Snowbirds 2025

[FIJIT]

Arrived today at Nazaré beach. FREE Park up for motorhomes (P4N). Very short walk down to the beach.

We hope to see some of the area's giant waves tomorrow, but today just meandered along the charming promenade in the sunshine, frolicked on the beautiful beach with Smuj and had a few bevvies. The wind was strong, so we have been sand blasted/exfoliated.

Our bar experience turned suddenly crazy when torrential rain, very strong winds and loud thunder hit . Race back to Fijit .... all very funny and exhilarating, but "drowned rats" comes to mind .

We're all good, and looking forward to catching the waves tomorrow - come rain or shine .

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND HAPPY CAMPERS

 

[moonshadow]

Happy International Women’s Day

 

[jeffmossy]

Today is windy and showers in Silves but the solar is pumping in

 

[marchie]

Today is windy and showers in Silves but the solar is pumping inView attachment 75631

Windy, wet and the sun AWOL behind the clouds. 80Wh of Solar Panel generation in 6.5 hours, and that's only because of a 'sustained' bright spell of about 10 minutes duration. Roamer is reporting -0.52 amps input because our phones are charging ... Meanwhile, the Notts Forest v Man City football is taking place in bright unbroken sunshine on the Costa N Armanaleg River Trent

Steve

 

[Bouydog]

Finally found the sun again, parked against the sea wall in the fishing village of Cudillero

It feels so good to be out of the rain…

We will have a couple of nights here and see what the weather brings

 

[moonshadow]

We've had some sunny intervals today as relief from the heavy showers in between!

 

[Owlhouse]

Back over from Morocco and parked in paid aire by Cape Trafalgar. Dodging showers all weekend and not looking great till at least next weekend . It WILL get better but at least it’s warm. Might see if Seville looks ok or nip out to Portugal for a while

 

[Pauljenny]

Back over from Morocco and parked in paid aire by Cape Trafalgar. Dodging showers all weekend and not looking great till at least next weekend . It WILL get better but at least it’s warm. Might see if Seville looks ok or nip out to Portugal for a while

Get all the information
On https://campingcarportugal.com/

There's more to Portugal
than just the South
Coast resorts.

 

[marchie]

Arrived at Lierganes in the sun! Irony is that the A67 was shut, because of a huge fire, so we had to divert to the mountain 'uphill and down dale' windy roads, including a 7km descent on a gradient that was a tad steep. Rather warm brakes despite 3rd and 4th gear selection ...

But, given how much rain we've had over the last month or so, who managed to set fire to 1169 acres at Trasmiera, and how did they do it?

Back to the Aire. There was a street market until 3pm, so the public's cars took all the M/Home spaces, incl 2 cars each with 4 old gits, who parked in a Bus Space, with the vehicles making an L shape windbreak for their picnic chairs and tables ... Cars still here, so only space for 4 Motorhomes, instead of the 12-15 designated spaces

Bought ice cream and watched the shenanigans with the parking ...

Probably try the train into Santander tomorrow 55 minutes train journey and have a wander about

Steve

 

[Barge1914]

Well we’re glad that lots moved on..
Sun came out in Besalú, and still out…ish in Tavertet

 

[RegnVal]

Well we’re glad that lots moved on..
Sun came out in Besalú, and still out…ish in Tavertet

View attachment 75654View attachment 75655View attachment 75656

We loved Besalú when we were there a few years ago.

 

[marchie]

Less than 48 hours until we board the Ferry at Santander, but it feels already that the trip is over for another Winter. Lierganes Aire has 4 UK M/homes out of 8 parked up, all of us counting down the clock ...

This trip has been the least successful of those since we started M/homing in 2021 - delayed start because of the floor delamination repair, lighting problems because Camper UK Valeters used a pressure washing to clean the Van and water ingress blew the over bed lights, requiring a Spanish rewire to get a working electrical circuit; shoddy refitting of the bathroom and kitchen cupboard doors by Camper UK; ebikes rear wheel spokes failure (14 of the wee buggers); and some awful weather playing havoc with Solar Panel harvesting. Despite these problems, we've managed to keep rolling, and have had a decent break from the humdrum of a Scottish Winter, and a few giggles along the way. Would happily risk another month or so before sailing back to Portsmouth, Mush ...

