Speve & Family winter travels (1 Viewer)

Jul 29, 2013
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We have now embarked on our latest winter trip and travelled up to Canterbury Park & Ride for an overnight stay last Saturday in readiness for our short dash for the tunnel at 08.50 on Sunday morning. The aire was absolutely full for anyone thinking of going get there early we had to wait for the over flow car park to empty out before parking up but staff there were really helpful and allowed us to get settled for the night as our rig is 12m long with the trailer a little to long for parking bays they allowed us to park at the side of the area on the roadway well worth €7.
A peaceful night had by all and an easy trip to the tunnel and across to France, the tunnel is so easy and stress less to use? We then popped along to the filling station to fill up with diesel which proved to be worthwhile as fuel further down gets more expensive.
Travelling down to Le Mans on Sunday was a really nice run with very little traffic on the roads and very few lorries although quite a long leg we stopped a couple of times for the compulsory tea and biscuits, arrived at the aire recommended on another thread at around 04.30 ish only two other vans there and loads of space although not everyone’s choice it’s a camping car park and very easy to get a card from the machine and get in the facilities are excellent although there is a busy train line not far off, however I was surprised at how much quieter the trains are on the continuous rails and electrified lines. I would think if you can stay at Cite Europe then this aire is very acceptable and great for an in transit stopover.
Today we have travelled down to an aire at Roulette St Estephe again a very easy place to get too and close to the N10 although I’m not keen on the N10 with the 80kph limit and no overtaking for over 3.5tonnes. It’s not so much the speed limit as no overtaking as you tend to get stuck in long convoys of HGV artics and can’t pass them, however I did have the chance to spot a large flock of Cranes which eventually passed over the aire we are stopped on circling and making their beautiful calls.
Here’s some pictures of our motley crew L to R Jan, Al, Seve & Murphy the terrier.


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Will post more info an photos as we proceed.
Sorry for the long intro?
 
OP
OP
Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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After an uneventful drive on the N10 looking at the back of lorries most of the way with very heavy traffic around Bordeaux,we arrived a Mimizan Aire at around 14.00 a nice sizeable pitch for all and all facilities for €9.50 what a lovely sea side town Mimizan is we had a wonder around and there are plenty of restaurants and a nice covered market and a short walk over to a very large beach
 
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Sounds lovely, Alan. You're making me jealous. :smiley:
I'll be following your travels. (y)

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Anthea M

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Have a lovely trip looking forward to reading about your adventures.
 
OP
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Jul 29, 2013
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Should have said the filling station in my first post was Cite Europe fuel was around €1 .41 as we progressed down the A28 dearest we saw was €1.65, we filled up at a Le Clerc €1.43 today.
 
OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Just a couple of not very good photos of Roulette St Estephe aire the French morello in front of us turned up very late nice looking wagon with his own 4x4
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OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Left Mimizan at 10.30ET and got onto A63 a very foggy morning all the way down to Biarritz there are quite a lot of roadworks but nothing to delay us very much, and then as we spotted the mountains the sun came out and it’s been a glorious day, filled up with diesel at €1.299 per Ltr a lot cheaper than in France?
Had a good run down to the new free Area De Autocaravanas Suances,Palencia.
He’s done more improvements the electrics box is still temporary but the have a new building constructed ready to take all the sockets for hook up, also now has a van wash complete with a gantry to stand on to wash the roof, the WiFi even seems better and a dish washing shed, It’s a really good facility for an overnight stop or even a few days to look around the town there’s a lovely park across the road to walk the dogs if you don’t want to use their doggy park on the aire.
Already spotted Griffon Vultures and a Marsh Harrier today with loads of Red Kite gliding around looking for carrion and of course the obligatory Storks flying into the park here at Palencia to roost.
Still haven’t taken any photos will try tomorrow
 
