Christmas in Northern Spain

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Kiki's Bradleys

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Hi,
After a hectic Christmas in the UK travelling from one family to the next we are considering hitting the road in our motorhome for the 2-2.5weeks this year with our two young daughters.
We are thinking of heading to Northern Spain/South West France so it is not too far to travel (maybe get the ferry to Bilbao/Santander one way and maybe go back on the tunnel the other, or ferry both ways) and there may be a chance of some good surf.
But we have no idea about (having only travelled over in summer months in the past) is whether anywhere will actually be open for us to stay? (aires, campsites etc)
We do not need tons of facilities as we are in a 6 berth MH with toilet/shower etc but we will need to be comfortable and top up on electricity.
Anyone done this or got any tips? :-)
Thanks in advance.
 
Think you need to go down at least to Tarifa for surfing etc it’s a bit to cold in Northern Spain this time of year.
Welcome to the forum(y)(y) the joining fee is well worth it for all the info and fun on here.
 
Boringfrog said:
Whenever I get to Northern Spain in December/January my only aim is to get a lot farther South....:whistle:
Click to expand...
Thanks teehee - bit concerned with only 14-18 days that going further will mean too much travel and not enough relaxing. When you do get to northern Spain is much open?!

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Speve said:
Think you need to go down at least to Tarifa for surfing etc it’s a bit to cold in Northern Spain this time of year.
Welcome to the forum(y)(y) the joining fee is well worth it for all the info and fun on here.
Click to expand...

Thanks :-) My O/H surfs the wilds of Wales all year round so is pretty keen to take advantage of the good surf conditions in Northern Spain and SW France at that time of yr brrrrrrrrrrr
 
Head for the Bay of Roses 20 minutes over the French border on the med side, camp sites open all year in the town of Roses. Like others say it will be cold but usually sunny.
 
At this time of the year it might be a bit bracing along the northern coast of Spain. The Picos mountains are not to far away and you can get quite a lot of snow at times.

I suspect you will find sites that are open but they might be a bit few and far in between.

Your crossing might be interesting as the Biscay can go up and down a fair bit in January.

If you do go on the ferry ask on here for a discount code. If you are a there are usually lots that will give u a friends and family code.

During the Spring/Autumn we used to stay in Gran camping Zarautz and there were hundreds of surfers there. Out of season a ACSI card should save you a few Euro's. When we visited the sunsets from the adjacent hill were to die for.

https://www.campingcard.co.uk

https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/spain/basque-country/gipuzkoa/zarautz/gran-camping-zarautz-106659/

Else Hi and welcome to the Fun

:ello:
 
Kiki's Bradleys said:
Thanks teehee - bit concerned with only 14-18 days that going further will mean too much travel and not enough relaxing. When you do get to northern Spain is much open?!
Click to expand...
I never stop long enough to find out! Another days driving could get you to the Mediterranean coast, and hopefully a lot warmer weather too. Benicarlo/Peniscola would be my recommendation, lots of cheap sites there.

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just get a ferry to santander or bilbao if there isnt one to santander.
there is surf between the two ports but i prefer from santander go to torrelavega to fill with goodies and fuel at ruycol petrol garage , torrelavaga cheapest for diesel https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.3435996,-4.0461429,3a,75y,255.96h,86.9t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdW672xRnRk05z5uHpGQITg!2e0!6s//geo1.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=dW672xRnRk05z5uHpGQITg&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=140.39467&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656
then go to suances on the coast. then hug the sea , loads of great surfing places .
might be an idea to get the storm rider guide europe. off ebay . mind there are great places in between what they say.
i like san vicente de barquerra well playa meron .
there is another playa de meron as well just before playa de espana that as real nice waves . ,
rodiles is great, used to surf playa de vega but got a bit hard stopping there . but all that coast is fantastic . one of our favourite places is arou right over on the end of the spanish headlands , not far from where a ship got wrecked years ago from plymouth, big cemetry in honour .
get a mapamax mapbook from amazon it shows lots of beaches and coves other maps dont show. just hug that coast.
some caravan sites are open but we wild all the time.
very much like being on the cornish coast , i have many of times thought about living there instead of cornwall.
have a good time .
take every road etc to the sea ,some are dead ends but most are magic.
 
MikeD said:
At this time of the year it might be a bit bracing along the northern coast of Spain. The Picos mountains are not to far away and you can get quite a lot of snow at times.

I suspect you will find sites that are open but they might be a bit few and far in between.

Your crossing might be interesting as the Biscay can go up and down a fair bit in January.

If you do go on the ferry ask on here for a discount code. If you are a there are usually lots that will give u a friends and family code.

During the Spring/Autumn we used to stay in Gran camping Zarautz and there were hundreds of surfers there. Out of season a ACSI card should save you a few Euro's. When we visited the sunsets from the adjacent hill were to die for.

https://www.campingcard.co.uk

https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/spain/basque-country/gipuzkoa/zarautz/gran-camping-zarautz-106659/

Else Hi and welcome to the Fun

:ello:
Click to expand...
Really appreciate all this info - thank you :-)
 
vwalan said:
just get a ferry to santander or bilbao if there isnt one to santander.
there is surf between the two ports but i prefer from santander go to torrelavega to fill with goodies and fuel at ruycol petrol garage , torrelavaga cheapest for diesel https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.3435996,-4.0461429,3a,75y,255.96h,86.9t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdW672xRnRk05z5uHpGQITg!2e0!6s//geo1.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=dW672xRnRk05z5uHpGQITg&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=140.39467&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656
then go to suances on the coast. then hug the sea , loads of great surfing places .
might be an idea to get the storm rider guide europe. off ebay . mind there are great places in between what they say.
i like san vicente de barquerra well playa meron .
there is another playa de meron as well just before playa de espana that as real nice waves . ,
rodiles is great, used to surf playa de vega but got a bit hard stopping there . but all that coast is fantastic . one of our favourite places is arou right over on the end of the spanish headlands , not far from where a ship got wrecked years ago from plymouth, big cemetry in honour .
get a mapamax mapbook from amazon it shows lots of beaches and coves other maps dont show. just hug that coast.
some caravan sites are open but we wild all the time.
very much like being on the cornish coast , i have many of times thought about living there instead of cornwall.
have a good time .
take every road etc to the sea ,some are dead ends but most are magic.
Click to expand...

