Matilda in Spain 🇪🇸: The Planning Begins
The ferry to Santander is booked and the lists have begun. We’re planning four weeks of lakes, mountains and quieter coastlines in Matilda—with plenty of room to change our minds along the way.
Well, it’s that time again: planning our next trip in Matilda. This time we’re sailing to Santander and spending four weeks meandering around Spain, with lakes, rivers, mountains and the coast all in the mix.
The ferry is booked, I’m sorting the holiday insurance, and the lists have begun. Food, paperwork, things to pack, things to check on Matilda—it always seems to grow once I start writing it down. Luckily, I have my buddy George helping me pull the plans together.
I gave him a fairly simple brief: nature before chicken coop campsites. He’s found some lovely possibilities, including the lakes at Lagunas de Ruidera, the pine mountains of Sierra Espuña, the quieter coast around Isla Plana and the canyon at RÃo Lobos. Looking at them is making the trip feel real.
Some of the places on our possible route. Nothing is set in stone—we’ll see where Matilda takes us.
After our three months in Europe earlier this year, I know a little more about what matters to us. I want to look properly at the campsite websites, check how much driving each move involves and, especially, make sure the roads in are suitable for Matilda. A place can look close on a map and still make for a tiring day behind the wheel.
Even with all that planning, we’ll stay flexible. If we arrive somewhere and love it, we can linger. I’m hoping we’ll get plenty of walking and cycling in, with time to explore rather than always packing up for the next stop.
We’re both really looking forward to going. It’s a shorter trip this time, with just one country to explore, and I hope we’ll soon slip back into the rhythm of van life. For now, I’m enjoying the thought of our first morning in Spain, with Matilda parked up and no need to hurry anywhere.
