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Pyrenees/Spain ideas?


laimeduck

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Haven't been to Spain camping for a good number of years, so we're off in mid September for a couple of months or more. (Have toured Spain comprehensively in the 50's 60's 70's but not recently)

We're planning to cross the Pyrenees over the Portalet pass, (I like mountain passes!) or the Somport tunnel, then to Zaragoza, Madrid, Toledo then towards Seville & Cadiz way. 

Based on that route any "Must see" sights? ..... and any suggestions for Campsites on the way? (We use ACSI)

We want to see Spain, so sea & sand is not a top priority and we are not interested in aires, we enjoy our showers & EHU's and sitting out under the awning! (not car parks full of motorhomes on a beach!)

Any suggestions will be welcome, thanks in advance.

Jeremy
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We came back that way from Gibraltar.

 

Cadiz at Puerta de Santa Maria and get the boat into Cadiz

Dos Hermanas for bus into Seville

Then to Cordoba.Cut back to Merida and Caceres rather than direct to Madrid

From Caceres through the Monfrague National Park and inland towards Madrid.

Visited the Valley of the Fallen close to Escorial Royal Palace,which is largely a monument to Franco rather than the war dead but fascinating.

 

All ACSI sites I think.So do a Google and take you pick.So much prefer that part of Spain to the Costas

 

Oh and Salamanca was beautiful

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webby1 - 2017-07-27 9:30 AMWe came back that way from Gibraltar.Cadiz at Puerta de Santa Maria and get the boat into CadizDos Hermanas for bus into SevilleThen to Cordoba.Cut back to Merida and Caceres rather than direct to MadridFrom Caceres through the Monfrague National Park and inland towards Madrid. Visited the Valley of the Fallen close to Escorial Royal Palace,which is largely a monument to Franco rather than the war dead but fascinating.All ACSI sites I think.So do a Google and take you pick.So much prefer that part of Spain to the CostasOh and Salamanca was beautiful

Excellent thank you! 

Any more with any more?

Jeremy
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If you are in to scenery and a bit of walking I would suggest you divert to the Ordesa National Park.

 

We crossed Portalet and diverted at Biescas to Torla.

 

You don't hear much about the Ordesa Gorge but it's sometimes been described as Europes Grand Canyon.

 

Some years since we were there but we stayed on a site in Torla - in busy seasons buses take sightseers / walkers up to the gorge.

 

 

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In no particular order, Albarracin (WNW from Teruel), Trujillo (E from Caceres), Salamanca (see if you can get into the Art Nouveau and Art Deco museum, called Museo Casa Lis), Merida (E from Badajoz), Caravaca, Ronda, Casares (W from Estepona), Castillo de Castellar (NW from Castellar de la Frontera & N from San Roque), Grazalema (W from Ronda), Ubeda, Alarcon (S from Cuenca), Tarazona de Aragon (SSW from Tudela). Some are quite small, but all have parking suitable for a motorhome within reasonable walking distance. If you want, I can give GPS coordinates for the parking places we used at any that take your fancy. Some are day visits only, with no nearby campsites, but had campsites near enough to allow a comfortable visit of 3 - 4 hours. Most of the others have nearby campsites. We're like you and prefer sites to aires/wildcamps. :-)
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It's a bit to the East, but the Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes is beautiful and has some superb walking. We stayed at Espot from where you can take a Land Rover taxi up into the main area (or walk, but the taxi is fun.

 

Peter

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Hi

The municipal campsite at Zaragosa has received some half hearted reviews in the past but from our experience it is an excellent base to visit the city.

 

Zaragosa itself has Roman ruins, great shopping and restaurants and fabulous churches with great artwork and architecture. There is a bus stop 100yds from the campsite with 4 / 5 buses an hour to town; there are shops, bars and restaurants nearby and the camp itself has good showers and toilet facilities and the staff are very helpful and friendly.

 

It is slightly more expensive than some but site wide free wifi is included.

 

We love the City!

Bob

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Hi Jeremy,

We had a trip to Spain and Portugal earlier in the year and some of the following may be of use. We only used campsites, either from ACSI, The Touring Spain and Portugal Guide from the Caravan and Motorhome Club or Alan Rogers' Best Campsites in Spain and Portugal- all bases covered!

