# Wild Camping Santa Pola



## BIGLAD

Late last week the carpark at the south side of Santa Pola had loads of vans parked must have been more than 50.
Down the coast 10 mins La Marina again had more than 50.
Must be problem elsewhere in Spain as they have all arrived in past week. 
What a mess in Santa Pola, a lovely part of town looks like shanty town or gypsy camp.La Marina looks tidier but already local paper has had comments on where locals are supposed to park,Where does the sewage go?
When the traffic police stop us don,t wonder why we are picked on, to them and most of the spanish we are a load of free loading gypsies.


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## loddy

BIGLAD said:


> wonder why we are picked on, to them and most of the spanish we are a load of free loading gypsies.


Here Here

What nationality were they ?

Loddy


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## BIGLAD

*Nationality*

Good question, vast majority German then Dutch,only about 5 Brits.
In no way am i judging other folk,just stating facts,wild camping is just that Wild not ghetto camping,every one to their own but would you want ghetto or gypsy camp at the end of your sreet,bit different to the odd couple of vans.


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## GerryD

It just seems to go from bad to worse along that coast. The migrants from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia totally spoilt the Costa Blanca with their non-stop building, now the travelling motorhomers are finishing the job by parking up for days on end on any scrap of land that they can find.
Is it any wonder that many Spanish nationals see this as nothing more than a Gipsy invasion in another guise.
There was a time not too long ago when there was unspoilt land between the villages and the majority of people that you met spoke Spanish. Oh how quickly visitors create a ghetto. What amazes me is that many have gone to Spain to get away from the UK, and have then gone on to create exactly the state that they wanted to escape.
Gerry


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## karlb

hopefully they will start to fine the free loading gypsys..........sorry i mean wildcampers before it gets totally out of hand.


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## GerryD

karlb said:


> hopefully they will start to fine the free loading gypsys..........sorry i mean wildcampers before it gets totally out of hand.


My sentiments exactly. There are plenty of places to pitch for the night officially, without taking over vast swathes of wasteland or even worse private land (car park).
Gerry


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## C7KEN

I live within a few miles of these two places and have stayed overnight at both. There is now no building in the woods at La Marina (due to abuse) so less vans now I think as they are too mean to use the borne at La Marina campsite cost 4e. Santa Pola is unfortunately just too crowded but the town hall are distributing leaflets telling them to move on. However what really happens is this. . Santa Pola in the summer has many spanish motorhomes and they park in all the areas between Santa Pola and Gran Alacant not in the park by the boat yard. Along this coast bars and cafe's are erected specially for summer and its good fun. I stayed overnight quite a few times last summer with no problems . La marina is deserted in the summer regarding MH parking. They only appear in wintertime. However if the spanish cared to develop aires near the sea and cared to maintain them I think they would be widely used. The private aires at Peniscola and Alfas Pe pi are very full all winter. The campsites are just too expensive and restrictive . I just paid over 19e for one night without elec at Azahar and it was nothing special. On the way back called in at El Campello to see friends. Lots of vans but I know the local people who live in the apartment block do not mind the vans in winter as many have told me so.I think the capacity of the campsites is not enough to accomodate all the visitors in winter so come on spanish people copy france and open more aires. Finally why have a MH if only using campsites surely a car and caravan is cheaper and much more convenient. I'll be staying with aires and wild camping


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## BIGLAD

ken you have good point but we have been coming to this area for years and have made some good friends, many of them do resent the ghetto camping.
You made the point the cost of camping,one night can cost 50e the ghetto campers however are not here for the odd night, the length of time they stay can cost less than 8.50e, i see the same vans all winter the value of some of them is more than the cost of a small apartment in Santa pola over looking them. 
Wild camping should be just that the odd few nights in a wild area,the ghetto campers of Santa Pola and La Marina are free loading and many local people Spanish and expats consider them and more importantly us ordinary folk driving campers Gypsies.


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## erneboy

Ken is quite correct. If there were Aires we would use them. As he points out there are a few and they are busy. We manage very well in France and Germany, what is the difference, Alan.


