Winter trip to Spain

[DAC and Jan]

We are following your Travel blog with great interest. Our plan is to do something similar next January and I wondered whether you have booked any sites in Spain or are going to risk taking things as they happen?

Dac & Jan, Berkeley
We did 6,240 mls in 2019 France, Galicia in to Portugal and on down to Gibraltar, up through Andalusia and across to Murcia and up to Alicante and then Turel Then covid happened and meant a flat out drive to the ferry
In all that time I think we perhaps stayed at 2, maybe 3 actual campsites.
Read all from past travellers on Funsters, always be open to conversation, no matter what nationality or language, it’s surprising what laughter can come from trying to express or explain words or a meanings!
Go with the flow! if you go the wrong way, you will see something you never intended to visit!
Surprising the festivals we have stumbled upon
along the way.
There is no real risk, that is my point.
Go with your gut feeling
Aires are in many towns and villages
Motorhomes are many
Knowledge is learnt along the way
Just enjoy, that’s what it is all about!
We hope you go for your dream
Only you can do it!

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Dac & Jan, Berkeley
We did 6,240 mls in 2019 France, Galicia in to Portugal and on down to Gibraltar, up through Andalusia and across to Murcia and up to Alicante and then Turel Then covid happened and meant a flat out drive to the ferry
In all that time I think we perhaps stayed at 2, maybe 3 actual campsites.
Read all from past travellers on Funsters, always be open to conversation, no matter what nationality or language, it’s surprising what laughter can come from trying to express or explain words or a meanings!
Go with the flow! if you go the wrong way, you will see something you never intended to visit!
Surprising the festivals we have stumbled upon
along the way.
There is no real risk, that is my point.
Go with your gut feeling
Aires are in many towns and villages
Motorhomes are many
Knowledge is learnt along the way
Just enjoy, that’s what it is all about!
We hope you go for your dream
Only you can do it!

Thank you all great advice, although perhaps I should have been clearer. We’ve travelled in the motorhome throughout Europe in spring, summer and autumn, typically for 2-3 months a year. Like you we have probably only ever booked three of four times, usually just going with the flow, I should also say we know Spain quite well. Family members speak Spanish and Catalan fluently (not me though )

But we have never wintered in Spain and have read on here sites and camperstops can be full during January and February. We don’t like having an itinery but wondered whether Ingwe had booked anything to be safe or was planning just to go where the fancy takes them. We’ll be interested to see how they get on.

By the way do you live in Berkeley, Gloucestershire?

 

[varaizian]

Many moons ago I landed my wee plane at Blois to refuel. Paid the bill of 600FF with a credit card. When I got home I found they had charged me 6000FF. Took me 6 weeks of hassle to get the change back from BP.

My nadir was to pay for 3 at a restaurant after only 2 of us ate there. Went back the next day but they were closed! Never did see the €35+ again but nothing like yours.

 

[varaizian]

Thank you all great advice, although perhaps I should have been clearer. We’ve travelled in the motorhome throughout Europe in spring, summer and autumn, typically for 2-3 months a year. Like you we have probably only ever booked three of four times, usually just going with the flow, I should also say we know Spain quite well. Family members speak Spanish and Catalan fluently (not me though )

But we have never wintered in Spain and have read on here sites and camperstops can be full during January and February. We don’t like having an itinery but wondered whether Ingwe had booked anything to be safe or was planning just to go where the fancy takes them. We’ll be interested to see how they get on.

By the way do you live in Berkeley, Gloucestershire?

I too am interested in Ingwe's approach. For our part we do not book anything in advance but keep away from the Algarve coast after finding it getting too busy. January, February and March are our favourite months for a long southerly trip, similar to DAC & Jan's, but being French resident we can also fit in others around the rest of the year. Final day of prep tomorrow and off on Wednesday.

 

[Ingwe]

We are following your Travel blog with great interest. Our plan is to do something similar next January and I wondered whether you have booked any sites in Spain or are going to risk taking things as they happen?

We have booked a site in Spain, Los Pinõs in Denia because we intend staying there for a month. We’ve stayed there four times previously and it tends to be full. But we don’t generally book sites in Spain on the way south. There are plenty of free places (like the olive oil farm where we are now) and we’ve not had a problem. Good luck with your trip.

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[Mick and Ruth]

Arrived yesterday A16 from Calais closed took 5 hours to get to Rouen

 

[Living life]

Enjoying this thread ,keep it up please !
Cheers
G

Great motorhome, we love ours. Also in Spain ATM

 

[Ingwe]

Are you planning to stay opposite the police station in the centre of Teruel? No facilities, but tons of space and a Mercadona supermarket next door.

