# Safety while wild camping.



## Jul (Feb 22, 2017)

Hi I've only just got my T5 and love the idea of wild camping. Has anyone got any tips on safety? Do you get any problems with boy racers or worse when trying to stay in isolated places?


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## Father Ted (Feb 23, 2017)

Not really. Just screw the nut a bit, empty maccyd containers equals naughty kids, full *conundroms* equals naughty quieter folks. Just use some common sense.
Oh, and piebald dobbins tethered on verges, avoid avoid avoid!!!


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## jagmanx (Feb 23, 2017)

*Isolated places*

Very unlikely to get any such problems.
We aim for such places and indeed one, only one (near Gatehouse of Fleet) was a bit too isolated.

Likely to have problems in England in near towns where boy racers.

a few places worth noting

1 Jedburgh a few locals and not quiet early am (Buses and Refuse lorries) but OK+

2 Girvan Harbour "boys racers" in adjacent area but mainly just talking. No problem We plan to go there again ..very nice spot/town.

We have never felt the need to move on during the night ..Possibly because if when we arrive at a potential overnight we are not comfortable we move straight away !
We may be a bit fussy but on very few occasions it has taken maybe as many as 5 "lets see this one" before we have settled for the evening and night.

We avoid 
1) small layby's on busy roads
2) "rough areas" again too close to busy roads
3) some carparks in towns
4) areas with too many others
5) Lorry Layby's (noise, road noise and diesel fumes)

We once stayed in a rough carpark where there were two "road hardcore wagons" obviously overnighting.. a bit wary but the drivers (who happened to be Irish) we very friendly and indeed helpful. Indeed very safe .. I am sure said Lorry Drivers would have dealt with any nonsense.
Just remember
1 Always have alternatives
2 POIs are not always for you or indeed big enough or far enough from busy roads

However if you use the link to Streetview you can often decide on good and bad locations when planning.
I copy the Likely good locations onto my laptop so I do not need "tinternet" on a daily basis


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## phillybarbour (Feb 23, 2017)

Hi and welcome along, I have always parked where it feels ok. Park so that you can drive away without getting out of your van if required. Never felt unsafe but have moved on a Couple of times due to noise mainly young lads in cars, but they were having fun in their cars not specifically targeting us.


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## Wisewoman (Feb 23, 2017)

Hi there,

All the above advice is really good. I always like to have at least one back up location in mind. 

Last week I went around South Wales in my T4 with my 6 year old - the only issue I had was when i pulled up onto some rough ground used by dog walkers during the day and she noticed a very small, new sign that said 'No overnight camping by order of the Landowner'. Now, my current nickname for my daughter is 'Florence the Just' because she started wailing 'Mummy we cant stay here, look it says no camping.' I tried to get to the bottom of it with her but decided it wasnt worth the stress so ended up in a NT car park instead. As an NT member I always feel sort of OK / justified about staying in their car parks thoguh some of them do say no overnight parking. In this particular case i felt especially justfied as the hotel over the road freely mentions on its website that its clients can park overnight in said NT car park.

That said, I do try to respect signs that may say no overnight camping but I also combine this with the fact that I know I am a respectful and considerate camper - so I often wont go out of my way reading the small print on any notice boards etc in search of the words 'No Overnighting'. I only ever stay in one place for one night and usually arrive fairly late and leave early anyway.

Its not unusual to get teenagers gathering in countryside car parks, especially on a Friday or Saturday evening but they always ignore me and I them and have never felt compelled to move on in those situations. Come 11pm they are usually all gone anyway.

Enjoy!
Melissa


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## delicagirl (Feb 23, 2017)

trust your gut instinct  -  its always right.....  enjoy


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## Acti (Feb 23, 2017)

:welcome: to the forum :drive:


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## Pauljenny (Feb 23, 2017)

You will read and hear about the problem of " Gassing ".

It is a problem and can be easily avoided.......

DONT PARK NEXT TO GOSSIPY MOTORHOMERS  !

Apart from that , realise that you are in a less than absolutely secure box that could well be stuffed with goodies ,attractive to the light fingered fraternity. bear this in mind , especially in popular tourist haunts.

So don't offer them temptation.  Park with the thought of having a clear exit.

You'll be fine !


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## Deleted member 9849 (Feb 23, 2017)

delicagirl said:


> trust your gut instinct  -  its always right.....  enjoy



Yes,that's what we do,if something doesn't feel quite right then move on.


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## yorkslass (Feb 25, 2017)

Hi,:welcome::wave::wave:


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## jann (Feb 26, 2017)

Don't leave it too late in the day to park up.
Try to have an alternative place.
Make sure it is easy to leave- reverse into your parking place then you can drive out.
We have left a few places in the afternoon because we weren't happy,but never had to leave in night
Look around you. If there are cans and take away wrappings then there will probably be a lot of vehicles in and out.


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## vampirequeen (Feb 26, 2017)

As others have said, trust your instincts.  If it doesn't feel right then move on.  We've only been disturbed twice.  Once when we picked a boy racer spot....our fault as it was the obvious place for them to race. The second time was when someone phoned the police to report a suspicious van lurking in the area (we have a white transit that doesn't look like a campervan).  The police knocked on the window at about 1am but once they saw we were a campervan they were lovely and even said they'd do a few extra passes during the night to make sure we were OK.

If the landowner has gone to the effort of making and putting up a sign then they really don't want anyone there so better to move on from that spot no matter how perfect. There are always lots more places to stop.


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## mikigough (Feb 26, 2017)

:welcome::have fun:

Mickey.


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