France Spain morocco July-August 2013

Planning on heading across channel 24th ish July head down thru France Spain then over into morocco (west coast by sea breezier) and then returning same sort of route leaving about 3 weeks to complete all in all. It will be hot but told a sort of bearable dry heat. Looking at wild camping have a 1994 defender 90 and will be me and 2 kids 11 and 14. Anyone going this sort of time?

Sounds good, I will just be getting back from three weeks around Europe. I'm planning on wild camping most of my time over there, although i have a 110 kitted out with a bed in it, its only me and my fiance though. We are driving to our wedding in Italy.

Driving to your wedding? Won't her dress get crumpled on route? Sounds a cool trip we did Europe down to Italy last year in a little 1.4 golf it was awesome but Italy was v v hot....

I've made a shelf for the dress to go on, which obviously I'm not allowed to see or touch.
Hopefully it will be nice and hot. 11 countries in total but being Europe that's quite easy.
Morocco should be a good trip, anything planned when your there or just winging it?

Well get to tangier, then west coast to Rabat Casablanca (apparently a bit of a dump but good to say been) safi and agadir. Diesel supposed to be half price so that will be good and wild camp by beach. No off roading or duning as first trip in the 90 and I won't be experienced enough. Sticking to coast, cooler and probably easier. Just need to source a waeco fingers crossed one on ebay try and get your Swiss vignette before you go, apparently people do sell them cheaply when return......

I bought a Yeti cooler rather than a fridge, much cheaper, good reviews, and no power needed just ice. I've tried it out a few times and it works a treat, food nice and chilled and beers just the right temp.
Swiss vignette has been done.
Sounds like a good trip. Wild camping will be fun. You will get carried away and try your hand at off roading, just know your limits and don't take unnecessary risks.
Hope you and the kids have a great time.

We're leaving just a little ahead of you, starting out 3rd July.. You'll enjoy it, I did that route by motorcycle in 2010..

Hangar53 said:

We're leaving just a little ahead of you, starting out 3rd July.. You'll enjoy it, I did that route by motorcycle in 2010..

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How did it pan out for you? Did you get the ferry tickets in Gibraltar as opposed to booking in advance? Thx

What have you packed planned for?
I've bought 4 x really useful boxes 50litres from some office website they're black so better
First one is dried food, pot noodles, skimmed milk, noodles, pasta, chopped tomatoes, hot dogs, tinned fruit, coffee tea etc. one will be for cooking stuff, jetboil for quick tea / snacks, sink, plates, cutlery etc. one for some tools, spares.
Bought a ring 12v shower very light but handy, waeco 50litre compressor fridge/ freezer, and would like a boab braai bbq.
Have bought 2 x 3 m groundsheet from halfords and some 2m poles and guy lines off ebay for an awning.
2 x 25 litre water containers £2 each from boot sale (woo hoo) and 2 x 10 litre
2 x metal jerry cans for diesel.
A holdall for clothes.
Couple of tents mats etc.......

It panned out ok I was on a motorcycle, so travelled light.. wild camped all the way, or at campsites in France.. pre-booked the ferry from Algeciras to Cueta.. cheaper than last minute..

Mineleakstoo said:

What have you packed planned for?
I've bought 4 x really useful boxes 50litres from some office website they're black so better
First one is dried food, pot noodles, skimmed milk, noodles, pasta, chopped tomatoes, hot dogs, tinned fruit, coffee tea etc. one will be for cooking stuff, jetboil for quick tea / snacks, sink, plates, cutlery etc. one for some tools, spares.
Bought a ring 12v shower very light but handy, waeco 50litre compressor fridge/ freezer, and would like a boab braai bbq.
Have bought 2 x 3 m groundsheet from halfords and some 2m poles and guy lines off ebay for an awning.
2 x 25 litre water containers £2 each from boot sale (woo hoo) and 2 x 10 litre
2 x metal jerry cans for diesel.
A holdall for clothes.
Couple of tents mats etc.......

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Sounds like you're going to be pretty well packed..
This time, we're just taking some spares, tools, minimal clothes, as you can wash your gear at camp, or in a river, minimal food, mostly rat packs, and will eat local again, (cheap & tasty)
No fridge, no shower, (stripwash, & warm water, lovely )
1x 25 ltr water tank with pump, 1x jerrycan for diesel.. (fuel is ok there, with plenty of available stops, even in the atlas mountains

Don't forget a medical kit, EHI card, basic spares, etc..
A lot of people go way OTT with what they take, like I said, I did three weeks on a bike, and made out just fine with a couple of panniers for storage

Si

Hangar53 said:

Sounds like you're going to be pretty well packed..
This time, we're just taking some spares, tools, minimal clothes, as you can wash your gear at camp, or in a river, minimal food, mostly rat packs, and will eat local again, (cheap & tasty)
No fridge, no shower, (stripwash, & warm water, lovely )
1x 25 ltr water tank with pump, 1x jerrycan for diesel.. (fuel is ok there, with plenty of available stops, even in the atlas mountains

Don't forget a medical kit, EHI card, basic spares, etc..
A lot of people go way OTT with what they take, like I said, I did three weeks on a bike, and made out just fine with a couple of panniers for storage

Si

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Yes looking at it you are right I will be scaling down the water storage, clothing will be minimal, small medical kit with some antibiotics etc.
EHI Card? PS the DIY awning worked superbly today you considered one?

