Are so called wild campers spoiling it for everyone ? (1 Viewer)

[lorger]

A few years back we did a tour of the Outer Hebrides and wild camp for 10 nights with no problem, near the end of our trip we met other motorhomers at the ferry port that we had bumped into months ago on a site near home. They had changed their van from a roller team to a top of the range Hymer, while waiting for the ferry we chatted and they showed us round their MH. I then stared asking them where they had visited and what pubs cares they had used they told me they had brought everything with them to last the 7 days and never once needed to buy anything.

If you visit the outer Hebrides now they are slightly stricter on wild camping due to the fact folk aren't spending in the local community.

 

[peterc10]

Its always the few who let down the many.

But is it "the few" or are we who hate the type of scenes we saw in the video "the few"? There certainly seemed to me to be more than a "few" in the video. I wonder how many were Brits - could not see from the video.

By the way I would rather stay at home than live in that type of place.

 

[gibbon]

Just watched this video posted on a Spanish site complaining about "foreign" wild campers in Tavernes:

Tavernes - YouTube

Absolutely unbelievable
That is not wild camping. Taking the p#ss is what that is.

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[UK Pete]

I just watched the video, that is taking the piss, i am surprised that they get away with it, the smell of the waste must be quite strong as there are by the looks of it no facilities to get rid of waste, i can now see how this thread started i was totally unaware of the problem, certainly not my idea of wilding and i would never want to be part of that
pete

 

[joner8888]

Why spend £££££££`s on a motorhome and park in a place like that.

If I was booking a hotel there and it looked like that on Google earth , I would book elsewhere.

 

[abforfun]

Mmmmm where to now

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[DavidG58]

The video (Thanks Momo) gives me the willies, there can be nothing worse than staying there, as said above, even overnight in an emergency. This is far worse than I had even managed to picture when reading earlier posts

I was going to say I have to hope that nobody on here would park there, but based on the content for and against maybe they would

One thing it definitely does, for me at least, is clarify the argument against mass free parking, which I think was the OP's starting gambit

Beautifully countered by Snowbirds examples of paradise wild camping options

The problem is what to do when the place gets over populated, how many is too many, when do you stop and join the one or two there, or if you are the fourth or fifth, where most of us would drive on a look for the next (better hopefully) spot round the corner, some will park, part blocking roads, blocking views of those there first etc etc

They are the ones who only have themselves to account to and basically do not care about anything or anybody else

I am still in shock about the video, I love Scotland and use wild sites for approx 2 out of 10 nights each trip, thank goodness for midges and horizontal rain, it will be a while before these scenes are repeated in the UK, at least in the top half

It does make me feel for those living around the popular coastal areas in the UK already hinted at above, doesn't happen in ex mining towns in Derbyshire!!

 

[TheBig1]

Why spend £££££££`s on a motorhome and park in a place like that.

If I was booking a hotel there and it looked like that on Google earth , I would book elsewhere.

the problem is google earth is not a realtime picture its an image taken at some point in the last few years. look up my house and it shows my previous van and a car i sold last year on the drive. street view is little better but again only valid the day the car with a camera drove up the road

take tavernes for example, it shows a dry arid area bleached out by the sun of high summer and no sign of the multitude of vans from what i saw. using google earth to see what a place is like, could result in disappointment when you travel there. much the same as glossy holiday brochures, but with google earth theres the possibility things may be better than the image

 

[Snowbird]

Unfortunately there is another side to the likes of Tavernes. There are several such areas around Spain and Portugal, that for several years have been used as a meeting place for motorhomers. Some of these motorhomers have been travelling for many years and have become part of a community that meets up at regular stops around southern Europe in the winter. Most of them have known each other for years and consider this type of camping as the norm. I must admit to doing similar several years ago, but I hasten to add, not in built up areas such as this. The problem is that now there are far to many motorhomes looking for wildings on not enough beaches in southern Europe now. At one time there were even Dutch and German mobile parts dealers on beaches in Spain that solar panels etc could be bought from. They had converted trucks with trailers and everyone knew what beach they were on at which month. They were all part of the community as its not so long ago that if your habitation water pump went down, it could not be replaced in Spain. Spain has cleared many of the isolated beaches of motorhomes and this is what has happened since. Am by no means condoning the likes of Tavernes, but sometimes you have to look at the wider picture. I still do a lot of wild camping and will continue to do so in a responsible manner, avoiding the likes of Tavernes like the plague.

