Tuesday 29 January – Algeciras to Assila

Algeciras to Assila - 62 miles

 It was still dark when we rose ready for an early start. Our planned ferry was 11.00am and required an hour before check-in but in fact it was only 10-15 mins to the port and we arrived well in time, negotiating a long line of motorhomes who were waiting for a different ferry. They were still waiting when we left............

As usual, the 11.00 departure time turned out to be, well, flexible but we finally sailed at around 11.45 having loaded maybe a dozen trucks, the same number of motorhomes and a few cars. It was almost empty, not even any foot passengers. But despite the weather being dull and cloudy it was a smooth crossing, during which we got the immigration routine sorted out and enjoyed a coffee.

Arrived and disembarked by 13.15, we proceeded to the Customs post which as always was somewhat chaotic, not helped by new procedures for temporary import of vehicles – it looked like they didn't have much idea either with many Customs and Police just hanging around doing not very much. We eventually worked out that we first had to visit the Customs office and get the vehicle registered, then wait with the van for a Customs man to come and “clear” us. We suspect we had coincided with a lunchtime shift change but it seemed ages before a Customs guy we hadn't seen before asked a couple of questions, handed us our import document and sent us on our way. In the UK this would have taken maybe 15 minutes – it was 14.10 by the time we were away to the Bureaux de Change for dirhams. Still quicker than last time though.

We were the last of our group to get clear but not by much so after changing a wad of pounds into dirhams we headed out to the motorway and our overnight stop about an hour away at Assila. As has happened every visit we did not get far before it started raining and we encountered showers all the way to Assila, which lasted well into the night.

Despite getting information that they maybe had closed the guardian parking areas were still very much active, although we thought now getting a bit expensive at 50 dirhams (£4) for basically an overnight carpark. But they were friendly people (even when the newbie gave them a 50 Euro note! We got that back pronto) and as always wanted cigarettes or beer as a “present”. Maybe later.

Quick cuppa then walked up to Maroc Telecom to sort out internet. Despite our sim card being almost two years out of date the guy managed to resurrect it and recharge it, although it took a few hours to register and be usable – all the others managed new cards without difficulty although it did seem a laborious process. It didn't help when we later discovered we had arrived close to closing time, but give the chap his due, he sorted everybody out even though it was well over half an hour after closing by the time he finished (his security guard wasn't quite as happy mind). See that happening in the UK?

In past years Morocco has been on UK time, i.e. GMT so we'd all changed our various timepieces to that, but something didn't gell so we asked the guardian who said we should be on Spanish time. Not entirely sure of him, someone did some research and we eventually discovered the King had decreed that from two weeks ago Morocco would be on permanent GMT + 1 hour, no changes half yearly. Unfortunately none of the “automatic” technology seemed to know of this so phones, satnav etc. are all an hour out!

And so we're back. Apart from Derek and June, all the others have different plans so will go their own ways tomorrow.

Monday 28th January – Estepona to Algeciras

Estepona to Algeciras - 45 miles

 

Of course we didn't get away as early as we'd hoped but who cares, we're on holiday! We needed to make sure the waste tanks were emptied and the water fully topped up as there were few or no facilities expected for at least the next couple of nights. From the campsite we went directly to a fuel station where we knew we could top off the gas tanks too – gas is possibly our biggest concern in Morocco but hopefully we'll be able to report on a successful solution.

Returning to the meeting point, over half an hour we met up with all four other vans who had contacted us – three had been before but there was one “newbie” couple. After lunch we went along to the travel agency office, the ubiquitous Carlos who we have encouraged all Funsters to use and have thus ensured a discount on tickets. They also advised us some new procedures for entering Morocco so we'll see. As always a friendly greeting and quick and efficient issue of suitable tickets, and as we were a group we all got a little present of a bottle of wine and pack of biscuits.

With a suggestion that we might meet up later for a meal, everybody went their own way to get the shopping done. There are a variety of large supermarkets, which is probably why it is so popular with motorhomers, our preferences being Carrefour and Mercadona. There is also oodles of unused parking area which becomes quite full of motorhomes “overnighting” ready for ferry crossings – it has been tolerated for quite some years now, probably because of the amount of business we bring. However another large parking area has been created near Carlos' office, some say by Carlos himself, that takes over 50 units and is where we finally settled for the night.

Following our earlier suggestion four of the five couples walked along to City Wok, a Chinese restaurant that does an all-you-can-eat for a fixed price buffet (drinks extra of course). At opening time, 8.00 pm, we had the place to ourselves but the Spanish eat much later than us and it filled up as we were leaving. There is an extensive range of food and, being a buffet, you can mix and match as much as you want – but save room for the gorgeous range of puddings etc.

So with full tummies we wandered back to the vans ready for an early start in the morning. Our various conversations over dinner had obviously enthused our newbie couple who were becoming quite excited!

