Newbie in Croatia (1 Viewer)

[leonp]

Hello, all. I am almost new to motorhomes (20 days in Norway in 2002).
Two questions:

1. What is called "camping"? More precisely - if overnight stopping at some parking place without even opening the doors, just parking and doing EVERYTHING INSIDE(!) is considered "camping" and therefore is forbidden in Croatia outside the campsite?

2. Why people go to campsites, if they can not to? During our 20-days trip in Norway we once entered a campsite and regretted crowd, no privacy, restrictions everywhere. All the rest 19 nights we spent inside the motorhome in arbitrary places.

Thanks a lot for your answers.

 

[Sundowners]

Hello, all. I am almost new to motorhomes (20 days in Norway in 2002).
Two questions:

1. What is called "camping"? More precisely - if overnight stopping at some parking place without even opening the doors, just parking and doing EVERYTHING INSIDE(!) is considered "camping" and therefore is forbidden in Croatia outside the campsite?

2. Why people go to campsites, if they can not to? During our 20-days trip in Norway we once entered a campsite and regretted crowd, no privacy, restrictions everywhere. All the rest 19 nights we spent inside the motorhome in arbitrary places.

Thanks a lot for your answers.

Hi----welcome to Fun :thumb:
I think 'camping' is down to personel interpretation----for me it's getting out gear like table & chairs/awning/washing line etc.---and staying more than a night or two.

We are planning a trip to Norway this year--------did you have any trouble finding 'wild camping' spots ???---------------------did you get moved on at all??

Nigel & Pamala

 

[dylan]

:welcome: to the FUN:thumb:

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[Carol]

:welcomefunster:Hello and welcome to fun

 

[leonp]

Norway/Croatia

Thanks to all for welcoming...

It was brilliant in Norway. We made the trip from Langesund till Trondheim (via Bergen) and back via Lillihamer.
In Norway you can do what you want and where you want - no limitations at all.
And there is thousands of places to stop and have your pleasure. Several times we slept with our back window opened into the fjiord, 3 meters from the water.

In Croatia they say that camping strictly in the campsites/campings. What does it mean!? Is it so mystery?

 

[jaygee]

We traveled in Croatia last summer and found it is not allowed to 'free camp' you have to stay on a camp site and pay. That said on three occasions we did stop in car parks overnight out of necessity but they were tucked away our of sight!

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[Snowbird]

Not only is wild camping allowed in Norway, its encouraged. There are pulloffs along all the roads for wild camping. Some by the side of rivers that are full of trout. Photo 1 shows me cooking trout in a layby that runs alongside the river that I caught them in. All these were taken on wildings in Norway.

 

[scotjimland]

Hi----welcome to Fun :thumb:
I think 'camping' is down to personel interpretation----for me it's getting out gear like table & chairs/awning/washing line etc.---and staying more than a night or two.

We are planning a trip to Norway this year--------did you have any trouble finding 'wild camping' spots ???---------------------did you get moved on at all??

Nigel & Pamala

This is a copy paste from a post of Boff's

Wild Camping in Norway

1. Wild Camping in General:

1.a) Q: Is wild camping in Norway illegal?
A: No, unlike many other European countries there is no general ban on wild camping in Norway. There is however a strict ban against driving with any kind of motor vehicle into the wilderness.

1.b) Q: By the way, what is "Wild Camping"?
A: In the English language the term "Wild Camping" usually means spending a night outside of official camp sites. However, in most European countries a clear distinction is made between "Wild Camping" and "Overnight Parking".

1.c) Q: And what is this difference?
A: As long as you simply pull up onto a car park where it is legal to park your van and spend one night there this is Overnight Parking. If you have a drink or dinner before bedtime and take a shower and have breakfast before leaving next morning this is still fully OK.
If you put anything outside of your van (like camping furniture), roll out an awning, run a generator, fire up a barbeque or do anything else like that then this is considered as Wild Camping. Usually it is also considered as Wild Camping if you stay on the same spot for more than 24 hours. As a rule of thumb one can say that as long as you could drive off at any time without leaving the vehicle or leaving anything behind, then you are parking.

