# Part 1- Over 3000 miles to find the best site



## Moonlight (Aug 12, 2006)

Leaving home we were still unsure whether we where heading for Italy or Spain & Portugal. A motorway closure on our way to Dover meant that we missed the ferry and where now crossing a little later than planned. It was light when we left home and it was light when we finally arrived in Calais.

Now on French soil, we choose South to Spain and Portugal

Sunday is a good day for travelling as there are no lorries on the road.
Obviously after a while sleep was becoming a neccessity and we pulled off the A10 at Blois and headed for a small farm site called Ferme Du Purnay. Lovely little site but alas No Room.

So turning out of the village we noticed another sign for camping and found Parc Du Val De Loire. Excellent site, highly recommeded for an over night stay. A dip in the pool, a meal and a good nights sleep and we were back on the road heading towards the Aire at Mimizan Plage.

We arrived at the Aire late that afternoon. It was rammed full to the rafters, even the barriers on the adjoining car park had been opened. we managed a space right at the bottom furthest away from the dunes and paid €10.20 for the night.

No free Internet here though, the locals had all locked off. 
Lovely beach over the adjoining sand dunes. But the waves in the sea literally knocked you off your feet.

If you want to get from A to B quickly then the French motorways are great, but up to yet we'd paid €124.75 in Tolls. So aiming for the Costa Del Sol we headed towards Madrid. What we found but appreciated, was the fact that since leaving France we'd now turned into a Class 1 vehicle and not a Class 2 on Toll Roads.

ACSI Eurocampings book directed us to Camping Riaza. 
Only 9km from the ski resort of The Pinilla and a few miles north of Madrid. An absolutely beautiful campsite, very peaceful. This is a new campsite so the facilities are very modern and immaculate. (Lots of marble). Although some of the site is still in the process of being finished it still comes highly recommended again for an overnight stay.

The next morning towards Madrid the horizon looked hazy. No it was officially smog. 
But Madrid's horrendous Motorway system was a piece of cake thanks to a fantastic piece of kit and defiantly our best buy up to yet for the Motorhome - SatNav.

Many sightseers would prefer to make the drive from Madrid to Costa Del Sol in 2 days, we just wanted to get there. And were planning a minimum four day stop relaxing by the beach.

Andalusia has the largest population in Spain and it seemt as though they'd all desended on Don Cactus camp site. Rows of shabby old filthy touring caravans welcomed you (some held together with duck tape) after you'd pull though the security barriers. 
The site is located south of Granada and near Motril with direct access to an awful pebble beach and grey sand. A rocky shelf makes access into the sea difficult, slippery and dangerous. Our recommendation is - Don't bother wasting your fuel on this one. Hence to say the four days relaxing by the beach didn't happened.

Right Marbella here we come. The jewel of Spain's Costa del Sol. Many of the rich and famous have made Marbella their home - what could go wrong??

Part 2: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-287246.html#287246
Part 3: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-287247.html#287247
Part 4: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=31702

If this link works :roll: I've added some photos
Moonlights Photos


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I've bumped this so people can start at part 1 Why don't you turn it into a blog then it wont get buried,


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Frank

I've put links in each Part to the other 3 so only Part 1 needs bumping.
BUMP


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Moonlight said:


> ACSI Eurocampings book directed us to Riaza.
> Camp site Pico de la Miel. Only 9km from the ski resort of The Pinilla and a few miles north of Madrid. An absolutely beautiful campsite, very peaceful.


We stopped over on the way home in March at Riaza, and had a magic evening with the two guys behind the bar - extremely funny, and a great end to the holiday. Fabulous site as you say, but no large pitches for RVs (the owner put us on the roadway near the facilities block, which was fine in the quiet season).

Not sure why you've mentioned Pico de la Miel? That's further south, and is ok for a quick overnight if your van isn't too big. Basic facilties, but well positioned en route south.

Dougie.


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## Moonlight (Aug 12, 2006)

*Camp site Pico de la Miel*

You're right. Camp site Pico de la Miel is the site we were orginally heading for.

But we found Camping Riaza first and glad we did too.


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