Wild Camping I Dont Think So at Least Not For A While

[Jackyboy61]

We use Brit Stops all the time ,well worth the money ,given up membership to C C & CCC find them to expensive ,to many rules and regulations and snobbery ,don't forget a motorhome is for traveling .do some research before setting out next time,your in the right job as a wagon driver keep your eyes open as you do your job it's surprising how you notice motorhomes parked up in different places.

 

[mjltigger]

re late arrival spaces would it really matter about the situation, presumably you could move onto a proper pitch the morning after if that site was your destination.

We rarely have a destination more accurate than a town we fancy looking at.

I like the idea of britstops but think we would have the same issue in terms of arrival times etc..

 

[hilldweller]

I cant see us doing much wild camping at the moment infact

I know just how you feel. BTDTGTTT.

I think wild camping starts 1pm not 1am. Finishes 2pm. Then find a proper site.

We were in northern Italy trying it. All roads were main roads with no laybies or single track farm lanes. Luckily we found a site with room, glorious it was to, but a pretty unpleasant experience.

 

[bernardfeay]

Perhaps because we are only 5.5 metres long we can pretty much park anywhere. When it is broad daylight we do feel more exposed but in winter when it is dark outside we pretty much just stop, put the dish up and open a beer. In the early years we expected to be moved on but it never happens. Civilians don't know motorhome parking regulations and you are gone by the next morning.

 

[Volusia]

Wild camping in UK is nice and safe, I want recommended sites, viewed in daylight anywhere over the channel.
I`m glad we live in this country

You have got to be joking! Aires in France are completely safe. I wouldn't wish to stay on one on a motorway for noise reasons, but all village aires, and they all have them, are completely safe.
Compare that with the unwelcoming places in the UK, and stopping anywhere other than a recognised camping site is a non starter.
Each to their own, but searching for waste disposal points, if indeed wild campers bother doing that at all, then stopping where all the services are in one place has to be the safest, practical, and hygienic solution!

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[MitchandJenny]

We haven't tried wild camping too much in the UK, but when in Europe we do all the time !! Only had 2 nights on a site in 3 months.. "Freeloading tossers" and happy..
Take only photographs and leave only footprints.. Fantastic.. Some of the best memories are of waking up in a quiet and beautiful place.....

 

[joner8888]

You have got to be joking! Aires in France are completely safe. I wouldn't wish to stay on one on a motorway for noise reasons, but all village aires, and they all have them, are completely safe.
Compare that with the unwelcoming places in the UK, and stopping anywhere other than a recognised camping site is a non starter.
Each to their own, but searching for waste disposal points, if indeed wild campers bother doing that at all, then stopping where all the services are in one place has to be the safest, practical, and hygienic solution!

I like French Aires-- that is sites designated and listed for camping ,but not --Wild /open country side ie, camping in a field , as I don`t know the local area and who or what may be involved in it.

 

[mpdcymru]

Could have tried Felixstowe ferry - right at the other end of the town with views overlooking the Deben towards Bawdsey. Pick the right day and you could have bought fresh fish too!

 

[bernardfeay]

Each to their own, but searching for waste disposal points, if indeed wild campers bother doing that at all

Just to clarify what we do. Our toilet only ever contains number ones. It is a simple matter to find a grid. We never, ever leave litter. I hope you are not suggesting that your waste goes to some magical sewage works that produces fertiliser and water fit for resale in a plastic bottle.

 

[joncris]

We stop wherever when we fancy a nice cuppa and if we think its suitable we stay overnight. We'll be doing it even more when we get the solar panel fitted this week

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[Jaws]

I know just how you feel. BTDTGTTT.

I think wild camping starts 1pm not 1am. Finishes 2pm. Then find a proper site.

We were in northern Italy trying it. All roads were main roads with no laybies or single track farm lanes. Luckily we found a site with room, glorious it was to, but a pretty unpleasant experience.

