Wild Camping and Stress (1 Viewer)

[Gromett]

I have just realised that I haven't been on a campsite for just over a year now.
Well I have but only stopped either a weekend or a day or two.

I didn't realise until today that my stress levels had been building.

I have just pitched up at Louth and booked in for 3 weeks (less 1 weekend away)

I was sat here with perfect surroundings, not thinking about where to get water or empty waste, not worrying about people walking past or security. Not being irritated by noisy oicks.

I enjoy wilding, it is cheap and gives plenty of variety but doing it for months on end does eventually build up the stress levels as you never 100% relax.

If I was just going away on holidays wilding is great. But doing it long term without any end in sight slowly but surely builds up the stress level.

I really enjoyed my weekend in Derbyshire. But it didn't reduce the stress levels as I knew I was moving again the next day or had to get up before a certain time to meet friends.

For the next 13 days. I go to sleep when I want, eat when I want and do what I want. I don't have to worry about noise or people banging on the van because it is funny. I don't have to worry about driving to get fresh water or empty waste. I can just chill and relax.

The only down side is I have to spend over £150 to get it

 

[PenelopePitstop]

Karl most of what you've said is the reason we don't wildcamp!

I couldn't cope with all the stress - had enough of all that in my working life thanks!

Going to bed at night knowing you are 99.99% secure is worth the cost in my mind. Also being able to go out for the day without worrying if our home is safe!

I keep a spreadsheet of our camping costs each year - I include free nights where we have stayed on aires or on friend's drives etc and last year we averaged £8.36 a night. The most expensive site was £23.84 a night in Roses, Spain. We only stayed a few nights but it was in the perfect place for where we wanted to be at that time We had 61 "free" nights over the year - drives. aires etc.

Most of the time we are on sites with EHU etc so not a bad average really.

Our most expensive year was 2008 / 2009 when we averaged £10.16 a night - that year we had 6 weeks in Italy as well as travelling to Spain and back as usual and only 24 free nights.

 

[Gromett]

I don't do stress and tend to roll with the punches. When shit happens I roll my eyes and carry on...

I don't feel stressed when wilding. I was just surprised how destressed I felt after only 24 hours on a normal campsite.

I will definately be going back to wilding but will probably book myself into a campsite for a week or so every few months :thumb::thumb:

Until this weekend I spent £120 odd in the last year on campsites.

I don't mind paying for campsites if they are where I want to be. However most campsites are a few miles from where I want to be so wilding becomes attractive.

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[Stephen & Jeannie]

This time next week !!!

I will be working my way up the East coast of Scotland, wilding where I can ! Up as far as Inverness and then down through the Great Glen wending my way to The Isle of Skye, catching the ferry to the Isle of Lewis (great wild camping there !) then back to the mainland for the mini meet at Magbrin's herb gaff, then back to Shrewsbury for the final planning ( The plan is, there is no plan ! ) for the trek to Espana for the Winter ! Wild camping all of the way !!....:Cool::Cool::Cool:

 

[PenelopePitstop]

I don't mind paying for campsites if they are where I want to be.

I agree Karl - if a campsite is exactly where we want to be and it is expensive we'll bite the bullet and go for it rather than be in a cheaper one a few miles away and necessitating long walks / buses / taxis! We just won't stay as long as we otherwise might

As we generally go on sites with EHU we don't spend a lot on gas - generally only use gas on Fun meets! So that's a bit of a saving too!

 

[keith]

Had the Police knock on out MH while stopped in a car park/lay-by south of Girvan last week and all they were asking was had we seen some travellers parking in the lay-by.
Seems someone had called them when 4 caravans towed by Tarmac trucks (signs on their sides) turned up then went off, I guess to find somewhere nearer a pub maybe.
That's all the police were interested in and checked with the other MH parked with us then left us alone.
Incidents like this clearly show the police actions are not directed at us but the travelling community that take advantage of any parking area for there own use.
Now that did cause some stress with H I D until they left.
The great thing about W C is the fantastic places you can get to and enjoy once the tourists have left. :Cool:
The shot below is the Mull of Galloway, the most Southerly point in Scotland, surrounded by the sea views we spent the night here on our own, very peacfully. I also think sometimes it is worth it.

