Wild camping / park up for the night

[Jason Kew]

Hi there, I stay overnight in my van at least once a week due to living in Devon, kids in Reading and some occasional work in London

I tend to discreetly park up in the leafy areas around South Reading or North Hampshire.. but is there an app or a pinned thread here with other great discreet safe park up locations in the UK?..

Apologies in advance if already covered and please delete this if so

Cheers jq

 

[GordonHR]

Park4night app is useful....

 

[Jason Kew]

Park4night app is useful....

Ah fab! Thanks checking it out now

 

[Ricardo T]

Searchforsites is quite a good app I find.

 

[Jason Kew]

Searchforsites is quite a good app I find.

This is great.. some sites on here which aren't on park4night..

Not wanting to digress too much, this got me thinking about the 'no overnight camping' signs.. they're everywhere and most don't appear to have any enforceable action attached ie not breaking any regs or laws so they appear to be just for show?.. has anyone actually been woken up at 3am by a ranger and moved on?.. or received a ticket on their windscreen??

 

[Salty Spuds]

This is great.. some sites on here which aren't on park4night..

Not wanting to digress too much, this got me thinking about the 'no overnight camping' signs.. they're everywhere and most don't appear to have any enforceable action attached ie not breaking any regs or laws so they appear to be just for show?.. has anyone actually been woken up at 3am by a ranger and moved on?.. or received a ticket on their windscreen??

We’ve (the missus & I) have had this discussion. If I park in a council car park illegally, there is a sign telling me what laws/bylaws/regulations I’m breaking & what the penalties are. Even “cowboy” parking enforcement on private land has to display the correct signage, stating what rules are being broken & the consequences. However, I see “no overnight parking” or “no camping” signs everywhere, especially in tourist hotspots. But they don’t explain what will happen if I do so. I suspect that they are meaningless & un-enforceable. I’ve yet to test it though.

 

[DXX]

If requested by the Police, landowner or landowners representative to move you are required to move. If you don’t you could be prosecuted under a new bill which may or may not be law by now.

Misconceptions about proposed new law

There’s too much misinformation being pushed around about this. Folks should read the bill or (much easier) read the simple government factsheet below Wild camping - In essence It won’t be an issue as long as you are not going to cause criminal damage or anti social behaviour. so - If you plan...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Salty Spuds]

If requested by the Police, landowner or landowners representative to move you are required to move. If you don’t you could be prosecuted under a new bill which may or may not be law by now.

Misconceptions about proposed new law

There’s too much misinformation being pushed around about this. Folks should read the bill or (much easier) read the simple government factsheet below Wild camping - In essence It won’t be an issue as long as you are not going to cause criminal damage or anti social behaviour. so - If you plan...

www.t6forum.com

So if I park up & no one asks be to move, I haven’t committed a crime. The offence, is not moving when requested to do so. There’s a subtle difference. That said, I suspect that a standard sign will be devised that constitutes a request to move on.

 

[Shaun Witts]

I used to sleep in my van 3 nights each week (pre Covid) and took the stealth approach. I used a cab curtain behind the front seats, without anything on the windows, kept the roof down, and stopped in a different place each night. How is anyone going to know you are there? I would always have moved if requested anyway.

 

[Jason Kew]

So.. if asked we'll have to move, which is fair enough

 

[Jason Kew]

I used to sleep in my van 3 nights each week (pre Covid) and took the stealth approach. I used a cab curtain behind the front seats, without anything on the windows, kept the roof down, and stopped in a different place each night. How is anyone going to know you are there? I would always have moved if requested anyway.

Exactly this

 

[Paynewright]

I used to sleep in my van 3 nights each week (pre Covid) and took the stealth approach. I used a cab curtain behind the front seats, without anything on the windows, kept the roof down, and stopped in a different place each night. How is anyone going to know you are there? I would always have moved if requested anyway.

Steamy windows? (Give away someone inside)

 

[Spaghetti]

 

[Jason Kew]

View attachment 135571

 

[ZEB]

I used to sleep in my van 3 nights each week (pre Covid) and took the stealth approach. I used a cab curtain behind the front seats, without anything on the windows, kept the roof down, and stopped in a different place each night. How is anyone going to know you are there? I would always have moved if requested anyway.

Same here but I usually park a few streets away from me chosen night stop then move there about 10ish and drive away before people are up and about in the morning.

 

[DXX]

The chest freezer on wheels brigade have largely been responsible for screwing up the opportunity to park up and sleep the night.
If I were visiting a beauty spot and vans had pulled out the arm chairs, awning and BBQ I‘d be hacked of as well.
@Shaun Witts has the right idea

I used to sleep in my van 3 nights each week (pre Covid) and took the stealth approach. I used a cab curtain behind the front seats, without anything on the windows, kept the roof down, and stopped in a different place each night. How is anyone going to know you are there? I would always have moved if requested anyway.

As for steamy windows, heat and ventilate. The Wallas exhaust makes zero noise and is not hot.
Another potential project in the back of my mind, convection ventilation in the tailgate or D pillars, has anyone done it?

 

[Salty Spuds]

The chest freezer on wheels brigade have largely been responsible for screwing up the opportunity to park up and sleep the night.
If I were visiting a beauty spot and vans had pulled out the arm chairs, awning and BBQ I‘d be hacked of as well.
@Shaun Witts has the right idea

As for steamy windows, heat and ventilate. The Wallas exhaust makes zero noise and is not hot.
Another potential project in the back of my mind, convection ventilation in the tailgate or D pillars, has anyone done it?

Perfect answer to steamy windows. Probably one of the best mods we've done to the van.

Tail window 960 x 450 mm for VW T6 - S7P 5000 hinged window

A hinged window especially for the VW T6 station wagon and panel van. Instead of the rear window, a Gfk trim with embossing for the window is glued.…

www.reimo.com

 

[DXX]

The tailgate latch bar and cab windows cracked creates a howling draught. For stealth the bar is slightly too long as the tailgate looks to be open.
I might try and shorten it.
Has anybody seen any false flashing red LEDs for the cab doors?

 

[Spaghetti]

The tailgate latch bar and cab windows cracked creates a howling draught. For stealth the bar is slightly too long as the tailgate looks to be open.
I might try and shorten it.
Has anybody seen any false flashing red LEDs for the cab doors?

You could lock with a double click on the key button to deactivate deadlocks and ultrasonics. The LED flashes. You have to remember to press the unlock button on the key to unlock before you open the doors or the alarm will sound though.

 

[Jason Kew]

You could lock with a double click on the key button to deactivate deadlocks and ultrasonics. The LED flashes. You have to remember to press the button on the key to unlock before you open the doors or the alarm will sound though.

I've learned something new about the key fob double click there! I used to just push the alarm button by the seat!