# Free Camping vs Wild camping



## klex (Nov 14, 2007)

This might seems to be a bad suggestion (on this site!) but why not do a paradigm shift and abandon the WILD part and go to the more civilized (or less anarchistic!) term FREE - when it comes to camping?

Personally I have a strong suspicion that the term WILD Camping is coined by camping site owners who wants to give people the impression that this type of camping is more or less illegal. Or at least should give people a sense of guilt when not paying money to make a stop over at a camping site.

We FREE CAMPERS are not illegal, we are just using our right to legally stay at places we chose and our activity should not be called names by greedy camp site owners!

At http://www.husbilsklubben.se/forums/  we do not use the term 'wild camping' any more, we prefer the more positive and nice term 'free camping'!
Camping is a way of life and there is people living full time in their MH - they have invested handsome money to fulfill the freedom dream and there is nothing wild about that.

FREE CAMPING, yes?


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## Trevor (Nov 14, 2007)

klex said:


> This might seems to be a bad suggestion (on this site!) but why not do a paradigm shift and abandon the WILD part and go to the more civilized (or less anarchistic!) term FREE - when it comes to camping?
> 
> Personally I have a strong suspicion that the term WILD Camping is coined by camping site owners who wants to give people the impression that this type of camping is more or less illegal. Or at least should give people a sense of guilt when not paying money to make a stop over at a camping site.
> 
> ...



Hi Klex, 
Nothing wrong with a bit of anarchy, i think a lot of people on here prefer Wildcamping  as i myself do, its not realy anything to do with anarchy more to do with being somewhere remote or at least partly remote and free when camping.
I myself  would never feel guilty about staying somewhere for free and enjoying England's green and pleasant land as it would have been many years ago.


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## HappyHippy (Nov 14, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## Trevor (Nov 14, 2007)

HappyHippy said:


> Quite the reverse in fact - I would feel terribly guilty if I ever stooped to paying to park - that would be to go against everything I believe in! I prefer "free parking" as the term for it, but that's just semantics. And Anarchy is no bad thing



Hello HappyHippy.
Free parking for Wildcampers sounds good you could have started somthing there now.
We will have to list all the free parking near to the wildcamping sites in case we go into town for supply's.


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## GARY ENGLISH (Nov 14, 2007)

*Free camping*

Nothing wrong with free camping ,how it should be. Trouble is we are ripped off for every thing in this country.


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## pilote (Nov 15, 2007)

Wild camping is what it,s about in remote rural spot,s,as opposed to Free Camping,I-E. C-Parks lay-Bys etc,Just enjoy the freedom to choose while It,s still left  Dave


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## Belgian (Nov 17, 2007)

When I answer the man-of-the-law, here on the continent, that I am 'Wildcamping' he draws his pencil and I get a fine from here to ...
Overhere :'Wild' means at least anarchy up to terrorism.
'Camping" = putting a tent where you shouldn't.
I'm not 'wild' (my wife would like that), I' m not 'camping' (my scouting time was long ago).
Like we all (I presume) we are looking for a spot, secure and good looking, till the next morning. I'm a 'free-overnighter'  (OK,it doesn't sound well 
)
Got my idea fellas ?


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## Trevor (Nov 17, 2007)

Belgian said:


> When I answer the man-of-the-law, here on the continent, that I am 'Wildcamping' he draws his pencil and I get a fine from here to ...
> Overhere :'Wild' means at least anarchy up to terrorism.
> 'Camping" = putting a tent where you shouldn't.
> I'm not 'wild' (my wife would like that), I' m not 'camping' (my scouting time was long ago).
> ...



Yes i understand mon ami after all i was a scout in my younger days and i think thats where i got the bug for wildcamping, camping in the woods with every one around the campfire oh those were the day my friend.


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## Belgian (Nov 17, 2007)

Yep, my friend, those where the days. goI think most of us got the illness of wilding in scouting. But my tenting days are gone; growing stiffer in the places we don't want 
But this gives me an idea  Scouting is so wellspread in Britain; and they must have 100-rs of campingsites not used outside hollidays. I'sure oldies with MH's could be welcome there. Worth asking ??


