Just enjoyed a great camping trip in France with two small children and thinking about going further afield next year. Anyone got any experience and/or recommendations for NW Spain?
I took the bike with Ryan Scare and did a big loop down to the border with Portugal, then turned inland and back north to return via a couple hundred k's of the Camino de Santiago. Very nice green countryside, quite english looking in places, but that's because they get a LOT of rain. It's the only place I've every been to in Europe where no one speaks English. I mean no one. The only meaningful conversation I had all week was with a hotel manager in Lugo (intact Roman walled town) who happened to speak French. Santiago de Compostela is a nice place, and the only place I saw any (foreign)tourists. I plan to go back next year to ride the Portugese side - Porto, Douro valley etc.
Spent 2 weeks in Galicia & Asturias in 2007. No bikes though just a hire car.
Beautiful place, lovely wine, great seafood and as usual in Spain, death by pig. Yum yum.
Started in Santiago then went to Coasta do Morte, A'Coruna, inland to the hills, into Leon, then Asturias, along bit of northern Coast, then Lugo then Santiago. Spent half the time camping the other half in hostels/cheap hotels. You see a lot of bikes doing the camino de santiago and lots of cheap digs on the route.
You do need to speak Spanish though. The locals speak Gallego first, then Spanish and almost no English. Compared to the rest of Spain its greener due to maritime climate. Its also a lot quieter and in comparison unspoilt.
Can't recommend it enough but you've probably guessed that already.
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Is the sea warm enough for a proper swim? We're just back from our first trip to Spain, and the big bonus was swimming in the Med. Swim till you've had enough, not getting out when you turn blue. If you're driving that far, heading to the Med coast wouldn't add much to the journey.
If you're driving that far, heading to the Med coast wouldn't add much to the journey.
Erm... not quite. Spain is a very big country driving from [url= http://www.turgalicia.es/presentacion/flash/Inicio_I.html ]Galicia[/url] to the Med is 1000km. That's like London to Inverness !
edit.. suppose you could go to the med on the way there but even from Santander its a blummin long drive
The sea was warm enough to swim in early Sept when we were there. Playa de Lago Muxia is a great spot. Camping above the beach and a couple of places to eat near the beach.
Carnota is a stunning beach with amazing white sands