Morocco 5th April to 16th april

[Bighorn]

Looks like there will be a number of people traveling over on very similar dates, and it would be great to meet up with you.

My out line plan is as follows, but would very much welcome any suggestions on whether you feel I’m biting too much off, suitable hotels etc to stay at and suggested routes.

Sun 5th April, Sail from Plymouth Santander
Mon 6th April Formula 1, South Madrid
Tues 7th April, Chefchaouen, Camping
Wed 8th April, Azrou, via Volubilis, Hotel
Thurs, 9th April, Ouazazate, Camping
Fri, 10th April, Merzouga, Hotel
Sat 11th April, Midelt, Camping
Sun 12th April, Mekanes, Hotel
Mon 13th April, Chefchaouen, Camping
Tues 14th April, Formula 1, South Madrid
Wed 15th April, Sail fro Santander to Plymouth

Would love to stay longer, but school holidays are dictating a bit. Also, due to the credit crunch etc, I'm trying to keep he cost down as much as possible, that's why I'm looking at camping.

Cheers,

 

[pete]

well, C U at the ferry to santander, there should be enough time to discuss route options

Pete

 

[Farmboy]

Going alone or with someone,

If your alone as you know me and Pete are on same ferry and will be travelling the same time trhough Spain and camping at Chefchouan ( probably ) so Might see you there.

We are going via Salamanca in Spain though not Madrid - better route i am told.

Chris

 

[Fanum]

Looks like there will be a number of people traveling over on very similar dates, and it would be great to meet up with you.

My out line plan is as follows, but would very much welcome any suggestions on whether you feel I’m biting too much off, suitable hotels etc to stay at and suggested routes.

Sun 5th April, Sail from Plymouth Santander
Mon 6th April Formula 1, South Madrid
Tues 7th April, Chefchaouen, Camping
Wed 8th April, Azrou, via Volubilis, Hotel
Thurs, 9th April, Ouazazate, Camping
Fri, 10th April, Merzouga, Hotel
Sat 11th April, Midelt, Camping
Sun 12th April, Mekanes, Hotel
Mon 13th April, Chefchaouen, Camping
Tues 14th April, Formula 1, South Madrid
Wed 15th April, Sail fro Santander to Plymouth

Would love to stay longer, but school holidays are dictating a bit. Also, due to the credit crunch etc, I'm trying to keep he cost down as much as possible, that's why I'm looking at camping.

Cheers,

With that schedule you'll almost certainly see Moto Morocco on your way around....we're going to be in a hotel in Chefchouaen on the Monday night so you'll be a day behind us there.

Just a comment...I think you'll have a looooong day doing south Madrid to Chefchouaen in a day...it's doable certainly, but it'll be a hell of a day.

B

 

[Tim Cullis]

Normally I advise against camping due to the amount of gear you need to carry plus the very low cost of budget hotels. This next trip, however, I'm camping as I want to spend some nights in the wild.

6 April: the boat docks at Santander at 1230 so you have time to get well below Madrid which is important as you otherwise won't make Chefchouen the next day. One of the places I use when arriving on that boat is the hostel (N38 38.268 W3 28.470) by the side of the A4 autovia at Santa Cruz de Medula which is about 12 miles past Valdepenas.

7 April: as Fanum hints you need to factor in two or three hours buying a ticket, waiting for a ferry, the time taken for the crossing, then getting through customs, buying insurance, changing money and so forth.

8 April: For Azrou Timolgra recommends (and I concur) Hotel Cedres which is 75 dirham, showers in the corridor.

9 April: Azrou to Ouarzazate is quite a stretch in one day unless you take the R307 shortcut from Demnate to Skoura (ignore what Michelin 742 says about this road). I would normally recommend Bikeshome.net in Ouarzazate but I think Peter and Zineb are running a tour that week.

However... you are ticking all the boxes on places to visit but in such a short time you are doing an awful amount of tarmac pounding and won't have time to take in the sights. All you will see will be the main 'N' roads which is a bit like doing a tour of the UK using just motorways.

Getting suckered into high mileage days is a mistake we've all made. With just six days in Morocco I personally wouldn't go below the High Atlas.

Tim

 

[stu650]

I would normally recommend Bikeshome.net in Ouarzazate but I think Peter and Zineb are running a tour that week

They are back from their tour on the 5th April



Stu

 

[Bighorn]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

I was originally going to stay for a month, got the time off work and everything. But my mate whom I was going with, stupidly got his partner pregnant, and she inconveniently had a baby, so he's not able to come along. So my girl friend kindly offered to come along but she works in a school so needs to be back by the 20th, and Brittany ferries don't offer the best times for me, so the time scales are what they are!

On reflection I'll probably stay in Algeciras for the night ad then make my way to Azrou he next day. what do reckon?

As, picking up on Tim's suggestion of staying in the Atlas, any suggestions on places to go, routes etc, baring in mind I'm two up!

