# Cornwall Wild Camping



## RainbowFox91 (Apr 16, 2019)

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this so bear with me. So, our friend has left 2 of us in charge of her (quiet) hen weekend and has said she would like to go camping around the Cornish coastline in a campervan. However, there will be 4 of us and we think it will be better if we take a tent as well. Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions on places to stay. Please Help! Its this weekend. She's sprung this upon us real last minute!

Thanks in advance! 

P.S. We are all sensible over 25s and live in Cornwall already.


----------



## Drover (Apr 16, 2019)

We are in Cornwall now and the county council are just erecting new parking signs in the large car park in looe. (workmen are there now, so go and kick them)
Increased charges and now all year round. The notification dated April will cover all council  owned parking  in Cornwall.
 We are now in caravan and motorhome site in looe for £19 a night for 2 adults and 2 children as we have gave up trying to find wild places around looe.


----------



## witzend (Apr 16, 2019)

chrisjones18 said:


> We are now in caravan and motorhome site in looe for £19 a night for 2 adults and 2 children as we have gave up trying to find wild places around looe.



The Cornwall Councillor for that area's family runs a campsite in Looe, Hence no wild spots around Looe


----------



## GeoffL (Apr 17, 2019)

chrisjones18 said:


> We are in Cornwall now and the county council are just erecting new parking signs in the large car park in looe. (workmen are there now, so go and kick them)
> Increased charges and now all year round. The notification dated April will cover all council  owned parking  in Cornwall.
> We are now in caravan and motorhome site in looe for £19 a night for 2 adults and 2 children as we have gave up trying to find wild places around looe.



If you don't mind travelling a bit, there are several wilding locations within 20 miles of Looe. We've found the Brittania Inn in Par to be excellent if you want to have a meal and a few jars as well. They have a camping field behind the pub and this is free for customers. HTH, Geoff


----------



## Drover (Apr 17, 2019)

witzend said:


> The Cornwall Councillor for that area's family runs a campsite in Looe, Hence no wild spots around Looe



Well that explains things.
New signs say vehicle must be in a marked bay  so I guess they are coming soon with the paint and only bits of it have bays.
There is even a meter in the boat ramp bay .


----------



## Debroos (Apr 17, 2019)

I'm a bit confused. My memory is that the large car park in Looe has always had year round charges and definitely had marked bays all over it. 
Or has age completely done my brain in!
Certainly Cornwall Council  is one of the worst for anti wildcamping sentiment.
As said, too many councillors have vested interests. Such a shame...


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 17, 2019)

witzend said:


> The Cornwall Councillor for that area's family runs a campsite in Looe, Hence no wild spots around Looe



If that’s true witzend (and I believe it is) has anything been done about such blatant self interest.
People like this should not be allowed anywhere near public office.
Surely this could and should be highlighted locally.


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 17, 2019)

GeoffL said:


> If you don't mind travelling a bit, there are several wilding locations within 20 miles of Looe. We've found the Brittania Inn in Par to be excellent if you want to have a meal and a few jars as well. They have a camping field behind the pub and this is free for customers. HTH, Geoff



That’s fine Geoff and thanks for the information, but there should be a limited and controlled amount of wild camping spots either in looe itself, or on its immediate outskirts. 20 miles is halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.


----------



## witzend (Apr 17, 2019)

Fisherman said:


> If that’s true witzend (and I believe it is) has anything been done about such blatant self interest.
> People like this should not be allowed anywhere near public office.
> Surely this could and should be highlighted locally.


Some time ago I emailed all Cornwall Councillors suggesting that motorhomes be allowed to stay overnight in it,s carparks for a reasonable fee to help keep parking fee down of the few who replyed 4 thought it reasoable the one from Looe area said definatly No as he had seen a toilet cassette being emptied into a road drain and his family runs a campsite. He never replied when I suggested he should declare a interest an not vote in any related voting.