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[Wildbill]

OMFG watt the f.... was that a south African shanti town
put me off motor homing for life that would how many injections would you need to stay there
and so many top of the range vans to :Angry:

 

[bobandjanie]

Well there are about 50 at Javea now, they have filled the new waste ground and now back on the apartment car park that they cleared last weekend.
When they move them, half come back within a few days, the rest go and annoy someone else.

I wonder how many would pull in and park for the night / week / month if it was full of gypsies ?

We have couple on site that been here since October, they are in their mid 70's , he cant drive because of eye sight, so she has to drive. They go out everyday in the motorhome with their 2 dogs, and had a warning notice put on their motorhome about parking and camping is not allowed, poor sods are scared to go out now.

I can see the way things are going, the coast of Spain / Portugal will be no parking for motorhomes.

 

[Jim]

Funny how things change. If you were on fun 4 years ago you might have witnessed the first use of the term Freeloading Tossers, when WeeJocky an infrequent visitor coined the term here. I remembered he got a really hard time. This is what he was saying,

What is it with some people? I've noticed the same couple camping (dossing) in a West Sussex car park for the last four days. There are load of empty sites in the area that charge really cheap rates at this time of year, there are even more CLs that need the patronage or they might disappear. But rather than pay these people park up in a car park, nicking parking slots for days on end, giving us all a bad name. They call themselves "Wild Campers" Why Wild campers when they could use more fitting names like "Tight Wads" "Skin Flints" "Free Loaders" I'm alright jacks" "Tossers"

Oh dear! of course there might be extenuating circumstances. But the freeloading tossers (if the cap fits) who take the P and stay too long will get wild "parking" banned in more and more places. So when someone does want to stop near a hospital or for another good reason, it won't be allowed they, you, will have ruined it. I do understand the attraction of wild camping but if it gets any worse it will be outlawed by more and more councils. I'd rather support a Campsite or CL, we'll miss them if they dissapear. Tight Gits

I didn't come out of that one very well did I I can take comfort, I know a lot of you agree with me , you just have not said so on this thread as you did not want to get it in the neck from all those tossers like I did. But I must say it again as none of you (tossers) have convinced me otherwise. Wild-parkers who plot up and outstay there welcome will ruin it for everyone and you don't have to be Einstein to appreciate that fact .

I thought I'd let you know that the van was still there this Friday. there will be a no overnighting sign there next year for sure. Absolute Tossers,

But you won't, because some tosser will have stayed too long and ruined it for you. This thread is NOT ABOUT WILD CAMPING its about staying too long in one public place. I am talking about people wild PARKING and staying for too long, days on end; they are tossers. Then I get pilloried by those here who say "I'm a tosser" Well yes you are if you park up for too long. You will ruin it for all those that want to stop and enjoy a place for a few hours. Its not rocket science. Wild camp yes, take the pi$$ and before long you'll be nicked for parking where you fancy because it will be prohibited

This is the thread Link Removed

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[Jim]

Just reading through that old thread I think people were more annoyed at the tone of the posts rather than the content

 

[TheBig1]

i see freeloading tossers haven't changed their ways yet.....just spawned way more. some people base their entire lifestyle on taking the piss and taking what they want where they want. no amount of ranting on a forum is going to change them, but we will all eventually suffer because of them. its happening right now in Spain and Portugal, but in a few weeks the UK resorts will start with the yearly invasion of freeloaders

we cant park in many towns already because the councils and locals fear the privilege will be abused. based on what i see and some i hear on here, they're not wrong

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

When you say we can't park ,it can't be illegal to park your MH surely ?
Sleeping in your van is another matter,but legally parked?



