Wildcamping (1 Viewer)

ShiftZZ

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Why do motorhomer's do it?

There is nowhere to dump?
No contingency if you run out of gas or electricity?
Yes it's 'free'

Is it just the 'romantic' notion or just cheapskates...

I love the French aire system and when possible I pay when asked, yes there has been the odd occasion when I have left early for a particular reason. I dislike those who brag about having cheated the system.. That type of attitude is bad and will in the end kill off the network (yes I know all nationalities do it) Its not clever.

I must say that I have wildcamped but took a decision some time ago to stop, the risks can be high, I also don't like camping alone on an aire, again, safety in numbers, or help is required..

Thoughts
 

Snowbird

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Whats next on the agenda, gassing, Aframes, RVs versus Ice cream vans, caravans V motorhomes, grey water dumping, England V Wales rugby, employed v unemployed, smoking v non smoking. Am off down the beach whilst this is going on. Byeeeeeee :Cool:.

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crapboxemptier

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i think is more about modern day survival in luxury in the so called wild, i have spent 20,000 pounds on wild camping aides electric gas etc plus when you spend 1300 pounds on fuel on a trip to spain, being ripped of on sites at 30 euro a night is not my idea of fun. i can tell you im no cheapskate, when you can book in a hotel full board for the same price .just remember why you have a motorhome,caravan club perfect example 40 pound for night at nec birmingham travel lodge over looking car park 29.99 .
Why do motorhomer's do it?

There is nowhere to dump?
No contingency if you run out of gas or electricity?
Yes it's 'free'

Is it just the 'romantic' notion or just cheapskates...

I love the French aire system and when possible I pay when asked, yes there has been the odd occasion when I have left early for a particular reason. I dislike those who brag about having cheated the system.. That type of attitude is bad and will in the end kill off the network (yes I know all nationalities do it) Its not clever.

I must say that I have wildcamped but took a decision some time ago to stop, the risks can be high, I also don't like camping alone on an aire, again, safety in numbers, or help is required..

Thoughts
 

scotjimland

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.............I must say that I have wildcamped but took a decision some time ago to stop, the risks can be high, ...............
Thoughts

Likewise.. at Aldeburgh, while parked on the sea wall, (before it was banned ) during the night we had one of our windows broken by a gang of yobs.. I got up to see a car speeding off ..Gave both of us a terrible fright.. after that we never did it again..

Why did we park there .. ? because it was free ... simple as that..

Unless you hike or hill walk there are very few places left in the UK that can be classed as wild and.. anyways... proper wild camping is done in a bivi tent far from civilization ..not a hotel on wheels.

If you want to park for free, off grid, off site, call it what you want.. good luck.. but don't call it wild camping.

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Last edited:

Jim

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There have been plenty of incidents on French aires involving youths and stones, it hasn't stopped me using them. Though I understand why being involved in an incident might put you off.
 

Snowbird

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There have been plenty of incidents on French aires involving youths and stones, it hasn't stopped me using them. Though I understand why being involved in an incident might put you off.

Loads of incidents of electrical spikes on European campsites, doesn't stop people plugging in though.
I once had a table disappear in the night on a campsite, crime has no favourites.
 

Snowbird

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Although Smudger and myself are not freeloading at the moment as we are on our winter quarters in Benidorm, we will be helping the local economy a little today. Smudge just rang to say he wants a Marianos belly buster breakfast which cost 2 Euros. After this a nice stroll along the promenade into old town, FREE. Then maybe a tapas lunch 5 Euros. We may even push the boat out and call and have a couple of 1 Euro beers on the way back. Looks like an expensive day today, I dont think there will be much change out of 10 Euros. Its a good job neither of us have anything on the drip otherwise we would have to move off the site and go back to freeloading :RollEyes:.

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Nov 18, 2011
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Why do motorhomer's do it?
  • It is not being a cheep skate I for one love to wake up in a nice location on my own with just my shelf and my family
    and never levee any thing moor then tyre tracks we normally levee with more than we cam with we pick up other's litter.
  • There is nowhere to dump? we plan up trips so the we can empty our castes as we need to and always ask ether the garage or use sites and offer to pay to get rid of our waste many pubs will let you lift there drain cover to empty your casket I have never had a problem yet
  • we always tack all our litter with us till we find somewhere to dispose of it or take it home if it is a sort weekend trip we have never had any problems
  • some of the mane problems I find is your midal class who buy a motor home nice posh one think that it is beneath them to pick up a bit off litter or dispose of it in the correct manor I see more abuse of spot's by those sorts than any others .
  • and I have met so many snobs who are tighter than a ducks arse we spend in the local community we visit they wont pay the prices that the local shops charge we are only to happy to help the community's we visit and don't need to worry to much abut pay load as we buy as we go.
  • tight arse snobs take every thing they need for a trip and don'tspend a penny in the local shops and are usually running over loaded.
  • and a have always advocated that etch to there own and if it is done in a responsible manor there is no harm done only good.
 

