Tabernas Desert

[Rodger]

So I'll assume some back roads in France, camping on the route to the tunnel and aim for Cuenca via Zaragoza on the following day. If memory serves the ferries dock at Santander early in the morning so it would give Pete a full day to get there. That's around 560kms - your call Pete. The following day down to Guardemar which is about 350kms and then onto Tabernas on another day. The mileages are just guides and once it's planned with gravel bits etc we should get more accurate.

Steve you mentioned friends in Barcelona, I have a buddy based near Barcelona who does the trails around there - he maybe interested in showing you some of them but you have to forgive him as he has a Nissan Patrol.

Regards,

 

[froggy Steve]

Lol - a trolly is ok! Our friends in the bay of roses have an MX-5 it may need a lift

Sent from my GT-I9060I using Tapatalk

 

[Rodger]

Just read Mark's Morocco post and the fact that Brittany Ferries have altered the timetable for the Plymouth-Santander ferry and that now arrives at 1730. I would think it unlikely that folks will drive through the night so I'll plan accordingly.
Talking of ferries - thanks Pete that worked.

Regards

 

[Shayne]

I unintentionally ended up driving through the night to get to Dover for our Romania trip , with a number of years working on fishing trawlers where 24 or 36 hours without sleep was considered normal behind me i wasn't overly concerned . But i guess i'm getting old and its a mistake i won't make again

 

[wobbly]

Bugger, when did Brittany change the sailing times

That would mean Santander - Zaragoza in one afternoon, its about 350miles I think. This would also mean us meeting on 3rd October to fit in with Steve.

I will have another look at the ferries, see if inspiration strikes.

If thats the plan though, thats what I'll go for.

Pete

 

[wobbly]

Rodger, you sure about the brittany change, their website still shows it as 1215 arrival?

 

[MarkW]

that's the Friday sailing arriving at 17:30 and Sunday at 12:15 wobbly

 

[froggy Steve]

if anyone wants to do Portsmouth to Caen, then its 5 and a bit easy motorway hours to me, stay here and chug of next day? another option/spanner in the works?

 

[wobbly]

Cheers, its the Sunday 2nd ferry I would take, gets me in to Santander at 1215 on Monday.

Its a 5hr drive from Santander to Zaragoza, bit of a schlepp but as its a one-off then its bearable.

Pete

 

[wobbly]

Steve, I was intending to do that on the way back, I have a friend lives a short distance north of you.

 

[froggy Steve]

I am sooo easy for whatever to go down As long as we are back for 'her lot' to arrive on 21st October I 'm cool

 

[Rodger]

It appears that Stu may not have as much time available as he originally thought so will, possibly, only make it as far as northern Spain. Aside from that, the information I sent is not interpretable and we have yet to decide how I modify that so that it is usable and then I can send him some of the routes and locations in the north.

But I am wondering if others are interested in the trip and whether I should continue to plan routes etc down to the Tabernas desert.

Please let me know.

Regards,

 

[froggy Steve]

hell yes! would love to meet up with you guys, even if its just a few days - I know Wobbly is also looking fwd to it as well

 

[Rodger]

Onwards and upwards then!

 

[wobbly]

Yes, definitely.

Im limited by the Santander ferry to set dates on the way over, would like to get as much out of the Tabernas as possible plus a stopover at outlaws, but return will be via france so only arrival date is fixed.

Pete

 

[thelal]

scenery not unlike New Mexico, Arizona

 

[Dave2000]

Many of the old spaghetti westerns were shot at this location.

regards

Dave

 

[Rodger]

Mojo has sent me the detailed information re Cazorla. It is well worth incorporating into the plan and fits nicely into the return leg.
I am still researching various areas/routes/trails etc but hopefully will have the majority sorted before we leave for the UK early in July. On the way we are checking some bits of the proposed route so it may, or may not, get modified after we return in mid August.

Regards,

 

[Rodger]

The following is a little bit of thinking aloud....
As Stu is short of time and therefore staying around the north of Spain I am thinking that after several days of looking around France his little one would probably like a day by the sea so am thinking that he comes into Spain via Irun/San Sebastion and in the Santander area locates a campsite (various to choose from- details later but some of the sites close at the end of September). (If Stu comes in via the tunnel there's a bit of duplicated mileage) From Santander there's a short run up to Reinosa and there I can put him on a 70 odd mile trail that will take him to Potes (Picos de Europa) where there is one short - 25 mile- trail over to Sotres. And the cable car up to Fuente De. As far as I'm aware this one of the few trails allowed in a Spanish National Park. Then bring him across towards Villafranca on the day that the Santander ferry gets in. Campsite is at 42.263332,-1.738611. Santander to campsite is 324kms. The following day take in the Bardena Park, Argaedas (25kms).
Then onto Cuenca, or if Stu is short on time I can send him towards the Smugglers Pass and Andorra. The old town of Cuenca is very beautiful and worth a visit with a campsite in the forests nearby.
I've been concentrating on getting Stu's northern Spain route sorted but with the information from Mojo I've had a good look at that and have managed to find a trail that links up with the route he gave us but this one starts in Quadix (the town with the cave houses) and it crosses the Gorafe desert before entering the Cazorla valley. So for the return from Tabernas, the choice is an hour up the A92 m-way or a back road route that will take us over the Puerto de la Ragua (2000 metre high pass) - all paved but demanding.

Is this the sort of trip that you are thinking about? Obviously there's a lot more to input and several days not yet accounted for but rather than me spend too much time on the wrong path, I thought I'd ask opinions.

Bardenas

Cuenca

Let me know what you think

 

[Rodger]

More thoughts.....

For those coming through the tunnel, I done a variation on one of the routes shown in the link Mark sent me - so the references for GPS are available on there - http://www.voyage4x4.com/index.php (select Espagna).

At Jaca A1205 (Puerto de Oroel) 2 km past Triste left onto A132. Just before Ayerbe right A1202 -Santa Eulialia de Gallego -Biel- Luesia-Uncastillo-Sabada. At Sabada take A1201 (becomes NA534 in Navarrra) at Carcastillo take NA5500 (Melida) cross(? need to check) N113 to NA128 to Villafranca and campsite.

If that works and is suitable Stu can retrace that on his way to Andorra.

More to come later