Is it worth touring southern Spain in a motorhome during the winter months?

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Is it worth touring southern Spain in a motorhome during the winter months?

What do you need to take with you on your motorhome tour of Southern Spain?

In just two days we have already started to discover the answer to these questions.

Firstly, there is the landscape variation; from rugged snow-capped mountains in the north, through high plateaus and basins, down to desert areas and then extensive coastal plains and that gorgeous Mediterranean aquamarine sea. 

Secondly, it’s about culture. As you will see in forthcoming blogs – we visit extraordinary buildings, museums and ruins, tracing history through from the Phoenicians and Romans to the Visgoths and Moors. All had an impact on this amazing land.

Thirdly, Andalusia and it’s weather! Around Malaga is an average 17C and that part of the coast has the highest average number of sunshine hours during winter in all of Europe!

And let’s not forget food, geographical conundrums and issues, the walking and cycling and so much more!

So, to answer the question, yes, we think it is worth touring southern Spain during the winter months. But there are some caveats!

To get down to the south coast we came over by Ferry from Portsmouth and drove down. Previous blog posts explain why and summarise the route we took (basically Caen – Tours – Bordeaux – Biarritz – Pamplona). We will be going back from Malaga via Segovia (a western route) and then back up the same route from Biarritz.

Someone asked us recently – ‘is it easy to camp down on the south coast during the winter?’

As our following posts will show – the answer is yes – but with these caveats!

Our overnight options have included

·        Formal campsites – we used the ACSI card and booked most of them in advance by about four months. We did find some inland which we only booked a few days in advance but they were few and far between. Be prepared for paying for showers, paying extra for electric hook up, power drop outs on said hook ups.

·        Approved Aires/overnight parking spots  – Casante, Guadix, for example – basic services, managed by a local council and mainly car parks. We found you needed to turn up around 1pm to ensure you got a space. 

·        Wild camping spots – we haven’t used these this time but have seen plenty being used – along the coast in the less busy areas and also in the national parks (where we also saw local police (Guadia) moving motorhomes on from such locations).

Is it getting tougher to do wild camping? Our impression is ‘yes’ along busy parts of the coast; and ‘no’ in the inland mountain areas or less busy coastal areas e.g around Parque Ardales, or Cabo de Gato, for example.

What have we carried for motorhoming in Spain?

·        Hi-viz vests – one per person

·        Two emergency red triangles

·        Headlight beam converters

·        Snow chains – because if you come the northern route some areas of southern France and northern Spain require you carry them

·        UK sticker

·        Spare wheel

·        Spare glasses

·        Red/white aluminium diagonal line cycle board for any cycle rack on rear

·        Your documents – passports, driving licences, V5 logbook, motorhome insurance, breakdown cover, green card, personal travel insurance (and check whether you need an international driving permit)

Driving tips?

Watch your speed limits and make sure you stick to them – this website will remind you of what they are

https://www.motorhomeprotect.co.uk/news/driving-in-spain-what-you-need-to-know-before-your-next-road-trip/

We found that out in rural areas drivers were pretty courteous and patient with us. On the dual carriageways, watch out where slip roads join. Drivers will slip ahead of you even if the gap between you and the vehicle in front is smaller than the length of the vehicle they are driving! Also be aware that they drive right on your tailgate and on dual carriageways they will come up to the bike rack practically and then suddenly pull out. You won’t have seen them in your mirrors – so it will come as a sudden shock as a car overtakes! Be aware constantly of your motorhome side mirror blind spots and learn to ‘expect the unexpected’.

Having said this – you get used to it pretty quickly and on the whole, you won’t have any problems in rural areas and less busy roads. Urban areas are a tad scary at times though!

Roundabouts – a nightmare in urban areas! Here is what we think should be happening!

·        You give way to any drivers already driving on the roundabout

·        You only enter when it’s clear and make sure you are going anticlockwise direction!

·        Stick to outside lane if taking first or second exit off it - only indicate as you are approaching second exit; Spanish drivers don’t seem to bother to indicate on the first exit! So, WAIT before committing yourself to entry!

·        Exiting on third or fourth exit? Use inside lane and then move over to outside lane as you approach exit – make sure you indicate after passing second or third exit. Be prepared that those on inside of you may not give you priority! When you exit from the roundabout you should do so from the outside lane – that is the rule!

·        Cyclists always get priority on the roundabout

Here is what normally happens, in our experience:

·        cars will overtake you on the inside lane of the roundabout!

·        City roundabouts often have pedestrian crossings just after the exit – you have to stop if someone is crossing – keep your wits about you when exiting!

·        Not all Spanish drivers understand these rules! Some drivers will not give way; you will be overtaken and ‘undertaken’! And severely tailgated!

We hope these brief notes help – in saying all of the above – we have thoroughly enjoyed touring southern Spain. It has been brilliant. Read on for our daily blog posts and we hope they offer you encouragement and ideas for your own Southern Spain tours!