Winter Portugal/Spain Tour

[Bill R]

I’m thinking of 7-8 weeks Jan-Feb, Ferry to Santander then down through Portugal to Algarve, follow the coast up through Spain. 2-4 nights at a time including a bike ride in the area then move to the next. May head back home from Santander or May keep going up through France to Calais.
I’m looking here for Campsites or Wild spots that you’ve used before that you’d definitely use again if that way again - and any other “don’t forget” stuff relating to this kind of journey. Thanks all

 

[WelshGas]

I’m thinking of 7-8 weeks Jan-Feb, Ferry to Santander then down through Portugal to Algarve, follow the coast up through Spain. 2-4 nights at a time including a bike ride in the area then move to the next. May head back home from Santander or May keep going up through France to Calais.
I’m looking here for Campsites or Wild spots that you’ve used before that you’d definitely use again if that way again - and any other “don’t forget” stuff relating to this kind of journey. Thanks all

Take your sea sickness tablets for the ferry. Can be very, very rough crossing the Bay of Biscay. Ferry to Bilbao much less so, but 2 nights on board.

 

[Skylark2.0]

Does the ferry run in January? We used to get one of the latest ones back in late October and it was blooming rough then. Oh boy, it was tough. We struggled to find campsites in Northern Spain even in October, one site that said they were open and we were booked on was shut when we got there! Maybe the med coast would be open in January?

 

[Amarillo]

We drove around the Iberian Peninsular October and early November 2017.

28 September Camping Navarette - dreary.
30 September Camping Picos Europa - Wet, beautiful scenary
2 October - Hotel
3 October - Camping Ria de Arosa 2 - We loved it, but not near a beach
5 October - Vila Cha Camping - Nice campsite close to the beach. Good train into Porto, the station is 10 minutes by bicycle (40 min walk).
10 October - Cabo Da Roca - Wild camping at the most westerly point of the European mainland. Toilets in the visitor centre.
11 October - Turiscampo camping - Good nightly entertainment, small heated pool/hot tub, long way to the beach.
19 October - Camping Playa Las Dunas S Anton - Great campsite right on a pristine sandy beach in a lovely town.
28 October - Camping Mar Azul Balerma - The area is an ocean of polytunnels, and the campsite set among them (look at a satellite image of El Ejido, continuous polytunnels 20km by 10km). The roasted Mediterranean vegetables in the campsite restaurant were divine. The heated outdoor pool was open and warm enough for swimming. The beach is stony but empty.
1 November - Camping Tauro. Dreary. 5m walk to the beach. The open air pool was open but cold.
5 November - Camping Repòs del Pedraforca - We drove quickly through an newly declared independent Catalonia to this delightful campsite high in the Pyrenees. Cold at night, -6C. Small indoor heated pool.

My three favourite photos of the period





Ben and Meg transfixed by the waves in Galicia in a thin veil of sea mist.

 

[Bill R]

We drove around the Iberian Peninsular October and early November 2017.

28 September Camping Navarette - dreary.
30 September Camping Picos Europa - Wet, beautiful scenary
2 October - Hotel
3 October - Camping Ria de Arosa 2 - We loved it, but not near a beach
5 October - Vila Cha Camping - Nice campsite close to the beach. Good train into Porto, the station is 10 minutes by bicycle (40 min walk).
10 October - Cabo Da Roca - Wild camping at the most westerly point of the European mainland. Toilets in the visitor centre.
11 October - Turiscampo camping - Good nightly entertainment, small heated pool/hot tub, long way to the beach.
19 October - Camping Playa Las Dunas S Anton - Great campsite right on a pristine sandy beach in a lovely town.
28 October - Camping Mar Azul Balerma - The area is an ocean of polytunnels, and the campsite set among them (look at a satellite image of El Ejido, continuous polytunnels 20km by 10km). The roasted Mediterranean vegetables in the campsite restaurant were divine. The heated outdoor pool was open and warm enough for swimming. The beach is stony but empty.
1 November - Camping Tauro. Dreary. 5m walk to the beach. The open air pool was open but cold.
5 November - Camping Repòs del Pedraforca - We drove quickly through an newly declared independent Catalonia to this delightful campsite high in the Pyrenees. Cold at night, -6C. Small indoor heated pool.