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[Snowbird]

No stress for me whilst wilding as we don't park in populated areas. We tend to stay away from the beaten track. Have only had theft once and that was on a campsite in Cabapino Spain.

 

[JJ]

Very strange indeed.

It just goes to show how different folk are...

I have just de-stressed after three nights in four ON campsites.

No one next door to us chatting until 2/3 am.

No one parked anywhere near and staring in at my Man City jim jams.

Fire up the genny or Metallica when/if I want...

Don't have to wait until the gate is open to leave/enter.

No one coming around and telling me how the route he took to get here was much better than the one I took.

Dive into the lake and out again and sitting on the sand without any "Save The White Whales Brigade" trying to roll me back into the water...

...and other advantages sound-wise that I am far too coy to mention. :Blush:


JJ :Cool:

 

[Popeye]

Hi JJ, oh if only those wellies could speak........

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[coldstreamer]

Coldstreamer

You pay your money and take the choice. I recall two yrs ago parking on an Aires in France, outside a very Posh Site, Very peaceful night and shocked the next morning to find three caravans within the Site had been broken into during the night without disturbing the occupants who lost almost everything including passports. All English and all with children.
We later spoke with the Warden who told us it was quite common in that region and Foreign Nationals were often arrested with the proceeds.
He stated they often run a Stanley Knife around the insert window rubber and enter that way.
I cannot ever recall a site on the continent that had locked gates or secure boundary fencing.
Perhaps they thought we were poor English that could not afford the Site Fees, so not worth robbing, or maybe the Dog Bowl and Chain outside the van, Put them off. Best Regards, Mac

 

[Gromett]

Very strange indeed.

It just goes to show how different folk are...

I have just de-stressed after three nights in four ON campsites.

No one next door to us chatting until 2/3 am.

No one parked anywhere near and staring in at my Man City jim jams.

Fire up the genny or Metallica when/if I want...

Don't have to wait until the gate is open to leave/enter.

No one coming around and telling me how the route he took to get here was much better than the one I took.

Dive into the lake and out again and sitting on the sand without any "Save The White Whales Brigade" trying to roll me back into the water...

...and other advantages sound-wise that I am far too coy to mention. :Blush:


JJ :Cool:

JJ, You do have your plot of land to retire to periodically...

I don't [HI]feel[/HI] stressed when wilding. I absolutely love it in France using aires and I feel so relieved when I get there. But wilding in the UK the way I have obviously affects me more than I realised. I have been stopping on industrial estates and in towns to be near friends and pubs etc. Not so much wild camping as parking up and sleeping. The campsite I am on is a CL so limited to 5 units which are really well spaced. The owner is a great guy who is really relaxed about everything. I am surrounded by horses and other wild life and I am only a 10 minute walk into town and a pub. Life here is good but not quite as good as it would be in France...

 

[Barclaybasher]

Perhaps they thought we were poor English that could not afford the Site Fees, so not worth robbing, or maybe the [HI]Dog Bowl and Chain[HI]outside the van, Put them off. Best Regards, Mac

No dog - but I'll be buying the bowl and chain!

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[FULL TIMER]

Hey there Gromett, been living on CL / CS sites for the last 4 1/2 years now, mainly in the Norwich area, always up for a break or change for a few weeks so how about letting us know what site it is in Louth looks and sounds very nice, do they allow dogs and pretty big units............Mark

 

[Gromett]

Dogs are allowed but children aren't:thumb::thumb::thumb:

2 years ago I converted a large 10 mtr Optare Metrorider over the winter while staying on the site so yes big ones are welcome. However you would want to ensure you could get on one of the 2 hard standings...

Link Broken

I can see it is going to get harder to book in here now for me now. oh:

 

[Gromett]

Hey there Gromett, been living on CL / CS sites for the last 4 1/2 years now, mainly in the Norwich area, always up for a break or change for a few weeks so how about letting us know what site it is in Louth looks and sounds very nice, do they allow dogs and pretty big units............Mark

PS: If you do get up this way in the next 2 months give me a shout for a beer :thumb:

November I aim to be heading down to portugal.

