# Swanage area overnight parking



## chickann

hi all
we are booked into a campsite in swanage, but will be travelling the night before so will need somewhere to overnight we should get to the dorset area about 11.00pm and will be travelling down from essex, does anyone know of somewhere we could park up till morning.
many thanks
ann


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## boggy

As you come into swange on the main road just before the sea front there is a large car park on your right hand side, you can overnight there for one night only. But please check as this may have changed since my last visit. 
There is a fee to pay but can't remember exact amount 

Hope this helps


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## LadyJ

You can also overnight on the North Shore car park I think it was £5.50 per night last year.



Jacquie


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## clubman-gl

you can park on swanage sea front no charge for as long as you like clubman -gl


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## Andysam

Last weekend we had an overnight in the Bay at South Beach NT car park and at Corfe Castle NT car park the following night. We've stayed in both places before "in" season and now out without incident. 

There are signs saying members (we are) can park for free but no sleeping overnight. There is a proposed £25 "fine" (it would be a civil tort) for breaching this but I would argue to them were such a fine be issued, that they get either the £25 fine or my £84 membership, not both!

In any case we were not bothered by anyone and at South Beach even cleared up some rubbish left nearby to were we parked.

It was a nice weekend.


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## Smokeyjoe

chickann said:


> hi all
> we are booked into a campsite in swanage, but will be travelling the night before so will need somewhere to overnight we should get to the dorset area about 11.00pm and will be travelling down from essex, does anyone know of somewhere we could park up till morning.
> many thanks
> ann


Hi Ann, we have the same dilemma, what to do for a weekend in the motorhome, when quite naturally, you want to drive down to Studland/Swanage for the weekend and arrive 10pm Friday night. Seems site owners don't want to recognise the weekend brigade.
Can I ask how you got on; we're off tomorrow around 6pm. In the absence of any corroborated info, think we'll take a chance on your answers received here.
Ta.


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## ratporchrico

You can wildcamp overnight, and many do, at the foot of the Corfe Castle mound. Turn right just before entering the village and there is a big parking area immediately on your right. As has been said you can park on the sea front but be aware that next weekend (4-6 March) is the Swanage Blues Festival weekend and overnight spaces will fill up quickly on the plus side, if you're into live music in general and the Blues in particular, there's a stack of great music most of it free all around the town. 

Also be aware that the seafront parking will cease when the front is closed at the end of April but the South Beach car park will still be available for a fee. 

Sadly the most spectacular wild camping spot on the Corfe to Studland road was severely abused and has now been subjected to the dreaded 'no overnight camping' signs which are enforced. Shame.

Enjoy.


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## Sundial

*Swanage parking*

As a resident of the town, I can assure you that parking/sleeping overnight is allowed in King George's car park, Victoria Avenue and the North Beach car park at the end of Bon Accord Road. The fee is approx £5.50 each night. I would mention that the North Beach car park has the football club adjacent so might be more noisy, plus the recycling bins are situated here. 
I actually wrote in to the Town Council saying they were missing a trick by banning motorhomes and you can see the notice board at the entrance has been changed to reflect this change of heart. Enjoy!!

Sundial


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## Smokeyjoe

*Re: Swanage parking*



Sundial said:


> As a resident of the town, I can assure you that parking/sleeping overnight is allowed in King George's car park, Victoria Avenue and the North Beach car park at the end of Bon Accord Road. The fee is approx £5.50 each night. I would mention that the North Beach car park has the football club adjacent so might be more noisy, plus the recycling bins are situated here.
> I actually wrote in to the Town Council saying they were missing a trick by banning motorhomes and you can see the notice board at the entrance has been changed to reflect this change of heart. Enjoy!!
> 
> Sundial


Thanks guys, some really specific answers. Problem solved and plenty of choice.


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## chickann

cheers all for your answers, we are not off until april, so at least we have a choice of where to go, did think of finding a tesco's car park somewhere but at least i know there are car parks in the area now.


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## mikebeaches

*Re: Swanage parking*



Sundial said:


> As a resident of the town, I can assure you that parking/sleeping overnight is allowed in King George's car park, Victoria Avenue and the North Beach car park at the end of Bon Accord Road. The fee is approx £5.50 each night. I would mention that the North Beach car park has the football club adjacent so might be more noisy, plus the recycling bins are situated here.
> I actually wrote in to the Town Council saying they were missing a trick by banning motorhomes and you can see the notice board at the entrance has been changed to reflect this change of heart. Enjoy!!
> 
> Sundial


As regular visitors to the area, last summer we discovered the Council was allowing overnighting at the two carparks in Swanage.

Unfortunately, however, I spotted the note below posted on another forum this morning:

Swanage bans overnight stays
The inconsiderate action of a few motorhome users has resulted in Swanage Council banning all motorhomes from staying overnight. The following email from the council explains:
We did allow campervans in Main Beach car park for an overnight stay. This allowed people the option of staying an extra night, for example, on a Saturday night if they had to vacate the campsite on Saturday morning etc. Unfortunately as very often happens, a minority of people were abusing this facility and using the car park as a campsite. We received complaints that people were using the public conveniences to empty their chemical toilets. The toilets (which very often, had just been cleaned) had to be redone due to spillages. Complaints were also made that the stream had been used for the same purpose and very often trees etc were used to hang washing on! At the Transport Committee Meeting held on 30th November 2010 the following recommendation was taken: It was RECOMMENDED TO: Withdraw the opportunity for overnight parking of campervans in Main Beach and North Beach car parks as a result of mis-use of the Council's facilities. Therefore, there are no car parks available for this purpose. There are a couple of lay-by's in Swanage that motorhomes do use, very often for a night before they can get into a campsite. These are found at the north end of Swanage in the vicinity of Ulwell Cottage Caravan Park and Northbrook Road.


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## chickann

oh crumbs, thanks for that, well if anyone knows anywhere we can stop overnight it will be much appreciated.


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## Sundial

*Swanage parking*

:x Well it seems having managed to persuade the Council to allow parking, there are people who were prepared to abuse the system.

It is right that "camping" should not be allowed - as per French aires - but for few selfish motorhomers to have now ruined it (don't they know how to flush a toilet? as for the stream - how disgusting...) for the responsible majority who wished just to be allowed to park overnight - for payment too!!!!! The Council now will miss out on this valuable revenue.

We counted ten motorhomes parked along the seafront yesterday and a couple in laybys - Northbrook Road has a small one that does not front any residential properties and so seems to be tolerated as overnight parking.

At least we can't say we didn't try!!

Sundial


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## Campervanner

Sundial said:


> As a resident of the town, I can assure you that parking/sleeping overnight is allowed in King George's car park, Victoria Avenue and the North Beach car park at the end of Bon Accord Road. The fee is approx £5.50 each night. I would mention that the North Beach car park has the football club adjacent so might be more noisy, plus the recycling bins are situated here.
> I actually wrote in to the Town Council saying they were missing a trick by banning motorhomes and you can see the notice board at the entrance has been changed to reflect this change of heart. Enjoy!!
> 
> Sundial


Sadly out of date. The sign now says "No camping or overnight sleeping. Penalty charge ticket will be issued £60


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## jiwawa

Hi and welcome to the forum campervanner.

Useful post, thanks.


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