If I get caught sleeping in my van by opportunistic villains?

I ran out of time this year but the plan is to do a solo roadtrip around the new Welsh uplift spots. I want to see if I can get my fill of proper DH riding in the UK between annual Euro-trips.

It’s a long drive down and I’d like to start at the Forest of Dean and work my way back via Antur Stiniog, Bikepark Wales and Revolution.

BUT…at each location I’ll be looking for somewhere safe and quiet to sleep in the van. I’ve got the knack of stealth camping up here but Wales is all new to me. I’ve never been there and some of these bikeparks are apparently located in some pretty deprived areas. You also hear about a lot of opportunistic theft of shiny things.

I don’t like to park in the middle of nowhere if I can help it. Can you find relatively peaceful residential streets where you can blend in with the other vehicles?

Or will I be murdered?

Never tried a quiet residential street. We tend to go for a deserted lay-by or quiet car park. Found a nice one close to Antor Stiniog. I don’t think we were murdered on our sleep

Can’t speak for South Wales, but the North is very peaceful on the whole.
We live right between Antur Stiniog and Revolution. Suppose you could park on our drive, but how do I know you won’t murder us/steal our shiny things?

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Print this off in A0, put it in the windscreen and you will be fine.

Let me know when and where you will be camped up and I’ll send the fellas round it murder you in your sleep. Just so you get the full valleys experience.

*You will be fine.

**Although probably not the in FOD. Have you ever met any Foresters?

Surely every Englishman has a holiday home they can retire to following a good day In one’s saddle?

bigblackshed – Member
Let me know when and where you will be camped up and I’ll send the fellas round it murder you in your sleep. Just so you get the full valleys experience.

*You will be fine.

**Although probably not the in FOD. Have you ever met any Foresters?

POSTED 16 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Excuse me!! Foresters are very nice people I’ll have you know. I should know, I’m one 😆

Foresters are very nice people I’ll have you know. I should know, I’m one and so is my wife, cousin and sister. She’s lovely.

🙂

We tend to go for a deserted lay-by or quiet car park

Hmmm, I tend to avoid this if possible. You stand out like a sore thumb. Not so bad if there’s a few of you I suppose. Around here I know all the posh, leafy estates so I go and park in between the Range Rovers or similar.

Can’t speak for South Wales, but the North is very peaceful on the whole.

Well the last time some locals ventured that far from the Shire (Cwmcarn) they lost a camera bag on the first day and a Troy Lee D3 on the second. It’s stories like this that have me concerned.

Surely every Englishman has a holiday home they can retire to following a good day In one’s saddle?

I do but it has wheels and a camping stove.

I live in a rough area so I know what a pack of feral children look like and how to avoid them. I’d hate to accidentally park on their turf.

Out in the sticks you’ll be fine. If you sleep in a dodgy council estate with a £3k bike on the roof you might get some interest 🙂

A few times I have had to sleep in a car I have so in a supermarket carpark where there were plenty of security cameras.
Some open 24hr but even the ones that were closed the shops were well lit with people to be seen doing stuff inside.

No one ever came out and asked me to move on, but then I would only be there a night or two.

widge34 – Member

Excuse me!! Foresters are very nice people I’ll have you know. I should know, I’m one

And I work with them. Most of them are batshit mental!

Do you have a long bow?

What colour is your van, where and when will you be in SW and what bike will be in the van… no reason for asking!!

There are wear wolves in wales

What do the wolves wear?

Sheep’s clothing.

Don’t know if this is any use for you, or if it’s any good:
http://www.motorhomestopover.co.uk/pages/about_us.html

£30 join fee for a year but free to stay in what I presume are secure stop-overs, (seem to be pubs mainly). I think the site could do with a “search map” feature, although you might get that when you join.

“nad ydych yn dod o gwmpas fan hyn yn bachgen chi?”

nad ydych yn dod o gwmpas fan hyn yn bachgen chi

google translate? 🙂
Ti ddim yn dod o gwmpas fan hyn fy machgen i!

tim yn dod o fama y machgan i (gog version)

I thought the FOD was Gloucestershire anyway, or has it been annexed by Wales since the weekend? Widge, how big is that extension you’re building?

Don’t you have a mate who’d go with you?
Safety in numbers etc…if you’re worried like.

Preferably one that you can run faster than 🙂

Do you have a long bow?

I do – with 40 arrows – want to borrow it? Only 70lb draw weight but will do some damage at 40 yards 😈

Find yourself a village pub, with a car park and ask the landlord if you can stay on there, in return for buying some food and a drink or two.

I do – with 40 arrows – want to borrow it? Only 70lb draw weight but will do some damage at 40 yards

I’m Welsh. I have my own… 😆

In Ffestiniogg they won’t wait til you’re asleep – they’ll rob and murder you in broad daylight.

I actually met a Welsh person once,

He seemed alright.

DaveyBoyWonder – Member In Ffestiniogg they won’t wait til you’re asleep – they’ll rob and murder you in broad daylight

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You forgot have sex with you then eat you

I would have thought Revolution you could stay on their car park or one of the pub carparks or the main car park in the village. Best ask Susha.

Antur Stiniog has a big carpark, doubt if the locals would mess about there as the workers would kill them. Although Orcs do live in the hills there.

FOD Im sure you be OK parked near the Council depot as I think its in use 24/7.

nothing like mild racism in the morning…

Whats wrong with Wales guys?

The welsh. 😀

uselesshippy – Member
The welsh.

a bit rough
Do you like a lamb dinner?

He’s alluding to the fact that the rough parts of Wales overlap somewhat with the riding.

You should be fine as long as you’re not a baby…

That thing’s been doing my head in all morning.

What dates are you thinking, what van will you be driving and what bikes will you have in the back of it?

booktownman – Member
What dates are you thinking, what van will you be driving and what bikes will you have in the back of it?

need a wingman?

What’s wrong with the middle of nowhere. That’s the best place to park your van for the night. Nice and quiet. Residential streets are too busy for my liking.