wander
Free Member
absolutely!!
Coastal camper vans causing concern
- Thread starter scotjimland
- Start date
absolutely!!
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2657
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I am not trying to score points off you or anyone else, merely stating my point of view as you do. The point I am trying to make regarding 'meets' is that it seems very odd to me that someone like yourself who professes to enjoy the free life and abhors camp sites will regularly( I only glean this from yours and others posts) attend such 'meets' , rallies, shows etc which seem to me to be the opposite of the free life. If I have misinterpreted previous posts and you do not attend such 'meets' then I apologise to you but my general comment is still valid.
I will not deal with your other points individually but two generalisations come to mind, someone spends £50,000 upwards on a motorhome and spends their time in Europe - short of money !!!
There are a lot of maybe's in your other comments some of which maybe valid but the general point is when does it become OK for someones personal needs or freedom to overide the accepted norms and rules of society and become antisocial(which I believe most 'wildcamping' to be) or even criminal.
You must have been on some very strange sites over the years if you think they are like concentration camps, all sites, and society in general, needs rules otherwise chaos prevails, if I do not like a site then I will go somewhere else.
Incidentally I do think that more provision for Motorhomes should be provided throughout Europe with proper facilities, as in France, for short term stays. The need for 'wildcamping' would then be much reduced.
For most of us that attend the organized meets/rallies, we do it to catch up with friends we have made on here, some will attend every meet or rally others will only attend a couple,
We have plenty of space and our own entertainment area kindly provided by Jim. Its good to meet up with like-minded people every so often bearing in mind that we all come from different parts of the UK and Europe (in the case of a couple of funsters that also attend our meets from France and Holland)
Its nice to meet in person rather than just being a screen name and most of us will travel a couple of hundred miles to do so on more than one occasion
We have plenty of space and our own entertainment area kindly provided by Jim. Its good to meet up with like-minded people every so often bearing in mind that we all come from different parts of the UK and Europe (in the case of a couple of funsters that also attend our meets from France and Holland)
Its nice to meet in person rather than just being a screen name and most of us will travel a couple of hundred miles to do so on more than one occasion
Forestboy
LIFE MEMBER
We like to wildcamp if we find a nice secluded spot away from residents and have done all over Europe. We would never camp in a residential area though and I'm buggered if I'd want to wake up and find 20 vans camped in the street outside my house either. We only ever stay a few days at most and always make sure we leave no mess and waste is dumped properly. Can't see anything wrong with wildcamping if its done sensibly and with respect to locals.
Its got nothing to do with saving money for us (never been a freeloading tosser) as we enjoy campsites equally as much, its just the freedom and being out on your own.
Having said that I've no interest in camping in a Lidl car park or some grotty waste land just because its free or has 50 other vans on it.
Each to their own live and let live there are already enough petty rules why do we all have to be the same.
Its got nothing to do with saving money for us (never been a freeloading tosser) as we enjoy campsites equally as much, its just the freedom and being out on your own.
Having said that I've no interest in camping in a Lidl car park or some grotty waste land just because its free or has 50 other vans on it.
Each to their own live and let live there are already enough petty rules why do we all have to be the same.
vwalan
Funster
hi, it may seem strange to a few of you but the guardia often make you move into the residental area . they prefer it then they can monitor and keep their eyes on you for security .yours and theirs. i can agree with just about all of you i dont like or dont park by the masses . in calpe i park on the old campsite . have done ever since it closed.
if you do park outside in the wilds the guardia often escort you back into the residental area .
it always seems strange even to us.
i originally was just trying to explain to the ones that were new to wintering in spain that just about every beach, nooke and crany can have m,homes on it . some staying, many just a day or so and off to the next place. i reckon vans on campsites are possibly out numbered 5 to 1 in winter . it is is a different world to being in the uk. i also have seen that street in calpe in a stelplatze book from germany . along with hundreds of other places that dont seem right to me . it is a strange world . have fun where ever you camp. lovely sunny day here in cornwall ,no rain for days . but not as warm as spain. wish i was there.
