our winter junket to spain and portugal. (1 Viewer)

[fred chase]

we plan to start our trip quite soon, more than likely before the end of the month.
our route will be pau to st jean de luz, over the border into spain then along the northern coast via santander, bilbao towards corunna and santiago de compostella. then across into portugal near vigo and then follow the coastal route all the way to alberfuera where we have to be by the third week in december.
we have the guide books, maps etc but would welcome any advice from other funsters who have travelled this route. advice on any facet of travel in these areas would also be welcome. oh, by the way, we will be taking our two cats with us. cheers in anticiapation.

glenys and fred chase.

 

[Eamless]

I am currently doing the same route and at the moment in Porto. There are NO campsites open along the north coast of Spain. Although there are plenty of Aires and parking spots. We have found as long as you stay a night and are not blatent you can park prety much anywhere. I am writing a blog as I go. It has a round up of where we stayed. It also has some views on places but mainly tongue in cheek.
www.eamlesstravels.com is the URL. Cheers

 

[DBK]

There are a few campsites open on the north coast of Spain, check the ACSI book, the Alan Rogers guide and the CC book on Spain. Most are indeed closed but not all. There are also a few aires near the coast and the one I discovered (not in the book) at Puerto de Vega, Asturias, is in a good location. Otherwise, as suggested, just look for places to skulk.

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[Eamless]

We have the ASCI book and every other guide including Camping Cars infos, which has far more Aires listed, but they are more tolerated Overnight Parking areas than Aires. there is only one open site at Avin for the Northern Picos. Ones in the book they say are open are shut. But to be honest you dont need them and at this time of year they just fill your van up with sand and mud. better off on Tarmac.

 

[DBK]

Camping Portuondo near Bilbao is open all year except over Christmas but it is a very tight site not suitable for large MHs. Camping Perlora near Gijon was open 21 Oct as we stayed there. Great position and grass pitches. As far as I know it is open all year but not sure about Christmas. Google them and call, English spoken at both. I think the site at Santillana del Mar a skip and jump west of Santander and one of Spain's prettiest villages, is also open but it won't be cheap.

Further west I think you will struggle to find a site as already mentioned but I can't speak from experience.

Sites are convenient for doing laundry but they can be very expensive, 8 euros or thereabouts for a wash and tumble typically.

 

[Eamless]

Fred & Glenys,
I have put a table up for sites and Aires in Northern spain where you can stay now. I have put prices, co-ords and comments. I will do Portugal later this week (if the sun stops shining)
It is in the category of stopovers in the blog
Re laundry comment above. We have found in Portugal every town has a laundrette so you dont need a campsite, spain a bit rarer but still around if you look.
blog is at www.eamlesstravels.com
Cheers
hope it helps

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[Reallyretired]

I like to read these threads, especially as I am not going .

Shortage of sites on the North coast could be because Spain doesn't have a North coast (on my map anyway) and €8 fr a tumble seems cheap (off peak rate perhaps)

 

[funflair]

What about the bit in the North Santander etc isn't that the north coast.

 

[DBK]

Fred & Glenys,
I have put a table up for sites and Aires in Northern spain where you can stay now. I have put prices, co-ords and comments. I will do Portugal later this week (if the sun stops shining)
It is in the category of stopovers in the blog
Re laundry comment above. We have found in Portugal every town has a laundrette so you dont need a campsite, spain a bit rarer but still around if you look.
blog is at www.eamlesstravels.com
Cheers
hope it helps

Let's not fall out over it but your list for the north coast is a bit incomplete. I can add at least another aire and campsite open now. Just need to dig out the details...

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[Eamless]

It is not meant to be a complete list, it is where we stayed. You are so picky.

 

[Eamless]

I have put up a table of the places we have stayed at in Portugal. You will find a lot more campsites open than in Spain.
www.eamlesstravels.com
in category stopovers
cheers

 

[jac-in-a-box]

I rather enjoyed reading your blog Mr Eamless, you have a smile inducing way with words; "...everything and everyone is hirsute..."

You brightened my day up, thank you!

David

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[Daz n Tina]

Fred & Glenys,
I have put a table up for sites and Aires in Northern spain where you can stay now. I have put prices, co-ords and comments. I will do Portugal later this week (if the sun stops shining)
It is in the category of stopovers in the blog
Re laundry comment above. We have found in Portugal every town has a laundrette so you dont need a campsite, spain a bit rarer but still around if you look.
blog is at www.eamlesstravels.com
Cheers
hope it helps

Great info, I am sure to use this come January.

 

[Eamless]

I have updated this as far as Lisbon as we hurtle our way to meet at Algercias on the 14th Jan. Plus some lovely photos and tourist tips
www.eamlesstravels.com is the blog

 

[MitchandJenny]

Hi Fred Chase.. I know you say you have every book under the sun,, but,, have a look at the App "Camperstop".. It is a dutch database (( and we know how 'savvy' they are)) and only costs about a fiver to download.. It can be used "Offline" and gives lots of detail about the places e.g. availability of water, loo emptying etc and co-ordinates and gives you them in order of nearest to you and up to the furthest..
Enjoy your trip.. PS. If you have Tom-tom on your I-Pad (( costs about Fifty squid to download)) the two work seamlessly together and you don't kneed to be thumbing through all those books..
Sorry if i'm teaching you about egg sucking !!
Have a great trip.. Mitch..

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[Jaws]

I have often tried planning our trips, but apart from real basic stuff ( such as we leave here, and are going there sort of thing ) they never seem to work out !
Even the summer Euro run was changed almost day to day !
Started well enough but by a week in everything ( even the ultimate destination ! ) had changed

The run to the sun which we start in January is one of those start and finish things though.. No targets set other than the destination !

 

[Scattycat]

we plan to start our trip quite soon, more than likely before the end of the month.
our route will be pau to st jean de luz, over the border into spain then along the northern coast via santander, bilbao towards corunna and santiago de compostella. then across into portugal near vigo and then follow the coastal route all the way to alberfuera where we have to be by the third week in december.
we have the guide books, maps etc but would welcome any advice from other funsters who have travelled this route. advice on any facet of travel in these areas would also be welcome. oh, by the way, we will be taking our two cats with us. cheers in anticiapation.

glenys and fred chase.

Taking your cats?
Blimey, One of ours tends to wander up to half a kilometer on his hunting expiditions, I'd be afraid he'd get lost
Apart from that I don't think we'd cope with all the white cat hairs all over the van