Sun-seeking in Portugal and Spain Jan and Feb 2025

[Ingwe]

Hi Ingwe. That tiny German caravan was parked next to us two nights ago in Gijon!
You've carried on south, we're going sideways also just into Portugal, at Chaves. Intending to spend a cpl of nights here.
Hope your coughs / colds / ankles are better soon.

Chavez was our very first night ever in Portugal. We were the only ones there and the site relied on honesty for one to leave the money in an envelope. Saw the crossing points for pedestrians on the river but chickened out and used the bridge.
We keep hoping that each night’s coughing will be the last. It’ll be true one night.
Keep warm and safe.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Fingers crossed

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Ooh that sounds interesting. We’re planning our main meal being lunch and a small tea.

This is it.

 

[Peavy]

Castelo Mendo looks worth a stop, it’s been favourited on S4S.

I was going to say the same

 

[Peavy]

We keep hoping that each night’s coughing will be the last.

Get well soon

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[Ingwe]

Ps: last night we had a free night in Léon.
Well, you have to do these things....

Leon in Léon.

 

[Ingwe]

Apologies for the delay in further posting. We slowly improved from our colds, Mrs Ingwe some days behind me yet. Guarda’s campsite was on top of the town which was shrouded in mist when we arrived on Friday and there was a steady drizzle whipped around with vicious gusts of wind. The site is in a wooded area so the roof of our van was regularly bombed by blown-off branches. The bangs were sometimes quite startling. But luckily, no apparent damage but then I can’t see the top of the van at present.

Anyway, after a noisy night, we woke to another misty day but at least the rain stopped. There were two other vans there and we had the run of the toilet facilities and a warm common room where it was possible to do the washing up in the evening. Hot water was in plentiful supply in the showers, wash hand basins and kitchen sink area. Also, there was toilet paper and soap available. The sanitaires were very clean. The rate was €14 per night.

We set off down the hill, past a massive football station into the city centre. It was relief that the wind and rain had stopped. We decided to have our main meal in the day and small snack for our supper. We didn’t find the restaurant that Wanders from Glos had recommended but we found one that was packed with locals so we decided we’d wait the 10 minutes or so the friendly owner advised would lead to a table becoming free. And we were glad we did. We both had a lovely soup. I followed up with a grilled pork dish and Mrs Ingwe had grilled lamb chops. Both dishes were served with new potatoes and mash thing with spinach and garlic, we think. We then returned to the van just in time before the heavens opened. Another wild and windy night with bangs on the rocking roof.

Scenes of Guarda

After our cold, wet and windy two-night stay at Guarda, Portugal’s highest village, we were pleased to descend to lower altitude. Sunday’s drive to a free park up on the banks of the Tagus at Vila Nova de Barquinha was a slow one due to the mist and the strong winds buffeting the van as we dropped out of the clouds.

The parking is opposite a restaurant which was busy when we arrived but we had no difficulty in parking. The parking spaces had been ribboned off by the police due to the swollen river breaking its banks and we watched visitors, all afternoon, driving to the tape to look at the river then turn round and drive off. By nightfall, we were alone. The restaurant was closed and we spent a solitary but peaceful night. Apart from the odd glance out of my window to check on the river level!

Vila Nova de Barquinha Parking

Swollen river Tagus

On Monday, we drove a shortish distance to a campsite at Castel Verde. It was relatively full and had reasonable facilities given the price of €10.50 a night. A one hour drive from there brought us to our planned destination of Armacao de Pera. We last stayed here 6 years ago. At the time, we found the big campsite here a bit ‘corporate’ after the informal Mikki’s Place just a few kilometres away. But we went off Mikki’s for various reasons and this site at Armacao has also undergone changes, we think, for the better. It is less formal and the position is you find a space where you can and then they come and hook you up. There are few rows of vans; slightly anarchic but it seems to work with offers of help to guide you into spaces and finding a borne with space to plug into if required.

After the bad weather, it was great to arrive and set up for a week or ten days or until we decide to move on. All very friendly and relaxed. There is a campsite restaurant /café and a small supermarket. Within a mile’s walk is a Lidl, Pingo Doce, and two other supermarkets who’s names I forget. Plus, you’re about a half mile walk from the sea-front with all its bars, cafés and restaurants. I like the almost art deco buildings in various pastel shades. We had rain in the night but nothing too bad. Further storms are forecast for tomorrow but, hey, who cares? It’s warm and relaxed and there’s everything you could want.