if you do park outside in the wilds the guardia often escort you back into the residental area .
it always seems strange even to us.
i originally was just trying to explain to the ones that were new to wintering in spain that just about every beach, nooke and crany can have m,homes on it . some staying, many just a day or so and off to the next place. i reckon vans on campsites are possibly out numbered 5 to 1 in winter . it is is a different world to being in the uk. i also have seen that street in calpe in a stelplatze book from germany . along with hundreds of other places that dont seem right to me . it is a strange world . have fun where ever you camp. lovely sunny day here in cornwall ,no rain for days . but not as warm as spain. wish i was there.
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- May 1, 2008
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I am not trying to score points off you or anyone else, merely stating my point of view as you do. The point I am trying to make regarding 'meets' is that it seems [HI]very odd to[/HI] me that [HI]someone like yourself[/HI] who [HI]professes[/HI] to enjoy the free life and abhors camp sites will [HI]regularly[/HI]( I only glean this from yours and others posts) attend such 'meets' , rallies, shows etc which [HI]seem to me to be the opposite of the free life.[/HI] If I have misinterpreted previous posts and you do not attend such 'meets' then I apologise to you but my general comment is still valid...
Ok... one by one...
One man's odd is another man's normal...
I haven't, to my knowledge, met you nor you me so I am surprised you know what I am "like".
The word "Professes" leads me to suspect you do not believe me... (now you really don't know me if this is the case.)
I have lived in my "motorhome" full time for over twenty years (off site) and have in that time attended motorhome shows to buy equipment and fun stuff for my self builds.
In the last couple of years, after joining Motorhome Fun and enjoying the site, I have parked at these shows with the Funsters maybe ten times or so... Regularly?
As you have never and will never attend a "meet" you will never be able to realise that such action does not, in any way what so ever, compromise my love of freedom... It also is quite fun... You can meet some really, really nice people and sometimes, if you are especially lucky, one very special one...:Blush:
Each of us have our reasons for joining Motorhome Fun and many, many Funsters enjoy the site without wanting to join in any "real life" events. They are happy contributing to the site via their computers... Fair enough but I also enjoy meeting people in the real world... wanting a free and easy going life style doesn't mean I have to be a hermit!
You must have been on some very strange sites over the years if you think they are like concentration camps, all sites, and society in general, needs rules otherwise chaos prevails, if I do not like a site then I will go somewhere else.
In my view you can learn quite a lot about the layout of a campsite by looking at them when you drive by... there is no need to actually stay on them...
JJ :Cool:
- May 1, 2008
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I am not trying to score points off you or anyone else, merely stating my point of view as you do. The point I am trying to make regarding 'meets' is that it seems [HI]very odd to[/HI] me that [HI]someone like yourself[/HI] who [HI]professes[/HI] to enjoy the free life and abhors camp sites will [HI]regularly[/HI]( I only glean this from yours and others posts) attend such 'meets' , rallies, shows etc which [HI]seem to me to be the opposite of the free life.[/HI] If I have misinterpreted previous posts and you do not attend such 'meets' then I apologise to you but my general comment is still valid...
Ok... one by one...
One man's odd is another man's normal...
I haven't, to my knowledge, met you nor you me so I am surprised you know what I am "like".
The word "Professes" leads me to suspect you do not believe me... (now you really don't know me if this is the case.)
I have lived in my "motorhome" full time for over twenty years (off site) and have in that time attended motorhome shows to buy equipment and fun stuff for my self builds.
In the last couple of years, after joining Motorhome Fun and enjoying the site, I have parked at these shows with the Funsters maybe ten times or so... Regularly?