Mineleakstoo said:

Well get to tangier, then west coast to Rabat Casablanca (apparently a bit of a dump but good to say been) safi and agadir. Diesel supposed to be half price so that will be good and wild camp by beach. No off roading or duning as first trip in the 90 and I won't be experienced enough. Sticking to coast, cooler and probably easier. Just need to source a waeco fingers crossed one on ebay try and get your Swiss vignette before you go, apparently people do sell them cheaply when return......

Click to expand...

I would'nt ! The whole coast line and flat land underneath and up to the Atlas mountains down to Agadir and including is an absolute filthy **** hole , Go and see the monkeys in the cedar forest's,get your self up in the Atlas ! Merzouga & Zagora where the dunes start will be dead so you can name your price for a hotel with air con.

I have been the last 2 years on the trot in the height of summer wiv me wife and 3 kids (youngest 7), make sure you have a proper fridge as your major concern is going to be cool fresh water, a "Gandini" campsite guide or similar.

Please don't just do the coast Drive up to ilmilchil and back down the other side through the Gorge to todra or dades the scenary will absolutely blow your mind away

Mineleakstoo said:

How did it pan out for you? Did you get the ferry tickets in Gibraltar as opposed to booking in advance? Thx

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Get your tickets from Carlos (Far end/behind the Carrefour supermarket carpark) on the left before you get to Algérias ferry port, will probably safe you between a 100 & 200 eurkies !

We prefer to do Cueta crossing, quicker than Tanger med and nicer arrival as when you get to Tanger med all there is is a gut new port and then your straight on the motorway !

Jason2 said:

I would'nt ! The whole coast line and flat land underneath and up to the Atlas mountains down to Agadir and including is an absolute filthy **** hole , Go and see the monkeys in the cedar forest's,get your self up in the Atlas ! Merzouga & Zagora where the dunes start will be dead so you can name your price for a hotel with air con.

I have been the last 2 years on the trot in the height of summer wiv me wife and 3 kids (youngest 7), make sure you have a proper fridge as your major concern is going to be cool fresh water, a "Gandini" campsite guide or similar.

Please don't just do the coast Drive up to ilmilchil and back down the other side through the Gorge to todra or dades the scenary will absolutely blow your mind away

Click to expand...

Hi Jason thx for the advice, I got a waeco 50litre last week, how hot was the height of summer? Kids are 12 and 15. I'm going to look at ilmichil to todra today were there enough vehicles you didn't feel in the middle of nowhere or only a few hours if something went wrong?

Yeah, agree with Jason.. the monkeys are awesome, as is Imilchil & the Todra, couldn't have recommended a better couple of spots.. Cascades d' Ouzoud is another great area too, if you're doing Ouazarzate, Todra/Dades, Marrakech triangle, then fit the cascades in too..
As for awning, I just string a bivvy from the roof.. nothing too fancy, can sleep out under it too, packs down into a large pocket

2011 trip http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f15/morocco-summer-2011-report-family-trip-159191.html

2012 trip http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f15/national-lampoon-morocco-2012-a-195856.html

The road to ilmilchil and down through the gorges to Todras is now all tarmac

It is very quite in the summer, which can be a godsend as some of the tracks that we have done through the atlas mountains it would have been a nightmare to have met a vehicle coming in the opposite direction

In the Atlas mountains in July the temperature is hot but not a problem it's when you drop down the other side that it starts heating up Merzouga,Zagora etc .. Last year when we were in Zagora it was 46°C at 10pm at night. It 's a dry heat and although you will be drinking 3 litres of water + per day you won't even feel your self sweating it out !

Then when you get onto the coast the temp drops to low 20's and your limit nearly freezing yeh nads off !

Be careful with the fridge when it's realy hot as if you fill it with too many bottles of warm water at the same time it will overload. Ours did and I had to cool the compressor with an electric fan !

The second time we went I had put a winch bumper on the 110 and a sump guard and experienced overheating from Madrid down wards that never happened once the first time in standard spec !

Hangar53 said:

Yeah, agree with Jason.. the monkeys are awesome, as is Imilchil & the Todra, couldn't have recommended a better couple of spots.. Cascades d' Ouzoud is another great area too, if you're doing Ouazarzate, Todra/Dades, Marrakech triangle, then fit the cascades in too..
As for awning, I just string a bivvy from the roof.. nothing too fancy, can sleep out under it too, packs down into a large pocket

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Have looked up the places you two have mentioned, looks superb going to get working on a plan. I'm usually an on the hoof kind of bloke but with the remoteness going to be a bit more organised. Posted a pic of my DIY awning in works brilliantly

Hangar53 said:

It panned out ok I was on a motorcycle, so travelled light.. wild camped all the way, or at campsites in France.. pre-booked the ferry from Algeciras to Cueta.. cheaper than last minute..

Click to expand...

Jason2 said:

Get your tickets from Carlos (Far end/behind the Carrefour supermarket carpark) on the left before you get to Algérias ferry port, will probably safe you between a 100 & 200 eurkies !

We prefer to do Cueta crossing, quicker than Tanger med and nicer arrival as when you get to Tanger med all there is is a gut new port and then your straight on the motorway !

Click to expand...

Loved your two write ups, great pics and sure did look like an adventure to remember.

Yeah, the awning looks grand