# Winter Sun in Spain. Travel time query.



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

We are hoping to winter in the Almeria region of Spain. 

Would be helpful to know a rough journey time to get there. 

Chris is a foot down and get there kind of bloke. I like to enjoy the trip. I guess somewhere in between would be good. 

We have done the trip in the moho where we could use aires and car parks to stay overnight but this time we will be in the Fifth Wheeler eeek! I am planning on using the C&CC services to book the tunnel and some en route campsites but I know they will ask me to give them travel times etc. If we travel for 4-5 hours per day, say, how long will it take us roughly? Would a Eurotunnel date of 29th Dec tie in with an arrival date near Mojocar of 2nd Jan work for instance?


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

https://www.google.es/maps/dir/Euro...011!2d37.1220313!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1546077600!3e0

Suggests around 20 hours or so, which at 5 hours a day would mean 4 days. But there's quite a few variables involved: arrival time in France, weather, whether you'll use motorways and toll roads and so on.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Thank you wug! That is roughly what we thought. Just waiting for the C&CC club to ring ring back with news on the site booking. Fingers firmly crossed.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Just a thought, have you got a Clean Air Certificate for France? They only cost a few quid. Details here: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law-change-for-uk-drivers-in-french-cities/

Apply here, the official site: https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

We applied for one as we'll be coming back via France this time. Just took a few days to be delivered.

Graham


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I'm comfortable driving 200 to 250 miles a day and don't really want to do more unless there's a good reason to do so. I'd say five to six days.

While travelling, RV and car on trailer, we generally just stay on motorway services. I know about all the scare stories and can only say that we haven't had any problems. Parking amongst the lorries is best avoided though as they come and go all night and can be a nuisance. We can often find an end space in a car or lorry park where we can have at least one slide out extended and often both sides.

There are aires you will fit into but if we intend using an aire we don't know I always check on google earth to see if there are spaces long enough for us and what the access is like. There often are big enough spaces along the edges but we need to be there fairly early to get one so I plan to arrive wherever at around 3.30 to 4pm. Ours is 16m long.

Many of the motorway service areas have disposal points which suit us well. I carry a 3ft x 3 inch hose for that.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

wug said:


> Just a thought, have you got a Clean Air Certificate for France? They only cost a few quid. Details here: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law-change-for-uk-drivers-in-french-cities/
> 
> Apply here, the official site: https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/
> 
> ...


Thanks Graham

Our tow vehicle is a 2015 so is likely to be compliant. Though it does depend on the month in 2015 that it was registered.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

erneboy said:


> I'm comfortable driving 200 to 250 miles a day and don't really want to do more unless there's a good reason to do so. I'd say five to six days.
> 
> While travelling, RV and car on trailer, we generally just stay on motorway services. I know about all the scare stories and can only say that we haven't had any problems. Parking amongst the lorries is best avoided though as they come and go all night and can be a nuisance. We can often find an end space in a car or lorry park where we can have at least one slide out extended and often both sides.
> 
> ...


We have, also, stayed on services and it would not bother us to do so if necessary. I am, however a very light sleeper and we have a dog with us. Not sure that we would get much sleep if there was any noise. I think we are going to stay on camp sites for this, initial, trip and see what we think next year.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Let us know how it goes with camp sites please Pat. I agree to some extent about motorway services. It doesn't bother our two dogs, but it can be bothersome for us. This morning we had some happy campers in a converted panel van beside us. They started slamming doors at 6am. God knows why but they must have slammed the doors at least 20 times by 6.45 when they left. 

Pet hate, being beside PVC users who are early risers.

Edit: Naturally the gaps between the slams mentioned above were just enough to let me get back dozing in between and bring me back to wide awake.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I think 4 days is doable even with a 5'er using motorways. If it was me I would build in at least another day or two to allow for delays and a rest up if you wanted one.
peedee


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

erneboy said:


> Let us know how it goes with camp sites please Pat. I agree to some extent about motorway services. It doesn't bother our two dogs, but it can be bothersome for us. This morning we had some happy campers in a converted panel van beside us. They started slamming doors at 6am. God knows why but they must have slammed the doors at least 20 times by 6.45 when they left.
> 
> Pet hate, being beside PVC users who are early risers.
> 
> Edit: Naturally the gaps between the slams mentioned above were just enough to let me get back dozing in between and bring me back to wide awake.


Our pet hate is those that park as close as they can. We had a Scandinavian couple come and park as close as they possibly could (we could have shaken hands through the windows) on a largely empty car park and told us that "it is good to park nearby, yes?"!


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

peedee said:


> I think 4 days is doable even with a 5'er using motorways. If it was me I would build in at least another day or two to allow for delays and a rest up if you wanted one.
> peedee


Yes, I think you are right. Chris does all the driving and he is not as fit as he was. Even if it means we are late arriving for a booked pitch it is better to take our time. Of course we have to factor in things like shopping for supplies etc. The fiver does have a freezer but I am sure there will be something we need!


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

patp said:


> The fiver does have a freezer but I am sure there will be something we need!


Wine?

Yes, it always amazes me (and annoys us) that you can be the only van parked up and someone comes in right beside you.