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 17, 2019)

witzend said:


> Some time ago I emailed all Cornwall Councillors suggesting that motorhomes be allowed to stay overnight in it,s carparks for a reasonable fee to help keep parking fee down of the few who replyed 4 thought it reasoable the one from Looe area said definatly No as he had seen a toilet cassette being emptied into a road drain and his family runs a campsite. He never replied when I suggested he should declare a interest an not vote in any related voting.



What proof was there of this emptying of a cassette, and surely the solution to this problem (if it is a problem) is to provide facilities for the cassettes to be emptied. So we are taking the word of a man with conflicting interest, and even if his version of events is true, we are punishing decent Motorhome owners, who make up the vast majority.


----------



## GeoffL (Apr 18, 2019)

witzend said:


> Some time ago I emailed all Cornwall Councillors suggesting that motorhomes be allowed to stay overnight in it,s carparks for a reasonable fee to help keep parking fee down of the few who replyed 4 thought it reasoable the one from Looe area said definatly No as he had seen a toilet cassette being emptied into a road drain and his family runs a campsite. He never replied when I suggested he should declare a interest an not vote in any related voting.



Unfortunately, with the fish and tin now pretty much gone, a very significant proportion of Cornwall's GDP (over £9 billion in 2012 according to one study) and over 25% of employment comes from tourism. With this in mind, I suspect that it would be hard to put together a council that had no vested interest in tourism and only slightly less difficult to put one together with no interest in the profitability of campsites. That said, in high season it's nigh on impossible to get a pitch unless you book well in advance IME, which is why we usually go for pub stops in our home county! Allowing self-sufficient units to park overnight for a fee should increase council revenue. However, that would not be by enough to put aside lobbying from the accommodation sector (worth about £1.6 billion in 2012), who couldn't care less about the additional revenue from shopping, visiting attractions, etc. that wild campers might bring.


----------



## peter palance (Apr 18, 2019)

*con-venent*



witzend said:


> The Cornwall Councillor for that area's family runs a campsite in Looe, Hence no wild spots around Looe



how con ,no i want stop there, move on down the line, ok pj


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 18, 2019)

GeoffL said:


> Unfortunately, with the fish and tin now pretty much gone, a very significant proportion of Cornwall's GDP (over £9 billion in 2012 according to one study) and over 25% of employment comes from tourism. With this in mind, I suspect that it would be hard to put together a council that had no vested interest in tourism and only slightly less difficult to put one together with no interest in the profitability of campsites. That said, in high season it's nigh on impossible to get a pitch unless you book well in advance IME, which is why we usually go for pub stops in our home county! Allowing self-sufficient units to park overnight for a fee should increase council revenue. However, that would not be by enough to put aside lobbying from the accommodation sector (worth about £1.6 billion in 2012), who couldn't care less about the additional revenue from shopping, visiting attractions, etc. that wild campers might bring.



This only highlights the need for a national policy forcing local authorities to make facilities available for free or for a small fee, and being financed nationally. It’s reckoned that we contribute in excess of £9billion pa to the national economy. Spending just 10% of that amount would soon lead to better facilities nationwide.


----------



## Deleted member 56601 (Apr 18, 2019)

A question:-
If a local councillor knocked on your door and told you they had X amount of money to spend and asked whether you would like it spent on improving health facilities or education facilities or making parking places for motorhomes, what do you think most people would say?


----------



## alcam (Apr 18, 2019)

Fisherman said:


> What proof was there of this emptying of a cassette, and surely the solution to this problem (if it is a problem) is to provide facilities for the cassettes to be emptied. So we are taking the word of a man with conflicting interest, and even if his version of events is true, we are punishing decent Motorhome owners, who make up the vast majority.



Strongly suspect  none of us , including yourself , are taking his word .
I do find it amazing that so many campsite owners appear to be councillors . 
Is it just a coincidence that so many of them have a massive desire to help the community ?


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 18, 2019)

Edina said:


> A question:-
> If a local councillor knocked on your door and told you they had X amount of money to spend and asked whether you would like it spent on improving health facilities or education facilities or making parking places for motorhomes, what do you think most people would say?