1.d) Q: What else should I consider?
You should always keep a low profile and avoid too large gatherings of motorhomes. The maximum number of motorhomes depends of course on the size of the car park, the proximity of inhabited houses (anyway, "Wild Camping" close to houses is a contradiction in terms, isn't it?) and the "sensitivity" of the surroundings. Especially if you are travelling in a group of motorhomes you should seriously consider to only use camp sites and official motorhome sites.

2. The "Allemannsrett":

2.a) Q: What is the "Allemannsrett" or "Everybody's right"?
A: The "Allemannsrett" allows you to pitch up your tent on non-cultivated ground under certain conditions. Some of these conditions are: Max. stay 48 hours, no garbage left behind, if closer than 150 metres to a house or cabin you have to ask the owner for permission. There are also other parts of the Allemansrett about collecting wild berries and mushrooms etc., but they are not discussed here.

2.b) Q: So what does this Allemansrett mean for me with a motorhome?
A: Basically nothing, as it only applies for non-motorized tourists with tents. However it is considered as polite to also ask the owner if you intend to stay within sight of an inhabited house.

3. Road Lay-bys and Motorway Service Stations:

3.a) Q: Am I allowed to spend a night on a road lay-by?
A: According to information from the Norwegian Road Traffic Authority: Yes! However overnight parking restrictions as mentioned in 4.b-c) could apply. In addition road lay-bys are not always the most pleasant places to stay, because of traffic noise, exhaust fumes etc. And especially some lay-bys along major tourist routes and close to urban areas seem to attract certain unpleasant, if not illegal, nocturnal activities.

3.b) Q: And what about Motorway service stations?
A: Norway has only very few motorways, and most of them in the densely populated area around Oslo. If you nevertheless happen to find a service station there, then the same as in 3.a) applies.

4. Car Parks and Signposts:

4.a) Q: I have found a nice picknick/swimming/sight-seeing place and parked my motorhome on its car park. Am I allowed to spend the night there?
A: Yes, as long as this is public ground and unless local signposts say otherwise. And even if there are signposts their legal status is in some cases questionable, so the decision is up to you whether you "take the risk" or not. In the following answers some of the more frequent "flavours" of these signs are discussed:

4.b) Q: The official "Stopping Restriction" sign with an additional motorhome symbol?
A: Motorhomes may not park here at all, other vehicles may. This is an official traffic sign and should be observed. Otherwise you may be fined.

4.c) Q: Like 4.b), but with an additional time definition (e.g: 22:00-06:00)?
A: Motorhomes may not park here during the specified time. Again this is official and should be observed.

4.d) Q: Crossed-out caravan symbol or "Ej bovagn"?
A: You may not place a caravan here. Has no meaning for motorhomes.

4.e) Q: Crossed-out tent?
A: You may not pitch a tent here. Has no meaning for motorhomes.

4.f) Q: "No Camping" or "Camping førbjudet"?
This is a difficult one. You find it usually in the vicinity of camp sites, which already gives you an indication who has placed it... Many of these signs are hand-painted and do not look very official. And as long as you are simply overnight parking, you are strictly speaking not camping! However many of these signs seem to deliberately aim at nightly motorhome stopovers. So it is again up to you to decide whether you stay nonetheless. Legally you are on the safe side, however there have been reports about raging camp site owners trying to chase away motorhomes in the middle of the night.

4.g) "Privat" (also in combination with any of the above):
This is private ground, so you should not park there even at daylight, unless you have the owner's permission.

5. In Towns and Cities:

5.a) Q: I want to spend a night in a town. Where can I do that?
A: Quite some Norwegian towns meanwhile provide dedicated motorhome stopover sites similar to the German "Stellplatz" or French "Aire". Examples are Oslo, Bergen, Ålesund, Trondheim. While some of them charge a fee, they are usually very conveniently located and provide all services needed for motorhomes (with the unfortunate exception of Trondheim). Ask at the tourist office or look into this site's database.
If there is no official stopover site you could check at local sports grounds. Follow signs to "Idrettsplass". Usually they are located in a little distance to inhabited houses, provide large car parks and are quiet at night, except if there is an event taking place.

