# Please Define Wildcamping



## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Whilst browsing throught the latest camping / wildcamping sites on page one of the site that have been added to the data base I notice a Wildcamping site in Porthcawl that as being added by papaup.  


We have yet to try any Wildcamping sites mentioned on MHF but what exactly is a wildcamping site:?: 

Papaup's location appears to be a side road situated between the harbour and funfair. :? 

I would at the least thought that a wildcamping location was a place where you could park your rig for several days if you so wished,surely a public road cannot be such a place? 

I look forward to those that know to enlightening me.


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

my personal defination would be simply an "overnight" stopover with no facilities which is safe and secure.

The problem with wild camping is that people tend to push the envelope and find somewhere nice and then outstay their welcome, this is what is happening in Spain and Morocco, where mhers were staying for months before being forcibly moved on.

When jue and I were travelling we mostly stayed at wild spots for a night maybe two at a push if it was particulary desolate and we knew no-one would be annoyed by our presence


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

We wildcamped in France once for three weeks - a different spot each night. But we noticed for example at Le Toquet some were literally living there.


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

artona said:


> We wildcamped in France once for three weeks - a different spot each night. But we noticed for example at Le Toquet some were literally living there.


This is in my book overstaying a welcome & is what is spoiling it everywhere for other motorhomers. This is as bad as the other type of traveller parking up where they fancy. The longest we have stayed when wild camping is 2nights in one place. Just overnight we were not parked all day both days.

Motorhomer


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Wild camping is literally going into the "wilds" and camping.
What is usually referred to as wildcamping in the forum is really just a free car park for the night or longer. Aires etc are not wildcamping as many seem to think...they frequently have some "facilities" associated with them. Similarly parking down a quiet side road can hardly constite wildcamping...all you are doing is stopping driving overnight whilst you "sightsee" or go out for a meal before sleeping.

nobby


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Nobby, 

I would agree with your definition and observation that no way could a side street or IMHO any road be classed as a Wild Camping location. 

Please papaup don't take this thread personally. 

I'm sure there are a number of similar locations already in the database that people have genuinely believed are WCL's when they are not. 

Perhaps this is another example where the MHF's database needs a dedicated modulator to remove or redefine locations contributed to the data base, after of course the original contributor has been advised as such.


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## 88724 (May 9, 2005)

Free camping away from a designated camping place, with little or no services available 

Wild as in dangerous and untamed, if we are being specific then maybe only Detourer really wild camps, we dont really have the wildlife to qualify in the UK.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

GeorgeTelford said:


> Free camping away from a designated camping place, with little or no services available


Hi George & Mick_P

George, I think your coined term "Free Camping" would really be a better title for what we now refer to as "Wild Camping".....it is free of : any hook up or services, any charges and any permission from the landowner. The last item on that list is worth looking into. Countries do vary in how they legislate land ownership and what you may or may not do on someone's land. In this country England, all land is owned by somebody (including Common Land) ...even the lay byes are owned by the local highway division. We have talked around this subject before but have never really come to any conclusion.

Our Motorhomes are taxed as motor vehicles so they have the right to be on the highway, does this include the lay byes and if so can we "sleep over" in the lay byes. Truck drivers do it all the time and adverts on the TV encourage us to "take a break" if we get sleepy....so where is the difference?

Personally we prefer to use rallies, sites and CLs/CSs for our nights, I like the secure feeling (sad I know) but I can see the attraction of wild camping ...In the right place. Now all we need to do is define the right place :wink:

mike


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Thought I'd ad my tupenceworth.. 
Parking *legally* and sleeping the night isn't wild camping it's parking. This may or may not be 'paid' parking, Americans call it "dry" camping or "boondocking"
If you put out chairs, BBQ etc. that is "camping" and is generally illegal unless permission is sought from the landowner. 
So in reality there is no "wild camping" in this country, all land is owned by someone.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"Truck drivers do it all the time and adverts on the TV encourage us to "take a break" if we get sleepy....so where is the difference?"

Mike,

I think you will find that the difference is the truck driver is allowed to pee against his rear wheel.

I can live with that.

Dave


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## 97795 (Feb 20, 2006)

*wild camping*

In my opinium, you can only camp wild in Norway and Sweden,
becouse the have the so called "Allemans recht", meaning, you can stay on a nice spot, in the woods or on a lake, if there is no shield with probidden :roll: .
We are going to do that this summer, from the Netherlands to the Nord Cape in Norway.
If I dare to stay allone, I dont no, but I like to tray, also I have a doggie en a big wooden stick bihind de door.  
Greetings


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

*Re: wild camping*



Fendtje said:


> In my opinium, you can only camp wild in Norway and Sweden,
> becouse the have the so called "Allemans recht", meaning, you can stay on a nice spot, in the woods or on a lake, if there is no shield with probidden :roll:


Hi Fendtje,

as you can see in my FAQ Wild Camping Norway or the same for Sweden the "Allemannsrett" is only valid for non-motorized tourists, so not for motorhomes. It is also strictly forbidden to drive off the road with motor vehicles.

