Planning for our Spring tour of western Spain is underway . Not yet decided whether to head west along the coast from Santander then swing down through Extremadura or head initially east before heading south (Pamplona area) followed by Aranjuez, Granada etc. i.e. go anticlockwise or clockwise? Depends to a large extent on how the weather looks on arrival - after all, the rain in Spain does not fall mainly on the plain, but on Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia!

We did Spain 3 year ago and loved it. Took a month and used the P&O servce via Plymouth, Travlled the length and breadth and saw all we wanted to, but there's probably still lots more. We didn't use the La Paz site as suggested by Randa. but when we had the T5 campervan prior to our Puck L Eriba we did use it and it's "spectaclier". Did Santiago de compost and not the best weather. Extramadura was emjoyed for the vultures which we set out to see and the site at Caceras is super with your own facility building on each pitch, it's in the ACSI book. Try to get down to El Rocio in the deep SW, for the amazing town, like a western film set but all genuine.
Have a good trip and and tell us about it please.

Oh yeah! It's on the other site. I suppose I could copy it and bung it in here.

Found it and here it is : -

On our 2nd night in the campsite, we were seriously disturbed by a large bunch of Spanish young folk who made a hell of a noise well up to one o'clock. As everyone must sign an agreement about the rules, inc noise restrictions, I got up and confronted them to their eternal mystery no doubt and told them I would report to the office in the morning. At 8am I did so, but by taking the boss to their pitch where five igloo tents occupied one pitch and all was quiet. Until...

Without warning I stepped into the middle and shook all of the tents vigorously. He protested but couldn't stop me as I made sure sleepy heads emerged from all. He then explained the system was that I should have reported to him at the time and he would have gone and shushed them. Did I care? By then all indignant campers on that pitch were awake and I had achieved my goal. I told the guy to cut off my hook-up as we were leaving and did so, thinking possibly they might have ganged up ad moved their cars to fence us in, but no, highly satisfied!

Having left early like 8.30am, we then aimed for Jerez, but changed plans to aim for Chipiona as my latest Michelin road map indicated there was campsite there and we could source some sherry there. Only a couple of Ks from the town we passed on a side road an awful lot of cyclists, Carole saying how pleased we were to be getting ahead of them. Soon the road had cones and marshals, but we were ahead and clean passage, until we reached the r/bout and directed by the cops. Only way is right and we needed left. Pleading was useless as it proved with the unsuspecting locals queued behind us. Campeeng, that way, he said, so we went several K's up a dusty gravel road. I realised we were sold a pup and managed to turn. Parking near the diversion I went to ask a policeman, as you do. This one in perfect English explained it was a triathlon and it would 2/3 hours before we could pass through. We found a bar and enjoyed some beers, atmosphere - never lacking, some tapas and killed time. Finally released we then found there was no campsite but there was in Rota. We got to Rota, saw some signs to one, but failed to find it as the signs disappeared and hated the place, partly for it's lack of directions.

Finally we bee lined for Seville and found in late afternoon, after difficulty lost in Dos Hermanos, an Alan Rogers site there and enjoyed the place, atmosphere and also a flamenco bar in RG - La Carboneria c/Levies 18. This was a free flamenco place and as we were an hour early, only 10pm!! We caught this youth learning flam singing accompanied by an absolutely wonderful young pianist. It was stunning. The crowds were arriving as we had to leave for the last bus, so who knows what we missed, but I think the taxi fare might have been extortionate.

The site in Seville, Villsom it's called, is busy and has quite small pitches, certainly for the larger m/homes and vans. Lovely pool area and helpful staff and on a bus route.

For a day out we drove northwest to Aracena, hopefully to do some walking in the Sierra Morena. It was a grey, bits of showery day, but we went on and it gradually cleared and having acquired maps we set off, only to be thwarted by road works blocking our footpath and a detour, which wasn't marked. We searched some possibilities and drew a blank so toured the castle and town but didn't bother with the caverns, we don't like caverns.

Moving on, we aimed for El Rocio 1597 southwest of Seville in the Cota Donana for 2 nights. Traumatic events ensued. Carole was navigating as per her usual great standard from a person who did not read maps a few years back. I suggested we veer off the motorway and use a minor road much as we had done in various places. The road became a very very long dead straight section with numerous speed bumps. It's like the New Forest I suppose in stature being a National Park, but instead of saying 40mph on signs and the road, the speed bumps suffice. Then the black top ceased and it was hard dusty tracks and then a cross roads with no signs, but dead ahead 'road closed' but the barriers were half down so I decided to use it. Bad news, 500 mtrs and it was closed. We unhitched, moved the car, swivelled the van Eriba Rules, hitched up and went in the directions the one and only road worker indicated.

Another cross roads, but left was black top. I thought, this is into town, but no, it was the water treatment station and a dead end. It was bloody hot and quite frustrating and made Carole cry, because in the back of her mind was the fact that our experienced bird watching, fluent Spanish speaking pal had got his car, no caravan, stuck in sand somewhere here and got towed out by a peasant the year before. I gave her a hug and assured her we were on hard track, we had all the time and could hear sounds of the main road so we repeated previous 10minutes ago operation and soon found our way to the campsite. There were the hottest temps in our trip while enjoying the cowboy element of the town. The entire streets are sand and the shops, houses and bars have a hitching rail outside. Around various corners and in plazas there would be the most superb horseman, just men from the town, exercising classy mounts. Also a super 4 wheel drive bus trip across dunes and the beach over 3 hrs watching the wildlife and seeing two rare birds, Spanish Imperial Eagle and Audouins Gull
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