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## HappyHippy (Nov 18, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## Trevor (Nov 18, 2007)

HappyHippy said:


> Wouldn't they want money though?



yep no doubt about that happyhippy


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 18, 2007)

i prefer WILDCAMPING, and dont realy want to change. plus in this country of ours if you say something is free then some government official will want to take some more money out of our pockets the word FREE ha no such thing in england any more


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 18, 2007)

Belgian said:


> When I answer the man-of-the-law, here on the continent, that I am 'Wildcamping' he draws his pencil and I get a fine from here to ...
> Overhere :'Wild' means at least anarchy up to terrorism.
> 'Camping" = putting a tent where you shouldn't.
> I'm not 'wild' (my wife would like that), I' m not 'camping' (my scouting time was long ago).
> ...


 just had a look in the english dictionary for wild  nothing about anarchy or terrorism that i can see


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## klex (Nov 18, 2007)

See your point Mandrake, it's about the same here when it comes to taxes and now they're using the pollution of the environment as an excuse to raise every tax within grasp, primarly fuel taxes!

But there is an lingvistic difference between free and gratis and when chosing between FREE camping and WILD camping the outcome is given, at least for me.
A humble suggestion in order to find an acceptable phrase might be to write the two words FREE and CAMPING together as one word, 'freecamping'?
Using that word takes the pressure off the single word 'free' and moves it to the camping activity.

Don't give the camping site owners any more help to give the impression that freecamping is more or less illegal (wild)!


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 18, 2007)

the way i look at it ,is if you say freecamping then it looks to some, like you are getting away without paying for something that campsite owners charge for. and that will never  do !! i guess its just a matter of personal opinion what you want to call it  wild or free


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## Trevor (Nov 18, 2007)

mandrake said:


> the way i look at it ,is if you say freecamping then it looks to some, like you are getting away without paying for something that campsite owners charge for. and that will never  do !! i guess its just a matter of personal opinion what you want to call it  wild or free



Some people think free camping is getting up early and leging it before the farmer comes to collect, they would have to be up at the crack of dawn to avoid these country folk. LOL


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 18, 2007)

Trevor said:


> Some people think free camping is getting up early and leging it before the farmer comes to collect, they would have to be up at the crack of dawn to avoid these country folk. LOL


 then if you leged it, i guess you will have a (wild camping site owner)  please dont shoot me for that one


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## Trevor (Nov 18, 2007)

mandrake said:


> then if you leged it, i guess you will have a (wild camping site owner)  please dont shoot me for that one



where is my gun.
I wonder how many folk on here have done it, dont think they would admit it though do you mandrake. well i will be the first i have.


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 18, 2007)

Trevor said:


> where is my gun.
> I wonder how many folk on here have done it, dont think they would admit it though do you mandrake. well i will be the first i have.


 not guilty of that one,  i like my cup o tea and bacon butty before i go on a morn and these farmers are up too early for me in any case.


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## HappyHippy (Nov 19, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## Trevor (Nov 19, 2007)

HappyHippy said:


> I've most definitely never done it, simply because I would never under any circumstances ever be on a paying camp site in the first place, so leaving early to avoid paying doesn't enter into it at all for me. I'm writing these words in a lovely wee (free) car park overlooking the stunningly beautiful Ebbor Gorge in Somerset - better views and better privacy than most paying sites could offer



I agree 100% with what you are saying HappyHippy, but when i cant find somewhere to take a shower  or a suitable stream and i have been away for a while i will use a campsite for that reason but olly on rare occasions.


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## HappyHippy (Nov 19, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## loubylou (Nov 19, 2007)

*Rural camping?*



mandrake said:


> i prefer WILDCAMPING, and dont realy want to change. plus in this country of ours if you say something is free then some government official will want to take some more money out of our pockets the word FREE ha no such thing in england any more



I agree with Mandrake on this one I like it and I wouldnt want it to change.  Freecamping implies no money has been paid rather than 'free and easy' whereas wild camping implies rural, 'home is where you park it'.  If we had a new name rural camping would get my vote.
Lou


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## loubylou (Nov 19, 2007)

*come on!*



HappyHippy said:


> Well I think that's where I probably differ from a lot of folks on this forum - I would never use one no matter what, certainly not for a shower! To me wild camping is not just for a weekend, it's a way of life. Every time you pay for a site you are encouraging more places to charge for parking, so I won't ever do it, regardless of whether I can afford it or not, or how long since I had a hot shower, or how low my battery is, or how full my toilet or rubbish bin. It's just wrong.