 

Burgos- Camp Municipal Fuentas Blancas. Average site with a walk along the river (about 40 minutes) to the beautiful town and good monastery by the site. Bus stop by site

Salamanca - Camping Don Quijote. Neat well-laid out site with good facilities. Walk (10 minutes) to bus stop for bus to this beautiful city

Caceres - Camp Municipal Cuidad de Caceres. Neat site with individual toilet facilities. Bus stop very close by. Good restaurant on site.

Plasencia - Camping Parque Natural Monfrague. Well laid out site with very good facilities and restaurant. Fantastic bird-watching opportunities including excellent bird safari from site. Good walking too. Lovely spot.

Avila - didn't stay here but there is a huge car-park outside the walls which gave us the opportunity to visit the lovely old town and walk the walls.

Segovia - Camping El Aqueducto. Good site with good facilities near bus stop to town. Pitching may be tight due to trees planted at every corner. We were there in May and took up two pitches as there was room and the site was pretty empty and we have a 6m coachbuilt! Segovia was a highlight of our trip.

El Escorial -Camping Caravaning El Escorial. About 4 miles from the town and palace. Town is tight in places for a motorhome but the excellent site is a short walk from a bus stop. The palace was worth seeing.

Toledo - Camping El Greco. Lovely site with good facilities and restaurant. Bus stop outside to atmospheric town.

Aranjuez - Camping International Aranjuez. Great site with very good restaurant. Lovely walk (about 40 minutes) through the park to the lovely town and palaces. A longer walk takes you to the station for regular trains to Madrid.

Biescas - Camping Gavin . This is a fantastic little site a short walk from a lovely little town with good facilities and great views of the Pyrenees. We only stayed there one night but were very impressed with the site and the area.

Somport Tunnel- we did this on the way back early one morning and in the pouring rain. Tunnel and approach on the Spanish side are fine, the descent on the French side is more hairy- plenty of narrow spots with blind bends and large lorries coming in the other direction. As the passenger, I got up pretty close and personal with the walls at times!

 

Hope you have a great time. We loved it all!

Susan

 

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Hi

 

It's worth considering Green Spain in September. Along this coast you can see

Picos de Europa - just outsides Potes there are several campsites, one within walking distance plus there is Cable car at Fuente De with some god walks.

Rioja:- visit some of the wineries, we particularly enjoyed Ysios

La Corunna, well worth a visit

Santiago de Compostella:- I spent a week at the university then took my wife several times. You can spend a couple of days wandering the twisty streets.

 

For campsites we use a combination of acsi, caravan club books, and spainish aires book from Vicariious bookstore.

 

For walking the Sunflower book series are good

 

Have a good trip

 

Peter

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  • 1 month later...

Well - we are off on Thursday and are roughly going to follow  a route as follows:-

Tunnel to Le Mans
Le Mans to Dordogne/Bordeaux area
Then towards Pau
Over the Portalet pass
Then we'll head cross country towards Segovia, Avila, Placencia, Cacares, Seville, Cadiz then Portugal. All subject to diversions and whims.
Once again thanks to all for your input. 
If I remember I'll post a link to our blog detailing the trip.
Back in late October/early November.

Jeremy
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Hi Jeremy

We're on our way to Spain ourselves - meandering down the W coast of France, expect to cross the border near Biarritz on Saturday, then cutting across diagonally to catch up with relatives near Alicante before heading south.

I'll keep an eye on your blog to see if we're anywhere near you.

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Currenty in Northern Spain Orio. weather has been great untill to-day, had a lot of rain over night. Now the sun back out. Probably going to go south later. Had trouble with Sat nav. Got to near border and found that we had LOST Spain/Portugal in last update!!!

Bought anew one, only to find you could not input lat/long.only the address, and acsi does not givethat now. Could not find site near Pamploma, so came to Orio as we knew where that was.Have now been able to down load to old sat nav, so can continue on our journey. The new one will have to go back to LeClerk on our way back home At least we had maps withus.

 

Another downpour!!

Any one coming to Spain head south, we will now sat nav working

PJay

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For those interested our blog is on this link https://mabelsiberiantrip2017.blogspot.fr/

We were side tracked on the way down as the weather near the Pyrenees was forecast to be pretty bad. We have spent a very pleasant few days on Ile du Rè in mainly sunshine but with a few showers. Will resume our journey towards the Pyrenees on Tuesday ...maybe?
Jeremy
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