Estepona – 26 to 28th January

The point of staying here is that it makes a nice stop close enough to Algeciras and we can get ourselves sorted out prior to crossing to Morocco – and it also makes a nice point to meet up with others although this time we were on our own.

Knowing the washing machines can get busy here Bren started before breakfast so that by the time the sun had come up fully we could maximise drying time. We carry a rotary clothes dryer but also rigged a line through the awning poles and aired all the seat covers and blankets while we had the chance.

Suffice it to say the weather was glorious with full sun on us all day so by mid-afternoon it was all dry, folded and put away (we don't do ironing, so excuse our sometimes crumpled appearance). Meanwhile the van was emptied, tidied and swept out with all the windows and vents open; it's nice to be able to do that at last.

But we still had plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine, which carried over to Sunday, although a bit of a breeze had got up. Luckily we were sheltered by a small building – it was an excellent pitch!

During Sunday we had messages from various people arranging to meet up at Algeciras on Monday so we went for an earlyish night and hopefully a good start in the morning.

Friday 25 January – Torrex to Estepona

Torrex to Estepona - 86 miles

We noticed last night it was a lot warmer when we went to bed and that carried on until this morning when it was already warm enough to leave off woolies when we surfaced. Moving on today but no rush as the plan is to go to a campsite at Estepona where we'll get sorted out ready to cross over to Morocco, and it's only an hour and a half.

So breakfast, service the van and back down onto the N340 coastal road rather than the A7. The coast between here and Malaga is slowly being developed but nothing like the well known spots like Torremolinos. The small towns and villages are clean, tidy and attractive (although bright sunshine and blue sea helps.....) and to our minds would make a nice place to over-winter if you prefer somewhere quieter. We enjoyed this section, even the heavy traffic in Rincon St Victoria, until we joined the A7 again to get round Malaga. We passed the new aire we used last year – it was chokka with a queue outside unsurprisingly.

The A7, once past Malaga, becomes an urban motorway, that is, it's not a full motorway but instead passes through the towns with many slip roads on and off. This makes it very busy and you need to pay attention as Spanish drivers give very little notice of their intentions. We realised we were not going to eke out the fuel until Morocco so dropped into a filling station; not having spotted any supermarkets we had to pay the “normal” rate, which is however still lots cheaper than the UK.

Parque Tropical is off one of the slip roads around 4 km before Estepona; it is signposted but if you don't know where it is it's easy to miss – but of course no problem for us having stayed here several times. A walk around found us an excellent big pitch in full sun, very nice as many pitches are small and being well shaded feel a tad gloomy. Got ourselves set up, a late lunch then enjoyed a couple of hours in the sun before tea.

With three nights booked we'll catch up on the washing and give the van a good clean and tidy up. The weather has definitely turned much warmer and we haven't got used to it yet – but there's plenty of time. Shorts and T-shirts tomorrow!

Wednesday 23 January – Vera to Torrex

Vera to Torrex - 158 miles

Our standard start and just a pause at Lidl for a baguette before heading once again for the A7. Our friends Derek and June have arrived safely and collected their van but are pausing at La Marina, where apparently they had a reservation, for a few days to sort out so we'll catch up with them later.

The motorway was quite busy, although we were passing through Almeria where several main routes meet, but never busy enough to cause delays – we probably caused more delays due to ambling along at just above truck speeds. Fast enough for us and it helps to keep the fuel consumption reasonable, especially in the head winds we were now encountering despite it being a bright and sunny day.

At lunchtime we changed to the scenic (yes that word again) but almost deserted N340 to follow the coast and before long found a pull-in with a beautiful view of the coastline for our break. Looking at the maps we thought we might make just short of Malaga so returned to the motorway which was now running through the coastal hills and mountains. However the wind had developed into a full blown gale with severe gusting, so much so that we were forced to slow right down to avoid loss of control or possible wind damage e.g. roof vents etc. Off at the next exit we continued on the much slower N340 but at least the wind was not as violent.

Bren started looking for a stopover and found almost no aires although there were quite a few ACSI campsites. Passed one that didn't look much but at Torrex-Costa spotted signs for Camping El Pino, also an ACSI and quite large but with plenty of room. Selected a quiet pitch towards the back of the site, mainly one we could get into as there are lots of overhanging trees. We booked in for two nights as we are in no rush and both feel like a day off from travelling – we may stay longer.

Settled in, cuppa and a snooze before another quiet evening. It is still very windy but we're well protected.

WE STAYED AT Camping El Pino, signed away from the coast in the town of Torrex-Costa. All facilities including excellent free wifi, beautiful swimming pool, washing machines even a dog wash. Small shop on site but a small supermarket plus cafes and bars just outside. Well shaded but plenty of breaks to allow good sunshine – our pitch was sunny all day. ACSI €18 per night.