As you have never and will never attend a "meet" you will never be able to realise that such action does not, in any way what so ever, compromise my love of freedom... It also is quite fun... You can meet some really, really nice people and sometimes, if you are especially lucky, one very special one...:Blush:
Each of us have our reasons for joining Motorhome Fun and many, many Funsters enjoy the site without wanting to join in any "real life" events. They are happy contributing to the site via their computers... Fair enough but I also enjoy meeting people in the real world... wanting a free and easy going life style doesn't mean I have to be a hermit!
"You must have been on some very strange sites over the years if you think they are like concentration camps, all sites, and society in general, needs rules otherwise chaos prevails, if I do not like a site then I will go somewhere else."
In my view you can learn quite a lot about the layout of a campsite by looking at them when you drive by... there is no need to actually stay on them...
JJ :Cool:
2
2657
Deleted User
"One man's odd is another man's normal..."
I agree wholeheartedly on that one, nowhere in my posts have I expressed disapproval of other people attending rallies etc, everyone to their own as long as it does not detrimentally affect others.
I stand by comments regarding 'wild camping' however as in my view this does detrimentally affect others, if only visually, that is my view you have yours. I enjoy my version of the free fulltiming lifestyle, you obviously enjoy yours.
If in my semi literate condition I have used some words incorrectly to imply any personal criticism of yourself (JJ ) then I again apologise.
I agree wholeheartedly on that one, nowhere in my posts have I expressed disapproval of other people attending rallies etc, everyone to their own as long as it does not detrimentally affect others.
I stand by comments regarding 'wild camping' however as in my view this does detrimentally affect others, if only visually, that is my view you have yours. I enjoy my version of the free fulltiming lifestyle, you obviously enjoy yours.
If in my semi literate condition I have used some words incorrectly to imply any personal criticism of yourself (JJ ) then I again apologise.
patyogi
Free Member
Peeeed off
What really does it for me, most of the residential owners are peeps who have done exactly that, wild parked all the way down the coast and a few years later think they would like to buy in a specific area.
What are we doing to them parking in their view!
It's not the locals it's ex-pats every time.
We used to park at Carboneras, Almeria for years and then move on to Agua Amarga in the Cabo de Gato Nat.Park. For years this was Ok then the police moved everyone on, usually late at night.
We asked the hotel on the beach why and we were told the Dutch/Ger/Brit owners did not want to look a vans parked on the beach.
Now there are no parking overnight signs sprouting every where.
I can only reiterate how much custom will these little towns lose, after visiting these places just after Xmas this year, the answer is, a lot.
The town was deserted the local supermarche closed until March...what?
Will Spain go the way of Greece....yes certainly. Why bash the tourists when we are constantly bring benefits too the economy?
oh:
What really does it for me, most of the residential owners are peeps who have done exactly that, wild parked all the way down the coast and a few years later think they would like to buy in a specific area.
What are we doing to them parking in their view!
It's not the locals it's ex-pats every time.
We used to park at Carboneras, Almeria for years and then move on to Agua Amarga in the Cabo de Gato Nat.Park. For years this was Ok then the police moved everyone on, usually late at night.
We asked the hotel on the beach why and we were told the Dutch/Ger/Brit owners did not want to look a vans parked on the beach.
Now there are no parking overnight signs sprouting every where.
I can only reiterate how much custom will these little towns lose, after visiting these places just after Xmas this year, the answer is, a lot.
The town was deserted the local supermarche closed until March...what?
Will Spain go the way of Greece....yes certainly. Why bash the tourists when we are constantly bring benefits too the economy?
oh:
slobadoberbob
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I have read with interest
I have read with interest the various posts by the 'for' and the 'against' views of wild camping v campsites.
Having motor homed for the best part of 25 years now I would say (as I said in another post today) that wild camping for me is not what it is cracked up to be. Perhaps I have not found utopia yet... still dreaming and looking. I have in my travels in France found a few nice places... some of them aires some not. But I hate the idea of trying to open my door and stepping out in tot he German motorhome (or French or Italian etc.) parked so close that I could not get my wheelchair between them.. but it is interesting how many have to give my B class Winnebago a looking over from the outside.
