[Closed] Campervan owners - Campsites or free spots?

Prefer to wild camp in ours but if away for a week of more tend to book into a site for a nite every three days to replenish water, empty toilet cassette and get a good shower. We have a shower in the van but it soon drains the water tank if used a lot so tend to just strip wash between site visits.

Have a look at Search for Sites for places to wild camp.

Also a facebook group called Campaign for real Aires. They are really promoting the european aire concept with quite a bit of success. Also have links to sites where you can just call in to use facilities and refill etc for a small fee.

Its getting harder to wild camp especially since lockdown.

I do an odd night but if I'm away for longer normally just pick a quiet site/s and that way I've no worries on having a beer or getting moved on

ITS NOT WILD CAMPING

It’s not ‘wild camping’. It’s parking and sleeping.
We used to do it quite a bit when we had our T5, if we’d been climbing or biking. Mainly either quiet spots in the middle of nowhere or pub car parks and we’d eat/drink in the pub.
We’ve got a caravan now so just use sites of course but it would appear that the explosion of camper van and motorhome owners has led to it being harder to get away with.
The proposed legislation changes may make it harder still…

Its getting harder to wild camp especially since lockdown.

I do an odd night but if I’m away for longer normally just pick a quiet site/s and that way I’ve no worries on having a beer or getting moved on

This is my experience too. Too many bellends taking the piss and those that have done it quietly and respectfully tarred with the same brush.

To do it properly you turn up late, you don't get all you shit out (awnings, plethora of chairs and kids toys) and you leave after an early breakfast. And you don't park up and hog the space at honeypot spot that folk with cars would want to use too.

But I'm going off campsites too. It's only the really small CS sites and a few bigger ones that are not too naff for me these days.

Have not even bothered taking outs out to camp since lock down.

A drive past any local spot layby or campsite suggests itll be about as fun as taking a dump in my hands and clapping.

Got the tent out and went wild camping to get away from the masses.

Have used the van as a day van though for cycling ,swimming, paddleboarding and anywhere we might want cooking facility's a fridge and not queuing with the masses to share a manky bog

Used to hardly ever use sites. Pre covid it was becoming more difficult. The instagram #vanlife world has gone crazy.
Covid has also made a big difference. Scotland was crazy last Oct.
More people in places that for years have been just us. Places here in Devon that we have used for years now either full of vans or clear signage to stop you.
We are using sites for now, hopefully until things calm down but i fear its a permanent or long term change.

Places here in Devon that we have used for years now either full of vans or clear signage to stop you.

Up here (highlands) there has been a very definite effort by landowners over the winter to make it harder this summer. Big rocks brought in, locked gates across previously tracks into forests. I don't blame them to be honest. And that's said as a van owner.

We need lots of aires - monetize for the local community, increased guilt free parking up and distribute the vans around controlling max numbers.

Wot convert said

We are using sites for now, hopefully until things calm down but i fear its a permanent or long term change.

Pretty sure the current draft of the police and crime bill makes van camping a criminal offence.

As an aside I just booked a site in Oxfordshire as I'm down for a funeral,  I'm one of two bookings.

It is s very small site, 5 vans + a few tents.  But even them I'd half expected to have to ring a few sites first.

I guess where I'm going doesn't Instagram well.

Much prefer finding a quiet spot and parking up rather than campsites. We're not people people, so we sit inside our van and dont get all our junk out and sit there in a camping chair. We generally go to bed by 10pm if not before and wake up nice and early around 7am so we dont want people sitting up until midnight right next to us and nor do we want children screaming and running around us. When we do pull up we do a quick spot check and clear the parking spot of rubbish that other people have left.

It's definitely got harder since COVID and we're seeing a lot of idiots out there using the spaces but so far we park literally in the middle of nowhere and are still managing ok. I wouldn't buy a campervan now just because the prices are hiked up so much, wait until everyone can go abroad again and they'll be getting rid of their vans.

convert +1

We're on Harris this week - noticeable how many laybys and similar have vans parked up.