Tuesday 22 January – Bigastro to Vera

Bigastro to Vera - 119 miles

'Twas a bit cool when Jamie first asked to go out, but the bed was still nice and cosy.............

Anyway the sun came up and we breakfasted and serviced the van. Now I'm usually pretty careful about reversing but there was plenty of room............ except for a handrail on a set of steps going nowhere. It was only a little crunch but it bent the handrail support and broke the numberplate holder on the rear rack. The handrail straightened up okay and a few tie-wraps re-attached the holder until I can get a new one – I've done it before and they're not cheap. Stupid!

Decided to head for the A7 motorway as we needed to get around Murcia and it looked by far the easiest way. TomTom said turn left, but the road was a dead end with nowhere to turn so a long reverse downhill, fortunately no traffic and managing not to hit anything! Headed back the way we had come in and took a turn as suggested by Nellie......... suffice it to say it took us half an hour to get clear of what is really only a small town, with TomTom going nuts. There has been extensive development with new roads, not all of them complete, replacing old plus narrow streets and one-way systems – a veritable nightmare! We eventually managed to get to the edge of town and pick up signs – today was not turning out very well!

We stayed on the A7 for quite a while, well past Murcia before breaking off onto the N332 coast road which was very “scenic” - our euphemism for hilly and bendy! - but at least we found a nice quiet place to stop for lunch before continuing the pretty way. The motorways are much more attractive than the UK and are fine if you want/need to make progress and the autovias (e.g A7) are all free. We've heard that the autopistas (e.g. AP7) are being taken over by the government as they are all making losses, and most will be free within 12 months in an attempt to get better use – a welcome reversal in motoring policies!

Mid-afternoon, with the weather definitely grey and cool, we paused to select our night stopover. Bearing in mind our previous experiences although there were a few aires and campsites along the coast we elected to head for a place we'd stayed at a couple of times before, the tennis club site just outside Vera. Once again TomTom tried to take us along unsuitable minor roads, causing a significant backtrack (see the map above) so we reverted to the good old map, supported by the netbook. Eventually we recognised where we were and then easily found the campsite – to be fair it is a bit awkward to get to as the motorway has cut off a more direct route.

Plenty of room and we found a sheltered pitch as a cold wind had got up a bit. A walk round showed the site owners had carried out extensive improvements, although one large open area was in the process of being developed into something else, chalet/bungalows maybe? Although it's a commercial aire at those prices, it is really all but a fully fledged campsite, the only downside being a paucity of facilities although those few were very respectable. The only drawback is the distance to the town, which is really too far to walk.

A quiet evening attempting to sort out TomTom and listening tio Radio 2 via t'internet.

Monday 21 January – Villajoyosa to Bigastro

Villajoyosa to Bigastro - 70 miles

The sunshine had returned and after breakfast and the usual chores we said our goodbyes. Quite pleased with the bill as the electricity was metered but we'd only used 45c worth, however in these circumstances we use gas for heating as it is always cheaper and the fridge wasn't working on electric anyway.

We had no real target today, just gently bumble on south staying off the motorway with a stop for fuel and the usual bit of shopping, which was taken care of at an Al Campo, which is the Spanish arm of Auchon, and where we also had our lunch. A pleasant drive along the mostly coastal N340 had us heading for La Marina where we knew of a couple of motorhome stopovers that more friends would be heading for when they flew back in to Spain, having left their van at Alicante over Christmas and New Year.

Unfortunately, and not unexpectedly, they were all full and the local police were in evidence most likely to discourage wild-camping, which we had heard was quite common around the area. It was apparent that anywhere on the coast was going to be difficult but we have learned that going just a few miles inland was much easier. Checking our information we spotted a couple of aires about half an hour away so headed that way, but then spotted a large advertising hoarding for a campsite we'd also noted. As it offered all year round opening thought we'd have a look.

Camping Le Pedrera at Bigastro turned out to be a small terraced site with quite a few spaces available. It also turned out to be ACSI registered although, due to some difficulties, it had been missed out of the current site book. All the regular facilities, perhaps a little more basic than we've seen, nevertheless were modern and spotless. Even the free wifi worked well, probably because there were not many folk in residence – it seemed eerily quiet. The on site bar/restaurant is closed on Monday otherwise we might have tried it, but of course no matter as we are fully self-sufficient.

We passed a quiet and comfortable evening, watching some more TV.

Villajoyosa - 18th to 21st January

Our sole purpose for booking here at Imperium Alicante, which is in fact closer to Benidorm than Alicante, was to meet up with our friends Colin & Tina who we haven't seen for ages and who were enjoying a month here in their caravan as part of their winter break. It turned out that we were extremely lucky to get a pitch for the days we wanted as otherwise the site was fully booked and was also hosting a Camping and Caravanning Club Winter Rally.

