Our First Wild Camp In Spain! Costa Del Azahar
Well, we did it. We found our first real, honest-to-goodness boondocking (or rather “wild camping” as they call it over here) spot in Europe!
It was exquisite, a true gem, exactly the kind of wild and raw place you dream about, and yet it was only a few miles from the local town. It was also not at all what we expected. I mean we’d always hoped to find a spot like this in Europe but in our heart of hearts we never really thought we would.
Europe Has More Nature Than You’d Expect
Folks who’ve never travelled this side of the pond often have this impression of Europe (and mind you it’s not completely wrong) that it’s much more crowded with far less wide open space than the USA. That’s certainly true if you stick to the larger cities or travel to the more touristy areas, but it’s not even close to the whole story.
Even my own experience of Europe’s wildest places is somewhat limited. During the time I lived here I was either going to school or working, busy with “regular life” and sticking mostly to bigger areas. I did explore a bit, but I didn’t spend early as much time in Europe’s deepest nature as I could.
In reality, in-between all the density and the areas with people there is TRUE nature in Europe, LOTS of true nature…
I see it from our home in France, in the form of the ragged peaks of the Pyrenees that run for hundreds of miles across the horizon. I see it on Google maps when I roam around (I call it “virtual dream travel”) in the form of thousands of natural parks dotted all throughout the continent. And yes we saw it on the coast of Spain, only a few hours south of Barcelona.
In fact this little stretch of coast is known as one of the wildest and untouched in the country.
We Are In The Costa Del Azahar
When folks talk about the Spanish coast they always talk about Costa so-and-so. It seems every little corner of the coast has it’s own name and when you get down here, you quickly learn that every little bit of coast has it’s own reputation too.
Some of the the spots are super well-known, and in turn highly visited. For example Costa Del Sol, near the very southern tip of the country is an extremely popular tourist destination, and generally packed with foreigners no matter what time of year. Those spots are gorgeous, and the weather is amazing (especially in winter) so it’s no surprise that they’re popular. But if you’re looking for a slice of desolate nature all to yourself they may not be the first place to go.
Other spots are far less well-known, and in turn much quieter. The Costa Del Azahar is one of those places. It’s a slice of coast in the province of Castellón, named for the flor of Alzahar, the fragrant flower of the orange blossom. It’s home to smallish beach towns, mountains and rugged coastline, including the 7,744 hectare Serra d’Irta Natural Park. This is where we decided to try our hand at wild camping in LMB for the first time.
First-Time Boondocking Is Always A Bit Nerve-Wracking
Despite all our previous boondocking experience (I mean we did it at least 3 months every year we lived in “the beast” in the USA), I have to admit that trying it in Europe for the first time in our brand new rig was rather petrifying.
First of all we had no idea what to expect. Would sites be easy to find? Would the road be OK? We weren’t towing a car so we had no way to scout it out ahead of time. Plus most folks seem to wild-camp in vans, and we were in a motorhome (a MINI motorhome, but a motorhome nonetheless) without a ton of ground clearance. Would we even be able to get into any of the spots? Lastly we didn’t really know what the rules were, or how boondockers interact with each other over here. Basically we were complete wild-camping newbies…
We Scouted Out As Much As We Could On The Internet
Thankfully the modern age has given us tools for this kind of thing, and our previous experience does help us a bit too.
The first thing we did was check Park4Night, IMO the best all-encompassing tool for finding camping spots in Europe. This app is kinda like Campendium, RVParkReviews and AllStays all wrapped into one and it contains a TON of information. Not only does it show regular campgrounds, but it also shows parking spots (both day-time and overnight), Aires (semi-developed parking areas) and wild camping locations. It offers an incredible amount of choice and has become the first place we check for anywhere we want to go.
Park4Night showed several possible choices around Peñíscola.
Our next thing was to scout out the sites & roads using Google Maps in “Satellite” mode. This was always one of the first things we did when we were trying to fing boondocking in the USA, and although it’s never a perfect science, it’s certainly helpful. You can’t really tell if the road is rutted or steep, but by zooming in you can get a pretty good idea of how wide the road is, how large(ish) the boondocking sites are and whether there are open spots where it looks like you can potentially turn around. We bookmarked several potential sites and then we went for it…..