Vlad

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[TheBig1]

When you say we can't park ,it can't be illegal to park your MH surely ?
Sleeping in your van is another matter,but legally parked?



Vlad

just try parking in any carpark in say Bournemouth or Weymouth and see how fast you get a ticket! as for onstreet, not a chance. to be honest many towns in the uk are getting the same way and will only allow motorhomes in park and ride carparks. as mentioned above, some places in spain if you park up for the day you will get a warning sticker about camping not being allowed

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Thankfully I've never (yet) had a problem parking anywhere in my mh.If there are restrictions in car parks I simply find a space big enough on a side road.
I've not ventured down to your neck of the woods yet but if I did I'd more than likely use a site but look to see the sights in my van.Are you saying they've made it illegal to park a mh at the side of the road down there?





Vlad

 

[TheBig1]

Thankfully I've never (yet) had a problem parking anywhere in my mh.If there are restrictions in car parks I simply find a space big enough on a side road.
I've not ventured down to your neck of the woods yet but if I did I'd more than likely use a site but look to see the sights in my van.Are you saying they've made it illegal to park a mh at the side of the road down there?





Vlad

some places yes they have. a few years back a new law was passed about local councils being to use TROs and other legislation to prevent anything other than cars parking on some roads and carparks. the result was many vans that used to park up in the side streets for weeks now park on waste ground or just outside the restricted area, which effectively means outside the town

i answered a question about parking along the sea road at shell bay and studland. this is a long straight road through the sand dunes linking a chain ferry from poole to the beaches (naturist) and on to corfe castle. up until a year or 2 back there used to be a row of vans parked up a mile long all summer. not any more, no motorhomes allowed to park even. poole keyside you used to be able to park and walk into poole. now its park in marked bay only but they are too short. still parking along at baiter park but its limited and policed to only be for so many hours. its getting to be the same with many resorts

we are basically being penalised because of the attitude of a few

oh forgot, weymouth sea front and carparks, no motorhomes allowed. they even get funny about vans and minibuses. park outside town at park and ride

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[GJH]

As regards daytime parking, whilst it is not always possible to park a motorhome in a car park (almost invariably for good reasons) it is possible to park a motorhome on street in the vast majority of towns in the UK. Where on street TROs specifically banning parking by motorhomes are in place it is in response to problems experienced by the authorities involved.

I've just checked and of just over 400 authorities in the UK responsible for parking, just over 200 say off-street parking is available for motorhomes. More than 100 others will provide help and advice on motorhome parking if contacted.

 

[UK Pete]

Reading through this whole thread has really depressed me, i have just returned to the motorhome/ camping thing after 8 years with no van, i was looking forward to travelling around the UK , and in some cases doing the odd spot of wilding, but only 1 night here and there inbetween sites and leaving no trace of ever being there, now i an thinking it has got so bad i wont even be able to park up on the side of the road on a day visit to the coast (not sleep over),i pay a huge amount for my vehicle tax and should have the same rights as a car, this has got ridiculous now, and i am now not so enthusiastic about my return to camping, what dosent help is the very high prices of some sites, most of the cheap ones are booked so far in advance you cant just do spur of the moment decisions to go away , i can do two weeks in turkey half board all in for less than two weeks in the UK campsites where i want to go peak season, there are no answers to this problem which is getting worse, i might sell up after this season and forget the whole bloody thing
pete

 

[Snowbird]

Reading through this whole thread has really depressed me, i have just returned to the motorhome/ camping thing after 8 years with no van, i was looking forward to travelling around the UK , and in some cases doing the odd spot of wilding, but only 1 night here and there inbetween sites and leaving no trace of ever being there, now i an thinking it has got so bad i wont even be able to park up on the side of the road on a day visit to the coast (not sleep over),i pay a huge amount for my vehicle tax and should have the same rights as a car, this has got ridiculous now, and i am now not so enthusiastic about my return to camping, what dosent help is the very high prices of some sites, most of the cheap ones are booked so far in advance you cant just do spur of the moment decisions to go away , i can do two weeks in turkey half board all in for less than two weeks in the UK campsites where i want to go peak season, there are no answers to this problem which is getting worse, i might sell up after this season and forget the whole bloody thing
pete

I wouldn't worry to much about it. There is never a problem wild camping for the sensible MAJORITY :thumb:.

