Over night stops, how do they work?

[Nosmo King]

We are quite new to this MH lark previously owning a caravan for a number of years, holidaying with the kids on prebooked full service sites.

Now we are due to collect our new camper in a couple of weeks, we’re looking forward to a different kind of holiday.

More travels and fewer prolonged stays on ‘proper’ campsites. We’re also planning a Spain Portugal tou for later this year.

We suspect that we’ll need sites from time to time for the obvious things but for travelling what is
/ are the hints / tips/ rules / guidance / wisdom etc?
TIA

 

[Simon Richardson]

France is the most 'user friendly' place to park off sites, however with the right information you can Wild Camp in most Countries - there are exceptions tho'.

Download Apps from Camper Contact / Park 4 Night - there are literally hundreds of places you can stay free of charge - some require a small charge for drinking water and electric, but it's only a few euros.

Just use your common sense and take all the scary stories with a pinch of salt.

Thousands of us do it every year.

 

[funflair]

You won't "need" campsites but you might want to use them if you fancy a longer stay in an area otherwise aires and stellplatz are perfectly OK and offer a variety of facilities some even having showers, yes you can wild camp as well.

Martin

 

[filopastry]

Amount of salt required for gassing links.

You will open up a whole new world and begin to wonder why you have a home, spending long periods of time roaming the world with both eyes and your mouths wide open at the views before you. There are risks with motorhoming, as with crossing a road, common sense should be your guide. There is a wealth of knowledge on here, and other sites. But beware, here, there and everywhere, there are those who would try and infect you with their paranoid views and fears, keep the salt close to hand.

www.searchforsite.co.uk

Phil

 

[Offagain]

Morning
We are newbies too and are currently 50km North of Pamplona. Left home in Wales on 28 Dec and so far have only stayed "off grid". We don't intend to use campsites at all but not because of cost, but because of the freedom. We head vaguely in the direction we want to go and when it starts to get dark we look on park4night. Unless we identify a town or area we really want to stay in then we look on the app for somewhere there.
Some have had services (grey and black waste emptying, fresh water) but most haven't. However, apart from one they've all been in France which as has already been mentioned, is totally geared up for it.
I'm interested to see how Spain compares.

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[Landy Andy]

Advice for “over night stops” would be.

Always fill with water, drain your drains, empty your toilet, and keep an eye on power. This is because you never know what the next stop has to offer, or if it will work. Due to this we do the above before moving on in the morning, so are prepared.

Initially park/stop where others are so that you know you should be there. France is very good at signing though.

Be sensible about security of yourselves, your MoHo, and your belongings. (Such as bikes on racks)

Get the apps and learn how to enter coordinates into your navigation setup.

Learn to get close with other MoHo’s. Normally a French couple who park on your door mat

Andy.

 

[tonka]

For the UK it's limited for suitable overnight places BUT there are some. Best to use apps like Camper contact, Search for sites etc. Facebook has a few groups dedicated to overnight stopovers plus you have things like the pub stopovers where its often free to stay as long as you spent a bit of cash in the pub.
You dont have your location on your profile but with kids and if you "North" then Southport has an overnight parking area next to the funfair, so thats just one..

On the continent it's totally different. France especially is very motorhome friendly and provides often free parking areas for motorhomes (camping car). We travel regular with our Grandkids up and down to Spain and have stayed at some great locations next to rivers, lakes, parks etc...

Rallies tend to be our thing. Check out the Fun rallies like Thetford. We also use the Camping and caravan club rally sites or their temporary holiday sites. These are ideal when you move around and need to stop for a short, cheap break and do the services like fresh water and waste dump..

 

[AXO66]

All of the above and in spain you can sleep in your parked van anywhere as long as their are no signs saying you can’t.
What you can’t do is camp. That is as I understand it, is no side windows open, roof windows o.k. No step, no chairs, no washing on the bike rack.no doubt sombody will add more.
We had a month in spain cost us £45 for sites, used for dumping toilet, charging, showering etc. Rest of time used camper direct, or just parked up with other spanish van. Always felt safer with another van or two alongside.
Inform yourself about different gas bottles and regulators though.
Happy travels.

 

[two]

Your motorhome is an aid to adventure. Build on what you have done so far and push the boundaries no further than you feel comfortable. Enjoy your new freedom.

 

[Lenny HB]

We nearly always use Aires, Camper Stops & Stellaplatz when we travel, to give you some idea have a look at our trips in the links in my signature below.

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[The Wino]

Depends what sort of "campervan you have"

 

[Nosmo King]

Thanks folks. Great advice. As I suspected much wisdom out there!

Panel van conversion. 5.99m 2 berth.

No kids. Flown fortunately! Though they have both intimated that they might be interested in occasional use of said camper... quelle surprise

 

[hilldweller]

wisdom etc?
TIA

It is not as easy as people make out. When a so called "lead" takes us down some grubby back street in Spain to wasteland with yoofs doing what yoofs do the question is asked "how wild do we want it tonight ?" One aire in Spain turned out to be the car park of a scrapyard, not my idea of holiday.

It seems to be getting harder rather than easier, more motorhomes than ever and more locals then ever fed up with travellers abusing their locality.

So be prepared for failure as well as success.

France and Germany are in a different league for "aires".

 

[filopastry]

@hilldweller that is where google earth can be invaluable. Even for recognized sites and camps it is never a bad idea to spend a few minutes on google street view and have a look at the roads on approach. We once pitched in a lovely spot only to find out too late the other side of the lovely hedge is a small sewage farm. 5 minutes with Mr Google and we may well have noticed it and changed plans ..... or drank more whisky/gin/vodka/beer .. delete as appropriate

phil

 

[suavecarve]

The aires advice is all good above.
I would add that a decent satnav facility ought to be added to actually find them and use the co ordinates. Probably better to get one that you can put your motorhome dimensions in order to keep your roof on going through gorges and Rouen.
Other necessities in my opinion would be LPG gas and sufficient solar and battery and from that point on the cost of your motorhome overnighting is free if you want it to be.
I like free. I really like it.

