# Wild Camping !.



## Nesting Zombie (Feb 21, 2017)

Now we all use this Wild Camping Site. BUT I would be interested to know Members 'Interpretation' of what they think 'Wild Camping' actually is !.
Is there a Legal Definition ?.

MY view as a Full Time Livaboard is, Wild Camping is More about having a Low impact, Symbiotic relationship between Lifestyle, Vehicle & Self Sufficiency in respect of Not having to rely on Any (or Minimal) Outside or additional Services on a day to day basis to Live & Enjoy my Lifestyle choice Making every effort to go Largely UN Noticed for weeks at a time if needs be. Rather than Location.

What's your take on 'Wild Camping' ?.


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## delicagirl (Feb 21, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Now we all use this Wild Camping Site. BUT I would be interested to know Members 'Interpretation' of what they think 'Wild Camping' actually is !.
> Is there a Legal Definition ?.
> 
> MY view as a Full Time Livaboard is, Wild Camping is More about having a Low impact, Symbiotic relationship between Lifestyle, Vehicle & Self Sufficiency in respect of Not having to rely on Any (or Minimal) Outside or additional Services on a day to day basis to Live & Enjoy my Lifestyle choice Making every effort to go Largely UN Noticed for weeks at a time if needs be. Rather than Location.
> ...



NZ  -  with a van the size of yours it would be almost impossible for you to be unnoticed i would have thought.....   but i agree with the rest of your sentiments..


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 21, 2017)

delicagirl said:


> NZ  -  with a van the size of yours it would be almost impossible for you to be unnoticed i would have thought.....   but i agree with the rest of your sentiments..



Hi Ya DG,
Ahhhh BUT,,,
The Moon is there every night, But can you HONESTLY say that you 'Notice' it EVERY Night ?.


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## 1888 (Feb 21, 2017)

I would have thought parking up in the woods, off the beaten track for the night is wild camping.


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## Father Ted (Feb 21, 2017)

Free parking whether in town or country.
I like both.


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## alwaysared (Feb 21, 2017)

1888 said:


> I would have thought parking up in the woods, off the beaten track for the night is wild camping.



Me too, parking anywhere that's quiet, remote and in the countryside is what I call wild camping.

Regards,
Del


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## 1888 (Feb 21, 2017)

alwaysared said:


> Me too, parking anywhere that's quiet, remote and in the countryside is what I call wild camping.
> 
> Regards,
> Del



It also seems to be how they describe it up Loch Lomond with the latest bans


Guide to Camping at Loch Lomond | Rockin Vans blog post


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 21, 2017)

So,,, Some think its JUST about Location ?.


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## Robmac (Feb 21, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> So,,, Some think its JUST about Location ?.



Must admit, I do.

We all do all sorts of camping really, but by it's definition, 'wild' camping would be done somewhere in the wild? (or as near as we can get to wild in the UK).


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## 1888 (Feb 21, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> So,,, Some think its JUST about Location ?.



More or less yes. I dont see sitting in a layby for the night as wild camping or just parking up on some car park in a town. Truckers do that every day when they run out of tacho time but getting somewhere secluded away from civilisation or at least cant see or hear it


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## mistericeman (Feb 21, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> So,,, Some think its JUST about Location ?.




I personally wouldn't count parking in a city centre/aldi carpark/Park and ride etc as "wild camping"  to me those are just places some folk park up to avoid paying.... 

Out in the middle of nowhere, tucked away, we'll away from "Sheeple", not causing nuisance and treading very lightly

That's "Wild camping for me....


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 21, 2017)

Ahhhh, Great responses so far, & is kinda backed up by the Linky put up earlier.
Snip
while roadside camping is not usually considered wild camping, it does take place, and it is lawful
Snip
Interesting stuff...

I must admit (Excluding my 20 months in Beautiful Scotland in my Luton semi conversion where your almost spoiled for choice for Rural park ups) I tend to stay maybe 50% of my time in quiet a lot in Rural Laybys, Rural Car Parks, & Little Tuck away Gems that I've got to know over the last few years, Then the Other 50% of my time is shared between Farms, Marinas, Truck Stops & even a Camp site every 2 or 3 weeks.


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## GreggBear (Feb 21, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi Ya DG,
> Ahhhh BUT,,,
> The Moon is there every night, But can you HONESTLY say that you 'Notice' it EVERY Night ?.



Does that mean the moon is closer to Pontefract than Leeds... cos I can see the moon from here, but I can't see Leeds!:wave::cool1::lol-061::rolleyes2:


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 21, 2017)

GreggBear said:


> Does that mean the moon is closer to Pontefract than Leeds... cos I can see the moon from here, but I can't see Leeds!:wave::cool1::lol-061::rolleyes2:



No, Now don't be silly GreggBear, it just means that Leeds is Stealth Wild Camping !.


