# Spainish Aires



## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Hi All

We are looking at going to the Continent for the 2nd time next month (Feb) for about 5 weeks. Our first trip was last April/May which we thoroughly enjoyed. We stayed in frnech Aires for 14 days around Normandy and Picardy and had the time of our lives.

On this occasion we want to travel to the Spanish mainland, Salou, Alicante, Callella etc and hope to do some metal detecting on the beaches down there. This is our other hobby.

In the Camping Cars book it lists quite a few Aires in Spain but despite doing a search on here we've never found any posts about anyone using them.

Does anyone use the Spanish Aires or does everyone wildcamp on the beaches or use the camp sites?


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## dusty (May 27, 2005)

*Spanish Aires*

Hi Brimo,
Ive just come back from 2 months in France,Spain & Portugal and like you enjoyed using the French Aires on the way down. I didn't see any Spanish or Portuguese Aires while I was away but then I didnt look too hard. I believe that it is illegal to wild camp in either country although I understand that there are a few places where the police only clear you off every so often. The only wild camping I saw in Spain was at a place south of Cartagena called Puerta de Mazarron.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

If you are sensible about it you will have no problem wild camping in Spain. We do it most weekends. Beach camping is another matter. Police do tend to move you on, generally about 2am. Polite but firm! but, I just had a few days with nukeadmin (Dave) and I believe he did a bit of wildcamping on a beach before we met up.


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Hi Detourer

Thanks for your info. We hope to be able to park up near some of the beaches and am led to believe that there are spots close to beaches or on the promenades in certain places where quite a few Brits congregate.

We were told that we can wild camp at Percheles Beach and Canada beach. One of them sounded mouth-watering from our metal detecting point of view as it was described as "almost like a lake". Such a place would be full of tourists in the summer hence our interest in metal detecting such places in the winter. 8) 

Do you feel we would be OK in such places?

Thanks in advance. BTW, anyone else heading down that way about 20-odd of Feb?


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Hi brimo

Not sure of those places you named.

If its along the Costa del Sol and/or inland you are heading for PM me for a meet etc.


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Hey thanks for that, we certainly hope we can meet up with you.

What we will be looking for with regard to doing a bit of metal detecting, which we do in the water up to chest height, is beaches that are fairly shallow for quite a way out, have a fairly sandy bottom (not rocky) and are popular in the summer. People will loose coinsand jewellery in the water whilst playing and we hope to retrieve some of it to help us pay for the trip. Plus it gives us summat to do during the daytime.

If anyone else knows of any such places drop us a quick Pm or post in this topic. Someone else mentioned Roses beach which is 7km from Roses on the Costa Brava. Does anyone have experience of stopping there?


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

*Spanish Aires*

Aires de servico (Service Area) May be a small industrial estate sprad alongside of the road

La Manga Strip, puerto de Mazzaron, Area south of Garroucha On the beach, Puerto Capobino These are not campsites but places where wild camping is allowed within limits - 3 days only, no gear out at night, no mess left around - In Portugal I have a list somewhere of sites close to the bottom of the outlet from a Baragem (reservoir)
whwer camping is overlooked


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

Hiya,

we stayed at quite a few wild camping spots whilst travelling through Spain, Salou springs to mind as you can park overlooking the beach there, which i assume would be a thriving mass of tourists in peak season. The police did move us on but only after we had been there for 2 days and because it was a national holiday the next day and the car park was needed. They were extrememly polite and just said could we be gone by 10am the next day, this was at 5pm the day before so lots of notice


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Hey thanks for that !! That would be a good one, has anyone else stayed, in the off season, on or near Spanish beaches that would be fairly busy with tourists in the summer?

Thanks for the info all :salute:


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## 88966 (May 11, 2005)

Hi brimo and others,
I have just received an email from some friends who are full-timing. They are currently at Puerto Mazzaron. They said they are finding lots of free camping , such as Torreblanca, Guadamar de Segura, Calpe, etc.

I shall be traveling down towards them starting next week.

Keep clear of Benidorm - there have been break-ins.

They also report that they were able to fill their gas tanks in Murcia.

As far as Portugal is concerned I have found in the past that you can often free camp near the end of Baragems.
Safe traveling,
BillD


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Hey Bill

Thanks for that. Might see you there somewhere. Anyone else have details of Spanish beaches where free camping is allowed?

Thanks for all your input, this is goign to be so valuable to us :lol:


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## 93469 (May 1, 2005)

Reading the above, from recent experience I've noted that you will see "wild" camping south of Garrucha on the natural beach at the south end of Mojacar, and also near or in the pine forest at Guardamar.

Despite both these places have NO CAMPING signs you will find lots of campers there - in Guardamar in fact usually a line of them on a road outside Spanish beachfront holiday homes. 

Why do it? It creates an eyesore, gives MHers a bad name, doubtless winds up the locals and both of these places have good campsites nearby. Just because you may get away with not being moved on doesn't make it appropriate.


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Speaking personally, we think we would use campsites if they were near to where we would want to be based. We are firm believers in bringing some income to the locals whereever we stay, even if it is just to top up with diesel or spend some dosh in the local shops.


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

Does anyone know of Roses Beach not far from the French border? It's supposed to be a lovely spot?


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Brimo

Check out those on my posting They are all on beaches

Avoid the area South West of Sevilla I have heard reports & seen on TV that the area is full of Gypsies camping there & they have trouble with them


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