I do use a lot of sites, good and bad, some big, some small. I am lucky that at 23'9" (45' with the trailer) I can get in to most sites.. OK may have to leave the trailer and car in a car park on the site, but sometimes they will go on the site if big enough. Mostly overseas sites are more free with the space than you get in the UK.. I have often said I hate CC &C & CC sites due to the regimentation of the parking and prison guards (read warden).. Yet to find a site where I do not feel I have entered a prison yard... and I know having visited many prisons in the UK as part of my work over the years as a lawyer.. they are just missing the pat downs and the barb wire.
I dream of parking on a cliff or near a beach and being alone... it just does not happen for me... like wise I do go to shows, but the gloss has started to wear off. Shows where JJ has been at have been good fun as I can confirm. But it is often the people that can make those meets in to something rather special. But I will agree they become very the same, and as such this year we have cut out many of them. I would go as far as say they can be very cliquey... you are either in or out dependent on the venue. But as I say it is the people you meet that can make or break the experience.. the show is just a secondary event for me.
Would I have the memories of JIM walking about with the big hammer while we were practices our singing.. great memory of Malvern last year.. would I have that parked up in a street of dozens of other motorhomes in Spain I wonder?
Does money come in to where I park? yes I own an expensive RV .. cost me enough to buy it, but a pittance compared with what some have paid for there RV's.. but it was a lot to me. Do I want to pay silly money to park on a site? no.. can I afford it? yes, considering what I pay for the fuel to run it.. being a V10 6.8 ltr petrol engine. Do I like to save money.. yes.. but parking up in a supermarket car park normally happens due to running to far and to late in the day.. or the aires are full very early. I want to get from point A to point B. Will I park up for the fun of it in a supermarket car park.. no... well yes if it is Wal Mart in the USA.. but here in the UK? No .. France not if I can help it.
Everyone has there own reasons right or wrong.. I am not here to judge others.... I just wish others would not judge me sometimes.. everyone has a right to there views.
Bob
I have read with interest the various posts by the 'for' and the 'against' views of wild camping v campsites.
Having motor homed for the best part of 25 years now I would say (as I said in another post today) that wild camping for me is not what it is cracked up to be. Perhaps I have not found utopia yet... still dreaming and looking. I have in my travels in France found a few nice places... some of them aires some not. But I hate the idea of trying to open my door and stepping out in tot he German motorhome (or French or Italian etc.) parked so close that I could not get my wheelchair between them.. but it is interesting how many have to give my B class Winnebago a looking over from the outside.
I do use a lot of sites, good and bad, some big, some small. I am lucky that at 23'9" (45' with the trailer) I can get in to most sites.. OK may have to leave the trailer and car in a car park on the site, but sometimes they will go on the site if big enough. Mostly overseas sites are more free with the space than you get in the UK.. I have often said I hate CC &C & CC sites due to the regimentation of the parking and prison guards (read warden).. Yet to find a site where I do not feel I have entered a prison yard... and I know having visited many prisons in the UK as part of my work over the years as a lawyer.. they are just missing the pat downs and the barb wire.
I dream of parking on a cliff or near a beach and being alone... it just does not happen for me... like wise I do go to shows, but the gloss has started to wear off. Shows where JJ has been at have been good fun as I can confirm. But it is often the people that can make those meets in to something rather special. But I will agree they become very the same, and as such this year we have cut out many of them. I would go as far as say they can be very cliquey... you are either in or out dependent on the venue. But as I say it is the people you meet that can make or break the experience.. the show is just a secondary event for me.
Would I have the memories of JIM walking about with the big hammer while we were practices our singing.. great memory of Malvern last year.. would I have that parked up in a street of dozens of other motorhomes in Spain I wonder?
