# Sites around Albacete/Archena en-route La Manga?



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Owing to the AT ferries debacle, we are now arriving in Bilbao at 08:00 hrs instead of 16:30 hrs. This means that we will now drive as far as we can towards La Manga on the day of arrival (probably around 400 miles) before stopping over & completing the remaining 120 miles or so the next day.

Can anyone recommend some sites near the A-30 around Albacete? All we need is good access & a quiet pitch. Thanks.

Dougie.


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Not far away and just off the Madrid-Valencia motorway is Kiko Park Rural at Villagordo del Cabriel. Signposted clearly through the village then you drop down a steep hill into a valley. You can see a village at the end of the valley (about 1.5 miles max) - it's actually the campground. Big modern fully serviced easy access gravel pitches (choose the ones towards the top and close to the reception and toilet block), friendly owners good restaurant and bar. Don't know the charges overnight but we paid 175 euros for a month all inclusive.
Only bummer is that the same valley is being ripped up for the equivalent of the Valencia-Madrid TGV so there are lots of construction vehicles but no real problem with noise. The workers all eat at the restaurant - which is a recommendation in itself. We went for a week stayed a month.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Sounds a good site - thanks. The only difficulty though is it's about 40 miles off our route, then the same to get back - it's on the A-3 towards Valencia whereas we're continuning down the A-31 into Murcia.

Dougie.


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*sites*

Hi,last year we returned to Bilbao via Albacete and Madrid.After driving up the coast from Nerja Unfortunately i cannot remember wich junction that we came off the motorway just after the s/p for Murcia,We stopped for a few days at a site a few miles north of Fortuna (los banos de fortuna) there is two sites hear open all year one is "Los Palmeros" clean and tidy run by a guy from Manchester and his spanish wife very friendly. The other site is a few hundred yards down the road and this one has a thermal pool and jacuzzi on site(nominal charge for it's use)great place to relax and unwind especially if you have just driven 400 miles.This place is also clean,tidy and friendly.
cheers,tom and jenny


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: sites*



metblue said:


> Hi,last year we returned to Bilbao via Albacete and Madrid.After driving up the coast from Nerja Unfortunately i cannot remember wich junction that we came off the motorway just after the s/p for Murcia,We stopped for a few days at a site a few miles north of Fortuna (los banos de fortuna) there is two sites hear open all year one is "Los Palmeros" clean and tidy run by a guy from Manchester and his spanish wife very friendly. The other site is a few hundred yards down the road and this one has a thermal pool and jacuzzi on site(nominal charge for it's use)great place to relax and unwind especially if you have just driven 400 miles.This place is also clean,tidy and friendly.cheers,tom and jenny


This rings a bell with me - we stopped off near Fortuna about 3 years ago at a small site run by an English bloke, but we had to drive through a quarry to get to it (!) and access to the plots was difficult. I'd forgotten about it as we wrote it off as not being great, but I'm sure that's where it was, particularly as we drove the car down the road & found a bigger site with a nice restaurant which we had Sunday lunch at. I reckon that's the one with the thermal pool. I'll dig the name out - cheers for that! 

The area around Fortuna is like the moon!

Dougie.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: sites*

Still no luck - the site in question is about 100 miles further south than we need. I don't want to drive more than 400 miles on the first day, & Albacete is 411 miles from the ferry. Any more ideas from anyone for an overnight stop near the A-3 or A-31 in that area?

**EDIT** Just phoned the Tourist office in Albacete - the nearest site is Casa de Ves, about 60km off the Autopista (so 120km detour just to sleep). That's about the same distance off-route as Villagordo del Cabriel. 

Dougie.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dougie just look on Alan Rogers site, no luck the closest he's got is Kiko park.

Olley


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

*Re: sites*



asprn said:


> Still no luck - the site in question is about 100 miles further south than we need. I don't want to drive more than 400 miles on the first day, & Albacete is 411 miles from the ferry. Any more ideas from anyone for an overnight stop near the A-3 or A-31 in that area?
> 
> **EDIT** Just phoned the Tourist office in Albacete - the nearest site is Casa de Ves, about 60km off the Autopista (so 120km detour just to sleep). That's about the same distance off-route as Villagordo del Cabriel.
> 
> Dougie.


Dougie,

Why not use one of the truck stops in the area or as we sometimes do use a hotel car park.

The only site on route will be at La Cabera which is about 60ks north of Madrid.

Don


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: sites*



Don Madge said:


> Why not use one of the truck stops in the area or as we sometimes do use a hotel car park. The only site on route will be at La Cabera which is about 60ks north of Madrid.


Don,

La Cabrera's a good stopover - used it last year - but way too far north. With hotel car parks, do you just tip up? Are they amenable? Is money offered? Or have a meal & that squares it? I've done it in the Highlands in mid-winter (& quaffed far too much fine malt in the process.....).

Dougie.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

*Re: sites*



asprn said:


> Don Madge said:
> 
> 
> > Why not use one of the truck stops in the area or as we sometimes do use a hotel car park. The only site on route will be at La Cabera which is about 60ks north of Madrid.
> ...


Dougie,

Just play it by ear, usually money is not offered/requested. We usually make ourselves known, have a meal or a drink and there's usually no objections to parking overnight.

If it's a service station just fill up and ask to park up, we have never been refused especially at this time of the year.

If it's a really large car/lorry park just pick a spot in the far corner and keep out of everybody's way.

Don


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: sites*



Don Madge said:


> Just play it by ear, usually money is not offered/requested. We usually make ourselves known, have a meal or a drink and there's usually no objections to parking overnight.
> 
> If it's a service station just fill up and ask to park up, we have never been refused especially at this time of the year.
> 
> If it's a really large car/lorry park just pick a spot in the far corner and keep out of everybody's way.


Cheers Don - we'll give it a go then (makes for better memories, one way or the other..... :roll: )

Dougie.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: sites*

Sorry to bump this, but I've had a good look at hotels (and their car parks) around Albacete, but everything appears too small for us. I even phoned two of them who were helpful but who confirmed they wouldn't have room.

I fully take on board what's been suggested re services stations, but as we've not done that before, I'm a little concerned over the safety aspect. Also just turning up in a town & trying to find somewhere after dark with a big rig & trailer isn't the end of the world, but is something I'd rather avoid if possible.

Am I worrying needlessly?

Dougie.


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## billym (Dec 17, 2005)

We are going the other way in a few days and have not found a suitable stopover so are going via Valencia and Teruel. We used to meet loads of people claiming to have been robbed but in the twelve months we have been away we strangely have not met any ! Whether that means the threat is reduced I am not sure. We do not like sleeping other than on sites but sometimes do. I prefer to be away from others, not believing in safety in numbers. I reckon if you are away from others and you here noises then maybe you need to look. 

If we are really stuck and have to sleep where we are not too happy we take turns , 4 hours on etc. If there are two or more of you why not ?

Anyway enjoy the trip. The weather is warming up very nicely at the moment

John Julie Sam Daisy


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