Its not wrong, its just different!  Some sites have fabulous facilities, you cant beat swimming in the great outdoors when the waters warm and the suns shining on the water, or playing on the waterslides when the rain is pelting down outside.  Granted wilding is spectacular, if you get a good location and weather, but the best of both worlds comes to mind.  We have stayed at some sites with spectacular views that are not there to rip anyone off, just happy to help you enjoy your holiday like on the isle of wight, Brixham, Carbis bay-cornwall.  There still alot cheaper than b&b, hotels or guest houses.
Lou


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## HappyHippy (Nov 19, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## shortcircuit (Nov 19, 2007)

Unfortunately HH I cant go along with the free loading attitude.  Somebody has had to pay to provide a fascility.  Why do you consider you should not  pay?


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 19, 2007)

hi happy hippy i do admire your principals,you do what you beleive in. since we have had our van we have not gone on a camp site, but if we had to we would.i understand that some of us on this site, have kids so at times they have to.but untill i am desperate for a camp site i for one will stay off them, the only thing i will pay are the night fees for some car parks in towns. as we go to matlock a lot at least the car park is still free


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## Trevor (Nov 19, 2007)

HappyHippy said:


> Well this is why I said I thought this was a point on which I differed from many of the folks here - by my ethics/morality/belief system or whatever you call it, it IS wrong. It is totally irrelavent whether it's cheaper than a B&B or a guesthouse - I didn't get my bus together to stay in B & B's or guesthouses any more than I did it to pay for parking! Even if the charge was a single penny I would be just as opposed to even the thought of paying to park as if it were £100. It's not about the cost, it's about the principle. There would be no heroin traffickers if people wouldn't pay for the drug. There would be no prostitution if people wouldn't pay for sex. And there would be no paying camp sites or paying car parks if people refused to pay to park as I do. There are some things that I just believe it is downright immoral to pay for. Parking is such a thing for me.



Well thats a whole new kettle of fish, if people that want to use campsites and pay for it thats there chioce, as you have made yours, and i for one do not disagree with your choice or your way of life.
If there was no paying campsites i doubt very much if there would be any campsites at all, how could there be there would be no funds for the up keep of them.
So now would everyone with no campsites to go to end up wildcamping and possibly overcrowd people like yourself and spoil your style of life in the sense that Farmers, Landowners, Goverment and the powers that be would surely put a stop to it like some countries already do, maybe in an ideal world but we do not live in an ideal world.


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## Biker Jeff (Nov 20, 2007)

So paying to say at a campsite is compared with Prostitution and Heroin trafficking. And it also seems that it is downright immoral to pay to stay at a campsite.
I've heard some bollox spouted on forums, but this is quite unbelievable.
Its just this sort of arrogant millitant attitude from idiots like Happy Hippy, that can cause prejudice towards the more reasonable wildcampers of us.


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## christine (Nov 20, 2007)

When we motorhome in Scotland and stay on a lochside for a few days at a time, we have always called it free camping. Basically, we are encamped for free. We even have a camp fire.And yes, we are in the wild but still call it free camping!!!


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## Journeyman (Nov 21, 2007)

*Fc V Wc*

Never paid for it, Never stayed on a "site" and cant think why I would want too?
If you're goin to start using "Camp Sites" you're half way to becoming a CARAVANNER and thats just disgusting!!!

RIGHT ON Happy Hippy!!!


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## HappyHippy (Nov 21, 2007)

Deleted by auther.


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## Biker Jeff (Nov 21, 2007)

You ARE an idiot, if you think that campsites are an immoral industry.
Like ***** i go Wilding AND stay at campsites. People on here who occasionally use paying sites shouldn't have to justify themselves to a hippy like yourself, with a holier than thou attitude.
I think you ought to lighten up, & stop being so arrogant, and accept that different people use their camper vans in different ways.


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## shortcircuit (Nov 21, 2007)

I may have incorrectly posted as when I look at your location it says "In me blue bus".  I have assumed, possible incorrectly, that you had no fixed abode and therefore are freeloading.