5.b) Q: What about car parks at churches or graveyards?
A: Strictly speaking it is not illegal to spend the night there, however it is considered as very rude to stay at such sacred places.

5.c) Q: And what about museums, restaurants, marinas etc?
A: No problem, as long as you have the owner's permission. Some places, especially marinas, meanwhile provide dedicated motorhome stopover sites, but then usually charge a fee.

5.d) Q: May I simply stay in a residential area?
A: As you will not be able to keep the required 150 metres distance to inhabited houses, you need to ask your "temporary neighbours" for permission.

5.e) Q: And in an industrial area?
A: Again this is not illegal, but especially in Norway you will always find more pleasant surroundings for an overnight stopover.

6. Rubbish, Fresh and Waste Water:

6.a) Q: When I am not going on camp sites, where can I dump my waste water?
A: There are numerous sanitary stations for motorhomes all over Norway. They are marked in the official road atlas "Veiatlas Norge" and also locally signposted. Mostly located at petrol stations. Many of them are even free of charge.

6.b) Q: Where do I get fresh water?
A: Also at these service stations. Or at petrol stations. Look for "Vann".

6.c) Q: And where do I get rid of my garbage?
A: You will find dust bins on practically all car parks, pick-nick sites etc. Keep in mind that for bottles and drink cans a refund system is in place, so do not throw them in the dust bins but bring them back to the shops and collect the deposit.


The rules for 'right of access' here

Broken Link Removed

Everyone in Norway has a right-of-access to the countryside, originally a traditional right but now set out in the legislation governing the right of access (allemannsretten). It is important to remember that this right is based on respect for the countryside and that visitors must always show consideration for farmers and landowners, other users and the environment.

In practice the right of access means:
You may go anywhere in open country (“unfenced land”) on foot or on skis and picnic wherever you want. Open country is land that is not cultivated. In Norway, the term covers most shores, bogs, forests and mountains. Small islands of uncultivated land within cultivated land are regarded as open country. “Fenced land” is private and includes cultivated land, such as ploughed fields with or without crops, meadows, pastures and gardens, as well as young plantations, building plots and industrial areas. However, you have access to fields and meadows from 15 October to 30 April when the ground is frozen or covered with snow. “Fenced land” needs not to be actually fenced.
You may put up a tent, or sleep under the stars, for the night anywhere in the countryside, forests or mountains, except in cultivated fields and lay-bys. However, you must keep at least 150 metres away from the nearest house or cabin. If you want to stay for more than two nights in the same place, you must ask the landowner's permission, except in the mountains or very remote areas.
Places for emptying toilets are signposted.

Open fires are not permitted in or near forested areas in the period 15 April to 15 September. Take care not to cause any damage if you light a fire at other times of year.
In general, you may pick berries, mushrooms and flowers, but special rules apply to cloudberries in the three northernmost counties.

 

[leonp]

Norway/Croatia

Thanks! The great post!!!

In Lillihammer we slept just in the center of the city in some parking place near some ministry - they had a big parking for several kronas per 24 hours. It was funny to sit on the toilet and listen to Norwegian clerks in the morning going to work and discussing their matters...

From this scientific article I conclude, that sleeping in the motorhome 1 night with all my doors closed is legal in Europe and in Croatia too. Am I right?

Thanks again!!

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[Snowbird]

Just noticed at the bottom of Jims very informative post that special rules are for the picking of cloudberries. I never knew that. You learn something every day on here. For anyone that has never tasted them, they don't know what they are missing. Heaven on earth.

 

[darklord]

Motorhomers etc in Croatia are known as "tomato people" as they only stop at roadside stalls to buy fruit and veg.
This is why wild camping is banned, and you should be paying a daily tourist tax (70p last time i was there), campsites include it as do other places.
Some resturaunts, especially near Porec and Pula, and along the Istrian peninsular, will let you stay in their normally large car parks, but onlyafter a heavy night of eating and drinking,........the fireflies may make you thnk youve drank more than you have