normanandsue

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Why when this topic raises its head is it a matter of wildcamping or using a camp site. I confess I am happy wildcamping Sue is not, so we do a little of both.
As regards security it is all in the mind; Sue feels "safe" on a camp site whilst I feel no less safe wildcamping.
I have camped on campsites and sat up all night with a group of like minded people because tents had been slashed during the might and valuables stolen. As very few campsites have security fences they are not safe or secure.
One site we stayed on had a public footpath running at the back of our emplacement.
There is an argument of safety in numbers, but serious thieves will be attracted by a large number of vulnerable motorhomes in one place just as a lorry park on the motorway is an attraction for lorry thieves. Whilst an attack on a lone mh is likely to be just a opportune occurrence.

Using campsites has become ridiculously expensive providing facilities I do not want or need at a price that is not competitive (See contrast with Travel Lodge and Premier Inn at £29.99) Also campsites do not want mh taking up space for one night when they can have a caravan for a week or weekend.
I would gladly use campsites regularly if they offered the basics that we find on an aire or stellplatz in Germany and charged a realistic price.

Norman

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Aug 27, 2009
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Although Smudger and myself are not freeloading at the moment as we are on our winter quarters in Benidorm, we will be helping the local economy a little today. Smudge just rang to say he wants a Marianos belly buster breakfast which cost 2 Euros. After this a nice stroll along the promenade into old town, FREE. Then maybe a tapas lunch 5 Euros. We may even push the boat out and call and have a couple of 1 Euro beers on the way back. Looks like an expensive day today, I dont think there will be much change out of 10 Euros.[HI] Its a good job neither of us have anything on the drip otherwise we would have to move off the site and go back to freeloading [/HI]:RollEyes:.
Are you suggesting that many who park off piste are doing it because purchasing their motorhome has left them with a financial black hole. Or am I mistaken.:Smile:
 

DBK

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Whats next on the agenda, gassing, Aframes, RVs versus Ice cream vans, caravans V motorhomes, grey water dumping, England V Wales rugby, employed v unemployed, smoking v non smoking.

No, we've already had those last week.
 

Snowbird

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Are you suggesting that many who park off piste are doing it because purchasing their motorhome has left them with a financial black hole. Or am I mistaken.:Smile:

Not at all Buttons, but this needs thinking about. “Never spend your money before you have it.”

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Aug 27, 2009
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Not at all Buttons, but this needs thinking about. “Never spend your money before you have it.”
We can do anything snowbird but not everything. Enjoy your day, make sure and take your umbrella to the beach.:sin::rain:::bigsmile:
 

Jim

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I'd be interesting to know about those high risks we're taking when wild camping, that don't exist on an aire, site or our own home.
 

Mousy

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We fancy going to Hay on Wye this weekend, never been before but feel the need for a bit of walking, pub with a log fire and some general mossying around.

So I've just spent 30 minutes on tinternt finding a site...that's open in march, accepts dogs etc, £20 for the night, £5 for our son another £5 for the dog. Are they having a laugh? So £30 to park for the night because funnily enough we use our own toilet, shower and kitchen sink and we don't need ehu. Why can't sites have a reduced fee for simply parking?
£60 for 2 nights. With restrictions on when we arrive and leave.

Will we be 'wild camping' you bet...

Why? Because it's flexible, if we don't like Hay we can move on, I thought the beauty of motor homing was the freedom?

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Daveo2006

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Every night me and me Julie have out is pretty wild wether its on a site or not.:thumb::thumb:

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Nov 18, 2011
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I think it is the middle class misconception of invading pikes
carry on camping folks but do take your litter home.:thumb:
and empty yore s.....t responsibly and we can all enjoy the freedom that motor homing brings :thumb:
just don't go to Anglesey the natives are hostile:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
it is the only place I have visited and had agro and it wisent Frome a true local it was Frome a stuck up middle class English git
upset me when he called me a new age traveller and that my van was a bit orffft and even implied that it was probably not even insured
and had a forged tax disc.
levee nothing but foot prints and you will always be welcome back folks
except in Anglesey never went back agene
 
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I think it is the middle class misconception of invading pikes
carry on camping folks but do take your litter home.:thumb:
and empty yore s.....t responsibly and we can all enjoy the freedom that motor homing brings :thumb:
just don't go to Anglesey the natives are hostile:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
it is the only place I have visited and had agro and it wisent Frome a true local it was [HI]Frome a stuck up middle class English git[/HI]
upset me when he called me a new age traveller and that my van was a bit orffft and even implied that it was probably not even insured
and had a forged tax disc.
levee nothing but foot prints and you will always be welcome back folks
except [HI]in Anglesey[/HI] never went back agene
No surely not....it cant be......:Eeek:
 

