towing a 9m boat down to gib from bilbao and back to santander for first time. Girlfriend coming along and read fears of car jacking etc. Is it a real issue, if so what is best route, and where could we stop securely 6 or 7 hours from bilbao and back to santander?
cheers jon
What are you towing with
Sounds like a load off anyvan or shiply
hi im towing the boat on its trailer down for aworld championship in soto grande with a santa fe.
jon
no towing for myself and just looking for a bit of advice from experts, maybe i shouldnt be on the site?
Shouldn’t be a problem. I did Bilbao to Gib many times when I was driving lorries to Morocco. However, it is over ten years since I last did it so some things will have changed (like the route round / through Madrid). The main roads are now good (since EU) and roadside facilities have always been good for eating, dieseling up, parking etc. Spain is very hilly so make generous fuel allowances. Driving in Spain is generally peaceful, well resourced and scenically lovely. If it’s any use, with a fully-laden artic limited to 90 kph (56 mph) it was a 10 hour shift from Bilbao to Santa Lucia ‘hostal’ (truck stop / services) on the 323 top side of Granada. Enjoy! Robert
thanks robert couple of questions is there any problem us not being a truck using the stop? Are the stops in Spain secure? If i cant manage 10 plus hours is there anything a little further back?
cheers jon
Most towns have a lorry parking area make you have all the required safety stuff how do you. Mean secure if you mean fenced off then usually no. Though like france rest areas are usually plentyfull oh and motorways are tolled.
The rest areas in Spain always seem to be patrolled by police these days (looking for an easy tug on Eastern European drivers) so you do feel pretty safe in them. How ever much the tolls cost always stick to the main roads and stop at there rest areas only for absolute safety.
Without wanting to scare you off in anyway, make sure you and the vehicle and trailer are 100% legal on your documents and legal requirements. The police especially in northern Spain have a very bad reputation. They will fine you truly eye watering sums of money for infringements. Fire extingushers, spare glasses, hi-viz for everyone, spare bulbs, original documentation not photo copies. Admittedly its been quite a few years now since I last ran to Spain, back then a little chat and an offer of a “coffee” or a contribution to there lunch fund smoothed the path. Apparently its not so easy (! 
) nowadays.
Apart from that, enjoy it!! 
Its a lovely drive! 
If you’re going straight down the A4, then there is a massive parking area at Bailen. I can’t remember the exact location as I haven’t been down for a few years but there is more than enough room for you there. Easily reachable in 10 from Bilbao. Also as I recall, not far after the Bailen junction, there is a BP garage just off the motorway where you can park … you can see it from a distance as you approach the junction.
You have more chance of winning the lottery than being carjacked. Enjoy the trip.
Spain is a great place to drive, love it, a lot of the motorway aren’t toll roads, most of the ones I can think of are on the Tourist parts Barlcelona, Valencia etc.
Are you looking for hotels or sleeping in the vehicle?
plenty of the truck stops have hotels on them or if you’re in a car or van you can always go into a town a find a hotel.
As others have said make sure your documentation is ok and don’t drive In a way to draw attention to yourself and I doubt you’d be troubled by the police.
And mainly enjoy it, Spain is a stunning country, and no more likely to be car jacked than anywhere else.
Make sure you are 100% legal, as the Spanish police will not hesitate to impose a very large fine if you are not. How wide is the boat? anything above 2.55m requires a permit over there. Have you checked the weight are all legal? If you are being paid to tow the boat you will need a tacho fitted to your vehicle.
Maybe he has already left!
Any trip to Spain needs a visit to a club, you can find them by looking for a flashing “club” sign.
Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Why is the title of the post mentioning Gibraltar, while the opening post states Bilbao to Santander ?
Santander and Gibraltar are not exactly neigboring cities, are they ?
bald:
Why is the title of the post mentioning Gibraltar, while the opening post states Bilbao to Santander ?
Santander and Gibraltar are not exactly neigboring cities, are they ?
I think you need to re-read the opening part.
jonnyp1:
towing a 9m boat down to gib from bilbao and back to santander for first time.
muckles:
I think you need to re-read the opening part.jonnyp1:
towing a 9m boat down to gib from bilbao and back to santander for first time.
back to school, comprehensive reading or even further back, …reading… 
newmercman:
Any trip to Spain needs a visit to a club, you can find them by looking for a flashing “club” sign.Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
He said he was taking the girl friend so he should have no need to visit one of those terrible establishments (I liked the Texas club just down from La Jonquera, spent €400 there one time over a couple of days 
)