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## BIGLAD

*AIRES*

Hello Alan,
I agree in this area in fact less than 2km from La Marina there are quite a few fenced flat areas,they are to for future commercial use so they have services,they would make ideal Aires.
BUT.
Less than 1km infact you pass less than 200m away to get to ghetto is a small aire with spaces at less than 5e per day.
The gypsies don,t use it because they free load. 
We are not in France or Germany,we should abide by our hosts rules.
They and those of us who pay our way have to pay for services.Their rubbish has to be collected and disposed of, they wash in water and drink it eventually their sewage has to be found and cleaned.WHO PAYS?
As you say campsites are expensive enough why shuold i or the local folk subsidise some gypsy. 
To be fair only a few are Brits the vast majority German but that does'nt make abusing or taking advantage of your host right.


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## CandA

It may be they have all moved from further south, it seems in Andalucia the police are moving wild campers on. We posted at the weekend about a demo of 200 plus motorhomes, which was against restrictions on parking which have been put in place to stop wild campers, so motorhomers can't even park up for a day on the beach.
Aires would be the way to go, but at the moment camp sites are what there is. We have been touring around Spain for the past few months and not had any problem finding a camp site, none of them are totally full and some quite empty. Yes, the cost for one night can be silly for sometimes very poor facilities, but we budget accordingly.
CandA


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## erneboy

*Re: AIRES*



BIGLAD said:


> Less than 1km infact you pass less than 200m away to get to ghetto is a small aire with spaces at less than 5e per day.


Sorry Biglad I do not understand, are you saying there is an Aire near LaMarina, if so can you give directions or co-ordinates, Alan.


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## BIGLAD

*Aire La Marina*

Hello again,
Directions to aire from centre of La Marina .
Head for Santa Pola on road through centre of village N332 last turn on right (DON'T TAKE FIRST SIGN FOR PINET) German owned private aire on left.Saw advert in reise mobil mag.
Last time we passed had about 25 vans and room for same again.
I would like to make my position clear.I have no objection to wild camping,the clue is in the name ''wild''a night or two while travelling in out of way place. 
What i object to is people arriving in Spain with the intention of free camping for the winter and forming ghettos, It is illegal,
The services they use have to be paid for.What right have they to expect the rest of us to pay.They are taking advantage.


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## erneboy

Thanks Biglad, I will check that out, Alan.


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## Manchego

Actually, it gets a little more complicated than that if you want to get into who has paid for what. Those germans have been funding spains infrastructure spending for years. Even though you call them "gypsys" they spend money on fuel in shops etc. Quite frankly spain has been having a free ride on the back of the rest of europe for years. I don't think it's unreasonable that those germans want to come down and see what there money has been spent on. If you feel so strongly about it, why don't you go and tell them. I think spain in it's present situation should be grateful for every visitor it can get, "gypsys" or not.


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## BIGLAD

Like me Manchego you are entitled to your opinion.
Mine remains the same ghetto campers are free loading gypsies German, British or any other nationality.


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## erneboy

I do not understand why this topic has to bring out nasty comments each time it is discussed. Clearly there are two points of view and each side is entitled to their opinion.

I am pro wild camping but have never resorted to attacking those who prefer to be in a camp site, although I have often considered making an exception when faced with the nasty comments which we find aimed at us. 

So please by all means express your opinions but it would be much appreciated if you would do so in measured terms and while showing some tolerance for the preferences of others, Alan.