Campsite at Armacao de Pera

 

[Peter_Cooke]

Try the gelato from N'Ices in Armacao, they provide a large selection of flavours.

 

[Grianan]

Just enjoyed catching up with your thread! Sunday morning treat for those of us still in uk.

 

[Ingwe]

Been doing the ‘household’ chores like shopping, tidying the van etc so haven’t yet posted further on Armacao. Today we badly need to do some laundry.
LeonC and Sally arrived yesterday and we enjoyed a drink and meal at the campsite restaurant. Good to have a catch-up.
Going to check out the ice-cream parlour pointed out by Peter_Cooke as I’ve never grown out of my love of ice-cream! Later…….

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[Ingwe]

After a few lazy days at Armacao de Pera we decided to leave. It is very easy to stay somewhere where the facilities are good or at least adequate and the weather’s good.

We last stated at Parque de Armacao six years ago when we had problems with the van losing coolant. A stone had pierced the radiator and the site had an in-house van repair facility so we stayed there rather than take our chances at Mikki’s Place, somewhere we’d stayed happily twice before.

As it happens, repair facility was fully booked so we ended up going a few miles up the road to Alcantarilha where a garage carried out the repair in a couple of days.

So when we returned to Armacao, we were amazed how full it was. They don’t do bookings and there seems to be no numbers control so that you see vans driving round and round looking for a space. There are no pitches as such. You park where you can and look for somewhere to hook up.

This sort of ‘free’ parking brings out the anti-social side of some people. It works if everyone is moderate on the size of pitch they annexe. It fails when, like our neighbour, they’ve annexed a space for their caravan, two safari rooms, one front, one rear, a huge front mat and then their car parked five feet from the awning. The site’s rules actually state that cars must be parked in the ample car parking space but this rule is simply ignored. So you have a number of large car parks, all empty and mostly tuggers’ cars taking up space where others could park.

But hey, we got a space and enjoyed the schadenfreud as we watched hopeful parkers performing laps looking for a space.

The shower blocks were clean but there appeared to be only one working shower, out of seven, that worked in providing hot water. You press a red button before showering and then you are supposed to get seven minutes of hot water, plenty enough to wash your hair, body and even luxuriate in the rinse. Except only number 2 seemed to work. I learned this early and listened to the shrieks, in several languages (one of which included the term “scheisse!!”) as the icy needles of water hit their skins. How I laughed.

Anyway, there is a small supermarket, with very friendly and helpful staff and a bar with restaurant. The latter offered excellent meals at very good prices. One of the specialities is steak on the stone for €14. The navigator ordered this one night and a huge steak arrived on a platter with a hot stone about as hot as the centre of the earth. The steak cooked on the stone and was as tender as butter. Chips, salad and rice were also included. I opted for a chicken steak with chips and a fried egg on top. The dish also came with rice and salad. Two carbohydrates I hear you bellow!

The drinks are very cheap. A small beer (33ml) and a large glass of dry white wine came in at €3.40. In York, the glass of wine would be around £7.00.

We used the laundry with limited effect. The €5 per wash provided no soap or conditioner as promised and you’re warned not to add your own. When Mrs Ingwe complained, they refunded her by way of a token and we illicitly did a second wash, this time adding our own washing liquid. Oh the frisson on being an outlaw.

The drier, also €5 for an hour dried the clothes pretty well which is just as well as our space didn’t permit space for a decent clothes-line. The site is easy walking distance into the town where there is a lovely beach and lots of restaurants, bars and several supermarkets including Pingo Doce, a Continente, Lidl and an Intermarché. So the site is pretty convenient. And the laid-back feel to the site is also a pleasure.

Anyway, we stayed for 17 days despite intending to stay 4-5 days. This is what I mean about staying somewhere where things are easy.

We drove all of 30 miles to Vila Moura Rustic Motorhome site. This small site (10 pitches) is run by a South African and Australian couple. Despite this () we booked in for four nights, largely tempted by the Valentine Night meal offered of a full roast beef dinner with wine and all trimmings plus dessert for €15 each.

Our hosts, Gerard and Anthea were very welcoming and the meal was lovely but hugely filling. The dessert was an old South African favourite called yskas (fridge) tart, made with crushed tennis biscuits, sweetened condensed milk and cream.

Vila Moura Rustic Motorhome Site

There is a lovely bakery a pleasant 10 minute walk away where a loaf of bread and two pasta de nata pastries set us back €3! Tomorrow we are going to cycle the five or so miles to the marina at Vila Moura.

Road to bakery