Struggling in Spain

[Millsy's]

We set off nearly two weeks ago from the euro tunnel taking the western route and we are now in Villajoyosa but we are struggling to get any further down the coast as every camp site or paying Aire is fully booked until the end of February .
we are using the usual Campercontact , ACSI and Search for sites .
If I’d have know this would be the situation I would have pre booked months ago although that in itself spoils the concept of travelling in a motorhome?
Any ideas?

 

[bigtwin]

I spent the night before on the Aire at Ayemonte

That’s our current plan to give an early arrival at Tavira.

Good Luck!

Thanks.

Ian

 

[gus-lopez]

When will it start to get quieter in your experience’s jumar jumartoo gus-lopez ?

as said it will probably be mid April this year with easter being earlyish

What would really help is another spell of non stop red sand rain for a few weeks like there was this time last year... that should thin things out a little..

that was March wasn't it?

 

[jumartoo]

Madmag and Grianan I'll put our itinerary together tomorrow, with places and coordinates and I'll send them to you both.

 

[Jo662]

Madmag and Grianan I'll put our itinerary together tomorrow, with places and coordinates and I'll send them to you both.

Could I have the itinerary to please? jumartoo

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

 

[Peregrinator]

There are plenty of Camperstops but you need to move inland a little, you can always find somewhere. Keep searching.

View attachment 714240

He said western route, not East.

 

[brynric]

Might see you there in a few days time then.

Ian

You might see us there. We’re at Alportel for a few days (good, friendly site but busy like anywhere else,) and looking to visit Tavira mid-week. We’ll see where the spare pitches are.

 

[Littlewheels]

He said western route, not East.

Your iterjection doesn’t help and you would be better assisting the OP than picking holes in responses,the OP said the western route had been taken and added to desire to go down the coast and do believe that hasn’t ever changed from being east.

 

[sueandjohn]

Deleted

 

[frenchie 79]

We are in Villajoyosa but always book for 2 months so here until the end of February, after then the campsites heading home start to have space.

What site are you staying on?

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

 

[Land Yachties]

You might see us there. We’re at Alportel for a few days (good, friendly site but busy like anywhere else,) and looking to visit Tavira mid-week. We’ll see where the spare pitches are.

We are heading to Alportel tomorrow, you say it’s busy which most places are but are there people queuing to get in. Planning on arriving around 10am. Thanks for your reply in advance

 

[Mikeco]

What site are you staying on?

Imperium

 

[brynric]

We are heading to Alportel tomorrow,

We’re at the Ecopark, there’s another site in the town which also looked busy.
There’s a car park near reception here which has had a couple of vans in it. Although there’s a few long stayers there’s a steady turn over. Mrs B rang to enquire and the owner was helpful in terms of spaces but we couldn’t book in. I’d arrive early.
It’s a quiet, well kept site but not much in the village. Good shops in Sao Bras de Alportel but a steep hill to get back.

 

[Kups]

Looking ahead, we cancelled our Spanish winter holiday due to covid infections (better now). Decided to get ahead of the pack and booked 3 weeks at Bonterra Resort online for February 2024 yesterday. Confirmed and paid deposit in less than two hours! Good admin team there. Only 11 months 2 weeks to wait

 

[NicandJay]

Millsy's people are beginning to leave from here, Bonterra Park, Benicassim in greater numbers now particularly the Brits as their 90 days are up. As said before huge numbers of German vehicles compared with previous years and the Dutch here in force as usual.....

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

 

[jumar]

Just as well our van is part/fully winterised..we might be suffering a bit of Frost Nip around our extremities it was minus two at first light...off on a Five Layer bike ride in a while...only three vans on here...I wonder why...
Who needs the Med, we live near it...too crowded...

 

[jumartoo]

Jo662 Grianan Madmag sent you our itinerary as a pm. Easier to keep the info that way!

 

[davidroxburgh]

Might I ask for the same please? Inland Spain is looking the way to go!

 

[Brian123]

Jo662 Grianan Madmag sent you our itinerary as a pm. Easier to keep the info that way!

Hi Jumartoo.......would it be ok to share your itinery with me also, i plan to set off on Friday with no fixed routes, but having followed this thread it seems that Spains east coast is pretty full.

 

[Mousy]

Plenty of empty pitches at Mar Menor camping. Agree that there do seem to be more Germans around this year.

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

 

[Spidey]

we are 3 weeks into our first ever Spanish trip. Also first time not pre booking anything. It has been fine until a couple of days ago. We started looking for sites Nerja - Malaga all full then towards Marbella full. Our fridge has stopped working on Gas so have to use campsites or camper stops with electric. So panic set in, eventually got on to Paradis beach camper park. It’s perfect they could only give us 2 nights. So then booked an expensive one further down the coast not surprised they had vacancies. I have found now that instead of planning where I would like to go I am going where there is space! Not how I imagined it going. Everyone said no need to book but seems there is?
So we have booked the next 7 nights snd takes us nearer Portugal. Worried that I now have to booked further ahead

 

[jumar]

we are 3 weeks into our first ever Spanish trip. Also first time not pre booking anything. It has been fine until a couple of days ago. We started looking for sites Nerja - Malaga all full then towards Marbella full. Our fridge has stopped working on Gas so have to use campsites or camper stops with electric. So panic set in, eventually got on to Paradis beach camper park. It’s perfect they could only give us 2 nights. So then booked an expensive one further down the coast not surprised they had vacancies. I have found now that instead of planning where I would like to go I am going where there is space! Not how I imagined it going. Everyone said no need to book but seems there is?
So we have booked the next 7 nights snd takes us nearer Portugal. Worried that I now have to booked further ahead

Get your fridge repaired...it could be cheaper and give you more flexibility it could be nothing more than a blocked jet or a thermocouple replacement...you are going to need it attending too when you get back home...so why not here...it's a simple job...

