spain

[stephen t25]

Hi fellow campers, been working all summer getting the van ready for next summer and need some advice, looking to get the ferry next summer from plymouth to santander. me my good lady and my three year old daughter and my twin boys of three months will all be in the van. Im after campsites near good surf and that have facilities for families( more like a holiday park we can camp in ) also the ferry how to get the best deal.


Many thanks stephen

[stephen t25]

Sorry also drive away awning recommendations.. would be gratefully received

[Ian Hulley]

For the awning I'd recommend a Khyam Motordome Classic.

For the campsite try looking on Alan Rogers http://www.alanrogers.com/camping/search They always have nice (but expensive) sites, if I were you I'd try approaching the sites yourself and booking independently.

Ian

[Ralf85]

I wounld not recommend an awning as such. One came with my Type 2 van in 1984. I have only ever used it as a free standing tent. Made of canvas and it is still in excellent nick to this day. Just get a tent that is big enought to take the kids and bags and spare food.

Spain is not like France where you can find any campsite of your choice. Camping is not a national passtime in Spain, so finding what you want is going to be difficult I think. I suggest you buy a Michelin campsite book for Spain to ensure that you find what you want. Good luck.

Patrick

[kevtherev]

I have to agree..
If you're having a touring holiday then an awning would be an incumbency.
However if you're having a two site holiday, it would be advantageous.

we toured through Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, with just a roll out sun awning. Staying a range of one to four nights, it made the whole experience easy and hassle free.
I had to leave my awning behind, so we set about distilling down stuff to the bare essentials, but you know after this, so much more room was created we could put some luxuries back.

Also consider a cab bunk for your daughter, children just love them. and it doubles as a useful shelf in the day.

kev

[Ian Hulley]

If you're having a touring holiday then an awning would be an incumbency. However if you're having a two site holiday, it would be advantageous.

we toured through Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, with just a roll out sun awning. Staying a range of one to four nights, it made the whole experience easy and hassle free.

As you know Kev I agree on the touring The thing is if you're not touring but ferrying direct to and from Spain, and looking to stop on a big campsite/holiday park then an awning can be worthwhile, a bit like Bashtie for us lot. I would be VERY carefull what I left unattended in an awning though and the main reason we had a hightop fitted was so all 4 of us could sleep inside the van in relative security.

Ian

[T'Onion]

Get a pop up tent ... stick it on the bike rack or in the roof .. seconds to put up ,takes up no room , kids (if you have them) can sleep in it , or put your stuff into it and its marks your spot

[stephen t25]

Thanks everyone, especially andisnewsyncro top advice........roll on summer

[terryvanman]

why not join this lot if you can hang out till late summer

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=68637

[R0B]

If your sailing to santander.remember to stock up on seasick pills.that bay of biscay is summat else

[jiffies]

I bought a wreck of a van last Oct & booked the ferry & holiday a week later in Northern Spain for this summer as a target for me to finish the job. Finished pretty much the week before we went, managed a weekend camping locally to test the van the weekend beforehand.We got ferry from Portsmouth to Bilboa. I too surf so every single summer holiday is spent chasing waves, much to the annoyance of my wife. We have two young kids 3 & 1 so needed a "Proper" campsite. Stayed in a little placed called "Noja" with a cracking campsite holiday park literally behind the dunes of a pretty good beach break, & some very good surf spots nearby. One in fact turned out to be a nudist beach so concentrating on my surfing that day was not that easy. The campsite is brilliant for kids, pools play areas, games room etc. We did it through Eurocamp independant, if you go outside of peak times cost is ok, otherwise quite pricey. See link below

http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/index.cfm?fus ... ercode=103

There are a couple of other campsites in Noja nearby but I couldnt find them on the net anywhere before we went & I didnt ust want to turn up with the kids only to be turned away.

Hope that helps.
Cheers
Jiffies

[jed the spread]

We stayed here, if your in that area last summer, http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43.3 ... 2&t=h&z=17 not much surf but a really nice place to kick back and relax for a couple of days. Its on a step terrace over looking the sea and has a nice little local bar to have a drink in of an evening. It was quite cheap and we had an probably the best time of our trip here.

jed