A medium size one year old site on the edge of the town, it had nice size fully serviced pitches, most in plenty of sun, unless you happened be pitched next to a huge American RV.............! (Not us). Swimming pool, small restaurant and tiny shop (well it was really just a few shelves but hey ho!) the town with a good supermarket was only a nice stroll away. Alicante and Benidorm are only a short drive away or there is regular public transport from the town. It also turned out to be ACSI registered but there was hardly any price difference on the deal we got. You sometimes have to watch for this as on several occasions, especially for longer stays, the campsites have been able to offer a better deal.

Friday evening we enjoyed an excellent and surprisingly cheap meal in the restaurant, despite not having booked. Saturday was warm and sunny and Colin drove us into Benidorm to visit the well stocked Caravanning Shop to see if we could get the fridge part (no luck) and also some hose for him. We had a little drive round the very busy resort before calling at an Ex-Pat Cash & Carry where we managed to pick up a few items we'd forgotten and/or needed. At a premium of course!

Sunday was a bit grey and cool after overnight showers but it didn't stop us from enjoying our Sunday Breakfast or our get-together. We did ask if we could extend our stay but although they did try there was simply no available pitches. So a lazy day just chewing the fat and catching up. Later in the year they plan to tour to Scotland and we'll arrange to meet again then, perhaps joining them.

Friday 18th January – Valencia to Villajoyosa

(Map to follow - technical issue!)

Standard start so breakfast, service the van, pay the man and away, still not particularly early but we don't have very far to go, although there were a few calls to make. Priority was gas, then shopping and then try to locate a Thetford dealer, so we programmed a known gas station into TomTom and set off.

Our list of Thetford dealers showed one just down the road but we didn't see it. Similarly a couple of others were on our route but noticeable by their absence – perhaps we hadn't got the locations quite right. We found a Carrefour quite quickly to top up the groceries then pushed on, rejoining the N332 through various towns and villages. The gas station was easy to find and the attendant did everything for us, as well as provide directions to a Thetford place, which again we didn't find but that may have been a misunderstanding, she spoke no Engliush and our Spanish is, well, poco poco!

Never mind, carried on now looking for a place to pause for lunch with the weather slowly deteriorating until it started to rain. We followed a very scenic route through the coastal mountains but there were few opportunities to stop, but eventually we slotted into a kerbside space in one of the towns for a very late lunch. A walk with Jamie led to a bank which this time gave us some cash before carrying on into heavy rain as we passed Benidorm.

TomTom took us easily to Imperium Alicante camping, which is nowhere near Alicante of course but on the edge of Villajoyosa between Benidorm and Alicante. A very smart modern site, we were expected at reception and got booked in okay with a very nice pitch in full sun (it had reappeared) all day and close to the “facilities” so settled in before going to find Colin and Tina for a welcome reunion. It turned out that we had been very lucky to get our reservation as the site was full.

The site has a restaurant so we decided to have a joint meal there later – we should have booked but even though it isn't very big they accomodated us. A good choice on the menu and we all enjoyed our selections which were surprisingly reasonably priced – it was one of two fixed-price menus which included three generous courses and a drink; recommended.

And so ended a most pleasant day – it's so nice to catch up with old friends.

WE STAYED AT: Imperium Alicante Camping at Villajoyosa. Almost new medium size site with adequate size pitches and excellent facilities including washing machines and a dog shower! Swimming pool, restaurant, very small shop, free wifi. Reasonable walk into town and public transport.

We paid €18.50 a night plus metered electric but there are numerous deals depending on size of pitch and length of stay. Fully booked, we were unable to extend our visit. There was a Camping and Caravaning Club Rally on siteat the time of our visit.

Valencia - 14th to 18th January

We stayed here at Devesa Gardens last year for a week and enjoyed it, which was sort of our reason for picking it out this time. Again it is much quieter than we would have expected but as far as we are concerned that's okay. Germans are still the highest percentage but there are also a few Brits, some Dutch, couple of Spanish and a Norwegian!

Already mentioned the new sunshade frames and the new chalets, apparently only now being readied for occupation. They have been set out as a small village with (artificial) lawns around the pathways and the whole thing is quite attractive. To make room they have reduced the size of the animal zoo but it is still here although not as many species as we remember.

Unfortunately we discovered the fridge wasn't working properly, eventually failing whilst on mains electricity. The fault code confirmed the problem, a failed part similar to a fault with another component we had late last year and which we replaced. We've looked into getting the part delivered to our friends before they fly out but it doesn't look possible although they're still trying. A check on the internet has identified several dealers, both near to us now and also on our route south, so we'll endeavour to call in to see if they can help. Meanwhile the fridge is working fine on gas so for the moment we don't have a real problem, although we are going to have to allow for a higher gas useage.

The first three days were bright and sunny and we were able to sit out in the sun all day, apart from an hour or so mid-afternoon when a tree got in the way. However Thursday dawned dull and grey with a suspicion of rain in the air although it never actually materialised. Without the sun, however, it wasn't as warm and we stayed in the van, just venturing out to walk Jamie and also get bread from the on-site supermarket.

