# Exmoor



## Guy (Apr 27, 2018)

A couple of years ago on the way back up from Cornwall, Dorset, Devon we headed up through Exmoor, ending up at Porlock Weir. The area was beautiful so we thought we may explore it more this year.Looking on the POI map there is surprisingly very few spots to stay and hardly any on the coast. Is this right or is my map not showing what it should be.
Thanks, Guy.


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## QFour (Apr 27, 2018)

The Anchor Inn was very nice and they have a very flat Car Park opposite. We stopped a couple of days. Its down by the river so really nice spot.


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## Canalsman (Apr 27, 2018)

Unfortunately the coastal areas are largely no-go areas for overnight stops ...


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## Guy (Apr 29, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> Unfortunately the coastal areas are largely no-go areas for overnight stops ...


Why are coastal areas largely no go areas, is that down to the local councils.


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## yeoblade (Apr 29, 2018)

I have overnighted here before

Google Maps

Parking on the *roadside *looking at the sea, because if you park in the parking bays opposite, it's banned overnight.:mad1: But Ok on the road. 
As said Pub is just up the road.


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## Canalsman (Apr 29, 2018)

Guy said:


> Why are coastal areas largely no go areas, is that down to the local councils.



Yes ...


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## Canalsman (Apr 29, 2018)

yeoblade said:


> I have overnighted here before
> 
> Google Maps
> V
> ...



This is at Blue Anchor, correct?

If so I don't understand your explanation. There are angled parking bays and if you park on the roadside opposite it will cause an obstruction ...


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## yeoblade (Apr 29, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> This is at Blue Anchor, correct?
> 
> If so I don't understand your explanation. There are angled parking bays and if you park on the roadside opposite it will cause an obstruction ...



Yes, Blue Anchor. the angled parking does have a no overnight parking for Moho/caravans sign

It is in a 30 limit, so no parking lights are required but you must face in the direction of the traffic. and no parking restrictions, so parking is allowed. It is no more of an obstruction than me parking outside my house.
There are often a few night fishermen's cars there too. I watched the Police pass by without any problems while I was there.


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## colinm (Apr 29, 2018)

yeoblade said:


> It is in a 30 limit, so no parking lights are required but you must face in the direction of the traffic.



Are you sure about that?



> Rule 250
> Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 2500 kg laden weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are:
> 
> at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow
> ...


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## Canalsman (Apr 30, 2018)

Just checked the Highway Code and you are correct about night-time parking without lights in a 30 mph zone but this applies:

_Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) _


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## colinm (Apr 30, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> Just checked the Highway Code and you are correct about night-time parking without lights in a 30 mph zone but this applies:
> 
> _Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) _



There's something odd with .GOV site, it states 2500kg laden, but the linked legislation is 1525kg unladen. I have reported it, but I've spotted mistakes before and they never change them.


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## yeoblade (Apr 30, 2018)

Best put your lights on then.

And that's a reminder to all those tradesman vans & Chelsea tractor drivers too.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Deneb (Apr 30, 2018)

The Highway Code is a necessarily abridged summary of legislation and advice. If it described every single nuance of the various regulations enshrined in legislation, it would be many times the size ;-)

You all seem to be hung up on the weight exemption for goods vehicles, but a motorhome is not a goods vehicle, even if it is based on a van originally manufactured as such (as long as it has been properly converted and type approved).

Is your van shown on the V5C as a motor caravan. If so, it is a 

"special purpose M category vehicle constructed to include living accommodation which contains at least the following equipment: 
- seats and table,
- sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats,
- cooking facilities, and
- storage facilities.
This equipment shall be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable."
(EEC 2007/46/EC para 5.1)

A category M vehicle is a motor vehicles with at least four wheels designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers.
These are further sub-divided into category M1, M2 and M3 depending on the number of passenger seats and MAM. A motor caravan will be category M1 irrespective of its MAM unless it has more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver's seat.

Regulation 24 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 sets out the requirements to display front and rear position lamps on any vehicle allowed to remain at rest on a road between sunset and sunrise, subject to exempted circumstances defined in Regulation 24 paras (5) and (8), and provided the vehicle is of a type listed in para (7).

These are:

(a)a motor vehicle being a goods vehicle the unladen weight of which does not exceed 1525 kg;
(b)a passenger vehicle other than a bus;
(c)an invalid carriage; and
(d)a motor cycle or a pedal cycle in either case with or without a sidecar;
not being– 
(i)a vehicle to which a trailer is attached;
(ii)a vehicle which is required to be fitted with lamps by regulation 21; or  (Vehicles carrying overhanging or projecting loads or equipment)
(iii)a vehicle carrying a load, if the load is required to be fitted with lamps by regulation 21.

(8) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (5)(c) are that– 
(a)the vehicle is parked on a road on which the driving of vehicles otherwise than in one direction is prohibited at all times and its left or near side is as close as may be and parallel to the left-hand edge of the carriageway or its right or off side is as close as may be and parallel to the right-hand edge of the carriageway; or
(b)the vehicle is parked on a road on which such a prohibition does not exist and its left or near side is as close as may be and parallel to the edge of the carriageway.

A motor caravan, being a category M special purpose vehicle is a passenger vehicle and not a goods vehicle, therefore it falls within definition (b) above, not (a). Not being a bus, it is exempt from the requirement to display lights when parked in the circumstances defined in paragraph 8 above, irreseective of its unladen weight or MAM.

