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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 06/2/2011

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An electric coolbox is little use in temps mid 20s & above. Some campsites do hire out fridges. I'd take a better cooker, 2 burner with gas bottle. A small Calor bottle will last your holiday or a Campingaz 907. You need table & chairs as well.

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I am hoping to go to France this year with very little campng gear as we're flying in. anyway I'm planning to do what my Mum used to do to keep the milk cool. Just put it in a pan full of water covered with a wet tea towel in the shade. Keep moving it around the outside of the tent as the sun moves around the sky so it's always in shade, or you could put it in the shade of your car. I'm also going to bring a soft cool bag but that's probably going to be used for food storage rather than actually keeping food cool. We'll buy food daily as we need to so the only thing I need kept cool is milk for coffee. 

A table and chair aren't necessary although if you have the packing space by all means take them. I'll be bringing a picnic blanket instead.

If you are planning August I would think you should definitely book. You didn't say how you are getting there. Longer ferry route to Santander or Bilbao or driving through France? Make a big difference as you could lose up to 2 days each way driving.

You can get cooboxes which will cool to 30C below ambient temperature (Waeco do them) but they are expensive and bulky (noisy at night too as they have a fan). We had one and have now got a dometic fridge which is totally silent and makes ice cubes at 32C but again bulky. A much cheaper alternative would be a folding insulated cool bag and preferably 4 freezer blocks. Most campsites will freeze the blocks for you (normally free of charge) and you can have 2 in the coolbag and change them each day for the ones which have been freezing overnight.

If you only have a small tent you may want to consider a tarp to provide shade. Obelink (a dutch company) are doing a Hypercamp tarp which is 3.75 mtr x 3.75 mtr for 47 Euros plus p+p which includes 2 poles. Look at the tent-tents.com website and check out the forum titled "Hypercamp Superior" under the "tent talk advice ..." section where Rochford6 has kindly posted photos of his tarp in different erected modes. You may need 2 extra king poles to get his arrangements but they are about £7 each for the adjustable ones. with children you may find the tarp a godsend.

Could think of lots of other things but you can load yourselves down too much. Enjoy is the main thing.

Quote: Originally posted by weetabixface on 12/2/2011

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.............. The cable car at Funete De is a good day out - expect to queue both up and down. .......................

If you're into wildlife, walk down - about 12 km to a village just below Fuente De (get a cheap taxi back up to the car park to avoid walking along the road!) - great show of 'alpine' flowers, birds of prey and other animals.