We also decided to try the restaurant out on our last night. It looks to have been totally refurbished and is very nice indeed – but they had next to no menu, just a three-course Camper Menu for during the day and a Night Tapas menu. Unfortunately tapas are not Brenda's thing so we had to give it a miss; but we've got plenty of stuff in the van so we just ate quite late is all. Shame really.

But we're on the move again tomorrow so therre'll be plenty more opportunities.

Monday 14 January – Peniscola to Valencia

Peniscola to Valencia - 115 miles driven

Another bright and sunny day, feeling a bit warmer so we finished packing things away and servicing the van having decided to move on today. We're in no rush however so first call, once we'd managed to navigate ourselves free of the complicated road network in the town, was to the Mercadonna supermarket to replenish supplies. That done we headed for the coastal N340 road and turned south.

Generally the coastal plain is somewhat featureless with the odd outcrop of rocky hills, the main “views” being of the mountains to the west. The N340 generally follows the toll AP7 motorway, becoming the A7 occasionally before joining the AP7 approaching Valencia. In an effort to find the so-called coastal route we turned off, thinking we were headed for Benicassim but had left the road 100m early and wound through the countryside only to come up against a dead-end. Well it wasn't quite a dead end but strictly non-accessible to us so we backtracked then tried the proper road and meandered into Benicassim, another holiday resort.

Like Peniscola, Benicassim is a tourist destination, although somewhat larger and definitely busier. We ambled through the town before getting slightly lost trying to find our way out, but Nellie, our trusty notebook, showed us a way and we were soon back on the N340. Later, looking for somewhere nice to have lunch, we took a turn with signs for the beach which led us through lots of narrow streets to a large empty carpark on the edge of the beach at Almenara Plage.

In season we surmised al the small houses we could see lining the beach would be full of holidaymakers but for now it was totally deserted, although actually quite attractive in the sunshine. Jamie had a nice plodge in the sea (too cold for us!) before we had a lazy lunch, checking out the guides to decide where next. We could easily envisage a night "wild camping" here.

We would usually have chosen an aire but they were few and far between, mostly of the commercial variety and quite probably full as we have experienced before. At costs varying from €8 to €15 per night we thought for a few euros more we could enjoy a proper campsite so decided on Devesa Gardens south of Valancia, an ACSI site we stayed on for a week or so last year. So with TomTom providing guidance we worked our way back to the, now, A7 and headed into Valencia.

Although we are aware there is an old quarter, Valencia is a very modern city with some stunning architecture that the camera couldn't quite capture as we drove past on the excellent roads serving it. We would have liked to pause but the traffic gave us little opportunity – perhaps we'll return by bus. Almost before we knew it we were out the other side and following the coastal road, past a large coastal lake nature reserve from which our intended destination takes it's name.

As last year, we were surprised to find the site only half full and we selected a pitch in full sun. There had been some work done with the trees being thinned out and large metal frames erected, ready to take the sunshading which is quite common in Spain at the height of summer. But for now they were just bare frames, easy to forget about unless your van was quite high – we watched a very large “A” class motorhome reverse onto a closeby pitch, his TV aerial and air-con unit clearing the frame by less than an inch! A goodly number of attractive holiday chalets have also been added.

We've booked in for 4 nights, which will take us nicely up to our “meet” with friends near Alicante at the end of the week.

WE STAYED AT Devesa Gardens, on the coast south of Valencia. The usual full excellent facilities include a restaurant, swimming pool (closed out of season) a small supermarket and free Wifi. ACSI at €18 per night. Buses into Valencia stop outside the gate and the beach is around a 20 min stroll through woodland.

Peniscola – 9 to 14 January

Peniscola was once just a tiny coastal village at the base of perhaps the most stunning fortified castle in Spain, situated on a promontory overlooking what is now a total holiday town. The long northern seafront is a never ending line of apartments and hotels lining a narrow sandy beach, deserted of course at this time of year. To the south of the castle, adjoining the port, is a smaller sandy bay which is somewhat more attractive than the high-rises.

Looking south from the castle

One day we walked along the promenade for 20 minutes into the town with Jamie and found it mostly closed up, just the odd shop optimistically hoping for some trade plus a few cafes – and a bank whose machine refused to accept any card we offered it! There is a small fishing port, which was servicing a couple of boats, but the main attraction is the castle.

 

 

We wandered up the narrow streets and around the seaward walls, basking in glorious winter sunshine and imagining what it would be like in the holiday season! The castle was open for viewing but did not accept dogs so we thought €5 a head was not worth what we could access. There is a lot made of the fact that Pope Benedict XIII, known as Papa Luna, lived here for 6 years after being deposed from the papacy in the 15^th century. There is an attractive small public garden which we passed on the way down, returning to the campsite.

