Winging it in Spain Mid/Late August?

Me and my better half (not counting the GS) are heading to Spain this August 16th on returning 28th. Is is safe to assume that we'll be able to get accommodation on the fly in most places or are they likely to be booked up ? I plan on taking a small tent but only for emergencies, and hope to have a comfortable bed most nights?
I'll be placing my trust in Garmin Europes Roads and Rec for accomdation if we havent stumbled across any on our wanderings. Any thoughts?
PS apart from the ferry the thought of planning anything else doesnt really appeal.

Iain Mac

buy your........

buy yourself a rough guide

Never had trouble finding a bed in Spain myself, but then again, all of France is on holiday during August.

If you stay away from the tourist hotspots I doubt if you'll have any trouble.

It'll be hot, make the best of early morning coolness. Try to get your accomodation sorted before about 4pm, ie. before it's all full and you and your missus get knackered.
Often it's best to go straight to a tourist info office for advise untill you gain confidence.
Remember siesta time.
If in town try to get a room that doesn't face the street, the noise from scooters will drive you mad.

Camping in southern Spain in august will be er warm, hope the missus has a good sense of humour.
As the not so foolish fellow says get a Rough Guide.
Good luck.

Tim

Cheors Chaps. Rough guide it is.

Iain Mac

If you're around Bilbao/Santander try www.casazalama.com It's run by my best mate and his Spanish partner.

Brilliant food, cheap and fantastic roads in the area. Even better is that he is at the end of a lane which becomes a very servicable track ideal for a bit of gentle greenlaning.

Cheers

Dick

Never has much trouble getting a place to stay in Spain. As has been said, the tourist spots are liable to pose more of a problem but in the countryside and off the beaten track there is scope.

I'll be in Spain for a week about the same time but sadly most likely fly/drive as the Missus os off the bike until next year thanks to an early trip up the NHS Waiting List.

Cheers GuitarMan,
I'm setting up a couple of days at your mates gaff to get the ball rolling.

Iain Mac

As said before try to get your accomodation sorted before 4pm. Weekends in resorts can be a problem as all the Spaniards come out of the cities then, even campsites can be full then.

Ally

IainMac said:

Cheers GuitarMan,
I'm setting up a couple of days at your mates gaff to get the ball rolling.

Iain Mac

Click to expand...

Hi Iain,

Hope you enjoy(ed) Casa Zalama. Tried to PM you a while back but have only just got round to replying to your post.

Anyway, have a good time.

Cheers

Dick

Havent bin yet, but its imminent, sail monday. Hopeing for a good trouble free time..

Cheers

IainMac

Confirming the rest of the advice given - arrive at you destination early-ish and then look around. The tourist offices are variable - some no help whatsoever, others great.

We had a complete mare last year trying to find accomodation on the Cantabrian coast and ended up having to go inland through the Picos - the whole of Madrid seems to have decamped to the sea side. However you seem to have got this sorted out. Also one to bear in mind is that Pamploma can be hard to find accomodation in if you are there during the Basque festival and that Burgos is full of fascists (seriously!!)

Hope you have a good trip

Paul

Well I'm just back and a had a curates egg of a trip.
1st stretch Newcastle to Plymouth was knackering , travelled thru nite for early ferry, needs must an all that, dead on feet by time we got boarded.
Note Plymouth ferry port is crap if u dont have a car to wait in and its raining.

1st Day in Spain lovely weather stopped just outside Santander for fuel and Ping fuel cap snapped at pivot?!? ie came off in me hand guv..
Hmmmm.
Got b*w recoverd (in reasonable time) to Dealer who were at best a joke. even taking in to account my lack of spanish. B*w recovery couldnt seem to get a hire car organised in 3 hours we sat at dealers (no parts in stock) and garage kicked us out for siesta at 1.20pm so I lashed up a tank tape, wine cork and tank bag repair and ferked off to digs at CASA ZALAMA? (which were top notch ta)
Carried on hols with an Jb Welded pet cap with a call from b*w services to say bike would be repaired on thurs (breakdown on tues morn) . Anyway turned up at dealers on thurs expecting bits only to be told parts not in could order some for monday , or spanish to that effect, they hadn a clue that they'd bin ordered on tue. Luckily for me they found em Phew as jb weld broke that morn. But I had to swap cap lock into new part myself with the mech just shugging thier shoulders when I asked how? (or got receptionist with english to ask how) Needless to say it wasnt hard when I'd worked out how but I sure glad I hadnt blown an engine or something major!!!

PS I had to pay for part (fit it myself, as they didnt want to) and was told to claim it back in UK of local dealer even though bikes still in warrenty?!, I'll see how that goes
Definitly glad i didnt blow motor (how much would that cost!?)

PPS rest of hols great. Though bizarely fuel usage changed dramatically in Spain, got 50Mpg+ when in UK I usually get 45? hot weather make it run lean?

Iain Mac

Iain

Sounds like a 'testing' trip.

When we went to the Alps in June one of the guys broke the petrol cap off his S so they went to the nearest dealer (fortunately not too far) and asked for a new cap. None in stock so demanded one be taken off the showroom bike. They said this couldn't be done so the trump card was played - step forward our BM trained mechanic who just happened to be in our group. He told them it could be done and also showed them how to change the lock barrel.

When they'd finished they were asked to pay up but they just said 'warranty', left the bike details and departed

Moral of the story - take a BM trained mechanic with you on holiday.

Strangely I also got around 50mpg as opposed to the 45 I get at home - better fuel quality possibly?

Adam

Testing it was....
Mind I can't recommend www.casazalama.com enough. excellent place to stay if you like chilling, which i certainly needed after a morning faffin about with bmw recovery and Spanish beemer dealers. (more later back to Casa Zalama) the Digs are located at San Pelayo and its a nice ride from Santander even if you take the easy route along the A8 and south on the N629(? must check gps) . The place itself seems in the middle of nowhere but its a good spot for day trips to other areas (like Picos etc) and food and hosts couldnt have bin better , top recommendation GuitarMan.
Rant on !
Back to Bummer recovery. must admit they picked me up in just over an hour but didnt have bike recovery just a flat bed... hmmm
dealers were at best disinterested and almost seemed like they thought tuff shit? bimmer recovery couldnt get a hire car organised and never returned any calls (made over 5 whilst at garage trying to find out what was happening just kept being asked to leave msg and they'd get back to me.... so eventually garage shut 4 afternoon tiffin and I had to leave with bike as we stlll didnt know what was happening. Luckily I'd packed tanktape and JB weld (premonition) so lashed up a repair , with wine cork under tankbag to hold cap down whilst JB set. and set off for digs, didnt fancy sitting outside closed bimmer garage in baking afternoon sun waiting for call back. got at digs by 3pm and whilst out for our own tiffin Bummer recovery rang back (around 4pm now asking 4 me to rtn call to sort hire car? chuffin useless.
So moral of tale is don't expect decent service from recovery or dealers just cos it s bmw...
Rant off..
Off to dealers tom to see what score is on parts cost recovery , its not the value its the principal though its small recompense for the shit that preceded it.

PS its around 55quid for a petrol cap (minus lock)