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[GJH]

Reading through this whole thread has really depressed me, i have just returned to the motorhome/ camping thing after 8 years with no van, i was looking forward to travelling around the UK , and in some cases doing the odd spot of wilding, but only 1 night here and there inbetween sites and leaving no trace of ever being there, now i an thinking it has got so bad i wont even be able to park up on the side of the road on a day visit to the coast (not sleep over),i pay a huge amount for my vehicle tax and [HI]should have the same rights as a car[/HI], this has got ridiculous now, and i am now not so enthusiastic about my return to camping, what dosent help is the very high prices of some sites, most of the cheap ones are booked so far in advance you cant just do spur of the moment decisions to go away , i can do two weeks in turkey half board all in for less than two weeks in the UK campsites where i want to go peak season, there are no answers to this problem which is getting worse, i might sell up after this season and forget the whole bloody thing
pete

Excuse me but what rights are those? Technically speaking, there is no legal right to park any vehicle on a highway and most car parks are designed for cars.

We choose to purchase vehicles which, in many cases, are twice the weight, twice the length, twice the height and one and a half times the width of cars so we should hardly be surprised when we can't go everywhere a car can.

Add to that the fact that the number of vehicles of all types is increasing year on year and most people want to park in popular areas and it is hardly surprising that both local authorities and owners of private parking sites try to maximise the number of vehicles (and, therefore, people) which can be accommodated.

 

[phase3begins]

Well! What a lively thread. Just thought I might offer another view.
Seems that the real difference is about the word Motorhome.emphasis on motor or on home. Both are equally valid.
The 'home' folk tend to go to a place and stay for some time. These folk are 'encouraged' to use sites by lack of long term parking and can be castigated if they overstay in popular places.
The 'motor' folk tend to be about moving around and find places to stay later in the day, away in the morning.

Each is valid.

I admit to being one of the latter and have never had a problem finding somewhere discreet and legal to overnight.

Because it is about the visiting I tend to spend quite heavily in the places I visit so income is generated in the area.

There are websites that list loads of legal wildcamping spots.

Probably time to duck

 

[joner8888]

Wild camping--
I need to understand what I can do-

Camping on some ones land with or without permission-

If the land belongs to a friend ,it may be free.

If it belongs to a private owner , you will have to pay, or trespass .

If it belongs to a council ,would it be for a certain period only and do they take reg numbers so to know how long your stay has been.

I have seen some pictures of wild camping in the middle of some scrub land somewhere , but surely all land belongs to someone somewhere.

I suppose a lot of full time travellers in a MH ,if they see one parked up on a nice area ,they will be as lemmings and just join the line.

So far I have only used camp sites, I feel safer there other than being 50 miles out in the sticks only to be attacked by some local weed heads.

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[GJH]

Wild camping--
I need to understand what I can do-

That's easy. The best definition is in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code:

Wild camping is lightweight, done in small numbers and only for two or three nights in any one place. You can camp in this way wherever access rights apply but help to avoid causing problems for local people and land managers by not camping in enclosed fields of crops or farm animals and by keeping well away from buildings, roads or historic structures. Take extra care to avoid disturbing deer stalking or grouse shooting. If you wish to camp close to a house or building, seek the owner's permission. Leave no trace by:
taking away all your litter
removing all traces of your tent pitch and of any open fire (follow the guidance for lighting fires)
not causing any pollution.