My three favourite photos of the period
View attachment 98918

View attachment 98919

View attachment 98920
Ben and Meg transfixed by the waves in Galicia in a thin veil of sea mist.

Great info Tom, I’m not precious about beaches, nice areas for Road Cycling are my thing, training for a big event later in the year so I’ll look at some of these

 

[Cwcltd]

Interesting to hear about the ferries to Spain as I’m going through a similar planning process at the moment. A friend has a place in the French Pyrenees and a bunch of us are going there skiing end of Feb ‘23; they‘re flying and I’m doing a road trip in the Cali. Debating whether to land at Caen or Bilbao. I think half the fun is in the planning..

 

[Barbara]

Interesting to hear about the ferries to Spain as I’m going through a similar planning process at the moment. A friend has a place in the French Pyrenees and a bunch of us are going there skiing end of Feb ‘23; they‘re flying and I’m doing a road trip in the Cali. Debating whether to land at Caen or Bilbao. I think half the fun is in the planning..

No ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao in February but OK to Santander. The new Brittany ferries go slower than the old ones but seam more stable but as yet have not been on a rough crossing on the new ones so sea sick tablets could be useful just in case. I used to drive though France but now only use the ferry to Bilbao or Santander. The 2 night crossing (8am arrival) to Spain is easier than stopping in France unless you want to visit France on route. I like the planning bit as well. Heading to Spain soon on the ferry to Bilbao but I have also started planning my March trip. Brittany ferries fill up quickly and the crossing I booked for March to Santander already has limited number of cabins available.

 

[Cwcltd]

No ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao in February but OK to Santander. The new Brittany ferries go slower than the old ones but seam more stable but as yet have not been on a rough crossing on the new ones so sea sick tablets could be useful just in case. I used to drive though France but now only use the ferry to Bilbao or Santander. The 2 night crossing (8am arrival) to Spain is easier than stopping in France unless you want to visit France on route. I like the planning bit as well. Heading to Spain soon on the ferry to Bilbao but I have also started planning my March trip. Brittany ferries fill up quickly and the crossing I booked for March to Santander already has limited number of cabins available.

Great advice, thank you!

 

[Barbara]

I’m thinking of 7-8 weeks Jan-Feb, Ferry to Santander then down through Portugal to Algarve, follow the coast up through Spain. 2-4 nights at a time including a bike ride in the area then move to the next. May head back home from Santander or May keep going up through France to Calais.
I’m looking here for Campsites or Wild spots that you’ve used before that you’d definitely use again if that way again - and any other “don’t forget” stuff relating to this kind of journey. Thanks all

Just spotted this on the Guardian. Interesting article about Spain/ Portugal border trip, maybe good info for your trip.

In and out of Spain and Portugal: a road trip up the Guadiana River

Bristling with castles and old port towns, the river that forms much of the Iberian border is peaceful and characterful – and you don’t have to start off on a zipwire

www.theguardian.com

 

[Paul G - 2022 Ocean]

On a similar note, we want to start planning a trip next year to visit friends in Pau in South West France and debating the best ferry route to take from Portsmouth. St Malo and drive south or maybe Santander or Bilbao for a shorter drive East. Thinking maybe out to Santander/Bilbao and return via St Malo to take in some of the French south west coast. Anyone got any experience of any difficulties doing this route?

 

[soulstyledevon]

No ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao in February but OK to Santander. The new Brittany ferries go slower than the old ones but seam more stable but as yet have not been on a rough crossing on the new ones so sea sick tablets could be useful just in case. I used to drive though France but now only use the ferry to Bilbao or Santander. The 2 night crossing (8am arrival) to Spain is easier than stopping in France unless you want to visit France on route. I like the planning bit as well. Heading to Spain soon on the ferry to Bilbao but I have also started planning my March trip. Brittany ferries fill up quickly and the crossing I booked for March to Santander already has limited number of cabins available.

After a horrible crossing a few years back. I’ve vowed never to step foot on a ferry again…
Train every time, plus you get to stop for Quiche Lorraine and Lemon Du Tarte whenever you want…