That is what the legislation says. However, having had personal experience of numerous incidents in my career where occupants of vehicles parked on carriageways at night have been killed or seriously injured as a result of being hit by other vehicles, I would personally question the wisdom of sleeping in particular whilst parked on a road or even in a layby at the side of a "fast" main road, or where the layby is not separated from the carriageway by a kerbed and preferably barriered island, whether you have lights displayed or not. Night time is when the drink and drug impaired, possibly also showing off to friends, type idiots are about and I have known parked vehicles to be hit by other vehicle travelling in excess of 70 mph in 30 mph residential areas. Personally, I discount on road parking for overnight stops for those reasons, but the law is as above.


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## yeoblade (Apr 30, 2018)

Deneb said:


> The Highway Code is a necessarily abridged summary of legislation and advice. If it described every single nuance of the various regulations enshrined in legislation, it would be many times the size ;-)
> 
> You all seem to be hung up on the weight exemption for goods vehicles, but a motorhome is not a goods vehicle, even if it is based on a van originally manufactured as such (as long as it has been properly converted and type approved).
> 
> ...



Wow!

So don't worry about lights, drunks can't see them.

I think you need to assess the parking spot and do as you feel safe with.

There is about one accident/year in our road of hitting parked cars and normally at night, doublesly drunk.


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## Nabsim (Apr 30, 2018)

We live on a country road on outskirts of a village, the whole village is away from any main roads but for some reason is all a 40mph limit. In this area the majority of the old stone cottages are on or very close to the roads and have no parking. Being a 40 limit the law says you should have lights on during the hour of darkness, I have seen one person that used those flashing bicycle lights in the last 20 years, the police will come round every 7 years or so and tell householders they shouldn't be parked without lights but Have never heard of a prosecution at all.

It doesn't make it right to park but everyone does it and police themselves say the road should be a 30 where lights wouldn't be needed. I expect the police in the area mentioned are as relaxed about it as they are around here although folks do need be aware they could be prosecuted. You only need a parking light though and I have had different advice from local police. One told me a red light at the back would suffice so long as the car was parked in the direction of travel but another told me white at front and red at back. None of them ever said the lights had to meet any regulation and they both said bike type lights but again I dont know if that would meet any proper rules as opposed to what they are happy with. If you dont need certain lights maybe wire up a red led at the beck end and a white one at the front? Would use virtually no juice if you could


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## Canalsman (Apr 30, 2018)

Deneb said:


> That is what the legislation says. However, having had personal experience of numerous incidents in my career where occupants of vehicles parked on carriageways at night have been killed or seriously injured as a result of being hit by other vehicles, I would personally question the wisdom of sleeping in particular whilst parked on a road or even in a layby at the side of a "fast" main road, or where the layby is not separated from the carriageway by a kerbed and preferably barriered island, whether you have lights displayed or not. Night time is when the drink and drug impaired, possibly also showing off to friends, type idiots are about and I have known parked vehicles to be hit by other vehicle travelling in excess of 70 mph in 30 mph residential areas. Personally, I discount on road parking for overnight stops for those reasons, but the law is as above.



This is the reason that laybys that are included in the POIs are vetted to ensure that they are separated physically from the carriageway.

I do make exceptions to this rule on minor roads where the layby is inset sufficient to make it safe and where road speeds may be expected to be low.

At the end of the day however it is for the individual to determine whether or not it is safe to park without lights ...


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## Canalsman (Apr 30, 2018)

Nabsim said:


> We live on a country road on outskirts of a village, the whole village is away from any main roads but for some reason is all a 40mph limit. In this area the majority of the old stone cottages are on or very close to the roads and have no parking. Being a 40 limit the law says you should have lights on during the hour of darkness, I have seen one person that used those flashing bicycle lights in the last 20 years, the police will come round every 7 years or so and tell householders they shouldn't be parked without lights but Have never heard of a prosecution at all.
> 
> It doesn't make it right to park but everyone does it and police themselves say the road should be a 30 where lights wouldn't be needed. I expect the police in the area mentioned are as relaxed about it as they are around here although folks do need be aware they could be prosecuted. You only need a parking light though and I have had different advice from local police. One told me a red light at the back would suffice so long as the car was parked in the direction of travel but another told me white at front and red at back. None of them ever said the lights had to meet any regulation and they both said bike type lights but again I dont know if that would meet any proper rules as opposed to what they are happy with. If you dont need certain lights maybe wire up a red led at the beck end and a white one at the front? Would use virtually no juice if you could



I don't think there's any ambiguity about what lights are required.

If you park the vehicle with sidelights illuminated they are solid white and red, not flashing.

So you need to replicate that with LED lights.

I wouldn't park in a 40 zone without lights. It's a good excuse for rejection of an insurance claim ...


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## Sker (May 4, 2018)

*Exmoor Parking.*

Hello Guy,

The problem on the coast, or in land come to that, is that the National Park is very anti motorhomes. The coast from just west of Minehead to to North Devon is all in the NP. There has been talk by West Somerset Council of allowing overnighting for motorhomes in a couple of it’s car parks, (one in Minehead and one in Porlock), but as yet I don’t believe anything has happened! In the daytime you can park at the top of Porlock Hill and have a magnificent view across the Bristol Channel. It is a free car park all day. However ‘No overnighting’ signs have gone up there this year.


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## Nigel L (May 5, 2018)

It would be good to be able to park in Minehead and Porlock, as we love visiting these areas. Be keeping an eye on any developments.
We have overnighted along the front in Lynmouth in the past, but only out of season when it is quiet.


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## Sker (May 5, 2018)

I think it would be a good idea if people emailed West Somerset Council and made their views known. (Find them on Google). My guess is that they have considered it as some car parks in North Devon now allow overnighting for a small fee. Motorhomers are driving along the A39 and not stopping in Minehead and Porlock in an attempt to get to the overnight car parks in Appledore, Bideford etc. (I think even Lynmouth allows it now......but I am not sure). West Somerset do not want to lose business, so have considered doing the same. If everyone writes to encourage them, it might happen!


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