Another month away in Europe….

[KernowLad]

Cheers Alex!

In the spirit of my frequent "ask for advise then ignore it all"

I think we will do N Spain along the coast, down to Santiago du Compost Heap (or whatever it's called) then dip into Portugal around Porto. We will then ping back up the the Pyrenees and do a week it so in SW France.

Obviously we will be flexible if the weather throws a fit.

Time for a crash course in Portuguese!

 

[snowy55]

Hi there

If you go to NW Spain try the Isla de Arousa https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/A+I ... f4ba?hl=en

 

[KernowLad]

Cheers Snowy; anything in particular there? A nice campsite? Things to see and do?

 

[KernowLad]

We're still not sure which way to go!

I think we'll decide when we get there; the advantages of taking your own accommodation!

 

[Sallyf]

We have had a couple of very enjoyable holidays in the Pyrenees wild camping. On the cultural side we went to Barcelona by train, visited a big museum that had frescoes and reconstructions from small mountain village churches, and then decided to try to track down the mountain villages which led to lots of entertaining and unexpected encounters.

 

[KernowLad]

We have had a couple of very enjoyable holidays in the Pyrenees wild camping. On the cultural side we went to Barcelona by train, visited a big museum that had frescoes and reconstructions from small mountain village churches, and then decided to try to track down the mountain villages which led to lots of entertaining and unexpected encounters.

A pair of young children (3 and 5) mean we can't really wild camp but we're well up for some Alpine camping!

 

[snowy55]

Hi there

This is a photo on the Island


There are 2 campsites on the island, go over the bridge turn left and then left again, we stayed at the furthest one, good toilets, showers etc and very good bar cafe restaurant and backs onto one of the many beaches on the mainland (sheltered ) side of the island.
There is lots of seafood to be had, and don't forget to visit the museum of fish canning lol, but it is a beautiful area to stay.



Clam Festival under way.


Here we are watching the World Cup final 4 years ago, which Spain won, at the beach bar at the end of the campsite.



This is how we travelled to Spain in 2010

 

[KernowLad]

Oooh that does look nice - thanks for the info!

Still not quite decided which way we'll go but that's one to check out if we do head for the area. Cheers!

 

[KernowLad]

Well we go on Sunday but still not had any campsites come back to us to confirm a booking for the first two nights! I will try some more.

Going to head West towards Galicia then South to Portugal.

Fingers crossed it all works out!

 

[Larkrise]

Will be very interested in your reports as we may well follow your footsteps when we go in September. Chris

 

[callena]

We go on Sunday too

Plymouth - Roscoff for us though, whens your sailing?

Getting our last few things sorted, not booked a single campsite - just seeing where the wind takes us! We're not really bothered about fancy sites so am sure we'll find somewhere to pitch up each day

Just hope everything fits in the van!

Have you started packing up>

 

[KernowLad]

Callena; it's sort of semi packed from
Spring but we need a fair few other bits like boards on the roof bars, etc.
My bigger worry is the house; we're renting it out and need to pack it all up!

I think we cross at 4ish.

My sister and family are on your crossing I think; look for two young kids called Noah and Bonnie!

Looks like the weather should be good off the crossing; phew!

Very excited despite a few last minute things that need sorting! We fitted all our stuff in without issues last year; in fact our boot only had stuff under the bed shelf. My wife is a demon packer!

 

[callena]

Ahh that sounds easier! We have got a load of different stuff from our last trip as its going to be warmer most places than here in CornwalL! First time we've taken it abroad!

Sounds like you have a lot of stuff to do like us - we need to sort the house ready for our landlady to do viewings as we've bought a house and move 5 days after we get home lol

Our crossing isn't till 11pm so plenty of time on Sunday for last minute rush around panic tidying lol Hoping to get the van mostly loaded up on Thursday so we can check what space we have - should be fine though with the high top as bedding etc can go up on the top bed.

Have you planned a full route or just going to play it by ear when you get there?

Best get back to sorting the insurance, breakdown and checking my new 3 mobile sim works (can use UK minutes and data in france for no charge with 3!!!).

The list of things to do (including work!) seems to be growing not shrinking -eeek!

Good luck with sorting your house too!

 

[KernowLad]

Callena - we are definitely the types that "wing it" so only a very rough route planned.

Thankfully a campsite (La Paz near Llanes) came back last night and we have a pitch for the first two nights - PHEW!! Other than that, we've just marked decent looking campsites on a map and will just drop in and hope for the best. Very roughly it's Asturias, Galicia, down to around Porto (maybe Ericeira if the surf is good) then probably a long drive back to the Pyrenees, we'll stay at a mates near Pau (SW France) then maybe a bit of Biarritz and St Jean de Luz - then back home!