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 21, 2007)

are we all decending into children again!! wether we decide to stay on a camp site or lay bye or a car park, pay or dont pay, can it realy matter.some need to stay on a camp site for family or personal reasons , others dont. me personaly i dont have to, dare i say pay for the use of a bit of grass to park on but who knows what i will need in the future. if we all start calling each other idiots and the like for our points of veiw ,then we will not be able to share our experiences without arguing liven up we are adults


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## sundown (Nov 21, 2007)

mandrake said:


> are we all decending into children again!! wether we decide to stay on a camp site or lay bye or a car park, pay or dont pay, can it realy matter.some need to stay on a camp site for family or personal reasons , others dont. me personaly i dont have to, dare i say pay for the use of a bit of grass to park on but who knows what i will need in the future. if we all start calling each other idiots and the like for our points of veiw ,then we will not be able to share our experiences without arguing liven up we are adults



*Well said mandrake* ,I totaly agree, if anyone wants to sling mud why not post private messages to each other and leave these forums for constructive posts 
by the way, I had just joined this site when the last mud-slinging episode was going on, I nearly left immediatly, so c'mon lads lets keep it the friendly site we all know that it is   sundown


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## shortcircuit (Nov 21, 2007)

Mandrake

"all decending into children"

I object to this assertion.  A discussion was in progress with a minority abusing and the majority able to stand above that.

Perhaps you should consider in what vein your contribution has been


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 21, 2007)

shortcircuit said:


> Mandrake
> 
> "all decending into children"
> 
> ...


you are quite in your right to object to my post , and i welcome it , the only thing i put my post on was  as you said yourself is the minority abusing the the majority . is it ok for anyone to abuse anyones veiws we are all suposed to be freinds on her so we should be able to accept each others veiws no matter how they want to live i did consider in what vein my contribution was , and i hope it was to the good of this site and all that contribute if i have upset anyone then let it be through truth and not abuse thank you.


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## shortcircuit (Nov 21, 2007)

We should go back to the original posting to determine if we should be free or wild.  My point is nothing is free.

On a totally different subject, I am gutted that Andora could not beat Russia, as that is the only way England could have stayed in, based on their performance tonight


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 21, 2007)

i totaly agree with you there nothing is free anymore mores the pity, i guess when it comes down to it it is up to the individual wether we call it free or wild camping .if its wild its free if its free its wild lets all agree to dissagree what the hell just enjoy at least we are all FREE to enjoy ourselves take care all.by the way how did england go on not my game football,


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## shortcircuit (Nov 21, 2007)

I am reluctant to post this as I am a Scot and will be accused of mocking, but they got beat 3/2.  

A lot of falling on swords tonight.  

I had a comment about golden balls but retracted it


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 21, 2007)

shortcircuit said:


> I am reluctant to post this as I am a Scot and will be accused of mocking, but they got beat 3/2.
> 
> A lot of falling on swords tonight.
> 
> I had a comment about golden balls but retracted it


 dont be relutant to post as you come from scotland . i will more than likeley be slated for this but dident expect england to do the biz and whose golden balls , more like  a load of b---s  by the way we hope to visit bonny scotland next year never been up your neck of the woods or mountains so looking forwards to it cheers


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## sundown (Nov 21, 2007)

*wild or free*

ok  let me tell you an interesting wee story
Way back in the sixties before i had ever heard the expresion "wild camping"
we were in the scotish highlands with a wee 2 man tent & a beat up old citroen. we found the scotish dream campsite. it was a grassy slope on the side of a mountain with a burn flowing down from the mountain, beautiful scenery and not another human for miles
"Perfect we thought" We pitched camp & settled down for the night.
ahem! a rude awakening in the morning. it had been p---ing down all night and something large and heavy was pressing on each side of the tent.
i unzipped the door to find that every sheep on the mountain had decided to check out our camp. by the time we had chased them off we were soaked to the skin. but we just built a fire, dried ourselves off,cooked some sausages on a stick over the fire and laughed it off. you can call it "wild camping" or "free camping"  but man, it was wild, it was free, & it was camping
 sundown


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## lenny (Nov 21, 2007)

Nice one sundown ,that brought back memories and gave me a little chuckle.


