Wild Camp Locations?

W

widu13

Retired Bobby
VIP Member
T6 Guru
Just a thought- our conversions are usually self sufficient. I'm sure we have all used or know of Wild Camp locations. Perhaps we can list/host the locations region by region? Admin could make it a VIP member area if not suitable for general release so as to stop bots finding and disseminating it to those outside of the forum.

For those that do not know, Wild Camping is not "illegal". It is sometimes not allowed by bylaw, contravening a bylaw is not a criminal act. There is no current legislation in the UK that forbids wild camping, what you mustn't do (by law) is block the road, litter, cause a nuisance through noise etc.
 
For information in Scotland - Right to roam as regards wild camping specifically excludes the use of a motor vehicle i.e you have to travel on foot or by public transport. Use of a campervan means you have no right of access onto private land and therefore can be moved or indeed prosecuted. The legislation made breach of the code an offence. Fact! Discreet Stays is a much better term.
Contravention of a Bye-Law can also land you in court for criminal proceedings.
The secret is being respectful of others and discreet. Too often the large whites congregate and spoil it for others but by leaving no trace and moving on you should be ok. What you can do is park in lay byes as the signage was non enforceable except in the national park area of Loch Lomond (This may also apply to specific areas covered by specific legislation).
 
I think we are talking the same language here. You can be prosecuted under civil law for a breach of Bye Laws (I don't know about Scotland, but I was under the impression that it remains a Tort and not law there as well). My point remains that it is not against the law to Wild Camp and I would never advocate trespassing. As you point out, signs simply saying no parking are usually non-enforceable even when properly produced parish council ones.

Don't get me onto the subject of large groups of vans together. Why do some people want to "get away" from it all and then group together. I just don't understand rubbish being left either. We often take more away than we generate and put it in the next bin we find. It's not difficult in a vehicle.
 
I tend to avoid campsites so I guess I wild camp. If I sleep in a populated area where others may object I use a matt black fabric bulkhead between the cab and rear, low level red light and keep the pop top down. Running the heater on tick over also prevents giveaway condensation on the windows.
If you’re not a pain in the ass creating noise, litter or obstruction I don’t consider it to be an issue.
That said there are plenty of people who come to the countryside and leave their waste for the rest of us to look at.
 
Playing devils advocate here, my own view is that if their sign says 'no parking' then the parish prefers you didnt park there, regardless of whether its enforceable or not. Why would you disrespect that? We have no idea why they dont want us to park there and there may be a very good reason, there may be some hidden danger or specific need for access, it could be a safety run-on for heavy vehicles or maybe unknown to us it could even be an accident blackspot. I see it from the other perspective in that with weekly regularity we are prevented from entering or leaving Pontefract Park (our club flying field) by an empty car parked right up to the 'no parking' sign on the gate. Surely we can find somewhere within our 120,000 square miles without a 'no parking' sign?
afro.gif

/2p ;)
Phil
 
No issue taken with your train of thought at all there Phil. Having done 22 years policing I know that many parishes simply do not want the presence on their door step. Common sense will always dictate what happens on site. i.e. No parking in front of a gate. That isn't a council being pedantic, that is someone attempting to preserve the access! What I am advocating is the use of out of the way areas, usually in dead ends or remote places. They are not suitable for those wanting facilities of any sort and certainly not to be used for those that don't have on board toilet facilities.

My theories aren't about just sticking it "to the man", it's about maximising the use of available space that isn't going to inconvenience local activities. Believe it or not parking somewhere out of the way actually deters some activities like dogging and boy racers; who on seeing a parked camper van actually move on. I would also point out that I consider these to be sleeping places, not campsites. You arrive, eat, drink if that's your thing, sleep, wake, eat and move on.

At the weekend we went to a location and liked it. We literally found the end of a road leading to a nature reserve and parked there. We had a few drinks in a pub about 1/4 mile away, speaking to local people who acknowledged that some vanners are known to use the same spot that we had parked and in the morning we parked in the pay & display car park (paying) and used a nearby cafe. In other words we spent about 9-10 hrs in the location, gave some money to the local parish and some money to the local businesses. Sounds like a win/win to me?
 
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Dieseldonkey said:
Motorhome Stops & Wildcamping

park4night - Sharing cool places, camping car areas, van

Also has an app on android.
Click to expand...

Incidentally, members on here may be surprised at just how many pubs are willing to allow you to park in their car park if you eat/drink there. Many with simple facilities like outside loos and a tap are happy for you to use them. The same goes for farm shops and the like but remember here it is highly likely that the van can be locked in until the following morning, but again it gives them peace of mind that a "presence" is there.

Don't be afraid to ask; I would say two thirds of my requests are positive. If they say no, then I usually ask if they know of anywhere and I also have the nice produce that they had just sold me too. Another win/win.
 
widu13 said:
Incidentally, members on here may be surprised at just how many pubs are willing to allow you to park in their car park if you eat/drink there. Many with simple facilities like outside loos and a tap are happy for you to use them. The same goes for farm shops and the like but remember here it is highly likely that the van can be locked in until the following morning, but again it gives them peace of mind that a "presence" is there.

Don't be afraid to ask; I would say two thirds of my requests are positive. If they say no, then I usually ask if they know of anywhere and I also have the nice produce that they had just sold me too. Another win/win.
Click to expand...
Have you seen the Campingpubs group on Facebook (sister group of Campervan Overnight Parking) - get some quite good looking ones on there
 
Davenjo said:
Have you seen the Campingpubs group on Facebook (sister group of Campervan Overnight Parking) - get some quite good looking ones on there
Click to expand...

I haven't bud- thanks. I'll give it a peruse.

I'm not a fan of the maddening crowds though. We've woken up to some vantasic (o_O) views, the best one was Exmoor when we were woken in the morning by "prowlers"...a small herd of ponies; but another good one literally on a mountain in wales and in the morning we were about 100' above the low cloud. Magic. :)
 
I’m not a fan of sharing stuff like this on forums. Inevitably people tell other people and in no time those perfect peaceful spots get overrun with less responsible people with music blaring, rubbish being dumped, fire pits all over the place and generally trashing the place for everyone else. It’s happening at a place a few km up the road from us and it’s a big problem

Wild camping, at least in Scotland, is in a tent away from public roads, buildings and monuments as set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
 
I also have to disagree with @widu13 about doggers moving on. It was me that had to move in the end last time I found myself in the middle of one of those places... :sick:

The rest makes sense. Out of the way, quiet, respectful and clean.
 
How long did you hang around for bud? No-one likes being in the middle :eek:
 
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Not long... As soon as I realised what was happening, after the dog walkers left and noone else got out of their cars, I moved around the corner out of the way.
One of them parked next to me later though on his way out ...:eek:
Last time I go to Skeggy!
 
One of the mags did an article on the legalities of wild camping, can remember reading it but cant remember which mag!
Either the CCC monthly or maybe Campervan. I'll see if I can find it. It was very informative and well written with help from
the publishers legal team. They did emphasise that to the letter of the law, its permitted in a tent, not a campervan, but
there were some Scotland/elsewhere differences that I forget.
Cheers
Phil

 
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