Our first attempt was a solid fail. We started off down a dirt road that initially looked promising, but progressively became more rutted and steep to the point that we weren’t comfortable going any further. We’re still figuring out the limits of our new rig and are not quite ready to take her 4-wheeling, at least not yet. Thankfully we found a little pull-out and decided to take that opportunity to do a careful 12-point turn-around and make our way back. Back on solid ground….phew!
Our next attempt did the job. We went down another dirt road, found a pretty decent site and immediately parked. Then we walked further down the road to scout out by foot, found a few better sites and one FABULOUS site. We high-tailed it back to get the rig and parked up.
We’d done it! We’d found our first wild-camping site in Europe and honestly it was frikkin’ amazing!
What A Spot!!!
Our site was simply speaking, breathtaking.
We were parked on some rugged rock formations by the edge of the sea. We could hear the sound of waves crashing at our doorstep, and had full 180-degree water views from the rig. To the front was the gorgeous town of Peñíscola, white and glistening in the sun, to the side the wild blue ocean of the Mediterranean, and to the rear the spectacular coastal mountains of El Parque Natural De La Serra d’Irta, rolling in waves of green and hazy blue towards the horizon.
We were on a dead-end dirt road (almost zero traffic), so we could walk along the coast from our site in complete peace, exploring the nooks and crannies of small beaches and beautiful views. It was quiet and private, with only a few other rigs around, all parked respectfully at distance from each other. At sunset, the sky lit up in swirls of red and orange, and the flash of a lighthouse greeted us from the peninsula.
OMG…It was literally one of the most beautiful boondocking sites we had ever been in!
We Ease Right Into “Boondocking Mode”
It didn’t take long for us to ease into “boondocking mode”.
I don’t know exactly how to describe this thing that happens when you park a rig in nature, but it’s a kind of vibe or pace that you adopt when you’re out in the boonies. If you’re the kind of person that likes all the finer amenities of life it might feel horribly primitive and restrictive, but if you’re the boondocking type it’s like slipping into silken sheets; smooth, comfortable and incredibly luxurious.
Of course there’s the practical side of things, like conserving water (you have to adapt to taking “cat baths”, washing dishes with minimal water and only flushing the loo when you need to), minimizing trash and watching your power usage. That takes some experience, but isn’t hard to learn.
The other side of it is the spiritual side of things, the stuff that sings to your soul if you’re open enough to listen to it. It’s about the surrounding nature, the sounds and colors of the landscape, the feel of the earth and the warmth of the sun. You feel different when you immerse yourself in natural beauty like this, and if you allow yourself to give into it, you will be transformed.
The paws feel it too…
The dog immediately made herself at home on a dirt patch overlooking the ocean and fell into the kind of deep doggie-snoring sleep that only pooches can do. At times she kicked her legs, likely dreaming about chasing squirrels along the sand.
The cats also got into it. They wanted to come outside almost as soon as the rig parked, raising their head to sniff the sea air and jumping from rock to rock exploring secret scents and chasing insects only they could see. After their little outing they also fell into a a deep feline snore-sleep, cuddling together like they did as kittens, the first time they’d felt that comfortable since we started back on the road.
As the sun set I went for a solo bike-ride, losing myself deeply in the colors and curves of the coast, while Paul hung outside the rig and had a beer, enjoying the sound and rhythm of the ocean. We had a simple dinner (steak and salad), shared some wine and watched, mesmerized, as the lighthouse beam swept it’s signal across the violet-blue sea. Sheer perfection!
We Meet Other Wild-Campers
While we were in our site we also met other folks.
We chatted a few times to the guys parked closest to us. They were French tent-campers who’d been coming here for years, staying a week at a time before moving on. We exchanged camping stories, and they gave us some tips for other areas of Spain. Nice guys, and super friendly just like boondockers we’d met when we were traveling in the USA.