Cheers all

 

[garfield]

might see you in passing....duno) .....I'll be heading over with Fanum soon.....

 

[Jockser]

On reflection I'll probably stay in Algeciras for the night ad then make my way to Azrou he next day. what do reckon?

If you can I'd suggest getting the ferry across to Ceuta & staying there for the night. That leaves you at the border first thing in the morning while you're fresh & it's not too busy or hot

 

[Tim Cullis]

any suggestions on places to go, routes etc, baring in mind I'm two up!

Ahem, http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179283

If you cross Tarifa to Tanger using FRS you could stop overnight at Asilah which is a nice introduction. The walls of the whitewashed medina are used each year in an outdoor arts festival, some really cool images. Larache (pronounced La-rash) is also pretty.

If you are crossing to Ceuta you could stay overnight at Chefchouen with its 'blue rinse' medina. The R419 south to Fez is a lovely quiet road through the Rif Mountains. In Fes you could stay at Hotel Batha (pronounced Bat-ha) which is right next to Bab Boujouloud, one of the entrances to the medina.

Azrou has much to commend it with wild monkeys, volcanoes, springs, lakes and so forth. Also the area south of Azrou travelling through Ain Leuh.

You could also try a bit of extremely easy offroad, just head east of out Khénifra to Itzer, initially on tarmac then on beaten earth and keep heading east. You can always retrace your route if you decide it's not for you.

Further south is the 'Happy Valley' of Ait Bou Gougmez. From Beni-Mellal, head west on the N8, then south to the reservoir of Bin-el-Ouidane, then explore the area to the south of Azilal. Also in that area is the Cascades d'Ouzoud and the Imni n'Ifni natural bridge (walk to the bottom of the chasm) at Demnate.

Tim

 

[Bighorn]

Thanks all,

I thought Madrid to Morocco was too much in 1 day. I reckon it's about 400 miles, plus another 50ish to Chefchaouen.

if it's practicable i'll go for it, as the holiday is morocco, and i'm spending a large percentage of my time getting there and back

Thanks for all the trip idea.

Wold like to meet up with whoever is on the Plymouth crossing what do we do, where red carnations?

 

[garfield]

Wold like to meet up with whoever is on the Plymouth crossing what do we do, where red carnations?

just walk about the boat asking folks if they're a tosser.....

 

[DaiB]

on the ferry

hi bighorn my self and three frends will be on the same ferry we will be in the bar next to swiming pool but down one level i will be in a gray HU T shirt come and say hi. Cheers Dai.

 

[Steptoe]

i will be in a gray HU T shirt come and say hi. Cheers Dai.

Your well organised. I don't even know what T shirt i'll be wearing tomorrow


*edit - sorry just realised, HU = horizons. That means you only have the one T shirt*

 

[Tim Cullis]

Madrid to Morocco was too much in 1 day. I reckon it's about 400 miles, plus another 50ish to Chefchaouen.

Santander to Algeciras is about 670 miles and you have most of two days--your ferry arrives 1230 Spanish time (1130 UK time). You can easily do this, not by riding like an idiot, but carrying on at a steady cruising speed with short stops.

Valdepenas is 380 miles of fast motorways and dual carriageways from Santander, so factor in 6 hours plus another hour in stops. By my reckoning you would easily get there at 1930, which is a full ten minutes before sunset.

[According to the celestial info, sunset in Valdepenas on 6 April is 1940 with full dark about 2010.]

Hit the road by 0830 the next morning with just 280 miles to go to Algeciras, maybe 5.5 hours including stops (if you stopped the previous night 30 miles short, just get up half an hour earlier). Allow 3 hours for tickets/ferry/border and you will be crossing the Ceuta/Fnediq border at 1700 Spanish time, but just 1500 Moroccan time (which is two hours behind).

Tim

 

[DaiB]

Hi steptoe i know this becouse its the only one i own so dont sit next to me on the way back . return ferry 20th april i will be the smelly one .cheers Dai.

 

[Bighorn]

Well cancelled my hotel booking South Madrid and have booked one in Santa Cruz de Mudela for 40 euros for two people including breakfast. So based upon Tim's guidence should be able to make it to the camp site in Chefchaouen for the 7th. So might see some of you there.

May catch up with some of you on the ferry for a beer or two, or at the docks or on the road. I'll be riding an 08 plate magnum GSA with a Welsh flag on the number plate, BMW Panniers and a black peli case as a top box.

If I don't meet up with you, thanks all for the guidance and advice, and have a good one.

Regards,

 

[Tim Cullis]

I'll be on the Portsmouth boat three days ahead of you, so our paths may cross. Travelling on a silver F650GS twin with a mate on a silver 1150GSA.

Tim

 

[Bighorn]

Tim What route/plans do you have?

 

[Tim Cullis]

I've been plotting lots of alternatives, so will decide as I go along.

I'll probably start in Chefchouen, the two 'dead end' pistes in the map below start from the Azilan camp site.