That’s exactly my point, it would not be up to the local councillor. It would come from national government.
Also if a charge was applied it could even be self financing. We are not talking about electric hookup, showers, etc. Just somewhere to park, preferably with chemical recycling. Obviously local councils have to embrace what their residents want, or they will lose control. 

This sort of thing has been done in other areas, but it seems that self interest is paramount in looe, preventing such a provision.


----------



## Drover (Apr 18, 2019)

Debroos said:


> I'm a bit confused. My memory is that the large car park in Looe has always had year round charges and definitely had marked bays all over it.
> Or has age completely done my brain in!
> Certainly Cornwall Council  is one of the worst for anti wildcamping sentiment.
> As said, too many councillors have vested interests. Such a shame...



Age ain't got to you
They are redoing the car park. Winter charges are just a little lower than the summer ones, instead of cheap. 70p for first hr then £2.30 for the next hr and so on.
Some old signs are still there along with the new ones (they even got a rain proof cover over them)
A lot of the bays have been dug up as the have been laying new electrics ,so no bay markings though the sign says vehicles must be parked in bays. I could not get my 7.5 mtr motor in any bay.


----------



## witzend (Apr 18, 2019)

alcam said:


> Is it just a coincidence that so many of them have a massive desire to help the community ?



I expect the wages they get helps make them decide the days of them doing it because they want to help the community is long gone


----------



## runnach (Apr 18, 2019)

Edina said:


> A question:-
> If a local councillor knocked on your door and told you they had X amount of money to spend and asked whether you would like it spent on improving health facilities or education facilities or making parking places for motorhomes, what do you think most people would say?


 I totally agree with you, for a lot of councils in a lot of areas I suspect residents would prefer council run sites to be provided for the travelling community considering the mess they often leave behind.
Lots of schools here are asking parents to provide books and pencils etc something when I was at school was pretty much taken for granted

Then there is the argument a space to empty black waste ,,,standard council answer that facility is provided by campsites in the main the aire typed of arrangement is a non starter And with the mentality of those in charge IF they provided an aire it would result in places lost through tros and PSPO s

We need to be careful what we wish for IMHO it could restrict more than liberated with  the British mindset 

Channa


----------



## witzend (Apr 18, 2019)

Of Course just across the channel copied from the web 



> We have been living in France for the last 7 years and have a motorhome over here. I just wanted to make you aware of some recent changes as regards camping-cars.
> 
> A few months ago the organisation who look after the interests of camping-caristes have taken several municipalities to court to challenge their usage of signs banning camping-cars from certain areas. They argued that the signs were not compliant with the law as they are not included in the Code de la Route which is the French Highway Code, and they are discriminatory against camping-car users as car and van drivers are not subject to the same restrictions.
> 
> ...


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 18, 2019)

channa said:


> I totally agree with you, for a lot of councils in a lot of areas I suspect residents would prefer council run sites to be provided for the travelling community considering the mess they often leave behind.
> Lots of schools here are asking parents to provide books and pencils etc something when I was at school was pretty much taken for granted
> 
> Then there is the argument a space to empty black waste ,,,standard council answer that facility is provided by campsites in the main the aire typed of arrangement is a non starter And with the mentality of those in charge IF they provided an aire it would result in places lost through tros and PSPO s
> ...



The situation in schools and other departments you state channa, are created by austerity cuts that have been implemented by Tory governments. Spending a small proportion of what we pay towards providing facilities  from our taxes, will make no difference to what’s going on in education. What’s required there is an end to austerity.

Also you state that due to the mess left behind by the travelling community, they should be treated more favourably than us.  So due to the fact that we don’t leave areas unfit for human habitation after leaving incurring councils with large cleaning and refuge bill,  we should be treated less favourably, sorry channa that seems ridiculous.

You say we have to be more careful for what we wish for, we have no organisation to support us or fight our cause, nothing is done to support us in any way by anyone. Local councils at the drop of a hat put up barriers and signage every day to restrict us, what we wish for has no bearing whatsoever to what’s been going on. 

