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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264   
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will be speaking to misses caterham tonight but would appear we're now looking at the following but not sure if I'm trying to do too much bearing in mind we're not looking to do a driving holiday but more a holiday if that makes sense?
so got a price for a ferry to bilbao following above recommendations to get ferry to spain and drive the return leg. so 4 nights in Potes then moving on to Zaragoza, Orleans (France), Calais, after leaving Potes we have 9 nights - is this all a little too much? was wondering about doing a rough camp in Bardenas Reales (what do you think?) before heading towards the Pyrenees and some more B&B's / or camping. anymore suggestions / recommendations / roads in the Bardenas Reales would be gratefully received.  |
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1st Jun 2015 6:55pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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Looking to head from Tudeley, Spain to Pau, France along NA137 via Gorge de Kakyetta.
Does anyone recommend a different route? And any thoughts on free camping along this area? |
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7th Jun 2015 11:51am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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Marc,
Thank you ever so much for your comments / suggestions but I fear the locations are too far east for this trip  but thanks for talk the time to post all the same. |
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7th Jun 2015 1:04pm |
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| sharkey964 Member Since: 05 Oct 2014 Location: On a muddy track Posts: 570  
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Hi Caterham,
No problem, More over to the West then?you have the A138 (Spain)D173 (France).then the route towards Lourdes over the Col d Touralet,a famous Tour de France climb,being used this year,I believe. Some nice coastal options could be Arcachon,Bordeaux is a very nice city. A lovely little place just to the south of Royan,Meschers sur Gironde,further North,La Rochelle & Les Sables D'Olonne are very nice. Marc |
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7th Jun 2015 1:18pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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Thanks again Marc.
When I get back I will have a look at your suggestions on the map |
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7th Jun 2015 2:26pm |
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| pumaxs Member Since: 18 Jul 2012 Location: Bath Posts: 180  
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Sharkey964:
It's a shame to hear that the Bardenas Reales are a disappointment, as the photos always look spectacular. We're driving down to stay with family in Limoux in a couple of weeks time, and I have a licence to go camping + fly fishing in the mountains whilst there, so might try your smugglers route if not too far away. Will be saving space in 110 to stock up on Blanquette de Limoux & Cremant de Limoux!!  '57 Defender 110 XS Station Wagon 2.4tdci |
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13th Jun 2015 9:34am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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so ferries and first 4 nights booked in the Picos de Europa.
ferry lands at Bilbao about lunch time so I'm thinking if we could find a nice quiet beach along the coast to the Picos for a bbq etc absolute idea would be quiet beach we could drive onto ? any recommendations for day trips in / around the picos would be great and again any suggestions for heading back to Calais along the mid / west coasts would be much appreciated. |
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29th Jul 2015 8:51am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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Wow, Spain was amazing!
Great scenery, lovely people and very well priced. Landed about 14:30hrs at Bilbao. Headed for Santander and then a little further south along the for a brief picnic after dropping into a petrol station. Grabbed some bread and beer (six pack only 3.50 euro ) - had to try and fill the fridge.
To give you an example of how friendly the people are someone who over heard me asking for directions at the petrol directed me to follow them and they guided us to the right motorway - brill. Then in land to Potes. Roads, mountains and scenery to die for! Eventually found the hotel after going straight past it and up a wee little track up past a couple of almost derelict houses with barely an inch to spate either side and then the end of the track - lo range engaged to try and perform a U turn on a steep uneven patch. So 4 nights just down the road from Potes in a fantastic little hotel. Left 04:30hrs and headed up mountains for what seems like 2hrs doing between 15-30mph. After some 14hrs driving we arrived at our second / last hotel in Sos del Rey, Catolico. Fortified village just south of mid Pyrenees, another wonderful location. If that wasn't enough of a drive we left a very comfortable 4 star hotel at 4:30hrs (again) blearry eyed for another mamouth drive over the Pyrenees into Lordes and onto Le Chatre north east of Limoges (all avoiding the tolls and motorways. 2 nights at a campsite and we sent off at approx 20:30hrs for a drive through the night to Abbeville before our last legs the following day to Calais and finally Birmingham. Filled at one petrol station and as I came to a stop at the fuel pump - bing - the low fuel light came on after 425 miles - which I guess isn't too bad considering the full length rack, 4 persons and a full boot.  Click image to enlarge |
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23rd Aug 2015 9:10am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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so impressed with Spain we're heading back this year but looking to do a little less driving.
(and probably for 10 nights) we're looking to aim for Potes (Picos d Europa) for the first few nights, then a half day drive to somewhere else ? then back to Potes for a few more night before heading back to Bilbao? any suggestions for (?) would be much appreciate, also would be keen to find the odd off road track near by that we could have a little adventure up? furthermore I believe you can drive up d'fuente where the cable car goes. any suggestions on how easy this might or might not be? don't want to be causing any damage and secondly don't want to be falling off the mountain side (guess this goes hand in hand with not causing any damage  )
ps. I'll try to take some more / better photos this time too. |
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24th Feb 2016 10:48am |
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| sharkey964 Member Since: 05 Oct 2014 Location: On a muddy track Posts: 570
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If you decide you want to visit the Picos ,head for Le Hermida,then on to Potes.This route will take you up through an absolutely stunning gorge(tarmac).The best campsite,IMO in Potes is http://www.campingla...ctividades.html
Not he cheapest but spotlesly clean with a good resteraunt & little shop that sells all the esentials & maps of the Picos. The official jeep track goes from Espinama to Sotres,but a better route we found starts at Mogrovejo but comes out on the same track from Espinama,it's a bit more technical.None is so tough as to break your truck,I'm sure you'll love it. It is illegal to drive the track which goes to the cable car,(though we did)600€ fine if you get caught. The king of Spain owns a big house way up there,which is stunning?I'm told he has never visited it! 
Marc |
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24th Feb 2016 6:36pm |
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| sharkey964 Member Since: 05 Oct 2014 Location: On a muddy track Posts: 570
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This is part of the track from the cable car to Sotres.
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24th Feb 2016 6:45pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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thanks very much for that. I'll look into those suggestions - thank you.
the track doesn't look too bad at all.....at least from the short clip......but it did appear a little out of focus so perhaps its suicidal? |
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24th Feb 2016 7:23pm |
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| sharkey964 Member Since: 05 Oct 2014 Location: On a muddy track Posts: 570
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As you know,videos always flatten out the severity of gradients.
That particular ridge is probably a mile or so long with drop off's to either side of around 200m,but you never feel like your going to fall off. Marc |
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24th Feb 2016 7:28pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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Just the odd 200M !
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24th Feb 2016 8:45pm |
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