Looking north

Behind the site there is a large coastal marsh area with footpaths winding through it, making for good strolling and taking the dog for walks. Being out of season the swimming pool was closed (well it was empty) as was the restaurant, although the terrace bar appeared to be open but poorly patronised. There are two camping areas, the south being the original and somewhat more shaded than our preferred north area. Both were almost full and we noted the huge majority were long stay German units, both motorhomes and caravans, just two or three of other nationalities.

We had to position the van diagonally across our pitch to get it to fit in between the hedges and trees. However this meant we got full sunshine for most of the day and we spent most of the daytime hours enjoying it, when not catching up on the usual chores or walking Jamie. However, as to be expected in January, once the sun disappeared behind a hill the temperature dropped quickly and everyone retreated to their satellite TVs!

Originally planning to stay 5 nights we extended for another as we would have left on a Sunday and we needed to do some shopping – the Mercadonna seemed to be the only place open and was too far to walk and carry shopping bags!

If you're after total peace and quiet we can thoroughly recommend Peniscola at this time of year.

"Papa Luna"

Tuesday 8 January – Valderrobres to Peniscola

Valderrobres to Peniscola - 84 miles

Well that was probably the coldest night we've ever spent in the van! Not realising we were 3000 ft up in the mountains the temperature went well below freezing and on getting up we found that the waste pipes, both into and out of the tank, were frozen up. We sorted the inlet as we could get at the trap under the van but the outlet had to wait until later.

But it was a lovely morning and once the heating had brought us back to a reasonable temperature and the sun had got onto the van we were fine. The shenanigans had delayed us of course but we were only a couple of hours from the coast so it wasn't a problem.

After breakfast we managed to empty the loo and persuaded the water tap to let us fill the fresh water tank. Then we headed south, along a “scenic” route which took us through the mountains and then eventually onto the coast at Benicarlo. Our plan was a big shop, gas if possible, then find a nice campsite for a few days to unwind after being on the road over a week.

We ventured into Benicarlo but it was obvious there wasn't what we needed then nearly got stuck, having to reverse out of a road that, due to parked cars and vans, was too narrow for us. We had stayed at Peniscola, the next town south, before so headed there and spotted a Mercadona supermarket, which proved ideal for our needs. No LPG at any of the fuel stations we saw but as we intend to have electric hookup for the next few days we weren't worried.

Having checked our campsite book we thought we'd have a look at the three or four sites in Peniscola and eventually settled on Camping Eden, where we had stayed a couple of years ago. Squeezed ourselves onto a nice pitch which seemed to offer all day sunshine then settled in with a very late lunch.

We've finally arrived in the sunshine; although it was quite late in the afternoon it was still comfortably warm although once the sun went down so did the temperature. However the forecast is dry and sunny for at least the next few days so here we'll stay.


WE STAYED AT Camping Eden, Ave. Papa Luna, Peniscola. ACSI rate €20 per night with full services, excellent facilities. The swimming pool and main restaurant were closed but a smaller cafe/restaurant was open. Larger pitches at slightly increased cost although all had been taken. Around 1km along the promenade to town centre.
Note; winter season so very little open. Bread can be ordered on site but only Mercadona for full shopping, around 2km.

Monday 7 Jan – San Sebastian to Valderrebres

San Sebastian to Valderrebres - 250 miles

Felt a bit warmer when Terry took Jamie out first thing, hopefully it continues! Normal start and once the servicing was done we headed out of town. The weather forecast is to remain dry for at least the next week with warmest temperatures, around 16 deg, on the Mediterranean coast so we decided to head south east towards Peniscola.

Apart from a missed turn taking us onto a toll road for a short distance, then having to fight with the ticket machine, we stayed on good “A” and “N” roads all the way. Initially we had to climb onto the Spanish plateau, going from sea-level to 2000 ft in around 5 km, which gave the motor a good workout but then it became undulating with miles and miles of nothing between few and far villages and towns. But at least the sky cleared and most of the day was in brilliant sunshine.

Pamplona, then Tudela, where we paused for lunch, then onto Zaragoza, noticing that the roads were very quiet and the towns deserted. Then we remembered it was fiesta, the Three Kings holiday which is equivalent to our Twelfth Night. At least the fuel stations were open as we needed a refill and we loaded a tankful of premium diesel, mainly because it was the same price as the cooking stuff and would give the engine a treat!

At our lunch stop we selected a nice looking aire to aim for and, successfully this time, programmed it into TomTom. It was going to be quite a stretch but the roads were quiet, it was a lovely day and we could keep a good average speed going. During the afternoon we got into the Rioja area and noticed large areas of vines, as well as quite a lot of other cultivation. Each town seemed to have a monastery, fortified church or fortress on a hilltop, some in fine fettle but others just ruins.

