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Topic: winter in spain - rallies?

chops58

14/10/2015 at 2:15pm
Location: Staffordshire
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We are considering wintering in Spain or Portugal. We usually use CL sites in UK, both for the space and cost. We are wondering whether a rally would be for us. We are not anti-social, we meet and speak to lots of other campers and walkers, but I do wonder whether space would be sufficient at a rally. I've read that some of the units are pitched so close together as to be uncomfortable?

Can anyone advise please? (It will be our first trip to Europe with caravan)

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Gramps-R-us

Happiness is not having what you want
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wanting what you have.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Berriow

14/10/2015 at 3:21pm
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I'm afraid I can't help with your query about rallies, but I just wonder whether driving 1200 miles across France and Spain in the middle of winter to join a rally down there is a wise way to undertake a first caravan trip into mainland Europe.

You spoke in your other post about using the tunnel to cross into France but the overland journey from there to southern Spain at that time of year is a cheerless one. There are easier ways to begin for your first venture overseas.

Opensauce

14/10/2015 at 3:41pm
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I recall in Jan 1978 I arrived in Calais in my truck, first ever trip abroad and using the sense I was born with I managed to drive almost non stop(nobody cared about driver's hours then, least of all my boss)to Munich & back again so I'm sure the op will be just fine.

Grandad Kenny

14/10/2015 at 5:22pm
Location: Essex
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Go onto the caravan and camping club website, they have ten rallies, or thereabouts, in different locations throughout Spain over winter. I was on Vilanova last year when the rally started and whilst they were all in the same area of the site they were on their own pitches as I was so no overcrowding as such. I made it all the way there without using toll roads at all, really pleasant drive, doing it again this year but spending nights on sites found in the ACSI books to break the journey and do some visiting of towns/cities I normally go around or through without stopping, enjoy

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Mike+Co

14/10/2015 at 6:43pm
Location: North Lincs
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The Camping and Caravan Club rallies in Spain are on commercial campsites and not rally fields.
We will be on the La Manga rally for 5 months and the pitches are 10m x 8m with a decent hedge between pitches. Some of the sites don't have hedges but should be a decent size.

Dot P

16/10/2015 at 12:30pm
Location: North Wales
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Have never joined a rally but certainly stayed on a few sites where they take place in Spain and Portugal. The pitches are exactly the same as everyone else s - no smaller for sure.

Many people arrive ready for Christmas but as many early January. When we go to portugal we normally go on the Portsmouth - Santander, as do literally hundreds of other caravans and motorhomes. Most people on the rally's seem to stay at one site for a few months at least.

Depends when you are going, France may not be great in terms of weather - however we drive down the West Coast for France over 4 weeks last November and the weather was very pleasant.

For us the rally seems to be about organised events, days out, etc. If you like that, as many hundred do, then its possibly a good introduction to long winter stays.

Mike+Co

16/10/2015 at 4:17pm
Location: North Lincs
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Even if you book on a rally with the Camping Club it's entirely up to you if you join in on any of the dinners or walks or anything else that is organised. Although we will be on the rally for 5 months we will not be joining in many of the organised activities as we will do our own thing or with friends that we have made over the years.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

chops58

18/10/2015 at 10:59am
Location: Staffordshire
Outfit: Ssangyong musso & unicorn barcelona

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Thank you for your replies, we are still researching and have found a few sites we fancy trying. We've also decided to go Portsmouth to Santander on the outward journey at least. Then return via France as the weather will hopefully be better in April. Not decided whether we will join a rally yet.

-------------
Gramps-R-us

Happiness is not having what you want
BUT
wanting what you have.

Suzac

18/10/2015 at 11:37pm
Location: Devon
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Chops- you don't indicate if you have been to Spain or France for that matter before. If not you will find generally in both countries that pitches are less spacious than in this country normally not more than 100 sq metres And are bordered with hedges.It is not unusual for caravans on adjacent pitches to actually be only a couple of metres apart. Having said that most people seem to observe their neighbours privacy and pitch etiquette.

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Mother Nature always wins in the end.

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