Soozywoozy

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one way to resolve the issue, is run a poll - wish i knew how to on this site, but somebody will know
e.g. In the last 3 years,have you ever wild camped Yes/No
if so have you (not somebody else I heard about down the bar who heard from some one else who's best friend was told by somebody else etc) ever been a) physically threatened b) vehicle vandalised
You will quickly see how many have "wilded" and the percentage of incidences and those who continue to wild - I'm reckoning pretty low incidence, put in perspective

We all know burglary and car vandalism happens in UK, but thankfully not to many of us.

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tick59

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Why do motorhomer's do it?

There is nowhere to dump?
No contingency if you run out of gas or electricity?
Yes it's 'free'

Is it just the 'romantic' notion or just cheapskates...

I love the French aire system and when possible I pay when asked, yes there has been the odd occasion when I have left early for a particular reason. I dislike those who brag about having cheated the system.. That type of attitude is bad and will in the end kill off the network (yes I know all nationalities do it) Its not clever.

I must say that I have wildcamped but took a decision some time ago to stop, the risks can be high, I also don't like camping alone on an aire, again, safety in numbers, or help is required..

Thoughts

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
WE DO IT TO UPSET OLD GITS LIKE YOU ???? FUN!! FUN!! FUN!!
 

MattR

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When sites offer the option of just a flat space for the night for a few £ in an area we want to stay in, we would use them. When sites charge £30+ for a night because they provide facilities that we do not want or need, we go else where.

It is not about being tight, it is about getting value for money. We don't leave a mess and we contribute to the local economy when appropriate.

Others may not like it but as long as we do not block access, cause damage, leave a mess or create distress for the landowner, we're happy to continue to have the option of wild camping.

It would be nice if people did not assume that we should all do the same things in the same way :Smile:
 

scotjimland

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I'd be interesting to know about those high risks were taking when wild camping,[HI] that don't exist on an aire, site or our own home[/HI].

I know where you are coming from Jim and you are correct.. However, the added risk or danger arises from locals who take umbrage and play silly beggars .. they are generally not out to do real harm (in my case they did break a window) or nick anything ..there aim is to drive campers away.. or perhaps even onto a local site.
No doubt some have a vested interest..

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Nov 6, 2008
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Why do some motorhomers think we all have to be on a campsite every night?
I can last for a week without dumping or filling. I have solar panels, plenty of gas, large tanks, and my own facilities.
Why should i have to pay to be on a site every time?
If i want to stay a while in an area, i will try and find a site, an aire, CL, or whatever. If i am travelling a distance, and feel the need for a rest, i will park wherever i feel reasonably safe.
Why should i pay for showers, toilets, swimming pools, entertainment, etc; if i don't need them.

Craig
 
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2657

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Why do some motorhomers think we all have to be on a campsite every night?
I can last for a week without dumping or filling. I have solar panels, plenty of gas, large tanks, and my own facilities.
Why should i have to pay to be on a site every time?
If i want to stay a while in an area, i will try and find a site, an aire, CL, or whatever. If i am travelling a distance, and feel the need for a rest, [HI]i will park wherever i feel reasonably safe.[/HI]
Why should i pay for showers, toilets, swimming pools, entertainment, etc; if i don't need them.

Craig

If we all did that, including truckers, what do you think would happen.

There are many CL type sites/aires both in the UK and abroad where you do not need to pay for services that are not needed.
 

scotjimland

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Why do some motorhomers think we all have to be on a campsite every night?
I can last for a week without dumping or filling. I have solar panels, plenty of gas, large tanks, and my own facilities.
Why should i have to pay to be on a site every time?
If i want to stay a while in an area, i will try and find a site, an aire, CL, or whatever. If i am travelling a distance, and feel the need for a rest, i will park wherever i feel reasonably safe.
Why should i pay for showers, toilets, swimming pools, entertainment, etc; if i don't need them.

Craig


I presume you are talking about rest places on M ways, laybys etc .. and not the street. ?

Then quite correct.. you don't need a site, provided you are parked up legally, and not 'camping' .. ie. levelers, or steadies, chairs and awning deployed etc etc ..


bear in mind your 5th wheel is a caravan ... and I quote :

The street is not a caravan park

Any parking, other than loading or unloading or because you are waiting for repairs following a breakdown is against the law

It against the law to park on the street at night without warning lights and you should always ensure that you park the caravan with the reflectors facing on-coming traffic

The police can take enforcement action

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