We turned off the main road onto a scenic (read hilly and twisty!) route for the last 20 km or so to the old town of Valderrobrez, complete with hilltop castle, and found the aire which, apart from a couple of cars, was empty. Still the water was turned on, it had nice views of the town and castle so we parked up and got the kettle on!

The map above shows we are less than two hours from the coast so the evening included a check of the various campsites around Peniscola, where we've stayed before. After 6/7 days on the road we're ready for a break so tomorrow will be a shopping trip before we select a campsite.

Hopefully, tonight is our last “cold” night – some of the puddles are still frozen over..........

WE STAYED AT free municipal aire, a riverside parking area with WC/waste water disposal and a functioning fresh water tap. Plenty of room and a few minutes walk into the old town over an ancient stone bridge and through an arched gateway in the town walls. Eroski supermarket adjacent to the site entrance.

Sunday 6 January – Beausoleil to San Sebastian

Beausoleil to San Sebastion - 141 miles

Cold grey morning and on taking Jamie out was asked by a young Swedish guy who'd come in late last night and was on the next bay if I had a tyre compressor. He had what turned out to be a slow puncture and it had gone down overnight. Fortunately we do carry such an item and we spent a pleasant half hour chatting whilst re-inflating his tyre, suggesting that he get to a garage and get it seen to. It was an old, but very serviceable Hymer, typical of what younger folk use to travel the world – he was on his way home to Sweden.

That sorted, being Sunday we enjoyed our first Full English Breakfast of our trip which, as well as the tyre interlude, made us very late getting under way after a proper service on the van. We had considered routing through the Pyrenees via the Somport tunnel but the weather forecast showed probable snow showers so rather than tempt the weather gods we chose the coastal route via Irun. We also decided to use the A63, despite it having sections of toll road. It is possible to avoid these bits but we didn't think it worth the trouble so had a fast run towards the Spanish border.

Approaching Bayonne we remembered we hadn't planned any further than the border so stopped at a service area and had a bite of lunch whilst reviewing the books. We eventually thought we'd give the main aire near the university at San Sebastion a try, but had a problem trying to get the new (did I mention we've got a new super duper all singin' all dancin' TomTom?) satnav to accept the directions. We did manage to input the address and sorted out the other problems later and after an initial disagreement about trying to route us through Biarritz we eventually found our way. To our surprise there was plenty of room, our experience of this particular aire is that it is always very busy, so we found a spot and settled, after a fight with the ticket machine!

A nice cuppa and apple turnovers which we'd been carrying for a few days went down well. Later after tea we reviewed the weather forecast to find it generally dry for the next ten days with the best temperatures being on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, so we'll head south east for somewhere like Peniscola or Benicassim.

It's been grey and cold all day and the forecast is still showing possible snow showers in our area so we'll wrap up warm and see what tomorrow brings.

Saturday 5 Jan – St Maure de Touraine to Beau Soleil (Bordeaux)

St Maure de Touraine to Beau Soleil - 193 miles

Jamie had us up just before the alarm, wanting to go out into another not quite so cold morning, a little overcast but dry. With just minimum servicing after breakfast we were again away earlier than usual but were now actively looking for water tank replenishment as well as fuel, which however wasn't so urgent. We tried a couple of places for water but the first was out of order and the second down an impossibly (for us) narrow street so we decided to leave it for now with another plan in mind.

The day brightened as we went further south until sunglasses were needed! At lunchtime we by chance found an Auchan hypermarket so availed ourselves of some cheap (€1.33 pl = £1.23) diesel then parked up for lunch.

Reviewing our route it was apparent that we would be around Bordeaux around 4.00 pm, our regular stopping time and Colin and Tina were booked in to a campsite just south of the city. Needing water and hot showers we decided to give it a try so set TomTom up and found our way to Beau Soleil camping and caravanning site, which is about 10km south of Bordeaux and one of only a few open at this time of year. Fortunately they had space for us but, unfortunately, they told us our friends had put back their booking by one week and were not there.

Directed to a nice spacious pitch in the late afternoon sun, we settled in, refilling the water tank and plugging in to some nice 10 amp electricity. A quick cuppa then showers before tea and a quiet evening listening to Radio 2 via the excellent free WiFi

We managed to contact our friends to learn Tina had suffered a minor accident but they hoped to continue next week.

WE STAYED AT Beau Soleil Camping and Caravanning, at Gradignan just south of Bordeaux. All facilities including free WiFi, we paid €21.50 for 2 people, dog and 10 amp hookup. Small restaurant nearby (closed on our visit) bus terminus 100m along the road for Bordeaux.

Friday 4 Jan - Pont de L'Arche to St Maure de Touraine

Pont de L'Arche to St Maure de Touraine - 184 miles

A very cold night and we woke to freezing fog which took a while to clear. Fortunately the heating soon had us up to temperature for breakfast and the usual chores. With the water supply turned off there was little to do so, earlier than we have been of late, we got on the road.