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 22, 2007)

sundown said:


> ok  let me tell you an interesting wee story
> Way back in the sixties before i had ever heard the expresion "wild camping"
> we were in the scotish highlands with a wee 2 man tent & a beat up old citroen. we found the scotish dream campsite. it was a grassy slope on the side of a mountain with a burn flowing down from the mountain, beautiful scenery and not another human for miles
> "Perfect we thought" We pitched camp & settled down for the night.
> ...


 now that is wild camping not like roughing it it in a nice warm cumfy motor home with a heater hot water shower nufff sed


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 22, 2007)

forgot the telly night night


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## loubylou (Nov 22, 2007)

*And a telly.....*



mandrake said:


> forgot the telly night night



We dont have any of that in our little van, nor do we take a telly, are we wild, I think we must be or mad!


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## Trevor (Nov 22, 2007)

sundown said:


> ok  let me tell you an interesting wee story
> Way back in the sixties before i had ever heard the expresion "wild camping"
> we were in the scotish highlands with a wee 2 man tent & a beat up old citroen. we found the scotish dream campsite. it was a grassy slope on the side of a mountain with a burn flowing down from the mountain, beautiful scenery and not another human for miles
> "Perfect we thought" We pitched camp & settled down for the night.
> ...



I recon the sheep were trying to get in your tent to keep dry. LOL.
Here is my opinion (for what it's worth) if it's free it's wild, problem solved.


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## Steve & Carol (Nov 22, 2007)

***** said:


> Well, I have said manytimes.
> "I use campsites and I wild and I use carparks"
> I have and will continue to overnight at all of the above and I do not feel guilty about using campsites, in fact I used one last weekend and I probably will this next weekend.
> I tend to wild more in the summer months!
> Just do whatever you fancy as long as you enjoy



totally agree, isn't this what having our 'vans is all about, the freedom to do what ever WE chose. Earlier this year, we were in Scotland, and only "wild" camped 3 or 4 times, but another time up in the Lakes, "wild" camped nearly every night. Some sites are exactly were we wanted to be, so, yes we stayed on a "site". It's all about having the freedom to do what you want and were you want.


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## Deleted member 775 (Nov 22, 2007)

Steve & Carol said:


> totally agree, isn't this what having our 'vans is all about, the freedom to do what ever WE chose. Earlier this year, we were in Scotland, and only "wild" camped 3 or 4 times, but another time up in the Lakes, "wild" camped nearly every night. Some sites are exactly were we wanted to be, so, yes we stayed on a "site". It's all about having the freedom to do what you want and were you want.


 i look at it like this any thing wild has the freedom to do as it wants, so lets just enjoy what little freedom we have and enjoy ourselves


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## cipro (Nov 22, 2007)

*Blast from the past*

Athread close to boiling ah oh no stranger than folk my nan you to say

However my go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I like a free over night stay like the next man or the second ect. however my motorhoming is small breaks and holidays from the work load and life

If you want to use a camp site ok, some places I visit dont have for me suitable SAFE places to wild camp and SAFE is a prioty to me and my family and you get a gut feeling so my wife says, when to " wild "  or not.
I prefer to wild I am tight git van cost me anough keep telling the wife lol.

People are people we need to respect each others views regardless  how wacky some views are  anyway its nice to have strong views and morals ect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! me done.


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## snowgoose (Nov 23, 2007)

*wild camping*

one has to be carefull telling folk you enjoy WILD CAMPING,they may think you go on raves in the woods with GRAHAM NORTON


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## klex (Nov 23, 2007)

Seems to be exactly my point - but that GRAHAM NORTON thing - please elaborate, we aliens from the north might need some explanations from time to time...

Guesses about GRAHAM NORTON:
1) Chain Saw
2) Al Gore's buddy
3) UK Environment Authority
4) UFO type
5) Well known Wild Camper
6) Domesticated Viking
8) Wild Party organizer


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## cipro (Nov 23, 2007)

klex said:


> Seems to be exactly my point - but that GRAHAM NORTON thing - please elaborate, we aliens from the north might need some explanations from time to time...
> 
> Guesses about GRAHAM NORTON:
> 1) Chain Saw
> ...



He is very camp if you my drift


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