Note no mention of any vehicle

 

[Puddleduck]

That's easy. The best definition is in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code:
Note no mention of any vehicle

According to the SCA vehicles are specifically excluded from "right to roam" legislation so you can not legally wild camp in your vehicle. Having said that, if you are discrete you may be left alone for a single night or even two. Local police are very helpful about giving you a heads up about places you can stay if you go and ask, although with cost cutting measures many local police stations have been, or are about to be, closed.

 

[Geejay]

That's easy. The best definition is in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code:
Note no mention of any vehicle

That's right. This refers to legitimate Access Takers which includes walkers (or anyone on foot), cyclists, horse riders and canoeists. It specifically excludes anyone in a vehicle. Motorhome "wild camping" is a misnomer - it is really wild parking.

However, the UK is very blinkered when it comes to motor-homers compared with the continent and France in particular, where many local authorities seem to welcome motorhomes and provide facilities in Aires recognising that doing so brings money into the area.

Wild parking is tolerated in many places but when it's abused by people staying beyond a couple of nights then the locals begin to object.

Well, how would we react if dozens of vans turned up at a local beauty spot and set up a semi-permanent camp?

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[Jim]

I'm in the wilding camp, you can't beat it, though its rare if we stay in the same place more than two or three consecutive nights, although we have.

Follow a few simple rules and you can't really go wrong Do I wild 'park'. yes all the time, I sneak nights, which are almost always breaks in journeys, all over the place at home and abroad; Supermarket carparks, beach carparks, trading estates, forest carparks. Would I spend weeks on end in a dusty car park because it's free? No chance.

Are the wild places in Europe overcrowded? absolutley not, believe me, there are literally millions of places in Europe that offer a wonderful night or two's pitching that are yet to be discovered by anyone in a motorhome, let alone be over used. You just have to get off the beaten track and find them. For us that is 80% of the fun

Give it a go. Broken Link Removed:thumb:

 

[Wildbill]

I for one love nothing more than waking up sumwar in the wilds with not a sole but me and my family

 

[bobandjanie]

I'm in the wilding camp, you can't beat it, though its rare if we stay in the same place more than two or three consecutive nights, although we have.

Follow a few simple rules and you can't really go wrong Do I wild 'park'. yes all the time, I sneak nights, which are almost always breaks in journeys, all over the place at home and abroad; Supermarket carparks, beach carparks, trading estates, forest carparks. Would I spend weeks on end in a dusty car park because it's free? No chance.

Are the wild places in Europe overcrowded? absolutley not, believe me, there are literally millions of places in Europe that offer a wonderful night or two's pitching that are yet to be discovered by anyone in a motorhome, let alone be over used. You just have to get off the beaten track and find them. For us that is 80% of the fun

Give it a go. Broken Link Removed:thumb:

We are the same Jim, we will be leaving here on Saturday after 3 months and touring for a bit, have no plans on where or how long, but all through life my Dad has said to me [HI] TWO's COMPANY AND THREE'S A CROWD [/HI] I think along the same lines when looking for somewhere to park, and how many times are you on your own and some bugger parks right next to you. oh:

I must admit, we would love aires in the UK, but even those suffer from abuse, but at least the French control it, I don't know if anyone has seen the gypsy convoy sometimes 200 on the move, and every town and village the police are there waving them through, and will not let them stop.
Here in Spain and Portugal they have aires but many will not pay. I have been on one in Portugal €6 includes electric water waste wifi and someone came in never wanted to stay, so it was €2 to fill with water and dump, they refused and went off.

You see Germans with big Concords in France / Germany filling at the toilets because they will not pay €1 for 100 litres of water.
So it is about spending money, maybe we could all spend € 100.000 on a motorhome if we never spent it anywhere else.

You could have us down as gypsies, after all we have sold the house ( until we get another one ) got a caravan and a van, just got to get the washing hanging on the bushes next to the bonfire.

But thanks to everyone for your views on this, and looks like most think the same.
Might not have internet when we move, unless its FREE. :thumb: Bob.

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