and fried off tomorrow to go with the rest of the bacon and eggs for tea.

Thought I'd better report how this went .... scrummy!!!

We stayed at Sanguinet for 2 nights, there are a couple of Aires there, the one called 'Pavillion' is nice, quiet and free until the end of April, there are no services but the one called 'Bardets' has water and waste disposal which you can use without having to pay to stop (it charges all year round). As well as the lakes and beaches both places have walks and cycles routes so if that's what you like to do you'll be well happy! . The latter has cafes etc nearby whereas the former they are a 10-15 min walk away. We'll certainly use both again.

On Wednesday we travelled to Lac du Leon and stayed on the southern aire which is free even though the sign as you enter says €12 but that doesn't start until 1 April. It's really nice with plenty of space and you can do your toilet but there's no water on at present. We decided to stay there for a few days at as the weather was predicted to be good so no need to 'rush' to the sun elsewhere so have been sitting out in the sun just relaxing, playing with the dogs, having walks and on Thursday I got my kayak out and Tazzy and I had a lovely paddle into one of the small tributaries that feed the lake, really enjoyed it.

Yesterday we did more sun-sitting, dog walking etc, then hubby got out his new mini-drone so we had a play with that, Tazzy thought it was a great game following it around until it got too windy to use it so more sun worshipping was called for.

This morning after a nice potter with the dogs we set off as we needed some shopping then on past St Jean de Luz to Socoa just a little bit west, and are parked on a small raised bit of road next to the cemetery with lovely views of the bay and as a bonus got to watch the various rowing boat races. Tomorrow we're heading off to the nature park (elephants) at Cabarceno ... not sure what Minky will make of them!

 

[Minxy]

This morning started with a phone call from my mum to tell me she'd fallen and was waiting for an ambulance! I won't go into detail as it's all on the 'Getting old is no fun' thread suffice to say that we decided to take the pooches for a walk round Socoa and instead of leaving before lunch we spent a couple of hours on the small bit of beach available (high tide). After snuffling for a while the dogs had a snooze in the sunshine so I took myself off for a nice paddle on my tod ... the water was a bit chilly but I soon got used to it and enjoyed being like a kid again! Quite hot at times too so well happy.

We left mid-afternoon, got fuel, and have instead of going to Cabarceno we stopped at Laredo next to the prom and lovely beach as we'd had enough of driving. The dogs had a lovely run around on the beach playing with a couple of other dogs and have been snoozing since we got back in just as it was getting too dark to keep an eye on them.

Time for me to have a snooze too now.

 

[Minxy]

We decided to stop at Laredo for Monday night so spend the daytime walking the dogs on the lovely sweeping beach - not allowed but it was being totally ignored by everyone and I MEAN everyone! We also had a lovely German neighbour with 2 dogs who fortunately ours got on with although Minky greeted them with lots of barking each time they met just to make sure they knew who was boss. The chap, Hans, had bought his first MH not long ago (second hand) to see how he got on and was loving it but realised that they layout he had wasn't right for him so once he'd finished his touring he was going to sell it and look for something else, fortunately he got it for a good price so hopes to get back at least what he paid for it. We spent quite a bit of time chatting with him and introducing him to the various apps that we use, giving him tips and I also mentioned 'Fun' to him too so you never know he may join. Last night's tea was bacon, egg, sausage, baked beans and fried bread ... it was yummie!!!

Today we walked the dogs then said our goodbyes, did a bit of shopping at Lidl and travelled to Puerto St Miguel next to the motorway which has free MH services (it's also an overnight stop), after lunch we travelled westwards and have stopped at Santa Gadea plage just across the water from Ribadeo for the night, and are parked on the area overlooking the beach next to the hermitage. We had a potter with the dogs but with a few drops of rain (we'd had some on and off as we'd travelled) we didn't want to go far so after sorting a few bits and bobs we had tea - Ecopot jacket spuds with butter, fried bacon and baked beans. We'd prepared and put the spuds in the pot after lunch and they were ready when we wanted them so a very easy tea plus we did enough for a couple more days so tomorrow they'll be cubed and fried up and probably the next put into a nice cheesy sauce and blasted under the grill ... we love our Ecopot!

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[Minxy]

We travelled from Santa Gadea on Wednesday after a potter on the lovely beach, getting back to the MH just before it threw it down. A trip to the supermarket to top up our provisions and we were off travelling westward.

Weather was a bit hit and miss with sun and rain, some lovely scenery though with one area looking how we imagine Norway would be with villages scattered up the sides of forested hills/peaks with sea inlets below akin to fyords.

We hit some traffic around larger towns/cities so our journey was longer timewise than we'd have liked but we got to Lugar Puerto du San Pedro on the West side of A Corona around 6pm by which time the dogs were seriously eyeing up the table top for their dinner! It's a nice quiet spot right on the edge of the sea, somewhere we'd been back in 2017 so knew it should be okay, you can just see the MH on the left of the photo, 3rd one in.

When we got here we had some lovely hot sunshine for quite a while but the breeze meant it wasn't warm enough to sit out so I slobbed out in our 'conservatory' ... aka A-class cab . Got a lovely sunset last night.

As the weather was supposed to be cooler and raining heavily we said we'd sit it out here today and whilst we did have some very heavy downpours we also had some lovely sunny spells too so had a potter withe the dogs late afternoon ... Tazzy was enjoying herself and didn't want to come back so tried to hide behind a lamppost.

The Ecopot was put to use again to cook a tasty pork stew with enough for a bowl of soup tomorrow ... at this rate we'll be wearing it out by the end of our holiday.

It's been fairly breezy all day but since 7pm it been gradually building and now it's blowing like mad and rocking us as if we are on a train going he'll for leather on rickety tracks! Hopefully we won't be blown away!!!

 

[Minxy]

We lasted at the above parking spot until midnight then, not long after our 'windbreak' moved (aka another MH), we decided we'd had enough so headed a bit further down the road and stopped near the MH service area, it was still a bit breezy but nothing like the other spot.

As for today ... not been great, loads of wrong turns by the driver who was aided and abetted by the satnav which had a wobble and shut down just at a vital junction so we ended up doing a few km to get back en route, and even when it was working properly with both me and it directing the driver he still took the wrong roads! . I'm sure I heard it calling him unflattering names under its speakers.

We're currently at Redondela next to the estuary/beach, nice place; had a nice potter along the boardwalk with the pooches then
managed to sit out in the sun for about 30 mins sheltered from the wind but by heck it was chilly when the clouds covered the sun.

 

[bigtwin]

We lasted at the above parking spot until midnight then, not long after our 'windbreak' moved (aka another MH),

We had to find a windbreak about a week ago and found the perfect spot. The wind was coming directly from the other side of the building and the building was sufficiently tall that we could put up the dish without it getting a battering.
Well pleased we were.

Ian