Northern Spain - couple of sites

[Azteccamper]

Just returned from a 10 day trip to the area around Santander over Easter. We stayed at the following sites:
CampingLa Paz + Vidiago near Llanes. Friendly staff. Beautiful campsite overlooking coast and beach. Many pitches only suitable for tents so you get a good mix of people. Good wash-blocks. Good bar / restaurant with wifi and shop. Wake up (and go to sleep) to the sound of waves. Great for coastal walks and the local beaches.
Camping La Viorna + Potes on the edge of the Picos. Lovely site just outside a great little town, especially in the evenings. Friendly staff. Good wash-blocks. Good bar / restaurant and shop with wifi. Pool. Ideal site for walking / cycling and to visit Fuente De (cable car).
Camping Ribadesella + Ribadesella. Just outside a busy coastal town. Lovely prom to walk along and an interesting town. Site was busy but had wifi throughout. Good bar / restaurant and shop. Good shower-blocks and an indoor pool. Close to mountains and rivers for kayaking at Cangas de Onis and Arriondas.
Camping Playa del Regaton + Laredo. Lovely campsite in a nature reserve alongside the beached estuary. Brand new heated toilet blocks. Bar / cafe and shop. Laredo has a beautiful sweeping beach. Old town busy but behind beach and dunes is just rows of apartment blocks. Lots of horse riding in the reserve / on beach.
Camping Playa Arenillas + Islares. Ok for stopover. Bar / restaurant. Good toilet blocks. Lovely area and an interesting town in Castro Urdiales.
Hope this helps anyone looking for some stops. Beautiful area - we will be going back.

 

[Jay586]

We stayed at Ribadesella pre-dogs & I want to go back, as you say, gorgeous area. Ta.

 

[T6 CFO]

Thanks. Very useful having these.


Mike

 

[Broch Hunter]

Stayed at La Paz last September, an excellent location. Fairly quiet when we were there, but I imagine it is very popular in high season.

 

[calimera]

Just returned from a 10 day trip to the area around Santander over Easter. We stayed at the following sites:
CampingLa Paz + Vidiago near Llanes. Friendly staff. Beautiful campsite overlooking coast and beach. Many pitches only suitable for tents so you get a good mix of people. Good wash-blocks. Good bar / restaurant with wifi and shop. Wake up (and go to sleep) to the sound of waves. Great for coastal walks and the local beaches.
Camping La Viorna + Potes on the edge of the Picos. Lovely site just outside a great little town, especially in the evenings. Friendly staff. Good wash-blocks. Good bar / restaurant and shop with wifi. Pool. Ideal site for walking / cycling and to visit Fuente De (cable car).
Camping Ribadesella + Ribadesella. Just outside a busy coastal town. Lovely prom to walk along and an interesting town. Site was busy but had wifi throughout. Good bar / restaurant and shop. Good shower-blocks and an indoor pool. Close to mountains and rivers for kayaking at Cangas de Onis and Arriondas.
Camping Playa del Regaton + Laredo. Lovely campsite in a nature reserve alongside the beached estuary. Brand new heated toilet blocks. Bar / cafe and shop. Laredo has a beautiful sweeping beach. Old town busy but behind beach and dunes is just rows of apartment blocks. Lots of horse riding in the reserve / on beach.
Camping Playa Arenillas + Islares. Ok for stopover. Bar / restaurant. Good toilet blocks. Lovely area and an interesting town in Castro Urdiales.
Hope this helps anyone looking for some stops. Beautiful area - we will be going back.

Many thanks. Really helpful reviews. We heading to Northern Spain September. Did you pre book any of the sites ?

 

[Azteccamper]

Many thanks. Really helpful reviews. We heading to Northern Spain September. Did you pre book any of the sites ?

La Paz was very quiet - in fact they all were apart from Ribadasella. No prebooking. In fact I only booked the ferry Saturday morning to sail on Sunday. Nothing like a last minute break Calimera!

 

[Daren_Chambers]

Has anybody stayed at Camping Igueldo near San Sebastian? I'm booked in for a few days in August so would be keen to hear opinions.

 

[Skylark2.0]

What was the weather like when you were there?
Was the Bay of Biscay rough and did you see any whales or dolphins?

 

[Azteccamper]

What was the weather like when you were there?
Was the Bay of Biscay rough and did you see any whales or dolphins?

The weather was good - a couple of days in the mid/late 20's - only one morning of rain. Temps did dip in the night though but always comfortable (no heating on!). The Bay was the smoothest I've seen it on the way out and pretty good on the return. Whales / dolphins were apparently spotted, but not by me!
It was a great 10 day break and I'd happily return. We did walk a lot and cycle a fair bit - but that's what we enjoy. We also ate and drunk it pretty good quantities as well.

 

[Skylark2.0]

The weather was good - a couple of days in the mid/late 20's - only one morning of rain. Temps did dip in the night though but always comfortable (no heating on!). The Bay was the smoothest I've seen it on the way out and pretty good on the return. Whales / dolphins were apparently spotted, but not by me!
It was a great 10 day break and I'd happily return. We did walk a lot and cycle a fair bit - but that's what we enjoy. We also ate and drunk it pretty good quantities as well.

I love Northern Spain but had a couple of bad trips back across the Bay of Biscay in late October

 

[Azteccamper]

I love Northern Spain but had a couple of bad trips back across the Bay of Biscay in late October

Yes us too a few years ago. Pretty much confined to cabins for the trip - everything was shut! Couldn't wait to get off

 

[soulstyledevon]

Good post, thanks for the info.
We have a two week trip booked for September. Hoping for a smooth crossing

 

[Broch Hunter]

Has anybody stayed at Camping Igueldo near San Sebastian? I'm booked in for a few days in August so would be keen to hear opinions.

Stayed there for a couple of days last autumn. Like us most people there at that time seemed to be using it as a convenient site for visiting San Sebastián, it has a good bus service with a stop just outside the main entrance.

 

[Daren_Chambers]

Stayed there for a couple of days last autumn. Like us most people there at that time seemed to be using it as a convenient site for visiting San Sebastián, it has a good bus service with a stop just outside the main entrance.

That's perfect - exactly why we booked there.

Thanks Broch

 

[NI Bob]

Many thanks for the Great info. I have been to northern Spain three times and going back in July but usual hit Santander ( even though lovely) and push on to the Med on the East coast along the gulf of Roses. It's a beautiful area with some lovely towns like cadaques and L,escala. May stay a few nights around santander and Try some of your sites this year.

 

[Skylark2.0]

Heading west from Santander or (south and west) you will find amazing places.
Magic.

 

[Esandar#1]

Many thanks for a really interesting post Azteccamper and NI Bob. We were thinking of doing the ferry to Santander and hoping across (via Pyrennes possibly) to the NE coast of Spain / SE France, and L'Escala was one place on the list. Do you need to pre book campsites and can anyone recommend any in particular - that have good access to beach / sea etc. It will be our first summer trip to euroland though we did drive down to ski at Feb HT to Val Thorens (drive through the night job - both ways!)

 

[Esandar#1]

Many thanks for the Great info. I have been to northern Spain three times and going back in July but usual hit Santander ( even though lovely) and push on to the Med on the East coast along the gulf of Roses. It's a beautiful area with some lovely towns like cadaques and L,escala. May stay a few nights around santander and Try some of your sites this year.

Hi NI Bob,
We are planning a trip and saw your post about the Gulf of Roses. Are there any sites, in particular you like to stay in there please and is there a 'good scenic route' to this area from Santander and Bilboa area and have you detoured for a night in the Pyrenees or Andorra... as that was something we were considering...! Then we are heading for Barcelona!