Home

   Log in or Register



Insurance Quotes
forums Campsite Search Comp Directory tips virtual brochure Profile
Tent and Awning Reviews Competitions Caravans and Motorhomes For Sale Shopping Diary Advent Calendar

Advertisement

Message Forums

Welcome Guest Register Login Search The Forum Posts Since Last Visit
 Reception - All Forums
  Caravanning and Camping Abroad
Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email  Printer Friendly Version Print
Subject Topic: March/April 2016 Post Reply Post New Topic
07/11/2015 at 12:06pm
 Location: Derby
 Outfit: Swift Corniche
View lveetee's Profile View Profile   Reply to lveetee Reply   Quote lveetee Quote  
Joined: 14/5/2011

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   21

Site Reviews Total: 0
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Hi

I'm thinking of taking the caravan on a crossing to Bilbao in March and leaving it there for the season.   Has anyone any experience of doing this? How did it go? Are the sites any good up that end of Spain?

Or, I'm potentially thinking of going to Bilba and then driving over to Costa Brava to drop it off - how difficult is it to tow from Bilbao to Costa Brava, or is it easier to just drive down from Calais? I'm thinking of mountains in the way in Spain! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Lindsey


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


07/11/2015 at 12:11pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
View Opensauce's Profile View Profile   Reply to Opensauce Reply   Quote Opensauce Quote  
Joined: 25/1/2010

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   4530

Site Reviews Total: 13
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

If you want to tow from Bilbao to Costa Brava you can do it all by motorway, either through Spain or France avoiding mountains. Either way it's over 400miles. From Calais its about 750-800miles all motorway.


07/11/2015 at 12:22pm
 Location: Derby
 Outfit: Swift Corniche
View lveetee's Profile View Profile   Reply to lveetee Reply   Quote lveetee Quote  
Joined: 14/5/2011

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   21

Site Reviews Total: 0
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Thank you.   The prices for Bilbao seem pretty reasonable at the moment. A fear of flying but a love of sunshine isn't a great combination!


07/11/2015 at 10:58pm
 Location: essex
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 570
View richardandjo2010's Profile View Profile   Reply to richardandjo2010 Reply   Quote richardandjo2010 Quote  
Joined: 21/8/2014

Platinum Member
Platinum Member

Forum Posts:   752

Site Reviews Total: 6
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 2  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 2

with so many beautiful places here why would you want to go there for a whole season


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


08/11/2015 at 8:07am
 Location: West - North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
View Val A's Profile View Profile   Reply to Val A Reply   Quote Val A Quote  
Joined: 19/10/2004

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   18741

Site Reviews Total: 30
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 4
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

When you've already 'done' all the beautiful places here then you may expand your horizons. Often those who are doing a 'season' are retired people who have plenty of time to do whatever they like and can afford, and if this includes a season in Spain then why not.

There are several reasons for going to Europe for longer periods - living is cheaper, the weather is better, and you get a change of culture.

If it's sunshine she's looking for, and has a whole season to do it, then I would drive down from Calais, spending some time driving through the lovely parts of France en-route, stopping wherever the sunshine is. The north-western part of Spain is known as the Costa Verde (Green Coast) and that's because it has a lot more rain than many other parts of Spain.


Advertisement



08/11/2015 at 9:11am
 Location: Arboleas Almera Spain
 Outfit: Mazda6 and Dethleffs
View Spanish5's Profile View Profile   Reply to Spanish5 Reply   Quote Spanish5 Quote  
Joined: 28/7/2013

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   59

Site Reviews Total: 0
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Iveetee, the drive from either Bilbao or Santander across to the Costa Brava is straightforward. It's motorway / dual carriageway all the way with very few mountains to cross. I live in southern Spain and have towed a caravan all the way up to Calais. It's a long way, you have to get over the Pyranees and have only done it once - that was enough!
I have also driven, without the caravan, up to Calais on numerous ocassions, but now I find it's less hastle and just as cheap to use the Brittany Ferry to either Santander or Bilbao. I have recently joined their travel club in order to get discounted rates. I can recoup the cost of membership quite easily as I use the ferry two or three times a year and offers my friends and family a 10% discount.
Incidentally, the toll fees on the Spanish side will be less than 10 euros, compared to over 130 euros on the French side. These prices are based on a car with no caravan. Hope this information helps you make a decision.


08/11/2015 at 10:03am
 Location: Cambs
 Outfit: Nowt.
View exessexmum's Profile View Profile   Reply to exessexmum Reply   Quote exessexmum Quote  
Joined: 14/12/2005

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   2974

Site Reviews Total: 10
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

How many times do you think you will get over there iveetee? Or are you planning on staying all Summer? I suppose it will come down to whether the site fees for leaving it there are cheaper than the cost of taking it for X number of trips.

If it were me and I was planning on spending the whole summer there, I'd be driving down from Calais, taking my time, as there is so much to see en route, and save the ferry money!

If it's a pitch you want and you will then travel back and forth as work allows, then I guess I'd prefer somewhere a little closer than hauling my backside down to Spain for the odd week here and there. But then we love France!

Good luck.



-------------
Amanda


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


08/11/2015 at 10:32am
 Location: West - North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
View Val A's Profile View Profile   Reply to Val A Reply   Quote Val A Quote  
Joined: 19/10/2004

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   18741

Site Reviews Total: 30
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 4
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Quote: Originally posted by exessexmum on 08/11/2015
How many times do you think you will get over there iveetee? Or are you planning on staying all Summer? I suppose it will come down to whether the site fees for leaving it there are cheaper than the cost of taking it for X number of trips.

If it were me and I was planning on spending the whole summer there, I'd be driving down from Calais, taking my time, as there is so much to see en route, and save the ferry money!

If it's a pitch you want and you will then travel back and forth as work allows, then I guess I'd prefer somewhere a little closer than hauling my backside down to Spain for the odd week here and there. But then we love France!

Good luck.





I'd agree with all that - I was going to post something similar, but with the addition that if you're retired and have all the time in the world then why not travel down through France. If you're not retired and can only spend limited times in Spain then it may be cheaper and easier to hire an apartment for the times when you're there, and fly out rather than haul the caravan all the way down there, and then pay site or storage fees for the whole season.

The Bilbao ferry isn't a cheap option - I got a quick quote earlier which came in at nearly £800 return. Driving through France using non-toll roads, and finding sunshine en-route would probably be cheaper, and you never know you may find the sunshine much further north and decide not to bother going all the way to Spain!




In order to post a reply you will need to register, or if already registered please log in here

Prev       Next
Quick Links - All Forums - Caravanning and Camping Abroad - Top of Page

Printer Friendly Version Printable version      Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email


Latest News, Discounts and Competitions  see all...














7336 Visitors online !

Free UKCampsite.co.uk Window Sticker  -  Recommend to Friend  -  Add a Missing Campsite

[Message Forums]  [Caravan Sites & Camping]  [Company Listings]  [Features / Advice]  [Virtual Brochure]  [Shop!]
[Reception]  [Competitions]  [Caravans & Motorhomes For Sale]  [Event Diary]  [Contact Us]  [Tent Reviews



Please note we are not responsible for the content of external sites & any reviews represent the author's personal view only. Please report any error here. You may view our privacy and cookie policy and terms and conditions here. All copyrights & other intellectual property rights in the design and content of this web site are reserved to the UKCampsite.co.uk © 1999 - 2024


Advertisement


Advertisement


UKCampsite.co.uk
2024 Advent Calendar


Advent Calendar

24 Daily Prizes PLUS a Christmas Day Star Prize worth £999

Request a Reminder