This sounds perfect - thanks :-)
 
if you get time visit cabode penas... dont laugh ,, by the lighthouse the scenery is fantastic and not far along a bit more is https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...x2ab416a174ad05e0!8m2!3d43.6049606!4d-5.91917
another great surf beach . there are so many good surf beaches its amazing.
shall be around that area in april. been going since a kid its like going home.
even at the end of april you can see snow on the pecos , yet at the beaches be in shorts etc .
mind two weeks isnt long enough , you will wish you had two years, ha ha .

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Last edited:
Kiki's Bradleys said:
Hi,
After a hectic Christmas in the UK travelling from one family to the next we are considering hitting the road in our motorhome for the 2-2.5weeks this year with our two young daughters.
We are thinking of heading to Northern Spain/South West France so it is not too far to travel (maybe get the ferry to Bilbao/Santander one way and maybe go back on the tunnel the other, or ferry both ways) and there may be a chance of some good surf.
But we have no idea about (having only travelled over in summer months in the past) is whether anywhere will actually be open for us to stay? (aires, campsites etc)
We do not need tons of facilities as we are in a 6 berth MH with toilet/shower etc but we will need to be comfortable and top up on electricity.
Anyone done this or got any tips? :)
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I’ve been travelling many years to Spain and at this time of year it’s completely dead, nothing opens, you could get a campsite in Roses, we have stayed there a few times on our way to Benidorm but the town is empty and closed, so nothing to do just sit round your van. Not a very nice holiday. The only place that is open over the winter is Benidorm, which is where I am now. It’s very quiet compared to past years, it’s usually heaving in winter, but lots of places still open. Go past Benidorm and even on the south coast, everything is closed for winter. The regional borders are still closed, so no crossing from one area to another without the risk of a big fine, but two vans arrived here from Murcia yesterday and no police stopped them.
 
Ukbandit said:
I’ve been travelling many years to Spain and at this time of year it’s completely dead, nothing opens, you could get a campsite in Roses, we have stayed there a few times on our way to Benidorm but the town is empty and closed, so nothing to do just sit round your van. Not a very nice holiday. The only place that is open over the winter is Benidorm, which is where I am now. It’s very quiet compared to past years, it’s usually heaving in winter, but lots of places still open. Go past Benidorm and even on the south coast, everything is closed for winter. The regional borders are still closed, so no crossing from one area to another without the risk of a big fine, but two vans arrived here from Murcia yesterday and no police stopped them.
Click to expand...

The only place in Spain open in the winter is Benidorm.......that will be news to the Spanish :Smile:
 
Ukbandit said:
Head for the Bay of Roses 20 minutes over the French border on the med side, camp sites open all year in the town of Roses. Like others say it will be cold but usually sunny.
Click to expand...
Not much surf though
 
Ukbandit said:
I’ve been travelling many years to Spain and at this time of year it’s completely dead, nothing opens, you could get a campsite in Roses, we have stayed there a few times on our way to Benidorm but the town is empty and closed, so nothing to do just sit round your van. Not a very nice holiday. The only place that is open over the winter is Benidorm, which is where I am now. It’s very quiet compared to past years, it’s usually heaving in winter, but lots of places still open. Go past Benidorm and even on the south coast, everything is closed for winter. The regional borders are still closed, so no crossing from one area to another without the risk of a big fine, but two vans arrived here from Murcia yesterday and no police stopped them.
Click to expand...
Not much surf though.
 
Boringfrog said:
I never stop long enough to find out! Another days driving could get you to the Mediterranean coast, and hopefully a lot warmer weather too. Benicarlo/Peniscola would be my recommendation, lots of cheap sites there.
Click to expand...
Not much surf though
 
Kiki's Bradleys said:
Thanks teehee - bit concerned with only 14-18 days that going further will mean too much travel and not enough relaxing. When you do get to northern Spain is much open?!
Click to expand...
If you get to northern Portugal its milder as the prevailing wind is off the Atlantic and it's not cooled by the picos. Good surf too. It wont be hot though although they can get 18 to 20 degrees on a sunny day.
 
gpat said:
If you get to northern Portugal its milder as the prevailing wind is off the Atlantic and it's not cooled by the picos. Good surf too. It wont be hot though although they can get 18 to 20 degrees on a sunny day.
Click to expand...
Much surf there ? .... Just asking.............. :-)

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Jaws said:
Much surf there ? .... Just asking.............. :)
Click to expand...
Immense surf. Its heading due west into the Atlantic swell. Big surfing area. Even bigger than Beni. Just sayin:LOL:
 
gpat said:
Immense surf. Its heading due west into the Atlantic swell. Big surfing area. Even bigger than Beni. Just sayin:LOL:
Click to expand...
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