# Possible Wild Camping convert



## Cliffy (Dec 8, 2012)

Recently retired and have been motorhoming for three years using mainly campsites both in the UK and mainland Europe. We have all the equpment to be self supporting but have only wild camped maybe half a dozen times in Scotland and Wales. 

We are open to be being converted to wild camping, hense why I have joined this forum.

Main reasons we tend not to wild camp are :-

1) Not knowing if we are going to get moved on at a minutes notice in the middle of the night.
2) Do not like trafic noice at night.
3) Can feel a little insecure.
4) We like to support local ecconomies particularly rural ones.
5) We like to take half day cycling excurtions.

So be gentle with me please. :newhere:


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## Lorain (Dec 8, 2012)

We feel the same...would love to wild camp more..and join meets...but have a 6 yr old..also...so how does this fit...any info great fully recieved. : ) thanks x


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## silverweed (Dec 8, 2012)

Wild camping is great and we'v only been in camp sites a couple of times when away with friends who don't wild. But like any activity you have to think it through. Meaning choose your spots carefully. We only put up with traffic noise if we are traveling through and then only because we don't have the time to look around. If I find a suitable spot I take the co ordinates for another time. We always find quiet places and we sometimes take our 8 year old grand daughter. As you wild camp you will start to automatically see places that are right for you as you go along, there is no magic formulae , you will just get better at recognising where to stop. Give it a go, it great


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## Firefox (Dec 9, 2012)

Cliffy said:


> Recently retired and have been motorhoming for three years using mainly campsites both in the UK and mainland Europe. We have all the equpment to be self supporting but have only wild camped maybe half a dozen times in Scotland and Wales.
> 
> We are open to be being converted to wild camping, hense why I have joined this forum.
> 
> ...



Hi Cliffy


1) Not knowing if we are going to get moved on at a minutes notice in the middle of the night.

*You won't get moved on - this is a notion bandied about by campsite owners.*

2) Do not like trafic noice at night.

*Choose a wild camping location away from traffic.*

3) Can feel a little insecure.

*Nothing to be done about this I guess than keep on doing it till you get more confidant.*

4) We like to support local ecconomies particularly rural ones.

*You can support the local economy by buying food and visiting the pubs and attractions. You'll have more money to do this than if you paid a campsite £20 for a patch of grass for 12 hours.*

5) We like to take half day cycling excurtions.

*Nothing to stop you doing this when wildcamping. If you don't want to leave your van in the countryside, take it into a nearby village, park there and use that as a base for your cycle trip.*


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## IAM FREE (Dec 9, 2012)

*Iam free.*



Cliffy said:


> Recently retired and have been motorhoming for three years using mainly campsites both in the UK and mainland Europe. We have all the equpment to be self supporting but have only wild camped maybe half a dozen times in Scotland and Wales.
> 
> We are open to be being converted to wild camping, hense why I have joined this forum.
> 
> ...



Hi how are you. You say you have been motorhoming for three years now is that full time living in your motorhome or have you got a home to go back to should things go wrong. I have a small camper at the moment, but i am thinking about buying a larger motorhome to live in full time & wild camp only going into campsites when need to emty waist tanks & fill up with fresh water all so to charge battery's. If i take the bull by the horns and do this i will be selling my property, so i will not have a home to go back too.  I have no one else to worry about only myself & my little best friend bengy a jack russel. Have you or anyone else you know got any advise as i am not realy sure if i should go down that road. From IAM FREE [ Mel ]


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## Neckender (Dec 9, 2012)

I have no one else to worry about only myself & my little best friend bengy a jack russel.

Great little dogs very faithfull.

John.


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## table9tom (Dec 9, 2012)

Have you considered the pub stops? My club (although actually listed as a wild camping spot) has built in monitored CCTV, we have a barrier to the car park we can lower, we back onto a largish country park, and the last time cyclists stopped over with us I even kept their bikes locked in the garage over night for them.  In fact as they were an older couple in a converted transit, I even hooked them up for the night so they didn't suffer the cold too much.  Shameless advertising bit, its listed as Llay royal British legion near Wrexham.  Pubs and clubs can offer a bit more security than a lay by, and we are always grate full for an extra drink or two being bought at night.