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## eurajohn

Well said Alan (erneboy) there is nothing wrong with expressing an opinion and it can / should be done without the nastiness shown by some on here (and other places). Like you we do like our free / wild camping but have always practised it in France, even here you need to "play by the rules"; from the mid 80's we travelled down to Leucate for a couple of weeks twice a year, where it was possible to "free camp" on the water front of the massive etang to indulge in my hobby of windsurfing, amongst others of all nationalities all windsurfers, as the years rolled on the word got around and the German element took over what was the favourite spot and more non windsurf campers took command of the best pitches usually for most of the summer. Now the locals were OK with the windsurf community as we all spent a fair amount of money in the area and played by the rules but many of the long stay merchants did so without using the commune site for the servicing of the motorhome, stealing water from the pompier station and just dumping there waste be it black or grey wherever they felt they could get away with it. That particular area then became known as "German city" or "Little Berlin" amongst the locals. The windsurfers moved further along to a less accessible area, only for the process to be repeated, by now the locals had decided to do something about it and erected height barriers etc, these got ripped down so the commune dug trenches and on it went. We started to use the newly opened aire at the beach front in 2004 but eventually stopped going in 2007 as the whole experience had been damaged beyond repair. I guess what I'm trying to say is eventually stupid selfish behaviour will ruin everyones enjoyment, unfortunately the perpetrators don't see this whilst they are doing it.
John


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## C7KEN

I have two houses here and live permanently here paying my suma . Most weekends you will find members of the Alicante club parked (wild camped) at Campello and I only know one couple who are not Spanish. Now I personally dont stay anywhere very long but the Spanish are missing out and not using their biggest asset which is good weather by not providing the aires that are needed. If I was in local goverment I would encourage motorhomers like the french do. After all they are tourists who spend money locally. They dont get food & fuel for free. I will go and look at La Marina tomorrow so I can personally see if the number of vans would annoy me but when I have gone down there the motorhomes are using the car parks by the beach which no one else uses much in the winter. Furthermore you can only see them if you go down there. Anyone who just drove through La Marina would never know they were there. La Marina is not one of my favourite places but the dog likes to run in the dunes so that's my reason for going there. Doggy bag in hand. There is even a nudist beach for all the exhibitionists


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## oilslick

*Well said Erneboy*

I have to agree with Ernieboy that there is a slightly malicious vein to this thread.

We wild camp all the time we can, certainly nicer views than the back of someones tent on a campsite!

Out of interest we have never been to Spain, and we wouldnt park where there are that many motorhomes...

Offended wildcamper!


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## GerryD

There is nothing wrong with wild camping where it is exactly that; one or two units travelling together spending the night in safety and where they would not cause any offence or disturbance to anyone else within their vicinity.
The type of use that we are talking about here is not wild camping, it is large groups of motorhomes setting up camp on unauthorised ground and staying for long periods. That is unacceptable anywhere.
Gerry


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## BIGLAD

Gerry that's really all im saying.I would call that wild camping.


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## C7KEN

I'm now down at La Marina in the car parks either side of the road and there are 5 vans here. I guess the police moved the previous occupiers on. The police have been down here and were OK with us here. One thing that I was thinking when driving to here is this. Why do I only hear the British complaining about wild camping? I never hear any complaints from other nationalities. Could it be that we are a natural nation of moaners. If our sportsmen do good they are heroes but one wrong move or bad day and the press want them hanged. The Spanish would just shrug the shoulders and get the vino out and its not only wild camping i'm talking about. When I come to the UK I use CL's and happily pay the £5 or so that it costs so I still say if the Spanish aires were in the right place and reasonable cost they would be used. Also there really would be justification for not tolerating long term wild camping. Incidentally this is being sent via my MasMovil internet dongle and i'm watching Jeremy Kyle on ITV via my Kathrein Cap900. O'h another van just turned up and its one of those dreadfull germans  I'm off to say hello to my german neighbour and see what he thinks
Well I know now why they parked here. They have a dog and a cat and La Marina campsite told them No dogs allowed. I though they were very nice people He German Her Swiss. They are also intending to use the borne at the campsite and pay 4e so I can't find any reason to knock them


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## JustRadio

Promised myself a trip to Estartit this summer, get some use from the MH before (probably) selling it (her). Trouble is I've been looking at the campsites and they all look too jolly, splashing kids, organised, regimented, thoroughly frightening and frightful! lol

The idea of the camping on the beach is interesting. I want a nice quiet little spot, on a site or not on a site, with a few other vans whose occupants enjoy vino and the Spanish life, set among pine trees where I can read Hemingway, try for a suntan and get quietly pissed while failing to understand why they all speak a different language to the one I learned over 40 years ago....

