Forestry Scotland Stay the Night Trial

Stewart J · Jul 16, 2020

Good news for us Motorhomes let us hope it is successful and not abused. They are asking for feedback so please consider responding positively.

Stay the Night | Forestry and Land Scotland

Everything you need to know about FLS' Stay the Night scheme where self-contained campervans can park overnight in some of our forest car parks.

forestryandland.gov.scot

Lenny HB · Jul 16, 2020

Sounds good and making what people do anyway legal.

WillH · Jul 16, 2020

This is a massive step for Forestry Scotland. Let's hope that the trial is deemed successful and the facility becomes permanent . £5/night, loose change, not even pocket money prices, the same as on Harris as I recall.

Just smiffy · Jul 16, 2020

Hooray .....

Barclaybasher · Jul 16, 2020

The National Trust could do something similar.....................

nicholsong · Jul 16, 2020

Nice clear simple announcement and rules.

Well done.

Geoff

glenn2926 · Jul 16, 2020

What a great idea. I hope it doesn’t get abused as then the rest of the car parks might see the benefit of allowing us to overnight. Well done forestry and land Scotland.

jannyman · Jul 17, 2020

WillH said:
£5/night, loose change, not even pocket money prices, the same as on Harris as I recall.

Even better news - overnighting is free for this year while its being trialled.

violet · Jul 17, 2020

This was posted by Potty yesterday and I tried sending an email to the address on the website. It was returned marked as ' this email address is restricted'. Strange.

irnbru · Jul 18, 2020

violet said:
This was posted by Potty yesterday and I tried sending an email to the address on the website. It was returned marked as ' this email address is restricted'. Strange.

I think you might find Stewart posted it first but it matters not..to me any way as sometimes folk miss stuff.

Helen Ariel · Jul 18, 2020

Fingers crossed a small minority don't ruin it for others. I've been amazed at how quiet and well behaved/respectful everyone is on the aires in France.

jongood · Jul 18, 2020

Superb news, might tempt us back to Scotland yet.

violet · Jul 18, 2020

irnbru said:
I think you might find Stewart posted it first but it matters not..to me any way as sometimes folk miss stuff.

That's not really the point I was making, but that the email the site gives for questions just returned my mail. Has anyone else tried?

namwaldog · Jul 29, 2020

Well we have just pitched up to try out this scheme at Clatteringshaws between New Galloway and Newton Stewart.

Only one here at the moment but I suspect we will have neighbour's at 6pm as there are a few MH in the area on the way up. We got here at about 1630 and as the overnights start from 1800, paid the all day parking rate, £3.

Sorry about clarity of image but blurry perspex screen.

There are two or three 'Stay the Night' posters displayed...

Nice spot, no sign of midges yet!!

Now, I have hesitated to put this on but here goes...

There is what appears to be a new 'development' at the end of the car park that looks a lot like an Elsan Point....

But THERE IS NO SIGNAGE SO I HOPE NO-ONE USES IT AS SUCH FOR THE MOMENT!!!

Barry.

golly · Jul 29, 2020

This is a great idea, but I fear it will be abused and it will be rescinded. There are just too many inconsiderate knobs driving campers and motorhomes at the moment, just look at the reported problems on and around the NC500.

SD j · Jul 29, 2020

namwaldog said:
Well we have just pitched up to try out this scheme at Clatteringshaws between New Galloway and Newton Stewart.

Only one here at the moment but I suspect we will have neighbour's at 6pm as there are a few MH in the area on the way up. We got here at about 1630 and as the overnights start from 1800, paid the all day parking rate, £3.

View attachment 411213
Sorry about clarity of image but blurry perspex screen.

There are two or three 'Stay the Night' posters displayed...

View attachment 411214

Nice spot, no sign of midges yet!!

View attachment 411215

View attachment 411216

Now, I have hesitated to put this on but here goes...

There is what appears to be a new 'development' at the end of the car park that looks a lot like an Elsan Point....

But THERE IS NO SIGNAGE SO I HOPE NO-ONE USES IT AS SUCH FOR THE MOMENT!!!

View attachment 411217

View attachment 411219

Barry.

Definitely an elsan point , we used one on a new site last weekend,
this is good news

The Coops · Jul 29, 2020

golly said:
This is a great idea, but I fear it will be abused and it will be rescinded. There are just too many inconsiderate knobs driving campers and motorhomes at the moment, just look at the reported problems on and around the NC500.

They are not really inconsiderate knobs, how many are in hire vans and will have been told how to dispose of waste properly by the hiring company? How many are a rent it and see if it suits before buying a m/home?( In over 10 years DC has NEVER even empted a toilet cassette.) Whatever you do in your motorhome you will upset someone, You have a satellite dish up, you have put out your awning, you are having a BBQ and DONT have a Cadac ( other cookers are available) you have not used levelers, you are parking in MY spot. you are driving a *British, German, French, Italian Slovenian, Chinese motorhome in the wrong configuration or colour, you use the wrong websites! You insist on an EHU yet have loads of batteries and solar power!
The list is endless what it needs is a discrete photo of the wrongdoers and get the reg number if possible and let the EA know, why not put up a few signs along the route such as * Only Bears shit in the woods, so watch out if dumping! * Or due to the amount of human waste and rubbish left in this area hidden cameras are observing your actions, now do we post on a specialist fetish website or prosecute? Scotland is its own worst enemy in allowing free camping ...................Wait for all the ,,,,,,I have been doing it for years etc etc but you are not supposed to do it in the rest of the UK . Yes I know about park4night but I am not really into dogging sites !

buntyb · Jul 29, 2020

it’s a nice positive step to see such thing being provided. Hopefully they become the norm and that users look after it

irnbru · Jul 29, 2020

Just misse

namwaldog said:
Well we have just pitched up to try out this scheme at Clatteringshaws between New Galloway and Newton Stewart.