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[FULL TIMER]

Cheers for the link, got a bit of work here in Norwich at the moment but I wouldn't mind getting up there for a break when I'm done, who knows we might just get that beer in.....Mark

 

[Gromett]

Cheers for the link, got a bit of work here in Norwich at the moment but I wouldn't mind getting up there for a break when I'm done, who knows we might just get that beer in.....Mark

PM me when you are coming up :thumb:

 

[FULL TIMER]

Will do......

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[Stephen & Jeannie]

There ya go !!

I will be working my way up the East coast of Scotland, wilding where I can ! Up as far as Inverness and then down through the Great Glen wending my way to The Isle of Skye, catching the ferry to the Isle of Lewis (great wild camping there !) then back to the mainland for the mini meet at Magbrin's herb gaff, then back to Shrewsbury for the final planning ( The plan is, there is no plan ! ) for the trek to Espana for the Winter ! Wild camping all of the way !!....:Cool::Cool::Cool:

Bump for Callumwa !!!

 

[Billy23]

Give me a site EVERY time, I feel safe, meet people, dont care if the gate is not open before 8 am as I really dont want to leave before 8 am. I have plenty of water, can dump whenever I want and best of all relax, hey! thats what MH is all about for me. Yes it costs money but if I didnt spend it on a campsite, I still wouldnt find it in my wallet!!

 

[buttons]

Hey there Gromett, been living on CL / CS sites for the last 4 1/2 years now, mainly in the Norwich area, always up for a break or change for a few weeks so how about letting us know what site it is in Louth looks and sounds very nice, do they allow dogs and pretty big units............Mark

Do you ever get photographers putting their camera's up against your van windows flashing.

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[joner8888]

We have toddlers and need site stuff--playground,shop ect.
The security would not bother me going wild, if i were on my own.----
Baseball bat under the seat for peace of mind and a ball with it ,so it`s then not a weapon :thumb:--- anyway the times i keep forgetting the Thetford is overfull, would keep any hardened criminal away

 

[Gromett]

I think I may not have explained myself properlyoh:

I fulltime so my choices are year round and are dictated by my lifestyle choice.

I am single so staying on campsites is not practical all the time as I like to be near a pub otherwise I would be in the tiny van every night....

I drop in to see friends a lot and they generally don't live near campsites.

I will stop on campsites when they are near to a location I want to be at however but this rarely happens.

It is not about saving money primarily although this is a positive side effect.

I don't do large campsites. I only do small adult only CL's as I don't like regimented or rule laden packed sites with noisy kids running round all day.

When wild camping I choose my locations carefully and very rarely worry about security or other issues. I feel on the whole very relaxed about it all.

What has happened on this visit to the CL is that I have been wilding non stop for 12 months including a winter (which wasn't bad this year). I feel destressed not because I don't have to worry about security, or that I have easy access to water and waste or any other individual issue. I feel destressed because of all the above plus much more. I hadn't even noticed I was stressed. Coming onto this campsite is like slipping into a nice hot bath after doing a long days works. It's that Ahhhhh feeling. It doesn't mean I want to stop in the bath 24/7 I would soon get bored and start to feel stir crazy. I love being on the open road and doing what I want pretty much when I want.

 

[Langtoftlad]

All this proves is that everyone needs a 'holiday' .
As Gromett is a full time wild camper he needs a break, to 'get away' from his usual life, to 'recharge' the batteries, all the holiday clichés, which happen to be true.
Feast on fillet steak all year & you'll yearn for baked beans on toast .

A remote CL is hardly giving in to the rampant commercialism of jammed packed fully featured family hotspot site is it? Water, waste & EHU is hardly the pinnacle of luxurious facilities.

Though not yet (retirement plan) a MH'er, I hate the thought of expensive highly populated campsites, love the idea of the freedom of Wild camping - but wonder if I'm brave enough so CL/CS sites seem to be the perfect compromise.

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[FULL TIMER]

Do you ever get photographers putting their camera's up against your van windows flashing.

