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Portsmouth to Bilbao in New Year

C

coupe

Being new at caravaning abroad, we sail for Bilbao on the 2nd of Jan .do we need to book caravan sites in advance?, will there be plenty open?If the sea is rough i might not feel like driving so are there any sites to lay up for a day or two.

We hope to take a steady drive down to Southern Spain(Almeria area)How long would it usually take to travel down,I suppose the hardened caravaners will do it quite fast.Any information greatfully recieved.

Thanks
 
Here's a website which might help you to find sites. It lists all sites within 15 kilometres of the main routes through Europe. Check dates with sites, though, just in case, especially outside normal camping season. http://users.pandora.be/leo.huybrechts/camp1.htm

Click the autoroute sign, then the country you want to look at - it's a great website, and very comprehensive!
 
hi walter the best thing you can get is the caravan club site guide for europe give 100s of site and opening date. there is a site at naverette near lorgano that is open all year and its well kept all the best peter
 
Hi Walter, I too suggest you get the CC Europe volume 1 site guide. Unfortunately the new issue is not published until early january, so you will probably have to manage on 2007. Usually not all that many changes.

You've got a choice of two main routes down to the south east. One is via madrid and the other via Valencia.

There is an all year site at Aranda del Duro about half way down to Madrid, but I don't know any more down that way (there are some but I don't use that route)

The valencia route probably involves less heavy traffic - madrid can be pretty busy I'm told and probably easiest on a Sunday morning. There is an all year site at Mendigorria just south of Pamplona, although you may find the facilities severely lilmited in January. Another at Savinan, in the book under Calatayud and then two over nearer Valencia - Manzanerra and Navajas. For the first, leave the autovia for sirrion.

It can be very cold across that part of Spain in January, so be prepared and have some water inside the van. Filling stations on the autovias are sometimes a long way apart so keep the tank topped up. Manzanerra site is run from a filling station, but with limited opening hours.

From either of these you can get to the Murcia region easily in a day - sites at Fortuna or Mazzaron, and then an easy day to Almeria. You will find the HGV traffic on the autovia quite heavy round Valencia but gets a bit less as you go south.

It's about 550 miles from Mendigorria to Mojacar area where I go and then another hour to Almeria.

I should also get the Michelin Spain / Portugal map as up to date as possible. Spanish roads (autovia and major ones at least) number their junctions by kilometers so you can easliy see how far you have to go. A good system - shame not more countries do it.

Dont forget you need two triangles and dayglo vests in the car. Finally, if you are running on diesel, don't be tempted by the much cheaper gazole you may see at some stations - it's almost heating oil. I expect proper diesel to be round about 1 euro / litre in January.

Good luck and enjoy the weather, food, country and people - we have for the last 7 years and can hardly wait for January 6th 2008.
 
Hi Walter, I too suggest you get the CC Europe volume 1 site guide. Unfortunately the new issue is not published until early january, so you will probably have to manage on 2007. Usually not all that many changes.

You've got a choice of two main routes down to the south east. One is via madrid and the other via Valencia.

There is an all year site at Aranda del Duro about half way down to Madrid, but I don't know any more down that way (there are some but I don't use that route)

The valencia route probably involves less heavy traffic - madrid can be pretty busy I'm told and probably easiest on a Sunday morning. There is an all year site at Mendigorria just south of Pamplona, although you may find the facilities severely lilmited in January. Another at Savinan, in the book under Calatayud and then two over nearer Valencia - Manzanerra and Navajas. For the first, leave the autovia for sirrion.

It can be very cold across that part of Spain in January, so be prepared and have some water inside the van. Filling stations on the autovias are sometimes a long way apart so keep the tank topped up. Manzanerra site is run from a filling station, but with limited opening hours.

From either of these you can get to the Murcia region easily in a day - sites at Fortuna or Mazzaron, and then an easy day to Almeria. You will find the HGV traffic on the autovia quite heavy round Valencia but gets a bit less as you go south.

It's about 550 miles from Mendigorria to Mojacar area where I go and then another hour to Almeria.

I should also get the Michelin Spain / Portugal map as up to date as possible. Spanish roads (autovia and major ones at least) number their junctions by kilometers so you can easliy see how far you have to go. A good system - shame not more countries do it.

Dont forget you need two triangles and dayglo vests in the car. Finally, if you are running on diesel, don't be tempted by the much cheaper gazole you may see at some stations - it's almost heating oil. I expect proper diesel to be round about 1 euro / litre in January.

Good luck and enjoy the weather, food, country and people - we have for the last 7 years and can hardly wait for January 6th 2008.
Click to expand...
Dear Ray S Many thanks for your information. You certainly know your routes, It is a little daunting being first timers, Do you find that you need to book in advance for your overnight stays on the way to Mojacar. Have you found a good site in Mojacar if so could you pass on the name please? How long do you usually go for?

Thanks again Ray

Best Wishes Walter
 
don't want to panic you, but i am already i spain and on my way to murcia, if i was you i would defitely book your site in spain before leaving, so many people we have met here on our way have come a cropper because they haven't found sites open and when they have they are chockers, the english couple opposite us failed to get in to la manga where we are already booked to stay from next week onwards and the danes next door can't believe that its full, they are on their way to malaga and came last year and are also finding difficulty getting somewhere, so better to be safe i'd say and try and book before you leave, most of the sites have got web sites so you can have a look at them before you book, but beware the camera doesn't always give a true idea, we visited la garoffe site at sitges and it was a dump, and our neighbours opposite had booked a site a denia but only stayed one night as it was really rough, we are at villanova park at the moment near barcelona and we cant really fault it, and after that we are a few nights at les torres in oropeza ,,, good luck

sian
 
We know from friends who have been wintering near Marbella for some years that the better 'open all year' sites in the area are booked-up by early autumn. Indeed, regulars book for the following winter when they leave in the Spring.

I'm hoping that this doesn't apply to inland sites! We sail at the beginning of March to Bilbao, returning early May. The outline plan is to visit Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Granada etc (not necessarily in that order). I'd like to keep the itinerary as flexible as possible i.e. not booking sites ahead. Also, by the time we have tired of cityscapes and feel in need of some sea-views, we hope that 'over-winter' people will be beginning to head for home.

Keith (M)
 
I agree with Sian....at that time of year (January) you need to ensure you have a booking confirmed.

We usually go to Spain in mid March for 3 months and don't have a problem getting a site because many of the caravanners who have "wintered" in Spain are preparing to come home about then. The Spanish don't usually fill the sites up much before June so there is a period between March and June where some good deals can be found.
 
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