How about you?

Just trying to work out which board(s) and wetsuit(s) to take…

 

[callena]

Sounds like we're quite similar then - last time we did this (with a tent!) we did book the first 2 sites, but then just rocked up to places and found campsites via tourist information! This time I've got a 3 PAYG simcard and so I'll have 25GB data to use so we can hopefully use internet searches more to find nice places to stay

I've got a few recommendations from friends of good surf spots and places worth a visit, and ofc going to visit my sister in Morzine (she lives out there) and hoping to meet up with some friends who live in N Italy. But other than that we've no idea!!!!

We're definitely taking my hubbys 8' and my 7'6 minimal and hoping I can squeeze the redback 6' into the board bag with mine so we can get all 3 on the rack on the side of the van! The rack only fits 2 boards so fingers crossed it works! That way we have a nice selection of boards to use whilst we're out there to cover most conditions (I'm not likely to surf anything much overhead anyway - still prefer the smaller stuff )

Wetsuits is stumping me a little as we'll be surfing N France as well as S France and possibly NE Spain! I'm probably going to just pack the 3/2s and board shorts / rash vests rather than buying shorties. Hopefully that will be good enough to cover most eventualities! Though I've been a little warm here in Cornwall in my summer suit some days recently! What did you take wetsuit wise when you went before?

We might try and get into Spain to Bilbao / San Sebastian area - but probably not much further west as we'll have to get back North to Roscoff to get home!

A friend of mine used to travel to France a lot in a van and has given me some of her favourite spots to check out on our way back up the coast to Roscoff, but my son isn't so bothered about surfing so we'll be mixing in other stuff (unless the surf is particularly good in which case he'll have to put up with it lol)

Getting rather excited about the trip (and slightly panicky about how much we need to do before we go and when we get back to move house!)

 

[Andy]

This time I've got a 3 PAYG simcard and so I'll have 25GB data to use so we can hopefully use internet searches more to find nice places to stay

I would check that this will work in Europe & you do not get extra charges.
Can get European sim cards or use Macdonalds wifi for cost of coffee or free !

 

[callena]

Thanks Andy but you definitely can use in Europe for no charge - its the new thing that 3 mobile have released called 'Feel at Home'. It works with contracts on 3 and on PAYG sims if you have an addon. The £15 PAYG addon gives 200 minutes, 3000 texts and 25 GB data to use in Europe (UK numbers only for calls and texts).

It doesn't cover all countries but France, Italy and Switzerland are covered, its only Spain we'd have to pay more in if we end up there this summer

Pretty good deal I tihnk - I was originally going to get a JoeMobile sim but this saves me doing that.

 

[Andy]

That's good to know Callena.

 

[KernowLad]

All packed and ready to go!

 

[KernowLad]

Been here almost a week already!
Bad weather the first day but otherwise very nice, had great waves yesterday in Salinas, continuing West today towards Galicia.
The van did some inadvertent heavy off roading (the track on the map was 4x4 only!); it coped very well but I'm glad we have side bars. Overall it's being excellent.

 

[KernowLad]

Always been a bit sceptical of wild camping but it's the only way to stay at some of the best surf spots here in Galicia; just done four nights and it's been great!

Okay everything is a bit cramped (no putting up the usual storage tent), you have to ration water from the tank, wash up outside and find a place to...errrmmm...go to the loo but it's meant four days of surfing at epic breaks, waking up to gob smacking views! Most beaches have showers (outdoors so no "proper" showering, just thorough rinsing), some have a loo but you just have to be very practical; the Cali has been awesome with 4motion very useful on some rough tracks.

The surf has now got messy so at a proper site for two nights; that shower felt good! Back wild camping after that.

Some sites here are very noisy with kids at night; they just don't sleep! Generally fine though but we'll be choosing locations first, sites second from now on.

 

[magmil]

I rate Collioure, the Camargue ( but watch out for mozzies) and the stunning Millau Bridge.

Have a great trip.

 

[KernowLad]

Three days left; what an epic holiday!
Headed West to Galicia, loved it, free camped for six nights in total, pinged back to France, stayed at a stunning site in the Pyrenees, now at a friends house for two nights, the coast for two nights then that's it; back to Plymouth via Santander on Wednesday!

Full story and photos to follow!

 

[KernowLad]

Well we're back; if anyone wants any advice/tips/info please do key me know; it was a cracking trip full of new discoveries.

But as no one appears to read any of my positive, travel related posts, I'll leave them for other forums.

 

[Larkrise]

Well, I wouldn't say that! I for one would be really interested in any shared N Spain experiences with just a month before we leave for Santander. Not that we are into surfing...You sound to have had an outstanding trip. Chris & Sue