We are not asking for the earth, simply somewhere to park our vans in empty car parks through the night.

Take a look at the previous post to this.


----------



## runnach (Apr 18, 2019)

Fisherman said:


> The situation in schools and other departments you state channa, are created by austerity cuts that have been implemented by Tory governments. Spending a small proportion of what we pay towards providing facilities  from our taxes, will make no difference to what’s going on in education. What’s required there is an end to austerity.
> 
> Also you state that due to the mess left behind by the travelling community, they should be treated more favourably than us.  So due to the fact that we don’t leave areas unfit for human habitation after leaving incurring councils with large cleaning and refuge bill,  we should be treated less favourably, sorry channa that seems ridiculous.
> 
> ...


I think you need to have another read ....re the travellers ,and education and the rest of it local authorities via government have had budgets cut 60% reported a few days back. So spending on visitors when they cant service the rate payers seems a remote possibility in my book

Organisations have existed as you are well aware and down to apathy folded

In Kirklees last financial year £110 k was spent cleaning up after travellers and fly tipping significantly cheaper than providing Elsan points for visitors (is the argument) Hence the status quo and I suspect the same is true of other areas 

Channa

110K is also cheaper than providing facilities for traveling types  I do agree austerity measure need kerbing simply not working


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 18, 2019)

channa said:


> I think you need to have another read ....re the travellers ,and education and the rest of it local authorities via government have had budgets cut 60% reported a few days back. So spending on visitors when they cant service the rate payers seems a remote possibility in my book
> 
> Organisations have existed as you are well aware and down to apathy folded
> 
> ...



Channa, the councils should not have to finance what we require.
I have already stated that this should come from central government.

I am not saying that councils should bear any cost over and above what they already do.
Just in the same way they don’t finance motorway maintenance and other nationally financed projects.


----------



## Debroos (Apr 18, 2019)

chrisjones18 said:


> Age ain't got to you
> They are redoing the car park. Winter charges are just a little lower than the summer ones, instead of cheap. 70p for first hr then £2.30 for the next hr and so on.
> Some old signs are still there along with the new ones (they even got a rain proof cover over them)
> A lot of the bays have been dug up as the have been laying new electrics ,so no bay markings though the sign says vehicles must be parked in bays. I could not get my 7.5 mtr motor in any bay.



That must be costing a fortune!
Edina's post re councils being short of cash highlights the stupidity and shortsightedness of Cornwall Council.
Whilst accepting they might not be able to afford to pay for aires they could at least do the same as North Devon Council who have allowed overnighting in several car parks in order to bring revenue into those towns. Appledore was one of them, forget which others...grrrr


----------



## Debroos (Apr 18, 2019)

Fisherman said:


> If that’s true witzend (and I believe it is) has anything been done about such blatant self interest.
> People like this should not be allowed anywhere near public office.
> Surely this could and should be highlighted locally.



This is Cornwall boy! tradition has always been that you look after your own and let no one say you nay!
There are many here who wish the tourists would just stop at the border and just send their money on...sad.


----------



## Fisherman (Apr 18, 2019)

Debroos said:


> That must be costing a fortune!
> Edina's post re councils being short of cash highlights the stupidity and shortsightedness of Cornwall Council.
> Whilst accepting they might not be able to afford to pay for aires they could at least do the same as North Devon Council who have allowed overnighting in several car parks in order to bring revenue into those towns. Appledore was one of them, forget which others...grrrr



Recently up here in East Dunbartonshire, the local council spent around £3million to streetscape the Main Street in Kirkintiloch.
The work created havoc for local traders and the public for 18months.
The whole idea was to try and attract people back to the high street shops.
6 months after spending all of this money, and all the upheaval, what did they do.

Well they started to charge for the carpark that had been free for decades.:mad1::mad1:

Quite frankly they could not arrange a piss up in a brewery.


----------