Never happened yet, having said that we've been on a CS site since finishing building it, with the trip here and to the testing station etc the only times we have taken it on the road so far. It does only have 4 of the original darkened windows left in and they are all blanked off inside except the one in the side door. We have since changed some of the graphics and taken the words "going straight" off the sides. both VOSA and the DVLA were most impressed with the change of use, can't reccomend these vehicles enough for self building the insulation and build is second to none.

 

[Gromett]

Well.... Back to wild camping for 3 days. :thumb::thumb::thumb:

Street, pub car park then a kind of off road layby thingy but private.

 

[motorhomelover]

I have just realised that I haven't been on a campsite for just over a year now.
Well I have but only stopped either a weekend or a day or two.

I didn't realise until today that my stress levels had been building.

I have just pitched up at Louth and booked in for 3 weeks (less 1 weekend away)

I was sat here with perfect surroundings, not thinking about where to get water or empty waste, not worrying about people walking past or security. Not being irritated by noisy oicks.

I enjoy wilding, it is cheap and gives plenty of variety but doing it for months on end does eventually build up the stress levels as you never 100% relax.

If I was just going away on holidays wilding is great. But doing it long term without any end in sight slowly but surely builds up the stress level.

I really enjoyed my weekend in Derbyshire. But it didn't reduce the stress levels as I knew I was moving again the next day or had to get up before a certain time to meet friends.

For the next 13 days. I go to sleep when I want, eat when I want and do what I want. I don't have to worry about noise or people banging on the van because it is funny. I don't have to worry about driving to get fresh water or empty waste. I can just chill and relax.

The only down side is I have to spend over £150 to get it

that is why most who full time are on a site or move to sites
wild camping in its self is exiting for the slight adrenalin rush being on the edge some what
not good for long stay

i am lucky as my spot in both chap and secure water on tap and waste deposit within 20 feet

nine months in to full time an i am loving it
not sure it would suit every one but for me right now it is great fun

any one at malvern hope the rain isnt getting you all too wet or down in spirits

poor traders might not do so well
not many spending much this morning most just looking and moving on to the next stand

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[motorhomelover]

how about some photos of the outfit ?

Never happened yet, having said that we've been on a CS site since finishing building it, with the trip here and to the testing station etc the only times we have taken it on the road so far. It does only have 4 of the original darkened windows left in and they are all blanked off inside except the one in the side door. We have since changed some of the graphics and taken the words "going straight" off the sides. both VOSA and the DVLA were most impressed with the change of use, can't reccomend these vehicles enough for self building the insulation and build is second to none.

 

[JJ]

that is why [HI]most who full time are on a site or move to sites [/HI]
wild camping in its self is exiting for the slight adrenalin rush being on the edge some what
[HI]not good for long stay [/HI]

i am lucky as my spot in both chap and secure water on tap and waste deposit within 20 feet

nine months in to full time an i am loving it
not sure it would suit every one but for me right now it is great fun

any one at malvern hope the rain isnt getting you all too wet or down in spirits

poor traders might not do so well
not many spending much this morning most just looking and moving on to the next stand

Would be interested to know whether this information is based on some kind of survey or is just a feeling... because in over twenty years of living in a van I have come across many, many others who live in their vans too and but don't move onto sites.

I am not living in my van for the "excitement."

It is a life style choice... an alternative to the traditional bricks and mortar way of life.

I guess what I do is different from many "full timers" who are, in fact, house dwellers in their heads but as they enjoyed the odd weekends away and holidays in their motorhome decide to do the same "fulltime."

This style of living would indeed require the facilities of campsites but is not what I call van dwelling. It would be more like fulltime camping.

Van living as I do it means that sometimes you ease up on the use of water and electricity when you have to and you do not worry about it. You are not always parked in the perfect spot but often you are... I think this makes me appreciate things more, things that many simply take for granted.

Van dwelling for me = a different way of life which provides so much more freedom (and doesn't involve parking on campsites, big or small.)


JJ :Cool:

 

[vwalan]

i also think there are thousands out there fulltiming not on sites . its just that on forums like this you only get a slanted view . there are loads round here fulltime but slip below the net. had four lots here staying at my place so far this year. uk is a great place for just doing what you want . some just cant blend in or stand out that much they attract attention .
there really are loads out there.

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