A few of the other rigs we waived to, but didn’t meet. Again, pretty much exactly like boondocking in the USA. Some folks wild-camp to be entirely by themselves, whereas others like to chat. Wild-camping etiquette is pretty much identical to boondocking etiquette, and it didn’t take us long at all to figure that out. We were perfectly at home.
But We Have A Small Black Tank
It also didn’t take us long to figure out that LMB is Black Tank limited.
Unlike the massive black tank we had in “the beast” (which could last us weeks in the boonies), the little cassette toilet that we have in LMB can really only last ~4 days before it needs to be emptied. It’s safe to say that in our mini-rig fresh water, grey water and electricity (we have solar & lithium batteries) are not issues, but when the poop tank is full it’s the end of the party and we’ve gotta move on and find somewhere to dump it (and yes, I know I still owe you that “spec” blog with all the cool details of LMB….it’ll come).
In truth, we didn’t stay long enough to test the limits of our wild-camping tanks this time around.
You see we had a date with Peñíscola, in another fab little Spanish campground and we were keen to check out this amazing-looking town. The days we spent there ended up being one of the highlights of our trip, and well worth the few Euros we paid to stay in comfort close-by.
That story, coming up next…
Nice post guys. Great to hear that you all are “back in business!”
Incredible! Thanks for taking us along.
Oh I have missed these great boondock posts so much, although I probably won’t be running off to Spain to try it out. The photos are wonderful, love seeing the cats all happy, and the way you spoke about the soul part of boondocking in a wild lovely place was perfect. Good to read, Nina
Your post made your experience come alive and jump off the page Nina–so glad the paws are liking Europe camping too! We had that same wake up call when we went from motorhome 100 gallon holding tanks to a truck camper–bit of a difference!
Wow! Breathtaking! Your pictures are gorgeous. Thank you for the blog. Love to see and read about your travels.
Wow that would be my dream spot so beautiful and your pictures capture it so well! I am about to takeoff on my first solo Boondocking trip in preparation for going from landlocked Colorado to the beautiful ocean beaches of Oregon when I get my technique down. I am debating whether to try to take my cat along for a company. Do yours ever stray from the camp spot? that’s what is worrying me I guess I will need a harness so I can tie him up.
We started with a harness and that’s what I’d recommend. Get kitty used to that, and he will quickly get the hang of camping with you. It’s perfect for both of you.
In the beginning we used the harness all the time and both our cats loved going outside with it. Now they’re older and don’t ever stray far from the RV (they pretty much just like to explore a bit around the rig and then they go back inside to sleep), so we don’t use the harness anymore unless we’re in a developed campground.
Nina
That was a great report!
There are not to many people with European boondocking – van travel stories (that I’m aware of). Every now and then someone on the VW vanagon list will go to Europe & give a good report and there is an English guy who does a blog (vandog traveler) and now you guys!
Please keep enjoying your life & sharing your travels!
Beautiful post, beautiful spot guys. So lovely to see you back.
Beautiful!!!! Not much more to say.
Enjoy
Ahhhh…. I can just feel your joy in every word and pixel! Enjoy it all my friends!
What a great post Nina! DH and I are following your every adventure as this is my dream now that we have been full-time RVers in USA.
I hope this is not too self-serving (I own RV Water Filter Store), but can you me a little about the drinking water in Spain, France, etc., and how you are filtering if at all? We have customers who are very interested.
Thank you so much for your inspiration and awesome photos.
You know we’ve never filtered our water, not during the 8 years we RV’d in the US, nor since we’ve been here. Tap water is potable everywhere in Europe, so we simply haven’t seen the need. I know many folks get passionate about filtering their water, but we just never have.
Nina
My heart is full just looking at your pictures and experiencing through your words the freedom and love of nature you are enjoying. Envious does not begin to express what I feel! However I do not envy what it took for you guys to get there with your paws. I am happy for your success! And grateful that you share your adventures.
It was stressful getting the paws over here, most definitely. It all went fine in the end, but I’m sure I’d want to do it again.
