To Spain without tolls

[funflair]

Alt Gr + 4 buttons give you the € sign. BTW you got Scottish blood or are the tolls that bad?

On the iPad but I found the € sign anyway thanks.

I'm Yorkshire not Scottish but the MH came from Scotland if that counts for anything, the tolls get worse for class 3 and the ones South of Borbeaux seem to be taking the P but can be avoided as they are a one off payment rather than having the tolled sections with various on/off gates.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Hi again Martin, be interested to know which aire you are staying at, last time we used a carpark to overnight next to an old church near to the main bridge, a bit noisy and mixed parking but ok for a short overnight stop. 40.95471 -5.66809

We loved Salamanca too, its a great place, keep an eye out for all the 'lovelocks' attached to the railings as you walk over the main bridge.

Pete

That's the one we are on, just been told the other one near lidl is closed.

Martin

 

[Littlewheels]

I've never beaten the tolls! Tried pleading class 2 on many occasions but only got the odd dispensation and recently I was informed it's class 4 because of the height!! So they are now charging for fresh air.

We are just over 9m,7500t,and 3.4 high, I think we are in a "loose - loose situation" which is pretty normal for us.

20+ and clear sky's in Andalucia so not all bad.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[pjay]

That's the one we are on, just been told the other one near lidl is closed.

Martin

Thanks, must been a bit of a squeeze with that big van of yours, especially if theres loads of cars parked up there. Ours is only 6m and it was a bit tight, we got the last slot overlooking the square. Most of the cars disappear later on though.
One old van looked like it had been there for weeks with a young guy in it.


Pete

 

[busby]

Been reading your thread with interest Martin. I have always stuck to the motorway to Tours and sometimes gone via Nersac to Bordeaux. My question is, what is the route like from Rouen to Tours via Evreux and Chartres. Is there much dual carriageway and is it advisable to travel on Sunday when the lorries are off the road.

Mike

Its a excellent road. BUSBY

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[funflair]

Thanks, must been a bit of a squeeze with that big van of yours, especially if theres loads of cars parked up there. Ours is only 6m and it was a bit tight, we got the last slot overlooking the square. Most of the cars disappear later on though.
One old van looked like it had been there for weeks with a young guy in it.


Pete

Hi Pete

We got here lunch time so it was pretty clear but it filled up with cars this afternoon, the spots are just marked out as car park spaces so it is less than ideal for most MH but I suppose we feel the squeeze more than some, last night at Palencia was great 23 properly marked MH slots and dump and fresh water facilities.

Martin

 

[funflair]

I've never beaten the tolls! Tried pleading class 2 on many occasions but only got the odd dispensation and recently I was informed it's class 4 because of the height!! So they are now charging for fresh air.

We are just over 9m,7500t,and 3.4 high, I think we are in a "loose - loose situation" which is pretty normal for us.

20+ and clear sky's in Andalucia so not all bad.

Enjoy your trip.

I guess you are 7495 or 7499kg I think over 7500 would be even more difficult as some of the detours around the tolls prohibit over 7.5 tonne.

The tolls South of Bordeaux last year were charging us at over twice the rate of class 2 but it was showing on the screen as euro 4, the guy in the yellow jacket who came out of the booth said it was because of emissions and wanted all our paperwork if we wanted to argue the case, we showed him the green umwelt sticker but wasn't interested in that.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Hi again Martin, be interested to know which aire you are staying at, last time we used a carpark to overnight next to an old church near to the main bridge, a bit noisy and mixed parking but ok for a short overnight stop. 40.95471 -5.66809

We loved Salamanca too, its a great place, keep an eye out for all the 'lovelocks' attached to the railings as you walk over the main bridge.

Pete

Hi Pete

I think the love locks have all gone as the bridge rails have a new coat of paint and look very smart.

Did you go the the museum of the automobile.

Martin

 

[pjay]

Hi Pete

I think the love locks have all gone as the bridge rails have a new coat of paint and look very smart.

Did you go the the museum of the automobile.

Martin

No, fraid not, we just visited the cathedral which was very impressive. Do let us know about the auto museum though as we might be going that way again in March.
Just in case you didn't know, there is a Repsol garage with a service point on the SE fringe of the city if you need to service the van. Haven't used it personally but found it on Campingcar-Infos website and logged it for future use. 40.93965 -5.65502

Pete

 

[funflair]

Apologies on the "lovelock" front @pjay , they are there I just didn't see them also some on the well in the garden of the museum of art nouveau.

We must be all museum'd out soon, just done the history of automotion museum and the museum of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Both very good really and if they mistake you for a senior it's only €2 each per museum, lots of stuff in the auto museum that I had not heard of, right from the earliest cars to one of Michael Schumacher's F1 cars and some very strange bicycles. The Arty Farty one was good as well.