Just as a by the by Brian, should you return, head for Rovereto .. There is a free motorhome spot behind the football stadium .. Water and dump available at no charge

 

[mjltigger]

I think some people 'wild camp' to save money, others do it because of time pressure and others do it so their overnight neighbors are as far away from them as possible. Each to their own. For me it's time pressures and cash so the French Aires work well for me. Even the ones that aren't free I'm pretty sure I can turn up late and get settled without disturbing other inhabitants and if they are busy we can motor on to the next one.. I'll tell you how it goes when I get back lol... In the UK we have skipped places we planned to sleep because when we got there it was already inhabited and parking would likely disturb people.

 

[Puddleduck]

We like CLs / CSs and Brit Stops. We've stayed on some larger sites but much prefer the hideaway places.

Usually we have decided roughly where we want to go and then looked to see what was available site wise.

 

[Jaws]

For the past five years when travelling down to southern Spain we park in motorway service areas.. Lorries in and out all night etc..
Not sure someone pulling in beside us in a mh on a site would even be noticed now !

 

[mjltigger]

For the past five years when travelling down to southern Spain we park in motorway service areas.. Lorries in and out all night etc..
Not sure someone pulling in beside us in a mh on a site would even be noticed now !

If we are near a motorway we always have this as a backup. Not the nicest places to wake up but the overnight parking charges are reasonable and there's usually a decent breakfast on hand. We've even used them for showers in the past as we don't have one onboard.

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[tick59]

A good little app i have used on my phone is "Park4night" its free and has come in handy a few times to get me parked in some nice places and you can add wild camping spots yourself. fun!!!fun!!!fun!!!

 

[scotjimland]

Could have tried Felixstowe ferry - right at the other end of the town with views overlooking the Deben towards Bawdsey. Pick the right day and you could have bought fresh fish too!

Or tried Bawdsey Quay ... much nicer than Felixtowe .. I gave the OP the co-ords in his first thread ...

camping in a car park is not wild camping, .. nor indeed is a Brit stop, or French Aire.. good as they may be, that is simply off site camping..

Proper wild camping takes place in remote places far from the maddening crowd... Bawdsey Quay in winter 'almost' qualifies..

 

[hilldweller]

Just as a by the by Brian, should you return

Thanks.

What do you mean "if", with Italy it's always "when" and that's Mugello for the 2015 MotoGP.

 

[mitzimad]

Just to clarify what we do. Our toilet only ever contains number ones. It is a simple matter to find a grid. We never, ever leave litter. I hope you are not suggesting that your waste goes to some magical sewage works that produces fertiliser and water fit for resale in a plastic bottle.

when you say grid i do hope yoou dont mean a road drain as these quite often go direct to the local river or sea without treatment

 

[Wildman]

we don't deviate from intended route and start looking around 4pm so as to be parked, dinner on and sat set up ready for the 6pm news. always find a suitable place within half an hour, well mostly anyway, don't bother with forward planning or online resources. when abroad we use all the aires book and never had a problem providing we stop early enough. Benn doing it since 1967 and in all that time only used a pay site twice apart from rallies. I don't see the point when you don't need to. Have been asked or told to move only 3 times so not too bad. Never felt unsafe and moved on because of it. Spent lots of nights in quiet parking areas set back laybys etc.

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[Volusia]

Just to clarify what we do. Our toilet only ever contains number ones. It is a simple matter to find a grid. We never, ever leave litter. I hope you are not suggesting that your waste goes to some magical sewage works that produces fertiliser and water fit for resale in a plastic bottle.

Wouldn't dream of suggesting that. But, I do know for certain it doesn't go on to create blue sheep in some remote field as we witnessed once near a site which had been used for a few weeks by, so called, wild campers. I can tell you, they were well outnumbered by the 'Wild Farmers' trying to clean up a particularly, elsan, blue coloured ram and two if its spouses!

 

[mikebeaches]

Another vote for 'Brit Stops' - a good middle option between booking a campsite and true wild camping. Many you can turn up at without prior booking. And at the pub locations you can arrive late if you want to, as long as it's before closing time.

