Concerns (1 Viewer)

[DUKEMAN358]

Just about to get started (2 weeks away from collection) and like the idea of staying over as cheap as possible but having searched the forum many talk of car parks such as sealife etc. I can understand the wardens/police asking you to move on but what about security issues?

I am also sort of expecting finding more than one van planning to stay especially in the nicer weather.

 

[motorhomelover]

Just about to get started (2 weeks away from collection) and like the idea of staying over as cheap as possible but having searched the forum many talk of car parks such as sealife etc. I can understand the wardens/police asking you to move on but what about security issues?

I am also sort of expecting finding more than one van planning to stay especially in the nicer weather.

we have wild camped all over not had :thumb:any problems however if it does not feel right i do move on always listen to your gut feelings
if you want to feel safe find a nice housing estate with houses set back of the road and pull in to one of the side roads always quiet after 11pm :thumb:

 

[normanandsue]

Just about to get started (2 weeks away from collection) and like the idea of staying over as cheap as possible but having searched the forum many talk of car parks such as sealife etc. I can understand the wardens/police asking you to move on but what about security issues?

I am also sort of expecting finding more than one van planning to stay especially in the nicer weather.

If you are not a member of CCC then the use of CCl sites will be off limits to you as they are to me - I too am not a member. Sue at first was never very keen on wildcamping on safety issues, but when I pointed out campsites offer no more safety than anywhere else as they were just as easily entered on foot as any other place and then explained how to be as safe as you can be in our mh by taking sensible precautions she has been won over and now with rare exceptions we always wildcamp.

The first safety rule, as mentioned, is does it feel safe? If not move on! How do you determine if a place feels safe? Look for signs of empty beer cans, broekn glass, empty pizza cartons fish and chip wrappers all point to a place frequented by night life.
When you have found a suitable place park facing the exit, so should you feel the need to move you can do so quickly and safely.
To make entry to your mh as safe as possible pass your front seat belts through the door handles and clip in, and lock the doors.
If you habitation door does not have a safety warning buzzer then buy one from Maplins, this will set off an audible alarm should someone try to open the door.
We always fix a luggage strap to the habitation door handle and fix to another handle in the mh, (Some would not advise this as it could prevent easy exit from the mh should it be necessary). This means should someone manage to open the door it will offer resistance that will make entry a little more difficult and give you more time to react.
Having said all this it seems a formidable list but we have never had cause to have had them tested as we have neither been "attacked" or been asked to move on when we have wildcamped.
So my advice is, do it, share your fears and concerns and experiences on this site and you will come to enjoy wildcamping and the freedom it brings.

Have fun.
Norman

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[movan]

As a woman alone, I always park on laybys (which are set back from the main road ... otherwise too noisy), where there are lorry drivers also parked up for the night. Feels much safer with them around.

 

[hilldweller]

like the idea of staying over as cheap as possible but having searched the forum many talk of car parks such as sealife etc

Some say it's easy. I say it's near impossible. It's getting worse in the UK as more and more restrictions are placed on us.

We were going north from Garda in September on single carriageway roads, after 3 sites were full and the sun was getting low we were looking for anything. Tried a few likely side roads but never found anywhere that was suitable. Luckily we spotted a camping sign and a couple of miles off the main road we were treated to indoor pool, sauna, restaurant but cost €32 a night without hookup. They had Apfelstrüdel to die for and only €5 a portion.

Whenever I say "that would make a good wild camp" in the UK it's too early to stop.

 

[haganap]

We wild camp as well as use sites and CL's (certified locations caravan club).

I find with wild camping, its finding the right spot at the right time. You find one, think this would be great, but its only midday!!!

I find it much easier to have a loose plan and if stuck then start flicking through the CC CL book to find somewhere.

I must be honest, I sleep far better when I know Im allowed to be somewhere, but maybe that's because we have had a young family with us.

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[yorkshirepudding]

As a woman alone, I always park on laybys (which are set back from the main road ... otherwise too noisy), where there are lorry drivers also parked up for the night. Feels much safer with them around.

Wasn't Peter Sutcliffe a lorry driver?oh:

I apologise in advance if this comment is deemed to be in bad taste.

 

[slobadoberbob]

Try finding a layby for my size

I have noticed there days every layby on trunk routes are full from mid afternoon. We have tried to find them on the way to say Lincoln or shows in that direction. Being 45' with the trailer makes it almost impossible to find a gap that big let alone the area to get in or out. Living just off the A21 in Kent we see it down here as well. Trucks have nowhere to go except large truck parking areas on the M25 Clacket Lne Services (busiest they say in europe) pay a fortune. We often pull in for a comfort break on the M3 at Fleet.. same goes there full of trucks... so the over spill or those that will not pay the £22 a night have to hunt for a place to pull up. Even after Lincoln a truck was in a garge blocking the exit and would not move.. he was up on his hours.. so just in effect stopped and caused lots of other vehiles an issue.

