Fancy the Winter in the Algarve

In June 2007 we bought a Swift Kontiki 669. In August 2007 my wife's mother passed away at the grand old age of 94. like many others the sadness of losing ones mother, was tempered by the additional freedom this now afforded us. With this in mind, in October that same year, we embarked on our first ever trip to Portugal.

Having spent the odd 2 week holiday abroad in various caravans, to France and Germany, this was to be our most ambitious yet. Determined to avoid toll roads like the plague, we crossed via Dover-Calais, and that night found ourselves at La Mailleraye-sur-seine on an aire beside the river Seine. A couple of days later we found a delightful site high on the cliffs above the town of Zarautz in Northern Spain. Its an easy toll free drive from here heading south west across Spain through Burgos and Vallodolid to Salamanca. Since that first ever trip, Salamanca has always featured on our journey to the Algarve, and should be a must to visit for anyone passing that way.

Another 50 miles or so along the excellent A62 saw us cross the Portugese border at Vilar Formoso. Despite the fact that in 2007 a lot of motorways in Portugal were still free, we kept to comparative minor roads across Portugal to Nazare. This small town has now become famous world wide, for providing the highest ever recorded surfers wave at over 80 feet. We spent a couple of days here, charging both human and vehicle batteries. We virtually had the site to ourselves, and in pleasantly warm temperatures spent many hours walking in the many pine forests. Treating my wife to a birthday lunch, we enjoyed fresh local sardines, local white wine in a rustic beach restaurant. On leaving I happened to mention to the (according to my wife very atractive waiter) it was her birthday, he politely asked if it would be alright to give her a kiss. I swear I still have the bruise on my ribs as I was pushed aside.

Whilst in Nazare, we made a decision that shaped all our future winters in the algarve. Should we head to Tavira, Albufeira or Lagos (pronounced Lagosh). We decided on Lagos the most westerly of the three. And so it was we spent two glorious weeks at Turiscampo, making life long friends not only with fellow campers, but site staff as well.

That first year we were only away for 6 weeks, much to the amazement of those who spend up to 6 months in the Algarvian sunshine. But at the time we felt Christmas at home still had something to offer, now we accept that the sucess of Christmas depends on who can show the biggest profit.

Since that first year, we now spend 3 to 4 months at Turiscampo, 3 more times in the Kontiki until the 5th wheeler came along in 2011. At that time we started using the longer Portsmouth-Santander ferry operated by Brittany ferries. Santander to Lagos is a little over 600 miles, which we generally split into 3x200 mile sections, stopping overnight at the aformentioned Salamanca and Evora.

If this is something you have thought about, but never got around to it, give it a go, you might just get hooked, like we have.