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OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Foggy start today as we head for Caceres it’s Constitution weekend here in Spain so expecting site to be busy.
Saw our first snow this morning that’s about as close as we want to get this winter?
The aire at El Encinar we had problems with youngsters dropping bottle bombs outside the van until 23.00 I then resolved it by chasing them off.?
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A few photos through the windscreen en route the snow was on the peaks just north of Bējar.
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OP
OP
Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Lovely day down here in Caceres today we had a trip down to Guadiloba reservoir to walk the boys and look for a few birds this part of Spain has had very low rainfall and the reservoir is very low. We spotted an Egyptian goose several Coot an Iberian Shrike lots of Crested Lark several Griffon Vultures and a Sandpiper not a lot but a nice walk never the less.
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OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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We are now settled into a site at Conil de la Fronterra and will be here for a few weeks over Christmas, it’s a great base to get out and about from and there are lots of good birding sites in and around the area I will post some photos when we have some.
We had a drop of rain overnight and earlier this morning but brightening up now, we are off to La Janda for some birding.E8E94143-6F9C-4871-A5D5-E1F750AC6808.jpeg C5F5E2DA-88CF-4450-B6DF-507D20E25BB6.jpeg
 
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Which campsite are you on, Alan?

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OP
OP
Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Which campsite are you on, Alan?
We’re on La Rosaleda it’s a bit out of town but nice site bit restricted for dog walking though as the road is quite busy.? Nice double pitch for €12 per night, wouldn’t get anything like it in UK.?
 
OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Here’s a couple of photos I took from our pitch a couple of minutes ago it’s a little cloudy this morning.
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We’re on La Rosaleda it’s a bit out of town but nice site bit restricted for dog walking though as the road is quite busy.? Nice double pitch for €12 per night, wouldn’t get anything like it in UK.?
Yes, we've been there. That's an excellent rate. Is it the 30-day rate?
We like Conil, but unlike you, we don't have a car, so La Roselada was too far out for us.

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OP
OP
Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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. That's an excellent rate. Is it the 30-day rate
Yes 30 days that suits us as we will be out birding most days but it’s a bit of a hike to walk to the beach isn’t it?
we stayed at Pinar San Jose a couple of years back but it’s even further out and still a hike to the beach prices about the same and better than ACSI for 30 days?
 
OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Quite a blowy wet night last night but lovely and sunny this morning although still a sharp wind went for a walk down the beach. A couple of pictures two with a flock of Golden Plover hunkering down out of the wind.
Sorry about quality of pictures I had a job to hold camera steady in the wind.
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OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Very wet and windy here at Conil today but very warm 17° not much in the way of birding it’s supposed to be a damp weekend then much better next week? Hope they’re right?
Received a nice Christmas gift, bottle of red from management at site.
From sounds of it weather not to different to UK? Except a bit warmer.
Stay warm back there and we hope you all enjoy your Christmas? ????????
 
OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Two good days weather on the trot went birding Sunday at Benalup saw a few nice birds and a really warm sunny day today after a misty start.
Photos L to R : 1/2 Black Winged Kite, 3/4 Purple Swamp Hen, 5/6/7 sunset at Puerto Conil.
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Last edited:
OP
OP
Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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Hope everyone had a nice Christmas? It was quite lively down here the weather has been warm but very windy at times however we have managed to get out and about quite a bit.
Lots of kite and wind surfers out today.
Preparing for New Year now and then Three Kings a week tomorrow.
On the birding front it’s been very quiet I suspect the winds have a lot to do with that.
 

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Happy New Year to you too Alan & Jan.
Please keep posting.
I’m loving your thread even though I don’t like birds.
lots of love and best wishes for 2020.
Andrea & Mike. X.
 
OP
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Speve
Jul 29, 2013
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What lovely weather for the New Year been out to La Juanda birding again today nothing exceptional but did get a nice Peregrine and a male Hen Harrier.
For those interested I have added a screen shot of where it is you can drive a car all the way around it and even get accross to Benalup.its a really good birding area especially during migration.you can access it from several places I have marked IMO the easiest.
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