We tend now to hunt out an industrial estate if needs arise.. have done that in France to be awoken at 4 a.m when a delivery truck arrived... not an easy call I know. Plus it is not going to get any better. I want to be free and to book CL's is not something I want to do. I want to just go and do my thing... not to cause an issue to someone else, but the rules and regulations means it is even hard to stop in a layby for a cup of coffee... mind you in France we do find it easier than the UK.

Bob

 

[Rayb182]

We wild camp as much as possible, Scotland is the best in UK, If niether of us feel safe we just move on, look for signs, rubbish, used rubber products, tyre marks on the road indicate Jasons with their cars, we was one year parked in a village hall carpark in the wild of Wales, around 3 am was woken by the screams of some girl, having the best sex of her life.
Was woken one night by the police, for parking in Epping Forest.
We also like to park amongst lorry drivers. All in all though, we feel safe enough.

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[sedge]

Joy - I think Pete and I met your French counterpart (not, LOL - read on) in a layby near La Rochelle a few years ago. We were over there on the bike staying at a nearby B&B. The footpath down to a beach we wanted to visit came out in the layby. Huge 'off road' place with a couple of lorries further along. Parked the bike behind a motorhome, could see a lady in it. Good wild camping spot.

When we came back she was sitting outside the van busily engaged with a pencil and her book of 'Arrow words'. We exchanged the time of day and went home.

Few days later same thing again. She's still there. She says hello and says she'll keep her eye on the bike. When we came back from the beach, then we had a conversation with her. Very pleasant woman, I have to say. Quietly going about her business; she said the police were good round there, called by occasionally to see if she was OK and left her alone ...... and told us a bit about herself. Nice woman. But I still don't know how I kept my face straight when she said 'You know what I do, of course?' and Pete said Yes and smiled - I just had to keep me gob shut.

She said she was expecting a visitor and he arrived after parking up his lorry further along, so we took our leave and left.

Well, we had thought the first time we saw her sitting there that it was a bit of an odd way to dress in all the heat and on holiday at about 10 o'clock in the morning - nice white cotton blouse, unbuttoned to the bottom of her cleavage, black pencil skirt, fishnet stockings and patent leather stilettos, with full make up .........

 

[Popeye]

Joy - I think Pete and I met your French counterpart (not, LOL - read on) in a layby near La Rochelle a few years ago. We were over there on the bike staying at a nearby B&B. The footpath down to a beach we wanted to visit came out in the layby. Huge 'off road' place with a couple of lorries further along. Parked the bike behind a motorhome, could see a lady in it. Good wild camping spot.

When we came back she was sitting outside the van busily engaged with a pencil and her book of 'Arrow words'. We exchanged the time of day and went home.

Few days later same thing again. She's still there. She says hello and says she'll keep her eye on the bike. When we came back from the beach, then we had a conversation with her. Very pleasant woman, I have to say. Quietly going about her business; she said the police were good round there, called by occasionally to see if she was OK and left her alone ...... and told us a bit about herself. Nice woman. But I still don't know how I kept my face straight when she said 'You know what I do, of course?' and Pete said Yes and smiled - I just had to keep me gob shut.

She said she was expecting a visitor and he arrived after parking up his lorry further along, so we took our leave and left.

Well, we had thought the first time we saw her sitting there that it was a bit of an odd way to dress in all the heat and on holiday at about 10 o'clock in the morning - nice white cotton blouse, unbuttoned to the bottom of her cleavage, black pencil skirt, fishnet stockings and patent leather stilettos, with full make up .........

Yea, keep goin' don't stop there, damn it woman at least give us the ADDRESS ...:

 

[1_man_and_his_dob(lo)]

Joy - I think Pete and I met your French counterpart (not, LOL - read on) in a layby near La Rochelle a few years ago.

That crashing sound you just heard was a certain Funster dropping her cup of tea, as she reconsiders her choice of wildcamping spots

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[movan]

Flippin' 'eck... First Peter Sutcliffe... and then some woman trying to pinch my spec...... Typical of these bloomin' motorhomers.

 

[tick59]

Wasn't Peter Sutcliffe a lorry driver?oh:

I apologise in advance if this comment is deemed to be in bad taste.

I resent that remark having been a lorry driver for 40 odd years you forgot to mention he was also a BLOODY YORKSHERMAN Ha!Ha!

 

[yorkshirepudding]

I resent that remark having been a lorry driver for 40 odd years you forgot to mention he was also a BLOODY YORKSHERMAN Ha!Ha!

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[sedge]

Especially for Popeye - here you are!

South of La Rochelle on the N237/E602, below Chatelaillon Plage you will see a place called Yves on the map, to the RHS of the Mway.