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[Minxy]

All of the above and in spain you can sleep in your parked van anywhere as long as their are no signs saying you can’t.
What you can’t do is camp. That is as I understand it, is no side windows open, roof windows o.k. No step, no chairs, no washing on the bike rack.no doubt sombody will add more.

One thing for those with pop-top campers is that they are NOT permitted to raise the roof or that will also be classed as camping ... never thought of it before until we met some British campers who live in Spain who mentioned they'd been chastised once by the police there for having their step out and the roof up! Also, no doors open, not even the cab ones ... basically the vehicle has to be in the usual 'trim' that it would be if you were to drive it normally on the road so other than roof lights open (which obviously would be locked/secured when travelling) or cab windows down it has to be 'sealed' up.

 

[busby]

S

Morning
We are newbies too and are currently 50km North of Pamplona. Left home in Wales on 28 Dec and so far have only stayed "off grid". We don't intend to use campsites at all but not because of cost, but because of the freedom. We head vaguely in the direction we want to go and when it starts to get dark we look on park4night. Unless we identify a town or area we really want to stay in then we look on the app for somewhere there.
Some have had services (grey and black waste emptying, fresh water) but most haven't. However, apart from one they've all been in France which as has already been mentioned, is totally geared up for it.
I'm interested to see how Spain compares.

super aire in Pamplona about a KM from old town..10 euros with leech,,cameras and lighting,,BUSBY,,

 

[Offagain]

No kids. Flown fortunately! Though they have both intimated that they might be interested in occasional use of said camper... quelle surprise

Ours is uprated to 3850 so "sadly" our kids can't borrow it. There are advantages to being old!

Totally agree with @suavecarve re having a good sat nav with all those facilities. Combined with a good old fashioned map.

This is where we are tonight. Next to a pretty Spanish reservoir:

Yes we're across several spaces but there are hundreds of others, we're the only ones here and if we didn't we wouldn't be flat.

 

[suavecarve]

Ours is uprated to 3850 so "sadly" our kids can't borrow it. There are advantages to being old!

Totally agree with @suavecarve re having a good sat nav with all those facilities. Combined with a good old fashioned map.

This is where we are tonight. Next to a pretty Spanish reservoir:View attachment 276265
Yes we're across several spaces but there are hundreds of others, we're the only ones here and if we didn't we wouldn't be flat.

That parking is entering into to the French spirit of parking.
Similarly uploaded our van so the inheritance queue cant borrow it.
Unfortunately they are now plotting to get their licenses.
I need a B plan which may include a shotgun

 

[Rapido925M]

we met some British campers who live in Spain who mentioned they'd been chastised once by the police there for having their step out and the roof up! Also, no doors open, not even the cab ones ... basically the vehicle has to be in the usual 'trim' that it would be if you were to drive it normally on the road so other than roof lights open (which obviously would be locked/secured when travelling) or cab windows down it has to be 'sealed' up.

That is the "official" perspective and we tend to stick closely to it.

However, last April we spend many hours on "car parks" with the windows open and the sun loungers out. See what everyone else is doing and be prepared to pay the occasional fine if necessary (we never have seen anyone punished).

If you need advice, ask a Dutchman (I have only met one who didn't speak good english)!

Enjoy - Gordon

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[Minxy]

That is the "official" perspective and we tend to stick closely to it.

However, last April we spend many hours on "car parks" with the windows open and the sun loungers out. See what everyone else is doing and be prepared to pay the occasional fine if necessary (we never have seen anyone punished).

If you need advice, ask a Dutchman (I have only met one who didn't speak good english)!

Enjoy - Gordon

We do the same however there were some places we stopped where it was definitely NO camping and the locality had 'officials' driving round every now and then who were clearly checking what MHs were doing, so you have to be a bit savvy about it, most of the time though there wasn't a problem.

 

[nicholsong]

That is the "official" perspective and we tend to stick closely to it.

However, last April we spend many hours on "car parks" with the windows open and the sun loungers out. See what everyone else is doing and be prepared to pay the occasional fine if necessary (we never have seen anyone punished).

If you need advice, ask a Dutchman (I have only met one who didn't speak good english)!

Enjoy - Gordon

And they have a reputation for being careful with money, so will not want to pay a fine.

BTW love the Dutch.

 

[Spriddler]

I need a B plan which may include a shotgun

Borrow your father-in-law's.

 

[suavecarve]

Borrow your father-in-law's.

Someone has an excellent memory !

 

[Steve and Denise]

France is the most 'user friendly' place to park off sites, however with the right information you can Wild Camp in most Countries - there are exceptions tho'.

Download Apps from Camper Contact / Park 4 Night - there are literally hundreds of places you can stay free of charge - some require a small charge for drinking water and electric, but it's only a few euros.

Just use your common sense and take all the scary stories with a pinch of salt.

Thousands of us do it every year.

Good advice! Have you got your new dead locks fitted @Simon Richardson lol

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[Simon Richardson]

Good advice! Have you got your new dead locks fitted @Simon Richardson lol

No, and probably won't - it's funny how you worry more about your Van being on your drive more than you would on an Aire in the middle of rural France isn't it.

 

[Lenny HB]

No, and probably won't - it's funny how you worry more about your Van being on your drive more than you would on an Aire in the middle of rural France isn't it.

Not really, I remember parking a car in a car park in France (before aircon was common) our was the only one locked with the windows closed.