No we’re going to the other one at Dinopolis as we need to get water. Do you recommend the central one? If so, we’ll fill up at the outer one and stay at the one you suggest.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I too am interested in Ingwe's approach. For our part we do not book anything in advance but keep away from the Algarve coast after finding it getting too busy. January, February and March are our favourite months for a long southerly trip, similar to DAC & Jan's, but being French resident we can also fit in others around the rest of the year. Final day of prep tomorrow and off on Wednesday.

Have a good trip, jealous of the EU passport and no 90 day limit.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

We have booked a site in Spain, Los Pinõs in Denia because we intend staying there for a month. We’ve stayed there four times previously and it tends to be full. But we don’t generally book sites in Spain on the way south. There are plenty of free places (like the olive oil farm where we are now) and we’ve not had a problem. Good luck with your trip.

Thanks, will have a look at that site.

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[Ingwe]

Great motorhome, we love ours. Also in Spain ATM

Oops! Realise it was oilrag ‘s moho you were complementing.Can keep the ‘thank you’

 

[Peavy]

No we’re going to the other one at Dinopolis as we need to get water. Do you recommend the central one? If so, we’ll fill up at the outer one and stay at the one you suggest.

The municipal motorhome area of the ciry (the one next to Dinopolis) is very noisy, as trucks park next to it so the place has engine noise very early in the morning. Also we called the local police because there are also municipal facilities next to the area, and they were rehearsing with the drums for the festivities of Semana Santa (I don't know if you know about it). They dindn't stop rehearsing until well passed midnight (the policeman even seemed upset by our phone call and asked us for understanding). The the repetitive and monotonous sound of the drums got into our brains
Nevermore there.
For once, I would try the other "non official" parking place.
Enjoy your trip.

 

[DAC and Jan]

Thank you all great advice, although perhaps I should have been clearer. We’ve travelled in the motorhome throughout Europe in spring, summer and autumn, typically for 2-3 months a year. Like you we have probably only ever booked three of four times, usually just going with the flow, I should also say we know Spain quite well. Family members speak Spanish and Catalan fluently (not me though )

But we have never wintered in Spain and have read on here sites and camperstops can be full during January and February. We don’t like having an itinery but wondered whether Ingwe had booked anything to be safe or was planning just to go where the fancy takes them. We’ll be interested to see how they get on.

By the way do you live in Berkeley, Gloucestershire?

Yes
Sorry for the misunderstanding
I thought I was asked a question by
some one who was contemplating their first trip to France and Spain

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Yes
Sorry for the misunderstanding
I thought I was asked a question by
some one who was contemplating their first trip to France and Spain

It’s all fine and the advice was good, never too old to learn. Are you heading to the coast too, don’t want to hog Ingwe excellent thread but will be interested to hear how you get on.

We live in Cam, so very close to you

 

[Atsen]

Try ARJUZANX! french prounce it ‘gaseon’?
We use Camping- Car Park app
It is across from Dac and a little up, you can see the lake on the map.
We were going to San-Sabatian afterwards and on to spain
Jan has found it, or close to View attachment 860027on Google maps

Thanks, we ll have a look at that app, but think we ve located general direction. Enjoy your trip!

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[Ingwe]

It’s all fine and the advice was good, never too old to learn. Are you heading to the coast too, don’t want to hog Ingwe excellent thread but will be interested to hear how you get on.

We live in Cam, so very close to you

Happy for you to hog “my” thread.

 

[G-RMPS]

No we’re going to the other one at Dinopolis as we need to get water. Do you recommend the central one? If so, we’ll fill up at the outer one and stay at the one you suggest.

Not particularly. We’ve used it twice. Seems secure with the cop shop nearby. Folk park there for shopping during the day and occasionally there are kids in the adjacent park. But these all disappear in the evening and it is quiet. Well it was when we were there…

 

[oilrag]

I have over-nighted there,not in the aire (as i'm too long) ,but opposite the theatre where the lorries tend to stop on saturday /sunday,in between dinopolis and the aire,all fine after 10pm if an event on .Handy for food and fuel too tho price is a bit premium as with all town centre outlets.

 

[DAC and Jan]

It’s all fine and the advice was good, never too old to learn. Are you heading to the coast too, don’t want to hog Ingwe excellent thread but will be interested to hear how you get on.