Hushinis beach has a great little Aire spot, run by local community trust. Every village hall or landowner with a small space could have a similar, reasonable fee for flat ground, perhaps water and chemical disposal point. Job jobbed.

Surely the problem with parking up your lifestyle bus in a secluded layby is the 2am knock on the back window from a small group of weirdos with their chinos round their ankles expecting a show...

That and having to jetwash their jizz off the following day...

Just back from Shetland. Despite being fairly quiet we were not comfortable parking up and only did it one night. However they are exceptionally well organised with most halls and small marinas having space for half a dozen vans. We had a couple to ourselves with wildlife on your doorstep. All run by volunteers with money going to the community.

My dad's built up a cracker of a camper, he said I could borrow it whenever I like. I won't be borrowing it, not this year anyway.

Wouldn't even be tempted to use it in a campsite.

We generally go to bed by 10pm if not before and wake up nice and early around 7am so we dont want people sitting up until midnight right next to us and nor do we want children screaming and running around us

In my experience you are more likely to find those problems in a crowded lay-by than on an official campsite. See also: toileting facilities, fire safety gaps, lack of smoke from fires etc etc etc

grum

ITS NOT WILD CAMPING

True, but it's a commonly used, if innacurate phrase in this regards.

I almost always just park up somewhere unobtrusive.
I don't need any facilities. I like peace and quiet.
Never had a problem. My van looks like a builder's van from the outside though, just any other parked vehicle.

Pretty much always use sites, mostly C&CC sites. Try and use the CL (5 van) sites, most are really nice. Fewer facilites the better, electics nice to have, but a tap and toilet disposal point is all we need.

We have used laybys, carparks etc in scotland 8-10 years ago, but never felt relaxed about it. More aires in this country would be great.

Really don't see the problem with campsites. They're cheap and you have facilities. I can see the appeal of a 'wild camping' in a van if you're on the deserted lake shore somewhere in the wilderness, and not 15 miles away from the nearest town and surrounded by other adventurous 'wild' campers. I don't think its possible to have a real 'wild' adventure experience in the UK. If you're heading out to the continent and some of the deserted mountain goat tracks up in the Pyrenees then fair enough, but anything less than that is a bit desperate to call it an adventure or 'wild' camping. Just pay the £20 and have access to a nice shower and toilet block and not have to leave your poo by a tree for someone else to come across and be within walking distance of a decent pub and have somewhere to buy fresh eggs and bacon in the morning.

Roadside camping in Scotland IMO is over. I would not do it. Far too many people trying to do it, many sites totally wrecked

Google maps plugin: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1iXEQjEvR3sEsV1Rn3-VO9PgkcUw&shorturl=1&ll=49.80225676655019%2C18.155485700000014&z=4

Think I found it on here some years back

I've had quite good luck with roadside/forest car park camping in Scotland with my van over the last year. Mostly using Park4Night.

With the Camping and Caravanning Club, do you pay a yearly membership and then get to stay at the sites for free for the year? Does that extend to the little private sites too or do you have to pay for them on top of your membership?

I'm hoping that the explosion in Vanlife will have the knock on effect of more official places to stay in the future. In the meantime I don't like the sound of how busy it is.

Over the years we have done mostly campsites, with the odd night in pub car parks or occasionally the middle of nowhere. We are all different but I sleep better knowing I'm allowed to park there (that said we have never had any bother from anyone but we behave properly).
Lytham has two car parks that allow vans, one is nearer to the centre. Last time we went, we rolled round that one and were amazed to see how many people had chairs and tables out, we ****ed off to the quiet one double quick.

Fingers crossed that the 'Aire' thing gains some real momentum.

On a trip to Kent during the last school holidays, we had no bother booking 3 different campsites the week before, same again up near Dalby recently.