Then I can go in search of Ana and Odile Gasau, the St. Trop (where I worked), Casa Blanca (where I worked with 'Pirate' Radio London Holidays), and the Ski Beach, (where I also worked), Edificio Artit, (see if Walter Troiani is still alive), Club Nautico (where I learned to love Fundador) 1967/8 before I moved to the islands..... I know I'll be disappointed but I can always retreat to the hills.


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM

What a bunch of neo facists this site gives a platform to, look closely at the discriminatory language used in some of the posts. The Gypsy community may have some rogues in their ranks but do not deserve the comments in this thread. If any of you saw the TV program last night 'My big fat gypsy wedding' it may give some of you an insight into a community that suffers the most racial abuse of any. Incidentally whilst I am Traveller on this forum I regret to say I have not uncovered any connection to the gypsy clan. Please do not use this forum as a way to promote racial hatred, our parents generation died fighting racism


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## BIGLAD

*Life*

Traveller, they also fought for free speech or because i pay my way do you want to surppress that.
Every service comes with a cost,Water,Sewage,Hospital,Road,Police.
Why do you think it's ok for some to pay and others not.


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## erneboy

*Re: Life*



BIGLAD said:


> Traveller, they also fought for free speech or because i pay my way do you want to surppress that.
> Every service comes with a cost,Water,Sewage,Hospital,Road,Police.
> Why do you think it's ok for some to pay and others not.


Biglad, you are completely misrepresenting what has been said. You appear to be trying to turn this into a discussion about local services with more than a touch of racial or ethnic nastiness.

As has been repeatedly stated those of us who prefer not to use camp sites generally hold that view because we do not like them. Many are quite happy and I may add, well able to pay for our stay on Aire type facilities. I find camp sites very unpleasant, but I am quite happy for those who like them to use them and have not attacked them for doing so.

It is completely inaccurate to attempt to stereo type wild campers as free loaders or to suggest they come from this or that ethnic minority or behave as though they do.

I am happy to discuss this with you if you can frame an argument based on something other than blind prejudice and an obvious dislike of those with whom you disagree, Alan.


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM

Biglad My comments were not made regarding a particular poster but as a general comment on several posters on this thread. 

Regarding free speech neither you or anyone else (except for MPs in the House of Parliament debates) under British law have the free speech rights to stir up racial hatred. I think this was how a certain German leader gathered a nation behind him to committ the WW2 crimes against humanity.

Regarding your comments about paying for services can I suggest you read my post again. No mention is made regarding some paying and others not paying.


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## 96783

Oh dear, what started off as a simple thread about wild camping (which it actually isn't) at Santa Pola has degenerated, once again into a rugby scrum with gouging and stamping by various members. This is a shame. We stayed overnight at the place in question 3 or 4 years ago with about 10 or so other MHs after having spent 5 weeks at the excellent caravan site on the outskirts and found it a good stopover point for an early get away the next morning to continue our touring with Swedish friends who we had met at the caravan site. The immoderate comments take all the joy out of reading the thread and, IMO, spoil it for the rest of us.


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## erneboy

PhredC said:


> Oh dear, what started off as a simple thread about wild camping (which it actually isn't) at Santa Pola has degenerated, once again into a rugby scrum with gouging and stamping by various members. This is a shame. We stayed overnight at the place in question 3 or 4 years ago with about 10 or so other MHs after having spent 5 weeks at the excellent caravan site on the outskirts and found it a good stopover point for an early get away the next morning to continue our touring with Swedish friends who we had met at the caravan site. The immoderate comments take all the joy out of reading the thread and, IMO, spoil it for the rest of us.


PhredC, a very careful and thoughtful post. I have no idea who you are admonishing or whether you have a view on the topic, Alan.


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