We live in Cam, so very close to you

Hi? just been recommended to do the
Comino del rae. ( walk of the king)
Booking advised, stay overnight in the car park at the bottom, and best of all is that you can catch a train to Malaga from there!
Following the Subbatica olive trail this week
before heading to Granada and down to Cadiz eventually before heading in to Portugal

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Hi? just been recommended to do the
Comino del rae. ( walk of the king)
Booking advised, stay overnight in the car park at the bottom, and best of all is that you can catch a train to Malaga from there!
Following the Subbatica olive trail this week
before heading to Granada and down to Cadiz eventually before heading in to Portugal

Subbatica Olive trail sounds interesting.

We did the Caminito del Rey a couple of years ago, its worth doing and at this time of year the water falls will be spectacular. Lot’s of good birding if you are into that. I’d definitely recommend it to all as long as you have a head for heights. When we walked it the temperature was over 40, so I would say this is a better time of year for it.

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[Ingwe]

The municipal motorhome area of the ciry (the one next to Dinopolis) is very noisy, as trucks park next to it so the place has engine noise very early in the morning. Also we called the local police because there are also municipal facilities next to the area, and they were rehearsing with the drums for the festivities of Semana Santa (I don't know if you know about it). They dindn't stop rehearsing until well passed midnight (the policeman even seemed upset by our phone call and asked us for understanding). The the repetitive and monotonous sound of the drums got into our brains
Nevermore there.
For once, I would try the other "non official" parking place.
Enjoy your trip.

The drums, Carrithers, those damned drums………

 

[Ingwe]

Have arrived at Teruel and parked up at Dinopolis. Looks like a Waitrose car park, when they’re offering 50p off a magnum of Kristal.

Still, it’s sunny and warm, free water and no drums (yet).

 

[oilrag]

Be ultra carefull with the service point in the aire ,it gets absoluetly filthy

 

[Ingwe]

Be ultra carefull with the service point in the aire ,it gets absoluetly filthy

Currently clean.

 

[Ingwe]

Here’s the parking opposite the police station where we didn’t stay

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[Ingwe]

A short drive (88miles) down a foggy A23 from Teruel to El Saler, Valencia, after filling up with LPG at the Repsol garage adjacent to the free parking.

There is simply tons of free parking at El Saler. There are lots of motorhomes too but far more spaces than vans. No services, though there are a number of taps spaced along the beach although the flow rate is so feeble, it took about 10 minutes to get a litre. Still, a very quiet night was enjoyed. Chilly first thing this morning and turned heating to 2.

Went for a 6 km run along the good path and passed parking space after parking space with the odd van sprinkling the spaces. Ships at anchor as well as others heading into Valencia using their fog horns. All very evocative. Today a short drive to our destination, Denia.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would recommend stopping at Parentis en Born in the Landes south of Bordeaux easy drive on the RN10 which i as good as any UK motorway.

Horrible road I avoid it like the plague. It may be a dual carriageway with a hard shoulder but that 80kph speed limit and no overtaking if you are over 3.5t and if you keep to the speed limit the trucks drive right up your arse.

That’s really strange, we have been through Rouen about 20 times now with no problems. Probably jinxed it now. They have been moving roads quite a bit but apart from traffic no problems ever! Maybe we are just lucky.

Been going through Rouen for over 40 years probably done about a 100 times. Never had a problem, I really don't understand how people have problems with the underpasses they are clearly signposted. They must follow their satnags blindly.

reasonably good night marred only by the all-night whirring and rumbling of some kind of heating (presumably) from our singleton, Polish neighbour, in his Transit van complete with mattress thrown in the back.

Poxey diesel heater.

 

[Lenny HB]

Have arrived at Teruel and parked up at Dinopolis. Looks like a Waitrose car park, when they’re offering 50p off a magnum of Kristal. View attachment 860355

Still, it’s sunny and warm, free water and no drums (yet).

Did you walk into town? If you didn't it is well worth a visit next time you stop there.

 

[Ingwe]

Did you walk into town? If you didn't it is well worth a visit next time you stop there.

No, Lenny we didn’t walk into the centre. Contemplated taking a bus into the centre but walked only as far as the parking opposite the police station. We would normally have walked into the centre but we felt a little knackered when we arrived so settled, instead, for a cuppa and two ginger nuts. When they’re gone, they’re gone!

 

[nicholsong]

No, Lenny we didn’t walk into the centre. Contemplated taking a bus into the centre but walked only as far as the parking opposite the police station. We would normally have walked into the centre but we felt a little knackered when we arrived so settled, instead, for a cuppa and two ginger nuts. When they’re gone, they’re gone!

If you cannot find 'Ginger Nuts' try looking for 'Prince Harrys' - similar but with an nutty American flavour.

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