Wild camping in Spain

[Mart 63]

How long do you think it will be before they stop wild camping in Spain. It's already banned in Majorca.

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[Neil S]

I think the need for more camper stops or full blown campsites is needed .
Many are absolutely rammed in coastal areas leading to shortage of pitches

 

[Pugsy]

I am on an aire at Los Alcazares and there is about 70 vans parked on the streets and carparks outside.
It's the busiest I've ever seen it and defo a need for more Aires.
However people don't always want to use official camping spots for many reasons, and so there will always be gatherings of motorhomes elsewhere it will never change.
It is tolerated to a certain level in the winter months but come the approach of Easter and you will be moved on normally ,but a lot of vans are heading north end of march anyway.

Cheers Cris

 

[Just smiffy]

And at the end of the article we are now child kidnappers, murderers and paedophiles…

 

[PaulW2]

And at the end of the article we are now child kidnappers, murderers and paedophiles…

As a collective? Certainly a risk.

If you were to be such a person - for instance like the Madeleine McCann campervan-dwelling suspect - how would you travel and live in order to remain at liberty and unrecorded?

And if you are the settled community, would you want such travellers confined to registered areas or would you want them spilling over wherever they think they can get away with it?

As a resident I don't want wild campers around me; as a camper I may prefer to be allowed to do what I like.

It's nimbyism - the deepest, most fundamental of all our cultural values

(Little thought experiment - how long would a campervan parked up on my street in England last before there is a wicker man ceremony? I would guess maybe 48 hours. When I'm in Portugal, on a street with Portuguese, French, British, German and Swiss neighbours? I'd be surprised if it's even that long.)

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[royandsharont]

I am on an aire at Los Alcazares and there is about 70 vans parked on the streets and carparks outside.
It's the busiest I've ever seen it and defo a need for more Aires.
However people don't always want to use official camping spots for many reasons, and so there will always be gatherings of motorhomes elsewhere it will never change.
It is tolerated to a certain level in the winter months but come the approach of Easter and you will be moved on normally ,but a lot of vans are heading north end of march anyway.

Cheers Cris

Are you on the Area Los Narejos Pugsy or on the Aire down the opposite end where the fire station is/was. I lived there once upon a time so just interested, & I know the staff well at the Area we are customer 21 on their computer

 

[Pugsy]

Are you on the Area Los Narejos Pugsy or on the Aire down the opposite end where the fire station is/was. I lived there once upon a time so just interested, & I know the staff well at the Area we are customer 21 on their computer

I'm in Los Narejos aire, quite a few staff changes since December,only Maria left from the original bunch. I did speak to her about you about 2 years ago and she remembered you don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing
I walked along to the fire station aire yesterday and there was around 15 spaces I was well shocked. Spoke to a young couple and they said it was rammed the week before when they passed. It's crazy busy outside here and has been since I got here the beginning of December.

Cheers Cris

 

[Northernraider]

They'd have to rewrite the legislation to prevent parking. Camping would only affect you if you're leaving things outside.

Can't see them ever banning parking. There's usually more motorhomes outwith campsites and aires in Spain than there is on them ...during winter anyway.

Till it happens there's no point worrying about it.

 

[grasscutter]

If they did Mercadona and other supermarkets would lose out. Popped into the one at Águilas this morning and there must have been thirty in the car park and street outside.
Between Aguilas and San Juan De Los Terrreros there must be upwards of 500 wilding.
Now at Playa Vera and easily 200 here.

 

[jumar]

What needs addressing, what can change?
Tam is right in saying that the laws for parking would need to change...but does everyone comply with those laws?
Well perhaps not, the laws are quite fair regarding campervan parking, but not necessarily the same for motorhomes, due to their size..
A campervan can fit in the same parking space as an average size car... with linea parking there are no bay separating marking in some cases..so a motorhome size vehicle is allowed.
Taking up multiple spaces as with a motorhome is not legal, neither is, camping behaviour in general, no need to explain what this means.
So what's going to, or can be changed..well it's already changed in Murcia with lots of restrictions...but not implemented..is this a sign of weakness by law enforcement, perhaps so...we aren't overly staffed here on the Costas, elsewhere I don't know.
Height barriers, ban of sleeping in vehicles...perhaps.... every year we get more, something needs to be done next year...we say this every year...the strain on the law enforcement to clear motorhomes on a daily/ weekly basis is not achievable...so leave them where they are...have a clear out every now and then.....
Doing what Portugal did a few years ago, perhaps, providing more camperstops, yes this is happening and has happened in the Costa Calida region, and has proved to be a great success, full on most nights I believe...
These places take time to finance,gain permission and build...we were out cycling a few weeks ago and stumbled on a new area under construction...the one we were staying on has since become too small..
When March is over, everything returns to normal, Northern European visitors don't need us anymore...they take off home or to other areas that have become warmer...and warmer than their own country is the draw, many visitors are not interested in the beauty of Spain, the culture, the food...it's the winter climate that's far better than back home, and what does it cost them..the fuel to get here and park for free...many eat the food they bring with them...why..it's cheaper here in our Lidl supermarket that the same in Germany..Happy days.