Please just stop with the roadside camping in Scotland. Its IMO no longer acceptable

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1802179/scottish-coastline-ruined-by-wild-campers-say-community-councils/

@yourguitarhero

You pay a membership fee and get access to member only and/or cheaper rates.

I'm down south for 2 nights next week and its £10 a night on a site I wouldn't be able to book with out membership.  It's not essential and there are loads of options without membership but the CCC had some sites that either perfectly break up a long drive or at the destination.  And for obvious reasons I've been reluctant to stay at my parents lately, but theres a site just 5 minutes down the road.

The other main club is the Caravan and Motorhome Club who seem a bit more rules based (cars have to be parked a certain way apparently) and some suggest a bit snobbier.

It just went down to location for me. And I'm only using the Certified Sites with are 5 unit max (plus some tents)

Please just stop with the roadside camping in Scotland. Its IMO no longer acceptable

No its fine as long as you stay away from the honey pot places - this includes most of the NC500 route. Last week I was away for 5 nights in the van, all remote spots, turned up late and left early. No houses within about 5km, no bother. I leave nothing behind and always do a litter pick before I leave.

Up here the campsites are all fully booked and often want £40+ for a night. I'd happily pay a £5-£10 for an Aire type site with just a tap and bin though.

We haven't used our campervan since BC, ended up using airBnB for the times we have been anywhere.

In normal times we would mostly book on to camp sites or farms/pubs that accept campervan so we know we have somewhere safe or quite to stay especially if we have bikes etc with us. We found it difficult to find places that we were happy to be stopped at over night to "wild camp"

In France we have used some Aires, some really nice surprises finding stops randomly. One of those was a lake festival, authorities had set up a campervan parking patch.

Italy mostly just turn up at a campsite and ask for a place.

Booking something means you can plan a long day or drive and know that you can get a good night sleep without worrying if your kit if going to get nicked, woken by cars going past or actually being able to find a space.

No its fine as long as you stay away from the honey pot places

I don't agree. Yes the honeypot places are the worst and yes responsible roadside campers do little harm - but the sheer volume of people wanting to do it makes it no longer acceptable at all to me. Its just going to get worse. If one person can do it then everyone can.

I want to see a law change to outlaw roadside camping in scotland totally

It's still possible to find roadside spots, just a lot more difficult. The problem is one of displacement. If, like us, you've stopped trying along the NC500 route, then you're looking elsewhere and so is everyone else that is making the same decision. Eventually, even the quieter spots become more frequented. The Aire/Airigh spots, plus (willing) pub car parks and so on have to be a huge part of the long term answer. Maybe when we have a lot more of those the situation will improve again.

There is a finite capacity though. If everyone with a camper/mohome/tent heads north without booking and then find all the suitable spots full, they're not going to just drive south again. They're going to end up in completely inappropriate locations, crowded together, blocking access etc.

And that's before we get onto the other behaviours like littering, toileting, waste disposal, tree chopping and fires.

Oh, I'll add that I'm not convinced of the requirement for new legislation. I see that as the thin end of a wedge that could impact other "wild camp" spots too. Whatever argument is used to introduce a ban on roadside camping could be applied to other honeypot locations too. A prime example would be the area around Derry Lodge. Sandwood Bay would be another. As always, we need to avoid penalising the law-abiding majority because of the actions of a few idiots.

There is a spot up in the north west that I have used for decades. ( but only very occasionally) Never seen more than one other van there until last year when there was 20 there

Its hard to see a balance on this Scotroutes. Not sure I buy your thin end of the wedge arguement.

without legislation tho how do we control the mess this has become? Its become totally unsustainable IMO

There is a spot up in the north west that I have used for decades. ( but only very occasionally) Never seen more than one other van there until last year when there was 20 there

And now 8000 other folk use it very occasionally

without legislation tho how do we control the mess this has become? Its become totally unsustainable IMO

Knee jerk much. Your signing away the freedoms for the sake of a couple of shit years but most folk will be back to the canaries before long

My brother in NZ was saying they have two classes of campervan - self contained (onboard loo, kitchen and bin) vs uncontained.

