Morocco advice needed, a friendly ear...

[The smudger]

Hi, I'm off to Morocco in a few weeks. I am going to Gijon in Spain, arriving 23rd April at 8pm local time. It was meant to be 2pm but the ferry time was put forward 6 hours...

I plan to ride into the night, weather permitting, for a few hours or as long as I feel safe, then get to Algeciras the following day, hopefully getting into Morocco late that night (or not depending on advice!)

What I am after is for someone who has done this to let me have a phone No so as I can call and have a chat about a few worries I have.

Any kind soul willing to offer any help?

 

[John Armstrong]

Not been there, yet, but on the HUBB the ferry deaprture times seem to be advisory, as does the crossing time, unloading can take a couple of hours and then customs etc can take from 1 to 3 hours. On that basis I'm planning on getting the 8am scheduled departure from Algeciras to Tangier Med, and then aim for Chefchaouen going either a very scenic route if everything works in my favour or the 2 hours direct, if it doesn't.

 

[bladerunner]

You could try Algeciras to Ceuta - arriving in "Spain" late at night could be more relaxing, then cross into Morocco fresh and early next day.

 

[Steptoe]

Hi, I'm off to Morocco in a few weeks. I am going to Gijon in Spain, arriving 23rd April at 8pm local time. It was meant to be 2pm but the ferry time was put forward 6 hours...

I plan to ride into the night, weather permitting, for a few hours or as long as I feel safe, then get to Algeciras the following day, hopefully getting into Morocco late that night (or not depending on advice!)

Having ridden from london to algeciras in 2 days quite a few times on previous Moroccan easter dashes i don't see a problem by stopping overnight when you get off the ferry in Gijon, and then getting up at 5.30/6am and riding to algeciras during the day.
If riding solo you should get to algeciras around 6pm, which includes a lunch stop. Distance is around 800ish miles, but a fairly easy ride.
You could then get a late ferry and stop in ceuta, or get through customs and stop just down along the coast road in morrocco heading towards Tetouan where they are a few decent hotels, or stop overnight in algeciras and get an early crossing.

One thing to be careful of riding at night at that time of year are the very low temperatures in northern spain around the Leon area all the way down to Madrid. I've seen snow in April a couple of times.

 

[Nigel]

Apologies if a statement of the obvious but having got myself in to the situation by error, I definately would not ride at night in Morocco outside of major towns. Not quite as dodgy as India but well on the way.

 

[Posh Pete]

Having ridden from london to algeciras in 2 days quite a few times on previous Moroccan easter dashes i don't see a problem by stopping overnight when you get off the ferry in Gijon, and then getting up at 5.30/6am and riding to algeciras during the day.
If riding solo you should get to algeciras around 6pm, which includes a lunch stop. Distance is around 800ish miles, but a fairly easy ride.
You could then get a late ferry and stop in ceuta, or get through customs and stop just down along the coast road in morrocco heading towards Tetouan where they are a few decent hotels, or stop overnight in algeciras and get an early crossing.

One thing to be careful of riding at night at that time of year are the very low temperatures in northern spain around the Leon area all the way down to Madrid. I've seen snow in April a couple of times.

800 miles in a single ride! Not unless you are really pushed for time surely!

My thoughts ...

Book a place to,stay in or near Gijon. Then take a couple of days to Algeciras. You can take pot luck on the way down or book a couple of places online. http://www.infohostal.com/guia/cadiz/algeciras/749/alojamiento/hostales.html

http://www.coolcamping.co.uk/campsites/europe/spain

Arriving in Morocco should not provide too many problems if you have your bike documents (originals) and passport details on a fiche but arriving in a strange place is always anxious and I would not like to do so late at night. Do the crossing of the Med in the morning after a decent kip and a breakfast and then press on into Morocco with plenty of time for delays at the ferry port / border.

You can choose to cross Algeciras to Ceuta or Algeciras to Tanger port. You can buy tickets at various places on the coast road. They all have big feck off signs so you can't miss them.

 

[Corp.Clinger!]

Hi, I'm off to Morocco in a few weeks. I am going to Gijon in Spain, arriving 23rd April at 8pm local time. It was meant to be 2pm but the ferry time was put forward 6 hours...

I plan to ride into the night, weather permitting, for a few hours or as long as I feel safe, then get to Algeciras the following day, hopefully getting into Morocco late that night (or not depending on advice!)

What I am after is for someone who has done this to let me have a phone No so as I can call and have a chat about a few worries I have.

Any kind soul willing to offer any help?

Have a wee peep here for some ideas...

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=841901


and


http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=934266


and


http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=841901




Call for a chat anytime as and if you want on;

0033559710941

Ask for Keith

I'm 1 hr ahead of you and in most days as I'm retired. I usually head off every October.



.

 

[Urban Rider]

Tim Cullis is the Morocco guru.. Drop him a PM and he'll be happy to help. There's a group of us heading out there a few weeks later (we ride for plymouth on the 4th May) and we had a few questions for him. He couldn't have been more happy to help.... A few years back i rode from Lourdes down to Sotogrande (about 20 minutes away from the Gib border) in one day.... just!! Left Lourdes around 0800 and arrived in Sotogrande around 0200 the following morning (18hrs) absolutely spent.... First time I dropped the bike was as i arrived. I asked a couple of security bods how to get to an address and as i turned the bike round down it went... After 18 hrs of riding though i couldn't have given a fuck though....proper adventure..

 

[Tim Cullis]

It's 1000km from Gijon to Algeciras. If you are 'into the groove' you can do remarkable distances in Spain in one day and north coast to south coast is possible. But better your original idea of getting off and riding for a couple of hours the previous evening. I'm in Spain at the moment and sunset is 2040, with full dark at 2100. By the 23 April it will be a bit later.

Your route will take you via Salamanca, see maps on post #3 at http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net/forum/showthread.php?t=105

The motorway as far as Leon is the AP-66 which will be toll road, thereafter the A-66 free motorway. There are normally inexpensive hotels and hostels alongside the motorways which means you don't waste time coming off the motorway to search through towns.

As St Eptoe points out the nights and early mornings in Spain can be chilly, so as your dates come near take a look at the overnight temperatures of Valladolid (currently 2ºC) for an idea how cold it will be in the morning.

 

[Corp.Clinger!]

As an aside we spent a night(half way down Spain) in Caceres,in a really clean new hostel for only €18 with breakfast included...up early,as usual in the rain to arrive at Algerciras for an afternoon boat to Tanger Med. You'll see it mentioned on Tims maps.




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