Immediately SW of Yves, on the sea side of the rd, off the southbound carriageway there is a very long layby - which on Mappy is captioned 'La Maison de la Nature' - which is the building you can see along there if you switch to aerial view.

Pete just reminded me that Madame was financing her daughter through Uni.

 

[DUKEMAN358]

Well officially collect it next Friday from Uddersfield!! Probably aim to go see dear Papa in sunny Morecambe given we will be Up North and all. I would love to start the MH ownership with a bit of Wild camping in on Morecambe sea front as to catch a wonderful sunrise over the bay but I guess it will be the travel lodge just to be safeoh:

Thanks for all the responses and some great advice, I'm sure once we have command, I will develop our 'usual' style and use CL's which we are very familiar with from years of caravaning when the bin lids were small

hope to meet up with some of you when vying for position on some of the better spots! Cheers

Kim & Andrea

 

[Popeye]

[HI]Especially for Popeye[/HI] - here you are!

South of La Rochelle on the N237/E602, below Chatelaillon Plage you will see a place called Yves on the map, to the RHS of the Mway.

Immediately[HI] SW of Yves[/HI], on the sea side of the rd, off the southbound carriageway there is [HI]a very long layby[/HI] - which on Mappy is captioned 'La Maison de la Nature' - which is the building you can see along there if you switch to aerial view.

Pete just reminded me that Madame was financing her daughter through Uni.

Right, phew, sorry I'm out of breath, Well Jenny I'm back. Thanks for the directions, got there, she was busy, came back later she'd gone.

Perhaps on the note I left pinned to her door I shouldn't have signed it "Yosser" that's why she did a runner I reckon . .Griff

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[Popeye]

I resent that remark having been a lorry driver for 40 [HI]odd[/HI] years you forgot to mention he was also a BLOODY YORKSHERMAN Ha!Ha!

How ODD we're all dying to know?. Griff

 

[paul8ch]

I hear there is penty of space on Dale Farm at the moment. If you are lucky you might get to park up for about 10 years, just put on an Irish accent claim human rights and Bobs your uncle.

 

[paul8ch]

I hear there is penty of space on Dale Farm at the moment. If you are lucky you might get to park up for about 10 years, just put on an Irish accent claim human rights and Bobs your uncle.

Seriously though. How can a harmless motorhomer be asked to move on from anywhere after a few hours when it takes 6 weeks to evict a crowd of tinkers, from a country laybye or worse across a business premises goods in gate (trust me I've seen it in East London.)....................and where do they get all them fridges from anyway?

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[pappajohn]

Well officially collect it next Friday from Uddersfield!! Probably aim to go see dear Papa in sunny Morecambe given we will be Up North and all. I would love to start the MH ownership with a bit of Wild camping in on Morecambe sea front as to catch a wonderful sunrise over the bay but I guess it will be the travel lodge just to be safeoh:

Thanks for all the responses and some great advice, I'm sure once we have command, I will develop our 'usual' style and use CL's which we are very familiar with from years of caravaning when the bin lids were small

hope to meet up with some of you when vying for position on some of the better spots! Cheers

Kim & Andrea

Well Dukeman, that will be a first........

the sun rises in the east, but you'll have realised that by now

 

[DUKEMAN358]

Well Dukeman, that will be a first........

the sun rises in the east, but you'll have realised that by now

You know how to burst ones bubble!! Didn't manage to get there in the end

 

[enpiste]

Well officially collect it next Friday from Uddersfield!! Probably aim to go see dear Papa in sunny Morecambe given we will be Up North and all. I would love to start the MH ownership with a bit of Wild camping in on Morecambe sea front as to catch a wonderful sunrise over the bay but I guess it will be the travel lodge just to be safeoh:

Thanks for all the responses and some great advice, I'm sure once we have command, I will develop our 'usual' style and use CL's which we are very familiar with from years of caravaning when the bin lids were small

hope to meet up with some of you when vying for position on some of the better spots! Cheers

Kim & Andrea

Hi I have been wilding for a few years now and the trick is to not aim for the best spot..... too close to town centre or touristy bit means you are at the beck and calll of the parking wardens and or restrictions ..... but in most small places the restrictions run out a short bike ride/walk from the centre. As long a you park in a quiet street ... not on the pavement ... you should be ok. I normally find a residental street , park under a light and not directly ouside someones window. Never had a problem . The only difficulty I have found is access to water supplies... so this means a bit of imagination in getting some ... or a stop on a campsite every few days.

You are entitled to park in any unrestricted street ... as long as you are not living there..... if you are asked to move by officialdom... just ask them to sign an affidavit "that they are moving you on after you have stopped because you are too tired to drive further"... not many will take the chance ... cheers brian

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