Suggested routes for a couple of weeks touring starting from Bilbao

[sololite]

Hello everyone,

We are recent new motor homers and buoyed by the success of our trip to s/w France last year thought we would venture into Spain in the Summer. We've decided to take the Ferry to Bilbao and use that as our starting point but don't know if we should head east, west or south at this stage! I've just frightened myself by reading all the stories of robberies and gas attacks elsewhere in the forum in the same way I did when planning our trip to France last year but think I'll get over it. Has anyone else done a similar holiday and can share any recommended routes, Aire de service or just stunning locations to look out for please?

Best wishes,

Chris & Sharon

 

[steco1958]

Just to allay your fears.

There are more than a few people on here and other forums that go to Spain on holiday and have never been robbed or attacked.

Me I have been camping, caravaning, and MHing for over 30 years down there, not one instance of trouble.

 

[n brown]

quite honestly,this time of year,a day's driving gets you on the algarve,nice and quiet down there and that bit warmer.do spain a bit later when its warmed up a bit!

 

[robjk]

Hello everyone,

We are recent new motor homers and buoyed by the success of our trip to s/w France last year thought we would venture into Spain in the Summer. We've decided to take the Ferry to Bilbao and use that as our starting point but don't know if we should head east, west or south at this stage! I've just frightened myself by reading all the stories of robberies and gas attacks elsewhere in the forum in the same way I did when planning our trip to France last year but think I'll get over it. Has anyone else done a similar holiday and can share any recommended routes, Aire de service or just stunning locations to look out for please?

Best wishes,

Chris & Sharon

Hi Chris & Sharon
Our first trip 6 weeks after buying our motorhome was to Salou.
Our route was Swansea / Dover / straight down the middle of France over Milau bridge and then to Salou on toll roads on the way down (won't use those again) stopped at Aires when we needed a rest without any worries. My view is that crime can be anywhere and if worried about it we would not go out (just take normal security measures).
We spent a week in Salou and returned via Andorra wandering across France to Calais.
We enjoyed the drive as not in a hurry and we have since been to France a few times only stopping in Aires with the only rule if either of us did not like the Aire we moved on.
France and Spain are very big enjoy the journey

All the best
Rob & Sue

 

[Byronic]

quite honestly,this time of year,a day's driving gets you on the algarve,nice and quiet down there and that bit warmer.do spain a bit later when its warmed up a bit!

Actually the Spanish Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca are warmer than the Portuguese Algarve. Also the Costa Blanca is a days drive (if time is of the essence) from Santander or Bilbao, and from Burgos is on non tolls Autovia, ie virtually motorway standard, all the way to say Cartagena.
As for quiet, Algarve has got just as problematic for wildcampers as the Spanish costas. This year on the costas I have found there has been less hassle from the police than for many years. Possibly the economic situation has a bearing on this, every bit of business is now welcome.

 

[Byronic]

I have been stuck in snow in the Soria area with my truck. A complete white out with the snow blowing across the plain. The main road there which is the C101 has 2 metre sticks at each side to mark its path.
Even had to kick the doors open as they had froze stuck.
I believe that Madrid is the highest capitol city in Europe.
It certainly ain't all sunshine and beaches, but I still like it!

I'm sitting here at the moment at Torre del Mar in the blazing sunshine and in the not too far distance can see the snow capped lower mountains of the Sierra Nevadas, and they wouldn't be any higher than Madrid you certainly don't have to go far and upwards from the coast!
Second most mountainous country in western Europe and as you say highest capital city.

 

[sololite]

Thanks for all the encouragement wild campers. Sitting here looking out at the snow at the moment, can't wait to get some sun.

 

[mitzimad]

I honestly belive all the talk of gas attacks is total rubbish as as been said many times before but I will say again !
I know a guy who is an operating theatre technician and as he works with gas all day he says that their is no such gas around that if it knocked out adults would have by that stage killed any children ! When have you heard of anyone dying in a motorhome from a gas attack ?????
As for being broken into that can happen anywhere and yes I have woken up in the middle of the night with a guy with a head torch on going through all our stuff ! He got away with my trousers and a holdall but nothing of any value as the alarm went off and he ran off ! This was probably my own fault as I chose to park in a quiet tucked away spot away from the noise of the lorries at night on a French motorway aire !
I lived in spain for 3 years and have to say that although there were people I met that were broken into ,it is vey rare and did not stop me !

i agree with you on this when the cheycnians took hostages in a rusian theatre all the might of rusian scientific and medical brains were used to try and gas them out and wound up killing a fair percentage of the hostages what chance would two scumbags on the side of a motorway have