Briar,I havent done the trip personally but my friend does it every winter and takes her tourer to the El Raco caravan site just up from the Benidorm Palace.They take the overnight ferry to Bilbao,I am not sure from which port here.They usually disembark at 9.30 am and drive down a toll road with stops for lunch and arrive in Benidorm via Valencia about 5.30 pm.They dont go at a great speed because the are now in there late 60s.I was hoping to visit them last October and persuade my husband to do the same but due to family circumstances we couldnt go.We are now going in March and I will be trying to bribe my husband to do this next winter.They stay from November until March.They have done this for the last 6 years.Jay.

We have stayed on the aires many times over a period of 5 years without incedent(spelling) the only robbing I personally have heard of when a neighbour lost his camera but he left it on the car seat with the doors unlocked,we always lock up the car & van and have stashes of money in different places never open the door to strangers etc. etc. all commen sense things, as I say we have done it hundreds of times with no hassle whatsoever regard G

We only go in the summer as we go for the summer holidays staying for about 5 weeks and living in the north we took the ferry to zeebrugge last time and much preferred that to the long drive south in the UK the holiday starts that much sooner. I haven't any experience in Spain but know 3 couples who have had their baggage stolen when in hire cars and had or been told by another motorist they had a flat only been to Spain once for our honeymoon 30+ years ago never been back, have been to Majorca wouldn't go back there either, but we loved Menorca Hope everthing works out well for you whatever you decide regards Gill

Sorry forgot to say ,Yes you will be able to empty the loo it is sometimes hidden around the back of the toilet block but usually signed G

Hi Briar,We met our friends who drive down to Spain in Jersey back in 1976 and I have had some rough crossings to both Jersey and Guernsey,some during force 9 gales.I was told that the ferries that are used for these crossings are ships that are built for inland seas like those in Scandanavia,and are not really meant for the English channel which can be rough.The Bilbao ferry is much bigger and my friend said it was more like a cruise ship.If you can persuade your husband to take a strong sea sick pill he should be OK.It will save you a long drive as I think its only about 300 miles from Bilbao to Valencia and my friend said the roads are nearly all motorways.Jay.

I know a man who does /has used their van over winter in Spain but AFAIK he is not on this list

Briarskeg -- could I put his web address on her for them to contact him his site covers a lot of Spanish stuff for campers/vanners

Briar will be absent from the boards until next week, but I should think the website would be ok.

having lived in France until fairly recently I would recomend you leave yourself much more time to 'do' the French past take smaller roads enjoy the countryside and stop in small villages nearly every comume or village in France provides a small stopping place for caravans and motor homes these nearly always provide free electricity there is no limit on the time you can stop and usually no charge. some of them are very pictoresque and some not but they are safe places to stop overnight or for a few days enroute for Spain. some councils also run large camp grounds which are open all year most private sites however do close during the winter months. I hope this is of some use please contact me directly if I can be of further help.

Hi Briar

There is also the Plymouth to Santander ferry which only takes 18 hours. You get on the motorway system in Spain in a few minutes after leaving the ferry. It's very easy, we've just used that route (March) to get up to s w France. It looked as if Santander had got out all their policemen out to stop any cross traffic, switched off all the traffic lights and waved through all the ferry traffic to the motorway (about 10 minutes on a straight road).

Leave yourself plenty of time for the Bilbao motorways though as we had a horrendous traffic jam for miles and miles going back to Santander.

If you are going south you will probably miss out Bilbao altogether which seems a very good idea. It was a nightmare of a place.

Happy caravanning!

Cic