Nevertheless, "wild camping" in the sense of spending some nights on a car park right in the middle of nowhere is no problem at all.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## gutlessyogi (May 1, 2005)

I take wild camping to be anywhere which is not a recognised site for MHs to overnight. Some of these places may be illegal some not. I understand it is technically illegal to sleep in a vehicle on the public highway anywhere in England (not sure about Scotland or wales or NI) but as we all know, it is highly unlikely anyone will move you on unless you are there for more than a couple of days. 
We have always wildcamped (I think I have used a site on three occassions in my life) and never ever had any problems. The biggest event was being asked to move off the army range at Portland one Sunday morning at 7 am as they were due to start firing in a couple of hours.
I have found that being a member of the NT helps. All NT carparks are by definition in special and pleasant places and they all have a loo that is opened by a man at 8am. I have often had a NT warden say that displaying a NT sticker in the window is good enough for him! If you stay more than two nights they get upset. Good example of this this weekend when we stayed at the foot of Corfe Castle in Dorset which has a broad bit of off road area owned by the NT which it seems MH'ers use regularly.
Overall, it seems to me that whilst this country is horribly ill equipped for MHs (unlike France for example), most people distinguish between Mhomers and "travellers" (who are seen as a threat in some way) and as long as you are curteous and thoughtful, you can't go wrong.


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## thefman (May 1, 2005)

here here :wink:


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

gutlessyogi,

Welcome to MHF!

"I understand it is technically illegal to sleep in a vehicle on the public highway anywhere in England"

Gosh, does that mean that wonderful Eddie Stobart puts up his impeccable lorry drivers in hotels overnight? Surely he doesn't encourage them to break the law and sleep in their cabs .....? 

Dave


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## passionwagon (Nov 13, 2005)

*wildcampingetc*

:?: What law says it is illegal to sleep/camp in vehicle in layby-some counties e.g. Devon and Cornwall have a local bylaw and many authorities have such a designation for their parking but it must be stated on the posted regulations. However would be very interesting to go before the parking ajudicator saying you were only parked and resting-assuming no chairs out or dish searching the skies! Wording can be 
*no overnight camping or parking*

In Denmark last year a very friendly town police officer when we were parked asked if we were camping-no I said. He then indicated that camping is when the step is out even if parking, but keep it in and you can sleep the night!!! No eating outside though.Caravan beside us had no car and stabilisers out he gave them a ticket !
Denmark also has a system called Quickstop Camping (yes in english) where you can stop on camp sites from 2000 until 1000 next day. Many reception open until 2200 some 2300--at reduced rate . 
Info at *www.dk-camp.dk*

Pip pip :twisted:


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## gutlessyogi (May 1, 2005)

dave,
I don't think any Eddie Stobart drivers or any other HGV drivers do sleep on the highway. They tend to bed down in service areas.


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

gutlessyogi said:


> I understand it is technically illegal to sleep in a vehicle on the public highway anywhere in England (not sure about Scotland or wales or NI)...


Hi,

that would be new for me. Can you provide more information (which act etc.) so that I can verify that?

To my knowledge it is just *not illegal* to sleep in a vehicle, as long as the vehicle is parked at a place and time where it may legally park there.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

gutlessyogi said:


> dave,
> I don't think any Eddie Stobart drivers or any other HGV drivers do sleep on the highway. They tend to bed down in service areas.


You haven't seen the A12 or A13 laybys at 5 30 am.. full of overnight HGVs

Boff wrote:


> To my knowledge it is just not illegal to sleep in a vehicle, as long as the vehicle is parked at a place and time where it may legally park there.


Correct


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## gutlessyogi (May 1, 2005)

I keep getting conflicting views on this issue and I have been asking the question of lawyers, policement and uncle tom cobbly for a few years. The highway code does not cover it. Today a legal chum suggested it would be covered by local byelaws and so not appear in statute or THC. I have written to the RAC legal beagles to see if they have a view which I will post here when I get it.


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## 97339 (Jan 18, 2006)

We always "wild camp" in Scotland., staying two or three nights in each place. Usually in the middle of nowhere, certainly never where there are" no camping" signs. We wouldn't consider staying in a layby as wild camping and wouldn't want to do it.
In England, it's a bit more difficult and we tend to just opt for CL's, although finding the basic ones with no electrics is becoming increasingly difficult. 
OK, if you are on your way somewhere and just want to pull over for the night, then that's different. As long as you don't look like you are a permanent fixture, then I think this should be allowed. I agree, when hoardes of motorhomes are gathered in one spot for days on end, it is not beneficial to anyone and we certainly wonder why anyone would want to be in such close proximity to each other.


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