Nina
Amazing….. Envious….. Enjoying……. Spectator…..
Enjoying your travels. Just received another email from Katie Gilbert The Scenic Route who are also RVing in Spain. They were south of you in Mercia.
Yes! Kate and Iain. We hoped to cross paths with them, but it didn’t work out. We met them several times in the US and have been following their adventures over here too. Next time…
Nina
Congrats on your first Spanish boondocking adventure! Meanwhile, back in the States, we’re Wally-docking in Alabama tonight
Hey it’s free…and I do miss Walmart 🙂
Nina
Looks like a perfect spot with the perfect rig!!
As for the toilet situation, can you purchase extra cassette tanks so you don’t have to empty the one you have so often? Then you could switch them out and empty them all when later on.
That’s a thought. I’m not sure I’d want a full cassette sloshing around in our storage bin, but that would certainly work.
Interestingly enough we’re finding the mini-rig lends itself to moving more than our old one, not just because of the tanks, but also because it’s so easy to pack-up and drive. The 3-4 day stay limit worked out quite nicely during our trip to Spain. It’s a good pace.
Nina
Stuninngly beautiful! Glad you guys got back on the road. We spent the last four nites camping at Vail Lake out by Temecula (CA). Beautiful wildflowers after all the rains we’ve had this year.
I’ve heard CA is having a superbloom this year!! It must have been absolutely stunning.
Nina
You certainly hit the jackpot! Wow!! What a spectacular boondocking spot. Your photos give a great idea of just how gorgeous it was. So glad to hear all the paws relaxed and are now comfortable. Love, love the sunrise final photo!!
Appreciate the cute cat pics! Thanks!!
I hope you head to Portugal at some point. You will find so many perfect spots with spectacular views. You can also pay 2Euro to dump and fill at the motorhome sites and then go find a wild spot. Thats what we did a couple of times. We only had 11 nights, I could have stayed and explored soon much longer.
Absolutely! Portugal is high on our wishlist and may well be our next winter trip. It looks amazing.
Nina
Hallo Nina & Paul,
nice to read about your new camping adventure in good old Europe 🙂
The Thetford toilet is not perfect… How about a Nature’s Head (https://www.tomtur.de/en/)? The bathroom is to small?
Greetings from Berlin!
Yes, we’ve thought about a composting toilet, but unfortunately I don’t think we can fit one. The area we have is too small. The Thetford toilet is not bad. I just wish it was a smidgen larger.
Nina
What an amazing place you found!! Can’t believe such a place exists for wild camping. So glad the paws have settled in so well and are enjoying their time back in nature. Can’t wait to see your next stop!
So beautiful. Isn’t this world a wonderful place? We have been to all 50 states, Canada & Mexico and are convinced that each has it’s own special slice of beauty. Love seeing what is across the pond.
Great photos and description. Fun to see pets enjoy too.
So happy that you’re back to traveling! Great posts!! Hey, what happened to your beer fund button? It was my way of re-paying you for your wonderfully informative posts!! Put it back, please!
Never mind! I just found it! Dang, I can’t see past my nose!
Aw shucks!!! Thanks so much for the donation!!
Nina
Beautiful description of a place i would have never “seen” with my own eyes. So glad you’re posting again!
Beautiful! I’m so happy to read about your travels again.
Looks beautiful there Nina. Thanks for the great post. Do you think those wild camping spots fill up during high season?
Possibly. My impression is there’s a lot more campers around in high season. None of the wild campers I spoke to have ever stayed here in high season tho, so couldn’t say for sure.
Nina
So happy for you two! Leave it to you to find boon docking in Europe! Your photos are breathtaking!
What an absolutely wonderful surprise to find you traveling in Europe! We had some things come up so I stopped following your blog when you were moving to France. I popped in today and am thrilled and absolutely mesmerized with your European edition! Thank you for all that you do. Hope all is well.
Hubby and I are starting a new adventure in June after selling our home. This is our 3rd time to full time. Love the life!
How cool! Welcome back to the fulltime life, and happy travels to you!
Nina