We stuck to our usual non-motorway route of Evreux, Dreux, Chartres trying our best to stick to the new blanket speed limit of 80 kph. However it doesn't appear to be quite straightforward as some roads are signed as 90 kph and it seems that on three-lane carriageways if a single opposing lane is separated by a solid line the two-lane section is 90 kph whilst the single lane is 80 kph. Weird and TomTom can't cope with one road having different speed limits in different directions so there was a lot of speeding warnings!

Past Chateaudun the sun came out and the fog cleared although it didn't get much warmer. Stopped at Vendome for some shopping and lunch then carried on down N10, moderate traffic and those speed limits meant not a fast run. Approaching Tours we had thoughts of stopping there where our friends Colin and Tina were supposed to be for a couple of days but it was still a little early for us so we pushed on. However Tours is a right pain to get past if you stay off the toll road and once we were clear it was approaching stopping time so Bren got the books out.

We decided on St Maure de Touraine but managed to select the wrong place on the satnav; a second go took us to a nice quiet mixed parking area just off the main street with 15 motorhome bays and a small toilet block – unfortunately again the water was off. We did however remember we had called here once before to service the van and found the same situation then. Ah well, just be careful....

WE STAYED AT Municipal aire in St Maure de Touraine, signed off main road. 15 bays and small toilet block no charge. Water turned off but still able to empty WC and waste water. In centre of town for small selection of commerce.

Wed/Thurs 2/3 Jan - Navenby to Pont de L'Arche via Citie Europe

Calais to Pont de L'Arche - 146 miles

Another cold night but nice clear morning and after a relaxed morning we left around 12.30 heading for Folkestone with plenty of time. Traffic a lot heavier but nothing much in the way of delays and we stopped at Birchanger Services for lunch before tackling the M25 and Dartford Crossing. Still very busy we cleared that okay only to run into a stopped queue on the M20, nothing the other way either. Our new posh satnav said a delay of 4 and a half minutes and unexpectedly the traffic started again almost on time; absolutely no idea of what the problem was!

We had intended on stopping at Tesco near Ashford to refuel and pick up a few items of shopping we were short of but the vagaries of the traffic made us reluctant to delay so we carried on to the Eurotunnel Terminal where we were allocated our booked train although the place was very quiet. Got some cash ready for Morocco and a new map book and they were calling our train, somewhat early, so we headed in and were put on an earlier departure which itself was all but empty!

Raining in France, we headed to Citie Europe and the motorhome parking, which was as far as we had planned to go tonight. A late meal then again an earlyish night, going to sleep to the sound of rain drumming on the roof – surprisingly soporific!

Thursday was clear and just drying out but we did encounter showers later. A somewhat messy start although we had little to actually do (not yet in the swing of things!) except refuel which we did along the way at Auchan near Boulogne-sur-Mer. Rather glad we did wait as it was quite a bit cheaper than the UK.

Deciding on our usual route south, D roads to Abbeville the motorway to Rouen, we reflected that using the D roads was a bit of a waste as with all the stopping & starting it would probably be cheaper to pay the tolls – it would certainly be faster now that there is a blanket 80 kph speed limit on single carriageway roads.

A stop just short of Rouen for lunch the successfully routed our way through on busy roads, taking our regular route. Although we had maps and netbook at the ready we know this way well enough to realise that we weren't going to get very far today so when we reached Pont de L'Arche we decided to pack it in and head onto the (free at this time of year) aire. It was a little earlier than we usually stop but we could see there was plenty of room and anyway Terry had had enough driving for today.

Still not very warm and the forecast, although dry, indicates it's not going to warm up until at least Sunday. So we'll make an effort into pushing on a bit.

We'll post maps and pictures when we have them.


WE STAYED AT

Pont de L'Arche aire de camping cars. £5 April to September, free other times. WC, waste water disposal, fresh water (pay) was turned off for winter. Riverside but central to town centre, bars, restaurants, boulangerie etc. also vet .

Stage 1 – Home & Navenby

You sometimes wonder if the effort is worth it! We seemed to spend forever just loading the van then on Monday there seemed still to be so much more to do – and we still missed a couple of things, not important but frustrating.

Nevertheless we did finally get away around 12.30 after topping up the gas bottles onto a surprisingly quiet A1; we thought it woukd have been much busier. So a good run with a short lunch stop at Wetherby and got to Mum's at Navenby about 4.30.

As she is not so well we had no intention of seeing the year in – but despite giving him a so-called sedative tablet Jamie went nuts when all the fireworks let off at midnight and it was probably 1.00 before he settled; ah well no matter, we weren't getting up early!

So Happy New Year everybody!

A quiet day, opening prezzies, doing a bit of DIY for Mum then just relaxing. Nothing worth watching on the TV so another earlyish night, this time undisturbed. We are in no rush to get away in the morning as our Channel Tunnel booking isn't until 18.20.