Monday 6 March 2017

Ouzoud to Azrou - 188 miles

Another fine sunny morning and it looks like it's going to be a hot one. Got everything done in good time and checked with the guy that the minor road north, direct to the N8 was okay for motorhomes. We needed the shortest route because, due to a distinct lack of stopping places, we've got a fair way to go today. As it turned out it was pretty spectacular, following the Gorge d'Ouzoud along the top and through the mountains.

The first half of the road looked to have been newly resurfaced and whilst still quite steep and very twisty in places we were keeping up a good speed, there being next to no other traffic. Stopped briefly to assist a car driver in need of water – don't know if it was for the radiator or to bless it with the Last Rites! How they keep some of these wrecks going amazes us. Then we came to the reason the tour buses don't come this way.

From here to the main road it became “Moroccan” again but still quite useable – there were worse sections on the main road later in the day. We discovered where we had missed the turn on Saturday and kept a note of it to pass on to others before settling down to the long haul along the N8. Lunchtime found us in Beni-Mellal where wediscovered a Marjane supermarket, so took the opportunity of topping up with basics then having a quick lunch in their car park.

Bit top heavy?

From here on the map indicated a scenic route, which just translated as not very straight with views of the mountains. We noticed that this part of Morocco seemed different again to other areas we've visited, quite green and the towns and villages clean and modern with spacious centres. Occasionally they could have made a better effort with the road surfaces..........

Keeping an eye on our ETA it was clear we'd make Azoura,our intended destination, but it would be quite late. Another nice looking place with a “holy” rock formation in the middle from which the town gets its name; it was certainly the early evening meeting place. TomTom must have been getting tired because for a while he gave up giving us directions but the site book was quite clear and we muddled through, arriving at Euro Camping, Emirates Tourist Centre just before 6.00 pm. Found ourselves a nice pitch and settled in for a couple of days.

Long drive today!