I think easy wild camping in the UK depends on what part of the country you're in and to some extent, the type of van you've got.

In summer the C&CC Temp Holiday Sites can also be an interesting option. Usually cheap, some in pretty locations, mostly easy going and mostly no need to book in advance.

We enjoy a mix of everything.

Mike

 

[Snowbird]

As my learned colleague JJ has stated, wilding comes with time and practice. Having wilded the length and breadth of Europe for many years it comes as second nature to me now. I only use two sites, one in Spain and the other in Wales. Considering am on the road for anything up to 10 months of the year I must be doing something right. The first rule is, start to look for somewhere to park at least 2 hours before dusk if you dont know the area. There is nothing worse than trying to find somewhere to park in the dark. Secondly, try to keep well away from town centres and as far as possible from any houses. I was once told that anywhere in the UK, you are never more than 100 miles from the coast. If that is true, you are never more than 2 hours from the sea. I have always found wilding a pleasurable pastime, maybe because I dont like the majority of campsites and do not like the idea of having to book anything. Give it time and you will learn the does and donts of wilding.

 

[RS_rob]

Or tried Bawdsey Quay ... much nicer than Felixtowe .. I gave the OP the co-ords in his first thread ...

camping in a car park is not wild camping, .. nor indeed is a Brit stop, or French Aire.. good as they may be, that is simply off site camping..

Proper wild camping takes place in remote places far from the maddening crowd... Bawdsey Quay in winter 'almost' qualifies..

We was on our way there when I gave up & turned around just after the ramsholt arms turn off, Rayb182 has confirmed your site via pm & I have double checked it on google earth & now wish wed carried on but we were both tired & ratty & as stated I really neede an internet signal which I was not getting in that area.
We will go there direct in the near future for a weekend tho & we will give you a shout when we do

 

[RS_rob]

We like CLs / CSs and Brit Stops. We've stayed on some larger sites but much prefer the hideaway places.

Ditto spencer farm in essex is a lovely spot & 45 mintes from us & you would not think you were in essex plus its pitch balck @ night

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[MR. FUSION]

My experience is Unless you really are in the middle of nowhere and/or well out of season it's sometimes difficult to get any pitch on an aire or alternate known wild camp, even in the Scandinavian countries. The continentals by and large seem to like to park up by 4pm after that its pot luck on a place. A lot of the time if the 'wild place' has been on the net for any time it will have been overused and subsequently removed from use, which was my experience of a lot of the places recommended by Europe by Camper (first european tour) . I have found car parks and the like to be a better option, but they often come with drawbacks, like kids and others (read shady dealings) pissing about on them late at night. The prime example I can quote from this years trip was the aire/car park at St Nazaire, an intresting collection of people en route from Africa, vagrants, duggies (in the park adjacent) and motorhomers..........

 

[scotjimland]

We will go there direct in the near future for a weekend tho & we will give you a shout when we do

please do, and if we are around will pop in for a coffee..

 

[Aussielyn]

It is such a shame that you have had a bad experience wild camping. We having been motor homing in Europe for five years now and very, very rarely do anything but wild camp. We have just had our first experience in England and Ireland and there has been absolutely no problem finding somewhere to sleep for the night where we have felt safe. Cemeteries, churchyards, pubs ... they have been very welcoming as long as you are pleasant, have a drink or a meal there, Tescos carparks if you are desperate. Last weekend in Galway we even stayed in a churchyard that had paid parking near the centre of the city ... 2 euro for the night! I will admit that we always wear earplugs so noise isn't a problem for us.

We are only 2.18 cm wide which makes life a bit easier for us I guess. We have been known to sleep in main streets in Berlin, Frankfurt and Geneva to mention a few.

Hope that you have a better experience next time.

 

[mjltigger]

We are only 2.18 cm wide

Watch out for storm drains then....

 

[sleep e carr]

We love wild camping never had a problem yet uk or EU but we are going to Norfolk for Christmas and new year we will see what happens, watch this space please advise if you know of anywhere we should be in Cromer christmas eve

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