Hispano Souza (spelt wrong I think) prototype

Can you work out the three gears on the bike

Martin

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[pjay]

Museum sounds good, on the list for our trip, thanks.

Are the 3 gears to do with the 3 footsteps either side of the frame?

Glad the locks are still there, there was even one there with my nickname on it.

Pete

 

[funflair]

Museum sounds good, on the list for our trip, thanks.

Are the 3 gears to do with the 3 footsteps either side of the frame?

Glad the locks are still there, there was even one there with my nickname on it.

Pete

View attachment 91532

Correct,

It treadle's rather than pedals, the bit with the three steps pivots at the top and a cable runs from the bottom to the back wheel and there must be a ratchet system in he back wheel.

This afternoon (Sunday) from 3 o'clock the Cathedral tower was free so we have been up that and walked around the outside of the roof with some great views from one of the towers we watched two storks and their aerobatics, a mating thing I guess as its that time and the nests are getting spruced up. Saw a kingfisher as we came back over the bridge so another good day.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Nice drive over this morning from Salamanca to Caceres, arrived just before 1 and plenty of space and a decent service point, all free.

Foggy at the moment I think @The Dude has taken the sun with them, it was patches of fog and then bright sun coming over.

Lots of storks and a red kite, pretty sure it was red but we have seen lots of black kites,but still not convinced the Egyptian vulture wasn't a stork as well. There were certainly some big things circling in the distance but too fat away to identify.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Do you fancy any of this!

And the sun is out.

Martin

 

[funflair]

A couple more bikes from the museum in Salamanca now I have WiFi,

Check out the chain line on this, two chainrings at the front and two cogs at the rear and two chains.

And another treadle but with chains this time.

Martin

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[The Dudess]

Nice drive over this morning from Salamanca to Caceres, arrived just before 1 and plenty of space and a decent service point, all free.

Foggy at the moment I think @The Dude has taken the sun with them, it was patches of fog and then bright sun coming over.

Lots of storks and a red kite, pretty sure it was red but we have seen lots of black kites,but still not convinced the Egyptian vulture wasn't a stork as well. There were certainly some big things circling in the distance but too fat away to identify.

Martin

Hi Martin, Yeh, we took the sun to El Rocio - 25 degrees this afternoon but one heck of a foggy journey from Caceres. Enjoy Caceres, lots' of room here at El Rocio if you fancy coming down - we're here until Wednesday.

 

[funflair]

Hi Martin, Yeh, we took the sun to El Rocio - 25 degrees this afternoon but one heck of a foggy journey from Caceres. Enjoy Caceres, lots' of room here at El Rocio if you fancy coming down - we're here until Wednesday.

Cheers

We'll have to find that on the map, got back from the town and Aire full to overflowing.

OK found it, you missed Seville! Have you been before or can you get in from El Racio.

Martin

 

[The Dudess]

Cheers

We'll have to find that on the map, got back from the town and Aire full to overflowing.

OK found it, you missed Seville! Have you been before or can you get in from El Racio.

Martin

Hi Martin, Didn't plan to do Seville - we're not 'big town' people. El Rocio is about 30 miles past Seville. Went in to El Rocio town yesterday - should be called El Whackio! One not to be missed if you have the time.

 

[jongood]

HI Martin & Jen

Glad your having a nice trip. Are you stopping at Seville? bit of a crappy set up but nice and quiet and fairly secure and good location for walking in, takes you past plaza d'espagne etc.

Accès/adresse :
Calle Quinto Centenario
41011 SEVILLA (Andalucia)

Latitude : (Nord) 37.36289° Décimaux ou 37° 21′ 46′′
Longitude : (Ouest) -5.99449° Décimaux ou -5° 59′ 40′′

Tarif : 2015
C-C, services, wifi : 12 €
Électricité : 3 €
Remorque : 3 €

Have also had Sanlucar de barrameda reccommended to us many times - planning to get there next trip, or maybe even on the way back this time.

We re staying in Morocco for time being, weather etc lovely and the rest same as it ever was - good bits and bad bits.

Jon & sue

 

[jongood]

Anybody who like motor museums, have a look at the Malaga one.

http://www.museoautomovilmalaga.com/

They have some very exotic machines, including 2 cords. and when we were there one of the staff was driving a DB5 around the museum to give it a run.

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[funflair]

Hi Martin, Didn't plan to do Seville - we're not 'big town' people. El Rocio is about 30 miles past Seville. Went in to El Rocio town yesterday - should be called El Whackio! One not to be missed if you have the time.

@The Dude Just read up on El Rocio and as you say sounds El Wackio, are you on the camp site?