 

[jumartoo]

Get your fridge repaired...it could be cheaper and give you more flexibility...

Or put your fridge stuff outside overnight in a tamper proof container.

Our beers from the van garage were colder than our fridge ones this morning

 

[jumar]

Or put your fridge stuff outside overnight in a tamper proof container.

Our beers from the van garage were colder than our fridge ones this morning

Our beers?

 

[jumartoo]

Our beers?

Okay, yours! (Too cold for me).

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

 

[Kups]

we are 3 weeks into our first ever Spanish trip. Also first time not pre booking anything. It has been fine until a couple of days ago. We started looking for sites Nerja - Malaga all full then towards Marbella full. Our fridge has stopped working on Gas so have to use campsites or camper stops with electric. So panic set in, eventually got on to Paradis beach camper park. It’s perfect they could only give us 2 nights. So then booked an expensive one further down the coast not surprised they had vacancies. I have found now that instead of planning where I would like to go I am going where there is space! Not how I imagined it going. Everyone said no need to book but seems there is?
So we have booked the next 7 nights snd takes us nearer Portugal. Worried that I now have to booked further ahead

Get the fridge repaired, much cheaper on gas in Spain. We carry a spanish cylinder and external Gaslow connector plus spanish regulator for long stay. Gas cylinder is much cheaper than paying for electric by their meter. Simple to exchange for a full one as well.

 

[Debs]

I'm reading this thread with interest as we are on our way in just over a week & nothing booked - thanks to everyone who is posting with updates, it's really good.

Sorry but had to smile about the 'get the fridge repaired' comment (& the beers comment ) - hopefully for Spidey it's a simple fix but Robs fridge stopped on gas last year & has had so many attempted repairs to it & still not sorted!

We did a month without it last year Spidey you'd be fine for a day or two if you are careful if need be with no ehu.

 

[Rudski01]

we are 3 weeks into our first ever Spanish trip. Also first time not pre booking anything. It has been fine until a couple of days ago. We started looking for sites Nerja - Malaga all full then towards Marbella full. Our fridge has stopped working on Gas so have to use campsites or camper stops with electric. So panic set in, eventually got on to Paradis beach camper park. It’s perfect they could only give us 2 nights. So then booked an expensive one further down the coast not surprised they had vacancies. I have found now that instead of planning where I would like to go I am going where there is space! Not how I imagined it going. Everyone said no need to book but seems there is?
So we have booked the next 7 nights snd takes us nearer Portugal. Worried that I now have to booked further ahead

This is us, currently here (below) on the outskirts of Cartagena and quiet enough compared to the coast, our fridge seems to not like the Spanish electric, work’s normal then goes into alarm the site’s electric is off and on and not able to cope with what’s here, although they have started upgrading it.

Looking at heading further south for a bit more warmth now though, have nothing booked and may just stay a little bit further inland, we’ve just come down from los Alcazares and couldn’t see the attraction to be honest, I’ve never seen so much dog s***te in my life, all around the outside of the campsites were covered in it, I’ve got two dogs and always pick up, I’m sure most is local’s just leaving it but noticed a lot of the campers letting their dogs run loose onto waste ground to sh**e everywhere

 

[Spidey]

Think you are on the same site we were? It’s quite new and they are working on the electrics. It was quite blippy as I remember. Great stop off though.

Out of desperation really as we couldn’t find anywhere else to Cabo de Gata campsite. It was a nice site but in the middle of no where. Lots of polly tunnels and a walk to (30 mins) the village which is all closed apart from a shop and cafe.

We are now at a camper stop in Torrox Costa very nice Paradise Beach. Tbh feel we won the lottery getting two nights here.

We have decided to book the rest of the trip, given up on being spontaneous.

 

[Spidey]

I'm reading this thread with interest as we are on our way in just over a week & nothing booked - thanks to everyone who is posting with updates, it's really good.

Sorry but had to smile about the 'get the fridge repaired' comment (& the beers comment ) - hopefully for Spidey it's a simple fix but Robs fridge stopped on gas last year & has had so many attempted repairs to it & still not sorted!

We did a month without it last year Spidey you'd be fine for a day or two if you are careful if need be with no ehu.

This is our worry without a solid recommendation we wouldn’t want to ask someone to repair it and then it gets worse. We can do the odd night using freezer blocks to keep food cool.

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

 

[Spidey]

This is us, currently here (below) on the outskirts of Cartagena and quiet enough compared to the coast, our fridge seems to not like the Spanish electric, work’s normal then goes into alarm the site’s electric is off and on and not able to cope with what’s here, although they have started upgrading it.

Looking at heading further south for a bit more warmth now though, have nothing booked and may just stay a little bit further inland, we’ve just come down from los Alcazares and couldn’t see the attraction to be honest, I’ve never seen so much dog s***te in my life, all around the outside of the campsites were covered in it, I’ve got two dogs and always pick up, I’m sure most is local’s just leaving it but noticed a lot of the campers letting their dogs run loose onto waste ground to sh**e everywhere
View attachment 716294

Ours did this and we found it’s more about who else is plugged in. The first night it did it on and off all eve. Then the second night it was only us snd one other van plugged in and worked fine even got the heating on electric. Just try not to have too much on at one time