First VW EU Road Trip! Help and Advice

[8balladdict]

Hi all!

So for those that don't know, I've very recently picked up my first VDubya. I have various stages of works planned for it, culminating in a semi-camper conversion in September. My plan is to take it on it's (and my) first ever road trip in October. I thought I'd start off with a gently 3000 mile round trip down to the Algarve!

I guess what advice I am looking for is what to consider when planning the route with regards to where do I stay in the evenings. Do you book into campsites along the way or just park up on the side of the road etc. The main consideration I'm thinking of is showering facilities.

I guess it'll be useful to know that it's just going to be me on this trip so no kids or anything. Guess that'll make it a damn sight easier!

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

In France most towns have a facility where Camping Cars (Motor Caravans to us) can stay overnight, empty grey water and refill fresh, normally with little or no charge. Be aware that these are, or can be, car parks and are not camp sites with "facilities" and are often on the outskirts of the town centre. These facilities exist to encourage tourism and the use of local restaurants.

 

[8balladdict]

All I'm going to have is an air bed and a camping stove. Proper roughing it!

 

[T6 Dave]

Some motorway (route national) services have showers in the for lorry drivers etc that cost not too much located in the main services building..

 

[Oldrat]

Always reckon on travelling less miles than you think. You'll need to decide if its a driving holiday or a holiday with driving.

BTW
You can plan routes beforehand via google maps, then 'fly' them via street view to check out the roads and send the route to your mobile.

We do this all the time on our motorbikes, but also share the routes on the (very exxy) sat nags!

 

[T6 Dave]

Always reckon on travelling less miles than you think. You'll need to decide if its a driving holiday or a holiday with driving.

BTW
You can plan routes beforehand via google maps, then 'fly' them via street view to check out the roads and send the route to your mobile.

We do this all the time on our motorbikes, but also share the routes on the (very exxy) sat nags!

Got a garmin zumo 550 on mine with a Touratech mount..

 

[8balladdict]

You can plan routes beforehand via google maps, then 'fly' them via street view to check out the roads and send the route to your mobile.

Yeah, I do a similar thing when I plan cycling trips through various countries. Always good to get an eyes on the roads before hand!

 

[Oldrat]

Got a garmin zumo 550 on mine with a Touratech mount..

Hi Dave, I had a zumo 550 for six years, great bits of kit. Now on a BMW Navigator 5 (made by Garmin)

 

[former member]

I use one of these on a Brodit mount; it's great!
nüvi 3598LMTD | Garmin

Been all over Europe with it.

We find that in France, it's best to use free Aires or municipal campsites and in Spain and Portugal we manage to free camp far more; it's just set up for it better.
We're usually near a beach where they always have showers. And we make sure we aren't too far from a public loo.

 

[PukkaT6]

I really thought the Tom Tom style sat nav days were well and truly over since the introduction of smart phones. I have one somewhere that I have no idea where it is.

 

[Colinlp]

If you're roughing it then it might pay to plan your journey if you're travelling in the high season but there are no shortage of campsites, camping is a lot more popular (or better organised) on mainland Europe. The most important thing is to look left at roundabouts and just enjoy it

 

[Colinlp]

I really thought the Tom Tom style sat nav days were well and truly over since the introduction of smart phones. I have one somewhere that I have no idea where it is.

I can't abide using my phone as a sat nav, maybe I should try again, it's been a while since I tried last

 

[PukkaT6]

Well I can totally understand why people did in the past as roaming charges were extortionate but Im sure an EU rule is now in place or soon to be inplace that stops that.

 

[former member]

I've used factory nav (last Cali, current BMW), phone nav and portable nav and the latter is far superior.
Phone nav is okay if you get a signal; I've been let down by it too many times when mine hasn't got one.
Factory nav is nice and neat but comically priced and hateful/expensive to update.
Portable nav often comes with free updates for life, can be done via a laptop, has very accurate speed and camera warnings and is just better; and can be used on foot once you get to a town/city. Yep the wires are annoying but it doesn't bother me.

 

[PukkaT6]

Looks like it still very much makes sense to have one then - learn something new everyday

 

[T6 Dave]

I've run tomtom on a phone before now, BUT the phone had a GPS unit in it, so wasn't a problem, handy to have with me all the time, still got it as a backup with a pag number as well, so if you get lost... Simples.. But as I say, it's got a GPS unit in it.

Got a tomtom for the cars, Garmin Zumo 550 for the bikes.. Toughbook with iirc 52 channel GPS for off road nav.. (Land, sea and air).

 

[Thogg]

Hi all!

So for those that don't know, I've very recently picked up my first VDubya. I have various stages of works planned for it, culminating in a semi-camper conversion in September. My plan is to take it on it's (and my) first ever road trip in October. I thought I'd start off with a gently 3000 mile round trip down to the Algarve!

I guess what advice I am looking for is what to consider when planning the route with regards to where do I stay in the evenings. Do you book into campsites along the way or just park up on the side of the road etc. The main consideration I'm thinking of is showering facilities.

I guess it'll be useful to know that it's just going to be me on this trip so no kids or anything. Guess that'll make it a damn sight easier!

Hi 8 Ball,
Although it was a long time ago I did this in a t2 with a couple of mates. We skipped France and went Plymouth- Santander before routing across Galicia and down into Northen Portugal via Viana do Castelo. We also Free camped for 4 months.
In my opinion it depends on how adventurous you are. The best times come from that hidden beach or that amazing campsite you didn't know existed. Certainly France is a well worn track and finding somewhere shouldn't be an issue pretty much wherever you are. Northern Spain is similar.. as you get into Northern Portugal creativity pays off. Explore Explore Explore. We spoke to local farmers and asked if we could camp. Some said no some said yes.. some joined us with a shit load of fresh produce. As you get into bigger towns and cities it gets harder and you have to get really creative to free camp. Our pinnacle was parking in the foliage of the roundabout at the then 5 star Lagos beach club. We stayed for 2 weeks using the facilities and eating for free before we got fully rumbled and moved on. I guess things will have changed lots since I did my trip but I would urge you not to have every day and every night planned. See where the wind blows and where you end up.
Also... definitely do your shopping in the local markets wherever possible. And take a rod for catching dinner!!
With regards to showering.. well my top tip would be get a solar shower! We didn't and ended up showering everywhere from a posh yacht club to a car park where we lifted the manhole cover and opened the water main with a gurt big spanner!
I guess what I'm saying is this.. don't overplan. The trip you have planned is an epic one. If you surf you have to visit Galicia it is just stunning!
Happy travels!

 

[former member]

Agreed; hence going to Galicia for a third time this Summer!

Oh and this is Viano do Costelo - apart from being totally on fire (genuinely), it was a pretty cool place...

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