Dark when we wake, we drink coffee and then I go to the bathroom window to look at the camper next to us. It is parked very close and I see a large crack in the fibre glass body work across the back between the lights. Yes… he hit that tree very hard I think! Their blinds are drawn and there is no sign of them. It is one of the big disadvantages of arriving late at a campsite… you can’t see.

We breakfast, service the Hymer (fill with water and empty the grey and toilet cassette) and get on our way. Today is a day of travelling north towards Santander, as our ferry leaves for Plymouth tomorrow evening. We leave Segovia about 10.30am and take the A-601 north towards Villadolid. Here we take the VA-30 ring road around the city and pick up the E-80 north towards Palencia.

We stop at a picnic site around 12.30 for lunch, it is hot and sunny, but ‘only’ 28°C so much cooler than what we are used to. As we are eating lunch we see a large red kite circling in the sky, this is joined by three more, very large birds. We discuss at length with each other what they might be and with the pictures in the bird book… at first we think they are Spanish Imperial Eagles. They are very big birds with the right kinds of white markings, but later we decide they are griffin vultures. The Spanish Imperial Eagle is rare, and not generally seen in this area. One things birdwatchers learn early is that if you think you are seeing a really rare bird, then you are probably wrong. You are much more likely to be seeing a really common bird and indulging in some wishful thinking.

On our way again about 13.30, we continue to head north on the A-67 past Palencia and on to Aguilar de Campóo. We stop at Mercadona for Iberico jamon and lomo smoked sausage, cava and some fruit. Then head for the campsite. Google maps is guiding us, as usual, however, we meet a short tunnel that passes under the highway and know instantly that the Hymer will not fit underneath… while cars fit we are too tall, around 3 metres.

We do a many-point turn in the narrow road, the two officers in the police car behind us smile… they must have seen this happen a hundred times. Why are there no height restriction signs on the road we wonder. We drive three sides of a square and find the campsite, three spaces, outside the nursery and next to the sports field. We park up and watch the 7 – 9 year olds first, doing warm up exercises under the supervision of their coach… circling their hips, they are not very good at this; then circling their arms… they do this really well and look like a group of demented windmills gone berserk on a hillside! Then they team up, yellow vs. red and play a match of football.

They are quite good. Later the big boys come to play, followed by the girls who sit and watch. When they leave about 7.30 (dusk) it is very quiet. We catch up on our journals and have an early night, having driven 253km on ordinary roads (not motorways), we are in bed by 9.00pm.

Our Hymer motorhome trip to Roman and Moorish Sites in Spain

Keywords: Motorhome, Hymer, B544, Premiumline, Spain, Motorhome trip Europe, camping car europe, camping car tour