The self contained vans are allowed to use 'wild' sites and access more areas overnight, the smaller vans in many places have to be on registered site.

This may only apply in National Parks.

I agree that practical solutions and information is much better than new laws.

Knee jerk much. Your signing away the freedoms for the sake of a couple of shit years but most folk will be back to the canaries before long

I don't believe that it will go away mbut you might be right. I think it will only get worse.

Personally? to me its a moral issue and I will not roadside camp again

Are the folk in hired campers more of an issue not understanding things? would a levy on the hire companies help to pay for the damage?

I just cannot see how this issue can be sorted without legislation

We use a mixture of the two. We use remote spots for maybe 2 or 3 nights then go on a site to use the facilities. Also, pay for a swim in a leisure centre to again use the shower/facilities.

I agree with the above though, it is getting harder and i now always feel some anxiety when not on a site due to the expectancy of getting moved on.

We were up in Scotland a month ago and probably did 75% to 25% non site to site camping. Other places though, in particular Wales, are really clamping down. Pembrokeshire CC now employ a campervan officer whos job it is to move vans on.

In the short term it is annoying but i think the sheer van numbers mean reform is needed and will hopefully have a positive long term impact in terms of overnight parking provision.

We also bought the britstop book which has been very useful for finding places to stop overnight.

In the short term it is annoying but i think the sheer van numbers mean reform is needed and will hopefully have a positive long term impact in terms of overnight parking provision

Indeed. It's not going away. But practical solutions that benefit local communities has to be the route forward, I can't see any other way.

We just got the Brit stop book as we’ve used a lot of aires in France over the yrs and the ability to use a free overnighter in the uk now and again is helpful.

In Scotland forestry and land Scotland (used to be fc) have a scheme going - Overnight stops

It’s a shame the Aire thing doesn’t get going here as it works so well in France and brings cash into little villages from tourists using cafes, bars and shops.

I am not suggesting just the stick . I understand it needs a carrot or two as well - ie more provision

Always used sites. i cant fathom why people stop in a layby on the side of the A30, ripe to be clipped by a truck, watching TV they could watch at home (at the extreme end of the scale)
i can see the attraction in the highlands, i guess.

Ive used sites that were a couple of quid a night that are just a field and the toilet is a composting affair, through to one that was about 40 quid a night and you got cooked breakfast in bed delivered to your van/tent door.

I dont feel the need to drive around with a potty of my own waste sloshing around and i dont really want to have to listen to my OHs morning ablutions either.

Prices are going up atm, but i dont think its the "new normal". It'll settle down.

Edit: I did stop in a carpark in Roscof, i think it was. We rolled off the ferry at 2am and had a van packed with bikes. Not really anywhere to book into so we packed in such a way that we could just park up and jump into bed. Turns out it was the local fun fair which went on till the wee hours. Quite good fun.

Don’t know what’s classed as camping there but in Spain, unless anything protrudes from the perimeter of your van (awning, step, swing out window, morning wood as you drink coffee in the doorway), you’re just sleeping in your vehicle.

I tend to do both, for reasons people mention above. But campsites can cost 30eur a night which is fine if you’re using the facilities. If you’re just going to come back from a ride or walk, eat and sleep before leaving in the morning, I’d save the money and park up.

ITS NOT WILD CAMPING

This.

Parked up at 9.30pm on moday night at Achaladair, just off A82 N of Bridge of Orchy, early start walking next day, back tovan at 5pm next day (it's a walkers car park). Farmer drove past in the morning, gave him a wave and he obv spotted to cassette loo at the back of the van so knew we weren't durty campers.

This is the only way I'd do it, doing it for more than a day is out of order IMHO, and tbh if there had been a campsite nearby I'd probably have used that, but there wasn't.

And what Matt says, cat is out of the bag now, it's not going away, infrastructure athat benefits those that want it is required.