Does money come in to where I park? yes I own an expensive RV .. cost me enough to buy it, but a pittance compared with what some have paid for there RV's.. but it was a lot to me. Do I want to pay silly money to park on a site? no.. can I afford it? yes, considering what I pay for the fuel to run it.. being a V10 6.8 ltr petrol engine. Do I like to save money.. yes.. but parking up in a supermarket car park normally happens due to running to far and to late in the day.. or the aires are full very early. I want to get from point A to point B. Will I park up for the fun of it in a supermarket car park.. no... well yes if it is Wal Mart in the USA.. but here in the UK? No .. France not if I can help it.
Everyone has there own reasons right or wrong.. I am not here to judge others.... I just wish others would not judge me sometimes.. everyone has a right to there views.
Bob
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otis the staffy
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- Jan 2, 2010
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Wild/Free camping
Start with the Mercadona car park at It is not owned by the supermarket but a privare individual who does not object to vans parking there.All the folk who park there Do Know Where The Dump Is and God help anyone who parks over it or worse tips eleswhere.Now go and ask the stall holders of the sunday market if they want the vans moved,ask at the soul bar etc and i am sure the answer will be no.Stand at the top of the land on a Sunday and you will see a motorhome leaning against it are 15 sheets of 8#4 plywood sheets each one containns 100 adverts for cheap property sales mostly ex pats etc who wen,t for a weeks holiday and fell for the con ask them if they wan't the vans moved and you may well get a yes because they hate to see the freedom we have.VWALAN i can confirm what you say regarding the Gaurda is fact we often ask them about Beach Parking. se no problem in day but not night you must move to town to stay safe from the Bandits is the usaul answer this we do and then back to Beach at daybreak for breakfast.To those locals walking the Beach at 6pm and then again at 9 a m it may look like we have never moved.Again whilst away from the Beach we will use the dump and pick up fuel and water.Those who know and Newbies who are prepared to listen will soon get to know the few rules thet there are.My one mistake last year was to befriend a couple with a 5th wheeler a super couple but they had the affect of getting us moved mored in 6 weeks than in the previouse 6 month's because as the Guarda Civil told us on more than one occasion they are classed as Roma and Bandits their words not mine.The discussion on Wild Camping in supermarket CAR PARKS goes on and on.Every year for the past 9 yrs we have toured every year we head to the Lidle car park at Fressenville and we arrive at 3/5 pm and park at top of car park well out of the way next to the grassed area.Iwalk the Staffy into the village about a mile away to check the vet is open on return to the van the boss has done her bit so into Lidle we go Chicken etc for dinner +200 ltr of wine,back to van genny on to run Ping then whilst boss cooks i stash the wine.Dinner over walk the dog to play park back to sit and chill with T.V now 9 ish.Good night sleep up to walk dog to Vets get his jabs done etc back to van for Full English cooked by us but purchased from Lidle along with another 150ltr wine then all done wine staShed head of towards Dunkirke after picking up fuel and gas.So toal time spent FREE LOADING in Lidle Car PARK =26 Hours, Supplies +Wine Stash`e550 +46e vets+25e gas +80e fuel total=701e and we call this Free CAMPING
.This is a small village and welcomes our trade,our next stop will not cost because we are now fully loaded so some places may miss out but this night we will Wildcamp en route to the ferry.I except that not everyone does as we do and they may well enjoy the rigid rules of the campsite and are able and willing to pay the high price for so called security.We are not against camp sites as such as when our family fly out to meet up with us in whichever country we happen to be in we will go onto a Campsite but believe me the day they fly out is the day we clean the van pay our bill and head back out onto the road.SO please if you ain't tried it don't knock it and if you do try it please leave you CCCCCCC rule book at Home and don't come with the intention to measure out a pitch in a Beach car park then start complaining to the German next to you that the C CC rules state you must be ex feet apart due to fire regs,or that the guy puts a genny on, if you don't won't to hear engines don't camp in a carpark because believe me if the Spanish want to come and party at SILLY A.M revving engines and playing music you had better join in or start your engine and move.It is not just the Brits who are a problem the Germans behave as if they own Europe theDutch bring every ounce of food the can so that they don't have to spend anything then set about making a garden outside the van and the French will get a load od 5lte bottles fill them with sea water place them on a parking space and go off touring for a few days then expect to come back and park thereAnyway end of Rant .Stay Safe:thumb:
Start with the Mercadona car park at It is not owned by the supermarket but a privare individual who does not object to vans parking there.All the folk who park there Do Know Where The Dump Is and God help anyone who parks over it or worse tips eleswhere.Now go and ask the stall holders of the sunday market if they want the vans moved,ask at the soul bar etc and i am sure the answer will be no.Stand at the top of the land on a Sunday and you will see a motorhome leaning against it are 15 sheets of 8#4 plywood sheets each one containns 100 adverts for cheap property sales mostly ex pats etc who wen,t for a weeks holiday and fell for the con ask them if they wan't the vans moved and you may well get a yes because they hate to see the freedom we have.VWALAN i can confirm what you say regarding the Gaurda is fact we often ask them about Beach Parking. se no problem in day but not night you must move to town to stay safe from the Bandits is the usaul answer this we do and then back to Beach at daybreak for breakfast.To those locals walking the Beach at 6pm and then again at 9 a m it may look like we have never moved.Again whilst away from the Beach we will use the dump and pick up fuel and water.Those who know and Newbies who are prepared to listen will soon get to know the few rules thet there are.My one mistake last year was to befriend a couple with a 5th wheeler a super couple but they had the affect of getting us moved mored in 6 weeks than in the previouse 6 month's because as the Guarda Civil told us on more than one occasion they are classed as Roma and Bandits their words not mine.The discussion on Wild Camping in supermarket CAR PARKS goes on and on.Every year for the past 9 yrs we have toured every year we head to the Lidle car park at Fressenville and we arrive at 3/5 pm and park at top of car park well out of the way next to the grassed area.Iwalk the Staffy into the village about a mile away to check the vet is open on return to the van the boss has done her bit so into Lidle we go Chicken etc for dinner +200 ltr of wine,back to van genny on to run Ping then whilst boss cooks i stash the wine.Dinner over walk the dog to play park back to sit and chill with T.V now 9 ish.Good night sleep up to walk dog to Vets get his jabs done etc back to van for Full English cooked by us but purchased from Lidle along with another 150ltr wine then all done wine staShed head of towards Dunkirke after picking up fuel and gas.So toal time spent FREE LOADING in Lidle Car PARK =26 Hours, Supplies +Wine Stash`e550 +46e vets+25e gas +80e fuel total=701e and we call this Free CAMPING
.This is a small village and welcomes our trade,our next stop will not cost because we are now fully loaded so some places may miss out but this night we will Wildcamp en route to the ferry.I except that not everyone does as we do and they may well enjoy the rigid rules of the campsite and are able and willing to pay the high price for so called security.We are not against camp sites as such as when our family fly out to meet up with us in whichever country we happen to be in we will go onto a Campsite but believe me the day they fly out is the day we clean the van pay our bill and head back out onto the road.SO please if you ain't tried it don't knock it and if you do try it please leave you CCCCCCC rule book at Home and don't come with the intention to measure out a pitch in a Beach car park then start complaining to the German next to you that the C CC rules state you must be ex feet apart due to fire regs,or that the guy puts a genny on, if you don't won't to hear engines don't camp in a carpark because believe me if the Spanish want to come and party at SILLY A.M revving engines and playing music you had better join in or start your engine and move.It is not just the Brits who are a problem the Germans behave as if they own Europe theDutch bring every ounce of food the can so that they don't have to spend anything then set about making a garden outside the van and the French will get a load od 5lte bottles fill them with sea water place them on a parking space and go off touring for a few days then expect to come back and park thereAnyway end of Rant .Stay Safe:thumb:Join us or log in to post a reply.
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