Re PVC noise - guilty as charged - I'm afraid F gets up at 6:30 to take the dog out but we try to close the door quietly, just enough to catch. At least she doesn't bark when she gets out - the dog that is. Graham


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

It does have a wine rack, too, which will be well stocked I am sure 

It is going to be "interesting" to see how our Working Cocker copes with being confined to the car and van for long periods. She will be nine months old by then. She is a good traveler in the car but not done much in the tow vehicle (VW Amorok). Will have to do some trial runs with her in it before we go. May have to factor in a longer stop over, somewhere, so that she can burn off some energy!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

wug said:


> Wine?
> 
> Yes, it always amazes me (and annoys us) that you can be the only van parked up and someone comes in right beside you.
> 
> Re PVC noise - guilty as charged - I'm afraid F gets up at 6:30 to take the dog out but we try to close the door quietly, just enough to catch. At least she doesn't bark when she gets out - the dog that is. Graham


I'd consider anyone who tries to do it gently to be very considerate and thus not guilty at all Graham.

I know what you mean about others parking on top of you when there's loads of space, very annoying.


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

Being considerate is the key thing here.......................let's all promise to have more of it in future and be aware of the affect we have on others, or is it effect ?

Leaving at 6.30..................put something in the garage and slam the door............20 seconds later put something in the garage and slam the door..............shout to 

partner about something...............slam the door again.................and don't get me started on sliding doors.

If this is how you leave a site...............please think again


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## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

The other ones we hate are those that start their engines 15 minutes before they leave, as a Brit at Cite Europe did at 5.30am last week!


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## bc109 (Sep 17, 2016)

We traveled home through France last January.
We didn't find any sites open, and found supermarket car parks were the best places to park overnight.

Bill


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Thanks Bill. We have had similar experiences in the past. This time we are in a Fifth Wheel so we are booking sites in advance. C&CC club have a list of sites en route that are open.


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## joeautosleeper (Nov 20, 2018)

wug said:


> Just a thought, have you got a Clean Air Certificate for France? They only cost a few quid. Details here: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law-change-for-uk-drivers-in-french-cities/
> 
> Apply here, the official site: https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/
> 
> ...


Is this necessary to have one of these. We are planning our first trip in January to Spain and are trying to get on top of all the requirements as well as plan our route. Thanks.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Are these just necessary for cities? We never go any where near cities.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

@joeautosleeper: If you are travelling through France I think you would be well advised to have one. It's not mandatory, except in certain areas, but if you drive through a zone where there is an enforcement you could be fined. Since it costs only a few euros I would say just get one to be certain of avoiding any problems.

There's also a free App which I've just downloaded and it gives you warnings about where there are enforcements in operation.

https://www.green-zones.eu/en/green-zones-app/info-the-green-zones-app.html

@patp We never go near cities either, but suppose you have to for some reason, like illness, accident, road closure....cheap wine. For around €5 it's peace of mind. The only hassle is scanning your V5 and attaching it to the application online. Graham

(use the link I gave in a previous post or you'll pay around €30)


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Well, I have fallen at the first hurdle if I have to attach.................... 

Oh, wait a minute, I can do this! I know how to scan and, as long as it is not on here, I know how to attach if the option is offered. I will give it a go!


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

patp said:


> It does have a wine rack, too, which will be well stocked I am sure
> 
> It is going to be "interesting" to see how our Working Cocker copes with being confined to the car and van for long periods. She will be nine months old by then. She is a good traveler in the car but not done much in the tow vehicle (VW Amorok). Will have to do some trial runs with her in it before we go. May have to factor in a longer stop over, somewhere, so that she can burn off some energy!


Did a trial run to the doctor's surgery in the next village. TWO emergency stops where, despite her harness, she shot off the back seat! Not a good introduction  I am now researching those hammock type things for the back seat.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

wug said:


> @joeautosleeper: If you are travelling through France I think you would be well advised to have one. It's not mandatory, except in certain areas, but if you drive through a zone where there is an enforcement you could be fined. Since it costs only a few euros I would say just get one to be certain of avoiding any problems.
> 
> There's also a free App which I've just downloaded and it gives you warnings about where there are enforcements in operation.
> 
> ...


Having scanned the Registration Document and tried to attach it to the application (which refused to let me fill it in for umpteen attempts) it now wants me to re size the document! I have no idea how to do this. Totally fed up with flippin websites lately :crying:

I cannot gain access to the Camping Car Park one, to buy one of their cards, either!


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Re Scanning. Try scanning again, but change the setting for scanning quality in your Scanner Settings. You want a lowish dpi number (maybe around 100) and save as a pdf. It has to be less than 400kb so you may have to experiment a couple of times to get it right. Graham


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Camping Car Park. Create an Account and select the PASS'ETAPE's option. You can also join at the site by the payment terminal using your credit card. Here's the Create Account page: https://campingcarpark.com/en/my-account/ 
Graham


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Thanks Graham. My computer skills will not allow me to do any more than just scan I am afraid. It took me a good 20 minutes to remember how to do that!

With the Camping Car Park. I have made an account but every single time I click on "buy a card" I get no where. Having said that, on one occasion it said that I had a card in my basket and so could not add another! Can I find my basket to pay for it? No!

These are not the only technology problems lately  Trying to connect a Huawei dongle to my ipad using a PAYG 3 sim card has defeated me too  Going to my daughter's tomorrow, unless I divert to a Home for the Bewildered, and hope that she or her husband can sort it out. Even though it was bought for the ipad it needs to be put in a phone in order for us to get the password from 3 by text. My Doro phone is not 3G so it will not work! Aaaargh. My daughter has an unlocked phone that might do the trick. She might be able to solve the other problems too.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Good luck tomorrow. I sympathise. Just got a new phone and even things I could do on it 5 minutes ago now seem impossible. We'll get there.


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