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## mistericeman (Feb 21, 2017)

Hang on .....didnt "Some" of you Yarkshire "Tykes" once try to fish a fallen moon out of a canal ......;-) 


Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival

"Slawit" :lol-053:


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## hotrats (Feb 21, 2017)

Like here


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## Wully (Feb 21, 2017)

I'm like you with a large tag axle van so it's difficult to be discreet it's really hard to get to some of my favourite wee haunts up the west coast this wild camping things what you make it I for one just class not being on a site with all the facilities and red tape that comes withit as wild camping not too much about the money factor I'll use car parks lay-bys but just for one night or as a stopover on my way to somewhere but wouldn't stay for days. What you gain in comfort with a large van you can loose on accessing the wee out the road hidden spots it's horses for courses. Plus I just do what wife tells me


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## n brown (Feb 21, 2017)

for me the term is a bit of a nonsense. we lived our life parking up wherever we did, and it was only when we were parked, for quite a few weeks, with dozens of other vans,on the shore of that lake at the end of the Gorge du Verdon, that i saw for the first time, a sign that said '' Camping Sauvage Interdit !'' Wild Camping Forbidden ! 
well this was the sign the gendarmes kept going on about when they evicted the lot of us at 1 o'clock in the morning,very harshly i might add !
anyway i don't agree with the idea of trying to placate those who disagree with 'wild camping' and tiptoe around humbly disappearing at 7 in the morning for fear of upsetting anyone, who are these people we don't want to upset ? do they have more rights than us ? i'll park my legal van anywhere they park their legal car, and if i want to kip in my legal van i will !
oh dear ! i seem to be ranting again


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## Robmac (Feb 21, 2017)

n brown said:


> ............oh dear ! i seem to be ranting again



Yeah ya big ranter!

Personally, I don't mind what it's called. Wild camping, furious camping, slightly peeved camping or just camping. Makes no difference really.


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## Pauljenny (Feb 21, 2017)

Wild camping, overnight parking up or freecamping.

We do all of those as and when the circumstances allow. The latter two for just one or two nights.


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## Bayblue (Feb 22, 2017)

Wild camping for me is just that... Wild.
Living on the North Wales coast I like to get away to the forests and lakes of North and Mid Wales to be on my own for a few nights.
When I set off I have a few of my favorite places in mind, which very few, or any, are on the POI's. If there is someone else parked up looking like they may be staying the night, I move on to my second choice and then even a third. In my 3 years of wild camping (since I retired) I have never had to share my spot with another camper. but that's my choice. I am not an unsociable person, I do lots of that when I'm at home, but when I go away, I just want to "get away".
I only have a micro camper which luckily is a 4x4 which helps for some of the forest tracks I use. I have often thought should I post some as POI's but if I did you would all send me the bills for repair costs for replacing wing mirrors and mending the scratches on the side of your vans, and also they wouldn't be my 'special places' any more.
Just my thoughts on wild camping, wild is how I like it.


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## Father Ted (Feb 22, 2017)

It seems to me that a lot of people here are townies who think 'wild' means rural.
Perhaps there are a few "yokels" here too who consider Brixton to be far wilder but are happy to settle for a compromise and 'wild' it on a town seafront with pubs and takeaways a short stumble away from the van.
Don't be so dismissive of people who like something different on holidays, not everyone wants to be a hermit 24/7.


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## oldish hippy (Feb 22, 2017)

i hate being discriminated against just because I illertrate well something like that when they ask did you not see the sign  yes isaw the sign  but as it is a written sign then it means nothing to me as cant read and don't understand English only swahila ok my van isn't as little as first one but it still get down to duckpool


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 22, 2017)

Looser cruiser said:


> I'm like you with a large tag axle van so it's difficult to be discreet it's really hard to get to some of my favourite wee haunts up the west coast this wild camping things what you make it I for one just class not being on a site with all the facilities and red tape that comes withit as wild camping not too much about the money factor I'll use car parks lay-bys but just for one night or as a stopover on my way to somewhere but wouldn't stay for days. What you gain in comfort with a large van you can loose on accessing the wee out the road hidden spots it's horses for courses. Plus I just do what wife tells me



Yeah, Must admit to having a few Dents n Scuffs (Nothing Major, All minor thank heavens) on the Bodywork & Wing Mirrors as a result of brushing by Bushes, Branches & the odd bits of Un noticed discarded Jetsam People chuck in the Hedge rows, When I've squeezed into some Tighter & the more secluded Park ups that coincidently are then often found to be favoured by Fly-tippers apparently !.
I can say that i Have NEVER had trouble finding a Park up for the night though in The Nest, & its also worth mentioning that on the occasions I stay in the more Rural Laybys 'SOME' (I favour the smaller out of town B Road ones, OR ones that are Properly separated from the A-Road by a Wooded & Planted Island separator) has been MORE isolated or Distant from Houses, Buildings or other Habitats or commercial concerns than some of the 'SO SAY' Wild Camping spots favoured by some members, On many occasions when members have posted pictures of a Beautiful Park up Spot, There are Houses OR Buildings right there a cpl hundred yards away in the Background. Even in this very thread !.SO IF its JUST about Location from Others that make it 'Wild Camping' its hard found in England n Wales Easier in Scotland maybe,,,!!!

& YES of course there are Plenty of exceptions.