Only one here at the moment but I suspect we will have neighbour's at 6pm as there are a few MH in the area on the way up. We got here at about 1630 and as the overnights start from 1800, paid the all day parking rate, £3.

View attachment 411213
Sorry about clarity of image but blurry perspex screen.

There are two or three 'Stay the Night' posters displayed...

View attachment 411214

Nice spot, no sign of midges yet!!

View attachment 411215

View attachment 411216

Now, I have hesitated to put this on but here goes...

There is what appears to be a new 'development' at the end of the car park that looks a lot like an Elsan Point....

But THERE IS NO SIGNAGE SO I HOPE NO-ONE USES IT AS SUCH FOR THE MOMENT!!!

View attachment 411217

View attachment 411219

Barry.

Just missed you then, we were there last night and yes you CAN use the elsan we were told. Just take a bottle of water up as the flush isn't working yet. Was a fab spot last night. Signage is delayed because of covid they said.

dunnah01 · Jul 29, 2020

It would be great if the majority of good owners that use these new facilities try to leave them a bit better than when they arrived. Set a great example and maybe they will flourish. No point moaning about others poor behaviour because we won't change it.

namwaldog · Jul 29, 2020

irnbru said:
Just take a bottle of water up

Thanks for that Sandra, just had a walk along the lochside to Bruces Stone. Noticed there is a cold water tap in a weatherproof box next to the toilets at the Visitor Centre.
We dont need any at the moment, but might be handy another time!

Sun going down over loch...

dunnah01 · Jul 29, 2020

namwaldog said:
Thanks for that Sandra, just had a walk along the lochside to Bruces Stone. Noticed there is a cold water tap in a weatherproof box next to the toilets at the Visitor Centre.
We dont need any at the moment, but might be handy another time!

Sun going down over loch...

View attachment 411311

What's that bright light doing in Scotland? :rofl:

BossHog · Jul 29, 2020

Hopefully being restricted to MH/campers will enable the areas to stay clean and tidy and in turn extend the scheme as these vehicles have the facility to store and carry general waste /rubbish away until it can be disposed of correctly

Hope its a success great news...

namwaldog · Jul 30, 2020

Decided to stretch our legs just as it was going dark last night and got about 10 yards from the van before beating a hasty retreat back to the van

The beasties were out in force.

Spent the next 20 minutes with a single light on trying to swat those that had decided to join us in the van.
Quiet night with no evidence of midge bites this morning!!

Moved on for coffee at the other Stay the Night site at Kiroughtree just off the the A75 at Newton Stewart.
Much larger car park, surrounded by forestry and limited views. Surface is that hard plastic honeycomb with stone infill. Quite clean and fairly level. Seems to be the starting place for a lot of forest walks and bike rides. Poor internet signal on EE 3 & Vodafone while they were all excellent at Clatteringshaws.

Kiroughtree is the more commercial of the two but I would imagine no road noise.

Overall I prefer Clatteringshaws.

The liquid sunshine isn't helping Kiroughtree this morning though

Heading off to the seaside of Luce Bay to see if we can escape the midges.

Barry

Suvvi · Jul 30, 2020

Good progress and hopefully a permanent implementation. About time the UK caught up with the rest of Europe! Fingers crossed it's not spoiled by a few.

Puddleduck · Jul 30, 2020

Clatteringshaws looks great and perhaps a good spot for kayaking.

£3 for parking is a bargain

irnbru · Jul 30, 2020

Thanks for the info. That car park at Kiroughtree looks huge. Does this place have a water tap and Ulsan too?

Stewart J · Jul 30, 2020

There is a few tap beside the centre entrance Sandra and they usually leave the outside toilet open for late night cyclists. It’s best to overnight at the top end of the car park it’s quieter and you don’t get cars parked alongside.

namwaldog · Jul 30, 2020

irnbru said:
Does this place have a water tap and Ulsan too?

Didn't see anything similar to the Elsan at Clatteringshaws, Sandra, but didn't hang around.
Tried to pay for parking in two different machines in the persisting rain, but no joy so just drank our coffee and moved on. I dont know if the lack of a loch will alter the appearance of the wee beasties but there was more room at Kiroughtrees. Watch out on the approach road just before the entrance as there is a patch of tarmac that manages to shake your fillings out and make you seasick at the same time

We've moved on to Kings Green site at Port William on Luce Bay. One of Margarets favourite sites. £13 for a seafront pitch without ehu (or £17 with) Grass but very firm. Elsan, grey & water.
Could only get one night as fully booked for weekend!!

Isle of Man just emerged out of the gloom and the sun's shining.
No midges so far....

irnbru · Jul 30, 2020

Thanks, looks lovely, nothing to beat a seaview, we've gone up into the borders now .

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