Pyrenees and back – picture heavy

[AlexB]

Well, we arrived back in blighty on the 16th September, just over 2 weeks after leaving for Portsmouth. Basic statistics; 2141 miles at an average of 34.5 miles per gallon, Holmfirth to Portsmouth, Santander to Caen via Andorra, Perpignan, Bordeaux, Vendee, Brittany and Normandy, Portmouth back to Holmfirth via Nantwich.

Portsmouth

Santander

Via Brittany Ferries

Just managed a quick beer before tea and bed, then woke up to

And bells from this lot

A very eco campsite, with windmills, straw yurts and stuff.

On our way through some fantastic countryside

This was Jaca, in medieval mood

From there, we went into the Pyrenees “proper”, near the National Park

Time for a beer of course (pretty average – don’t bother)

Wine was much better. Although on the edge of the Rioja region, we are not too partial to it, so went for the local (ish) Tinta (Val de penas)

A bit of nature spotting on a 3 hour walk;

And “better red than dead” or was it the other way round!

Time to move on.

Remnants of agriculture, loads of ancient terraces and abandoned villages thanks to Franco
(amongst others).

We went through a long tunnel into France to see what the French Pyrenees were like

Just as nice, but greener!

Must get my hair cut

New village of ski apartments

Thought we would do a detour round a mountain in a national park;

Dormobiles can go off road as well you know!

Stopped in a place called Bos Ost, in a so average campsite next to a main road that I didn’t bother with any pictures. Left there to try to find Tor and the smugglers track into Andorra that Luke and Co had told me about at the ‘Pit. Not long got onto the main road when we were pulled over by the Civil Guarda (a very attractive but officious young lady and had our papers checked by some less attractive (to me) young men with a very large rifle that they shared.
Arrived at Alains Sept 3rd – the Tuesday.
Pitched up in the campsite opposite the track up to Tor

Had a beer and posted a birthday card to Esther’s mum.

It is a lovely old town. Well off the beaten track, however, we were disturbed by some german 4×4 folk in a Frontera with a roof tent (I kid you not) and some other boingy thing, who camped in the same site as us. In the morning we set off to Andorra;

This was Tor – inhabited for a thousand years, said the sign.

Take the right fork. Many thanks to Steve (Vidal) for the GPS info and other tips. Very much appreciated.

Breakfast stop

That is the Civil Guarda going back down the track we have just come up.” Donde esta Luke, John y Vidal ?” we heard them say as they went past

The track got higher

And higher

Just helping out the Guarda looking for Luke et al

I was looking for water as the Rad cap had jumped off.

After topping up we went still higher

Nearly there

Andorra!

To be honest, it was horrible, we decided not to stay.

Stopped off on t’other side for lunch

Another example of how green the French side is.

Finally arrived at a lovely site at a place called Roquefeuil on the edge of the Languedoc region.

It had an old world agricultural feel about it

Finally rolled up in the Med for a swift splash

But – quelle horreur – a puncture. Well a flat. It was round the 40 degrees on the tarmac so I wonder if the tyre / tube / valve just threw a wobbily. It was so hot I had to don Boiler suit to avoid being burnt by it when lifting the wheel back on the rear carrier.

Anyway, for those who are still awake, at 5 pm on the 5th, we rolled into Carccasonne.

Had some awful beer.

But saw a magnificent medieval city

And I had a cup of coffee.

Also went into the Bastide,the old town outside the ramparts

Leaving Carcasonne behind, we set off for St Emillion, via the Lot

Finally, a decent beer

What is this tree please?

Spot of lunch and chance to show off my missing front tooth

Arrived at St Emillion. No need to drink beer here of course! We left with a few cases.

A little stop by the Dordogne. Then a welcome cup of coffee from Drew in Aunac, before calling in on Michel Jones in Poitiers to pick up the roof vent for DanC and drop off keyrings for Michel J.

We called into the seaside on the Vendee (St Gille) on our way to see our son’s prospective in laws

While at his inlaws, they had some wood delivered for winter. Unfortunately we had to press on so couldn’t help put it in the woodshed.
A brief visit to son and partner and then on to Caen to catch the ferry home.

All in all another magnificent trip. Can’t wait for the next one, hopefully in the Blue Dormobile, as this should be the last one, for us, in the Green Dormobile which will, sadly, have to be moved on in the Spring, to fund the rebuild of the White Dormobile.

[MrJones]

Alex , Esther ,
c’est un beau voyage que vous avez fait , merci de nous en faire profiter . Pour l’arbre : c’est un Catalpa
Cordialement
Michel

[ludo]

hello AlexB family!!

thanx for pictures! 😉 nice trip!!! 8)

michel is right : i have the same tree in my garden..and if i did’nt finished my dormie : i’m sure that it growed up in it!!

[jkhackney]

Thanks for the pictures and dry narrative Alex! I hadn’t noticed the tooth, before …

I rode a bicycle tour through some of that in 1990 (Massif Centrale, Lot valley, andorra region) and it reminded me then, as it does now, of my native Colorado. The heat!! I was hoping to take similar style “touring” trips in the Dormobile, as you are doing. It’s not so much fun with little kids though. We do better with short drives and longer stays. But you give me ideas for later on when they’re bigger …

Cheers,
-Jeremy

PS is the white dormobile really worth it??? 😳

[jerryd]

Looks like an interesting drive up some of those roads, with some great pics 🙂

Do you ever get any overheating problems with the jerry cans fitted in front of the grill ?? I’d like to do the same but am worried about the heat we get over here.

[porthole]

hi alex im doing up my 1959 bedford ca porthole dormobile and i want to put some photos on here of work in progress can you help with info on how to post pics thanks john

[AlexB]

Hi John.
The easiest way is to use a host site like photo bucket. When you have saved them there, click on the bit on the right hand side which lets you copy HTML and stuff. Basically you need to have the file that has IMG at either end. As you can gather I am not the best person to advise other than the principle!
good luck

[Author]

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