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## Ironjaws (Dec 9, 2012)

I don't think its shameless advertising, you're just extending a welcome. I live in France so Wild Camping here not a problem but other than in Scotalnd, where part of our family live, I do prefer pub stops or even licensed sites. We'' come round if we're ever are in the area of Wrexham.


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## Cliffy (Dec 9, 2012)

*Wild camping full time*



IAM FREE said:


> Hi how are you. You say you have been motorhoming for three years now is that full time living in your motorhome or have you got a home to go back to should things go wrong. I have a small camper at the moment, but i am thinking about buying a larger motorhome to live in full time & wild camp only going into campsites when need to emty waist tanks & fill up with fresh water all so to charge battery's. If i take the bull by the horns and do this i will be selling my property, so i will not have a home to go back too.  I have no one else to worry about only myself & my little best friend bengy a jack russel. Have you or anyone else you know got any advise as i am not realy sure if i should go down that road. From IAM FREE [ Mel ]




We still have our house to go to. We spend most of March to September away in the van, two months in to Europe and multipe one/two weeks around the UK. As it is only a 6 metre CB with a smallish payload it would not be suitable for full timing IMO. 
If you go full timing you need to have a home address, even if it is just a trusted mates house. (Not a PO Box). Without this you will loose entitlement to free NHS care after 6 months abroard (3 months if under 60 years old) . You would also have problems getting travel/motor/health insurance and probably a bank account/credit card. Full timers we have talked to have rented their house out or sold the house and bought a flat near the channel coast, the rent pays for their motorhoming with money left over and they still have a property  as an edge against inflation and a foothold in the UK for when they decide to call it a day on travelling.
If I was on my own, which fortunately I am not, I would go full timing but spend time working at campsites/vineyard etc for periods. I like to get a feel for the culture of different countries, which of course means having some understanding of the local language which is quickly picked up when living in a country by yourself.

Best of luck whatever you do. 

Cliff


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## Firefox (Dec 9, 2012)

IAM FREE said:


> Hi how are you. You say you have been motorhoming for three years now is that full time living in your motorhome or have you got a home to go back to should things go wrong. I have a small camper at the moment, but i am thinking about buying a larger motorhome to live in full time & wild camp only going into campsites when need to emty waist tanks & fill up with fresh water all so to charge battery's. If i take the bull by the horns and do this i will be selling my property, so i will not have a home to go back too.  I have no one else to worry about only myself & my little best friend bengy a jack russel. Have you or anyone else you know got any advise as i am not realy sure if i should go down that road. From IAM FREE [ Mel ]



Don't sell your house. Rent it out.


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## bayneclan (Dec 18, 2012)

We have been wild camping for 7 years now and we do prefer the quiet spots or public houses but over the past year the pubs are winning quiet a lot, we have found some really friendly places and have enjoyed the local company and knowledge of the area a big bonus and we have always felt safe, we normally look up a few suggestions on this site then google the pub and phone them to see if ok for us to stop for a few nights, all have been brill. Once you have tried a few there will be no stopping you. Happy wilding


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## Cliffy (Dec 18, 2012)

*Pub Stop Overs*



bayneclan said:


> We have been wild camping for 7 years now and we do prefer the quiet spots or public houses but over the past year the pubs are winning quiet a lot, we have found some really friendly places and have enjoyed the local company and knowledge of the area a big bonus and we have always felt safe, we normally look up a few suggestions on this site then google the pub and phone them to see if ok for us to stop for a few nights, all have been brill. Once you have tried a few there will be no stopping you. Happy wilding




I like the idea of using pub car parks. I have passed a few and thought that the car park would be ideal but did not have the courage to stop and ask. Where on this site can I get suggestions for pubs that look favourably on allowing overnighting in their car parks. I know there is a site called Brit Stops but I think a membership is required.


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## Wooie1958 (Dec 18, 2012)

Cliffy said:


> I like the idea of using pub car parks. I have passed a few and thought that the car park would be ideal but did not have the courage to stop and ask. Where on this site can I get suggestions for pubs that look favourably on allowing overnighting in their car parks. I know there is a site called Brit Stops but I think a membership is required.






Same here i`m afraid, you need to pay your membership ( still on offer i think ) then you`ll get all the POIs which

include all the Wild Camping spots and Pub Stops.

It costs less than the price of 1 night on a site, valid for 12 months with regular updates.


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