Steve

 

[The laird]

Less than 48 hours until we board the Ferry at Santander, but it feels already that the trip is over for another Winter. Lierganes Aire has 4 UK M/homes out of 8 parked up, all of us counting down the clock ...

This trip has been the least successful of those since we started M/homing in 2021 - delayed start because of the floor delamination repair, lighting problems because Camper UK Valeters used a pressure washing to clean the Van and water ingress blew the over bed lights, requiring a Spanish rewire to get a working electrical circuit; shoddy refitting of the bathroom and kitchen cupboard doors by Camper UK; ebikes rear wheel spokes failure (14 of the wee buggers); and some awful weather playing havoc with Solar Panel harvesting. Despite these problems, we've managed to keep rolling, and have had a decent break from the humdrum of a Scottish Winter, and a few giggles along the way. Would happily risk another month or so before sailing back to Portsmouth, Mush ...

Steve

So did you enjoy?

 

[rugbyken]

Our first snowbirds was almost 16 years ago in all that time we have never known a wet spell like this , as a positive the locals are reporting 81% capacity on the reservoirs, after 3 years of drought im sure it’s most welcome and in spite of webbed feet we are still tanned with a month to go and better weather ahead ( once lee & Linda arrive ) its sure to improve, the UK has just reported an exceptional week and the daytime temperatures equalled our night time ones !

 

[marchie]

So did you enjoy?

Yes, Gordon, but in a different way from normal! I suppose we had just become accustomed to everything going pretty much as (loosely) planned - point the SatNav in the direction of the Aire chosen that morning, and the only variables were whether there would be space when we arrived, and whether we would like the location. This year we spent/lost a fair amount of time driving to repairers and then waiting for parts to arrive and getting a date/time for fitting - probably spent 2 weeks kicking our heels, but we found things to do

The most frustrating element is that all of the problems with the electrics(and the cost) could have been avoided if Camper UK hadn't used a pressure washer to clean the Van. But, it's sorted now and I shall not consider buy from Camper UK when/if we change the Van

Steve

 

[rugbyken]

we’re presently at quarteria the market place looking around on google maps i realised it had captured not just the scale of the market but the move from the aire to the car park this happens every tuesday off by 3 on tuesday back by 7 on wednesday its only €6 on the aire tuesday night is free on the car park

 

[rugbyken]

went up to lidl this morning about 100yds from aire and spotted a vets across the road so Maeve is booked in there for her rabies tomorrow morning 3 year cover €30 another box ticked

 

[Rumour]

Sadly still UK jailed at the moment, but have just come back from a four day break up on the edge of the North York's Moors. A great place to be jailed. And on Thursday, we are off to Keswick for another four day break. As my good lady still works (I wish she would stop!) we have to make do with weekend breaks. Last October we were at Coniston on another four day break. Roll on June!

The first picture is the view from our pitch at Coniston, the second is the view from our pitch in The North York's Moors

 

[marchie]

In the queue for the Santander to Portsmouth Ferry where departure has been set back 30 minutes for 'essential maintenance' (queue at the LPG Pay station, 'cos there's not much else that could be done in that time ... 'Welcome to the RAC, Brittany Santona. We are experiencing a high volume of calls at present and your expected wait time is over 30 minutes. Please enter your fault code over the App or Website. Your nearest Patrol Boat is 300 miles due North and its ETA is tomorrow evening. Based on this estimate, we recommend that you either try to sail home slowly, or scupper your vessel in the Bay of Biscay and blame the French Navy for a hit and run ...'

Meanwhile, back in the real world, the 30 minutes delay won't affect the Portsmouth arrival time, and we've returned from Mercadona with more moistened Bog Roll (much cheaper than UK ...) and glycerine soap, plus enough chocolate and biscuits to outlast a 3 month siege, much less 30 mins!

Steve

 

[Greengrass]

Well we did plan to move on to day but after the thunder and lighting and rain at 5am and it has just started again not much fun driving in it see what's it like later that's on our pitch