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[Mart 63]

I think Mercadona and the like are making a roaring trade out of motorhomers. I play snooker at La Marina on Saturday mornings, the Mercadona just outside there on the 332 is packed with motorhomes. They are even building a large motorhome park across the road from the Mercadona in Quesada.

 

[PaulW2]

They'd have to rewrite the legislation to prevent parking. Camping would only affect you if you're leaving things outside.

Can't see them ever banning parking. There's usually more motorhomes outwith campsites and aires in Spain than there is on them ...during winter anyway.

Till it happens there's no point worrying about it.

They could do it at the drop of a hat if they wanted to. Nationally or regionally.

I suspect they don't want to in part because they're swimming against the tide - they want to be open to immigration and tourism, they know that their future depends on keeping their demographic pyramid in the right sort of shape. So in many respects the opposite of the discussion in some other countries including the UK. (But it does of course cause tensions in Spain too, as we've seen with the anti-tourism protests.)

How Spain’s radically different approach to migration helped its economy soar

As immigration has increased, GDP has surged and unemployment has fallen to lowest level since 2008

www.theguardian.com

 

[EuroTrotters]

I wish people would stop referring to free camping as “Wildcamping”

Whilst some may be like bears shitting in the woods, that’s the only wild thing.

With cozy heaters, duvets and hot showers, it’s hardly Bear Grylls is it ,.?

No, it’s ….

 

[EuroTrotters]

And at the end of the article we are now child kidnappers, murderers and paedophiles…

Some may well be !

 

[Northernraider]

I wish people would stop referring to free camping as “Wildcamping”

Whilst some may be like bears shitting in the woods, that’s the only wild thing.

With cozy heaters, duvets and hot showers, it’s hardly Bear Grylls is it ,.?

No, it’s ….

As discussed many many times on here it's the term used globally. Its not gonna change

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[EuroTrotters]

As discussed many many times on here it's the term used globally. Its not gonna change

I guess some people are a bit Feral.

 

[PaulW2]

I wish people would stop referring to free camping as “Wildcamping”

Whilst some may be like bears shitting in the woods, that’s the only wild thing.

With cozy heaters, duvets and hot showers, it’s hardly Bear Grylls is it ,.?

Some of these wild ones shit in a bucket and then surreptitiously empty the bucket in the woods.

As long as the woods are in a foreign country that's ok.

 

[HKF]

There are a lot of people freecamping on the streets and in car parks in Benidorm right now. Most are parked in long bays, although I've seen a few parked sideways over three bays.

 

[DandJ]

I think the need for more camper stops or full blown campsites is needed .
Many are absolutely rammed in coastal areas leading to shortage of pitches

But just inland there are sites with space.....it's weird with campers/MoHos.....if we turned up at a hotel in a car and the hotel was full...we'd move on until we found one with a vacancy....but as we have everything we need in our vans....some hang about in car parks or the roadside waiting for that elusive space...that may or may not come.

 

[nicholsong]

I wish people would stop referring to free camping as “Wildcamping”

Whilst some may be like bears shitting in the woods, that’s the only wild thing.

With cozy heaters, duvets and hot showers, it’s hardly Bear Grylls is it ,.?

No, it’s ….

Perhaps the 'Wild...' should be taken as 'not tamed/subjugated' to campsite rules and/or autocratic wardens.

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[Minxy]

But just inland there are sites with space.....it's weird with campers/MoHos.....if we turned up at a hotel in a car and the hotel was full...we'd move on until we found one with a vacancy....but as we have everything we need in our vans....some hang about in car parks or the roadside waiting for that elusive space...that may or may not come.

Temperature is key in winter, away from the coast it can be a lot cooler.

 

[Just smiffy]

Some may well be !

For sure….

 

[DandJ]

Temperature is key in winter, away from the coast it can be a lot cooler.

Oh I agree...just spent a week on a small (perhaps 15 pitches) site near Granada. Stunning location, bus stop 30 m from my van door. 2c at night...13-15 and sunny during the day. Now at a similar small site 15 miles from the coast in Portugal. 20 pitches, a few spaces, loads of space for my €15.50 incl electric. Probably 16-18c rather than 18-20c....

 

[G7UXG]

I am on an aire at Los Alcazares and there is about 70 vans parked on the streets and carparks outside.

I think I’m on the same aire, Los Narejos. Seems to be a bit quieter outside the gates over the last few days.