Now in my ‘golden years’ I’m considering buying a motor home and disappearing off into the wild blue yonder of U.K. and beyond. ! I’m wondering where are the best places to pull up for a free night when not on a campsite, and where definitely not to park!
Thanks

Plenty of wild camping spots in Scotland – it’s allowable on any unenclosed land on the basis you leave no trace. Will be heading to the Isles and North Coast 500 in May in our ’74 VW T2 camper.

The Aires De Services in France can be pretty good, look up Vicarious Books for guidebooks.

Pretty much anywhere in Scandinavia. Lots of very cheap places too, sort of 5 quid a night for a basic spot with power and a water/sewage station.

Plenty of wild camping spots in Scotland – it’s allowable on any unenclosed land on the basis you leave no trace. Will be heading to the Isles and North Coast 500 in May in our ’74 VW T2 camper.

Parking a van is not wild camping.

dovebiker – Member
Plenty of wild camping spots in Scotland – it’s allowable on any unenclosed land on the basis you leave no trace. Will be heading to the Isles and North Coast 500 in May in our ’74 VW T2 camper.

land reform act doesn’t cover cars or roadside parking(it specifically relates to walking, cycling and horse riding), tbh, you’d need consult road regulations more for campers. (not to say your won’t be able to do it, just that it’s not covered by the LRA.)

FYi though, i’d avoid the trossachs, bye laws there start from march aswell, so I’d expect a fine if you rocked up in you camper.

Same issue in Scandanavia. The “everymans right” is being abused by roadside camping and is being heavily cracked down on now. Most roadside spots now specifically exclude overnight camping

Parking a van is not wild camping

Madness. Next thing you’ll be saying sleeping in one doesn’t qualify as an adventure.

Thanks for the info! It’s not clear is it?

jj55 – Member
Thanks for the info! It’s not clear is it?

It is fairly clear tbh if you read the LRA. The absence of a passage saying “you can park your camper where ever you like” was the first thing that raised my suspicious! 😆

Like I say that doesn’t mean it’s illegal, just that your rights aren’t based on the LRA, and you’ll need to look elsewhere if interested in the legalities.

It’s the reason why these byelaws in the trossachs are an utter nonsense. Not that I’m overly fussed about them. I’ve never camped in any of those areas anyhow (i know better places, that i’m not going to tell you about! 😆 ). But they could have dealt with the issues using existing laws rather than creating draconian byelaws.

I don’t have the cash for the camper I’d like and am not about to spend night in the back of a converted VW!

However, my folks park theirs all over the place. Their GPS’ SD card is a hub of info. They’ll often ask publicans if they can stay in a car park if they eat / drink there. They use laybys (unrestricted). They have NT membership and by being friendly with staff often get a ‘as long as you’re gone by 8’ type response to a polite enquiry.

As they’re in their golden years (is that what you mean by fair pensions and self-sufficient children?), they go away for weeks at a time with canoes on the roof and bikes on the back. Every 5-7 days they’ll go to a proper campsite to top up with water, empty the loo and what have you.

They’ve done the SW Coastal path twice without paying for a single night’s camping. They did it twice as each section was A-B-A, move, park, C-D-C…

Loads and loads of good places in the west of Scotland and in the islands.

On the continent is great, especially in Germany and France, as you can overnight in the motorway services. France is the best though – as someone else mentioned there are loads of Aires – not always free, but even if they’re not they’re cheap.

Be discrete and sensible. Stay tidy. Pick up any other rubbish where you stay. Don’t be right outside a campsite. Don’t stay in the same spot for nights in end.
I haven’t stayed at a campsite for easily the last 5 years in the uk and Europe. Did 100 nights in our van last year. There are thousands of places to stay.
Always consider….who is going to tell us to move on at midnight.!?!

There is a forum somewhere that you can join and you can get a Google map.thingy that shows lots of acceptable places to quietly Park up, sometimes with info.

what is it onehundredthidiot?

The ADAC in Germany have a book filled with places for campers. There are a lot car park type arrangements with electric hook up in France and Italy.

Parked at wateredge car park in Ambleside on Sat night, perfect. Public loos open 24hrs and yh for a shower 50 yards away.

And free between 6pm and 9am, only 8 quid a day if you stay….

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk

Parking a van is not wild camping.

Where are you allowed to park the van overnight then. I’d say wild camping is fine in most residential areas, or indeed anywhere where there are no parking restrictions. Goes without saying that one leaves the site as it was found.
Be subtle, no awnings, no deckchairs outside and definitely no barbecues and you should be fine.

Roadside camping is legal in most places under common law but is under increasing pressure in scotland. One thing you can take from the LRA tho is if there is a campsite nearby you should use it. Get the landowners permission if possible – and yes they do have the right to ask you to move on and will do so in many places.

Its not the same as parking it up and leaving it empty.

I’m a member of wildcamping.co.uk. Very good POI map excellent back up and help thrown in and they will answer any question you have.
Think it’s about £20 to become full member. Most campsites charge around £18-£25 a night, so o ne wild camp will cover that and member discounts on insurance , batteries and camping shops well worth the money.

My nephew was caught sleeping in his car after a night out drinking, he got many points on his licence after being found over the limit but escaped a outright ban. What does the law say about drinking whilst sleeping overnight in a camper?