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## oldish hippy (Feb 22, 2017)

when I had the tiny van I parked it in the layby kilkhamton right beside the picnic table on the grass island between the road and layby pc plod came in didn't see me parked up  he did jump when I spoke to him


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## Beemer (Feb 22, 2017)

Wild Camping means (my opinion) that I am overnighting in my van in the country or a built up area (I have overnighted in the car park of Lidl in UK and supermarkets abroad) with no need for EHU, toilets and showers.

We often get away at weekends just for one night, not far, 35mins away last weekend.


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 22, 2017)

oldish hippy said:


> when I had the tiny van I parked it in the layby kilkhamton right beside the picnic table on the grass island between the road and layby pc plod came in didn't see me parked up  he did jump when I spoke to him


That sounds like the one I stayed in for a night Last week matey, Lovely spot. In fact there's about 4 or 5 along that stretch !.


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## alwaysared (Feb 22, 2017)

From my trip to the Peak District




View from the side window



Regards,
Del


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## oldish hippy (Feb 22, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> That sounds like the one I stayed in for a night Last week matey, Lovely spot. In fact there's about 4 or 5 along that stretch !.



the farm opposite with the flags up


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## Asterix (Feb 22, 2017)

As a fulltimer I have the need to park 365 days a year,sometimes rural,city or busy lay-by,I don't really think of it as wild camping...Its just living. If I was just a Weekender then it would always be somewhere rural,different strokes for different folks,depending on individual needs.


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## Patchypete (Feb 23, 2017)

Wild camping to me means, being somewhere isolated, and being completely independent 
:wave:


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## Auld Pharrrt (Feb 23, 2017)

To me it means being free to come and go as I please wherever I happen to choose to stopover for a night, or two, or in some cases as long as I like.  Usually the longer stays are beside the sea where I can fish for ma dinners, I am not restricted to seaside locations but I'd *NEVER* stopover in a town unless I had a specific reason to do so, to me it just "does not compute!"


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## 1888 (Feb 23, 2017)

Auld Pharrrt said:


> I am not restricted to seaside locations but I'd *NEVER* stopover in a town unless I had a specific reason to do so, to me it just "does not compute!"



Funny you should mention that. I would be the same but just saying to the wife last night. As we are 25 miles ish from Edinburgh city centre with crap transport links we could take the van in and use the campsite on the south side of town and spend i night in the sauce in town. Was having a look and this time of year it looks like £26.50 with EHU what it great as i would pay 70-80 quid easy for a taxi home.


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## Auld Pharrrt (Feb 23, 2017)

Sorry, I should elaborate, I'd never *wild camp* in or around a town ... I have been known to frequent the campsites in Ullapool, Gairloch and Lochgilphead, but to me that wasn't wilding it was just camping.


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## Father Ted (Feb 23, 2017)

Auld Pharrrt said:


> Sorry, I shoukd elaborate, I'd never wild camp in or around a town ... I have been known to frequent the campsites in Ullapool, Gairloch and Lochgilphead, *but to me that wasn't wilding it was just camping.*



To campers (and me) it's neither. It's caravanning.
Not so much a criticism of caravanning, just the terminology.


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## Auld Pharrrt (Feb 24, 2017)

Father Ted said:


> To campers (and me) it's neither. It's caravanning.
> Not so much a criticism of caravanning, just the terminology.



I would have agreed if my early stays hadn't been in a tent and I guess I should have included John O' Groats under both, canvas and tin roof.


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## alcam (Feb 27, 2017)

1888 said:


> Funny you should mention that. I would be the same but just saying to the wife last night. As we are 25 miles ish from Edinburgh city centre with crap transport links we could take the van in and use the campsite on the south side of town and spend i night in the sauce in town. Was having a look and this time of year it looks like £26.50 with EHU what it great as i would pay 70-80 quid easy for a taxi home.



Why not just park in town ? Save yourself £26


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## jagmanx (Feb 27, 2017)

*Only if you are VERY VERY Grumpy !*

But for us.

a "Room with a view" 
very limited other campers
almost no facilities (maybe a tap eg Wigtown Harbour)
wildlife
peace a
nd quiet (unless the wildlife is noisy)


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## Admin (Feb 27, 2017)

I always think that the title of this website is who we are, not necessarily what we do.


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## Deleted member 56601 (Feb 27, 2017)

Admin said:


> I always think that the title of this website is who we are, not necessarily what we do.



Certainly a few 'wild' ones on here :lol-053::lol-053::lol-053:


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## trevskoda (Feb 27, 2017)

You are wild camping when,chairs out barby/fire pit light & the awning is out and not on a campsite,otherwise you are only having a nap due to driving and feeling tired.:camper:


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## fairypond (Mar 23, 2017)

*low visual*

low impact, low visual, self sufficient, no chemicals, make fire in my old car wheel, contemplate and dream a while.  sleep, wake and leave as small a sign of being there as possible, give thanks for being able to live our lives in this way, as and when we can.    hedgewitch philosophy.


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## lmallen (Apr 20, 2017)

*Where can you wild camp in Devone*

My idea of wild camping is just not being on a camp site and parking up somewhere off the main Roads, preferably with a lovely view.  Does anyone know if there are any places to wild camp in Devon as we are on our way there tomorrow.


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