Martin

 

[funflair]

HI Martin & Jen

Glad your having a nice trip. Are you stopping at Seville? bit of a crappy set up but nice and quiet and fairly secure and good location for walking in, takes you past plaza d'espagne etc.

Accès/adresse :
Calle Quinto Centenario
41011 SEVILLA (Andalucia)

Latitude : (Nord) 37.36289° Décimaux ou 37° 21′ 46′′
Longitude : (Ouest) -5.99449° Décimaux ou -5° 59′ 40′′

Tarif : 2015
C-C, services, wifi : 12 €
Électricité : 3 €
Remorque : 3 €

Have also had Sanlucar de barrameda reccommended to us many times - planning to get there next trip, or maybe even on the way back this time.

We re staying in Morocco for time being, weather etc lovely and the rest same as it ever was - good bits and bad bits.

Jon & sue

Cheers Jon, right by the river by the looks of it on CoPilot.

Somebody else gave us N 37.36239. W 5.99452 which it turn out is just a few metres away so must be the same, so looks like we will give that a go.

Have a good trip.


Martin & Jen

 

[funflair]

Heading towards Seville in the fog again, should have been a straightforward start to the journey but I cocked up CoPilot putting in a route rather than destination, the start of the route was the centre of Caceres a Medieval town that you would not want to take a 8.5 metre 6 Tonne motorhome

Well CoPilot wanted to start the route from the Start point where TomTom which I am more used to would just have picked the destination once we were moving.

Al well, nobody died and no motorhome's were damaged so all was well in the end and I learnt another lesson about preparing the route before setting off.

Just as we were leaving the Aire we saw a lot of crested larks on the road.

Martin

 

[The Dudess]

@The Dude Just read up on El Rocio and as you say sounds El Wackio, are you on the camp site?

Martin

Hi Martin, Yes,we're on La Altea site which is just by El Rocio town. Great site but leaving tomorrow for Pinar San Jose in Zahora.

 

[funflair]

Hi Martin, Yes,we're on La Altea site which is just by El Rocio town. Great site but leaving tomorrow for Pinar San Jose in Zahora.

Cheers, we are now in the Aire that @jonegood listed so will be hear a few nights I guess.

Looks like a good place to stop, plenty of space easy to find, secure and handy for Seville.

Martin

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[funflair]

Spent the day in Seville yesterday, it's about 15 minutes to the plaza de Espania which is a massive brick and ceramic semicircular building built for the 1929 Spanish-American exhibition it is well worth seeing and has a very interesting military museum "free".


Plaza de Espania

And of course yet on other even bigger and awe inspiring cathedral complete with tower and views over the city BUT we are about maxed out with cities and cathedrals.



Seville from the tower, and yes the bells still ring when you are up there, Jen stood next to one, "pardon what did you say".


Martin

 

[peterc10]

At Miranda the AP1 is toll road so we ducked off onto the N1 again this is a single carriageway but very good surface and easy for us to set the cruise control at our normal motorway 53 mph.

That is the way we went Southbound last spring, and we stayed at the Aire at Miranda - it was nothing special and we probably would not stay there again unless desperate, although it is free and has free water and grey/black dump.

On the way back heading North there are signs (in English) saying that toll is free around Miranda, so joined it at the junction south of Miranda and got off just North. You still pick up a ticket on entry, but when you put it in at the exit the barrier goes straight up without having to pay anything. Not sure if it is the same South bound, but I guess it probably is. This saves the slow stop-start grind through Miranda.

 

[funflair]

Visited the Alcazar Royal palace today, quite a place, the photo certainly does not do it justice €9.50 each.






Martin

 

[funflair]

Just a little update on the trip so far.

From Seville we moved on to El Rocio which is indeed a strange but interesting place and needs to be experienced first hand and too much information here will just spoil it, I can say that it is good for nature and bird watching and the campsite is good and close to the town but you can park right in the square.

We are now at Isla Christina which is a proper Spanish working town, its main trade is fishing and has a busy fish market which you can visit and stand on the balcony in the bidding hall while the sales are in progress, it's actually quite interesting and would be worth taking the dictionary to work out what all the fish are, they were certainly fresh or the ones that kept jumping out of the boxes were.

The town itself is OK when you get into the centre but there is just too much dog dirt on the streets, the beach opposite the campsite is nice and there is a good cycle track through the dunes parallel to the beach, it is well shaded with pine and eucalyptus trees. Might cycle it tomorrow and then move on into Portugal.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Moved again, still toll free though. We are now at Camperstop Messines in Portugal just after crossing the border into Portugal we left the motorway and followed the N125 To Faro BUT it has to be said it is a shocking road full of pot holes and broken surface, if there was one stretch to avoid this would be it for sure.

Anyway we are hear now and going out a walk tomorrow with some other campers, it looks like a nice enough spot and it's certainly rural.

Martin

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