# Mild Camping



## mossypossy (Jul 10, 2019)

Whilst not averse to spending the odd night on a blowy Norwegian mountain with crazy whooshbang Germans for company, nor the occasional forray into the night time realm of car park doughnut boys, I feel most at ease paying a farmer £12 to use his comprehensive motorhome facilities in a peaceful and trouble free environment.
Cheers everybody.


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## mistericeman (Jul 10, 2019)

mossypossy said:


> Whilst not averse to spending the odd night on a blowy Norwegian mountain with crazy whooshbang Germans for company, nor the occasional forray into the night time realm of car park doughnut boys, I feel most at ease paying a farmer £12 to use his comprehensive motorhome facilities in a peaceful and trouble free environment.
> Cheers everybody.



We occasionally splash out on one of our fave "under a tenner" spots...
£7 a night for a quiet field with water and dump point... 
Cracking sunsets and a very gentle Derbyshire field ;-)


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## phillybarbour (Jul 10, 2019)

Car park doughnuts, sign me up with lots of sugar! Or maybe you meant something else entirely.


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## daygoboy (Jul 10, 2019)

Surrounded by copses of oak trees, scampering squirrels, magpies, a passing fox or
two, farm fields and hawthorn hedges. Yep I'm at home free camping! No wonder I can't
be bothered these days getting away to a farmers field and paying £12 for the privilege. 
Mind you I'd gladly pay £12 sometimes just to ban the odd ratrunning 44 tonner 50 meters 
distant trundling down what only 20 years ago was a virtual country lane!


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## Clunegapyears (Jul 10, 2019)

Love 5 pitch sites.  Excellent halfway house ... awning,table and chairs and bbq too when weather good.


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## Moped (Jul 11, 2019)

If it’s an area we like and plan on stopping for a few days we always head for €12 ACSI sites if available even when local wild camping spots are nearby. Maybe even €14 depending. €16 only if local motorhome aires are charging rip off prices which French coastal ones sometimes do. We like the option of spreading out with tables and chairs and the use of hook up for the espresso coffee maker and ebikes. And the additional security if we are away from the MH for long periods daily.

When touring a to b to c on a daily basis 100% wild camp if possible. 

What we do notice is that when the motorhome villages set up in Spain in the winter months the owners for the most part seem to sit outside their motorhomes all day with their dogs. Whilst we understand the need to get away from the northern winter I do find the thought of sitting outside my motorhome for several months at a time keeping guard somewhat depressing!


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## antiquesam (Jul 11, 2019)

In anticipation of all night partying at the New Forest Meet we are enjoying a couple of days on a cl with a shower, so I smell nice for all the nice people without having to refill the tank every two minutes. A bit of luxury can be nice sometimes.


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## caledonia (Jul 11, 2019)

Much prefer a night with the wooshbangs to a night in neat rows with with the flimsy white boxes.


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## mossypossy (Jul 11, 2019)

*Fate*

Famous last words.
On a three capacity Danish site we were alone. Until midnight when a whooshbang turns up. With a dog!
That will teach me.
Still, we managed to not be too quiet this morning as they slept.:hammer:


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## Wooie1958 (Jul 11, 2019)

mossypossy said:


> Famous last words.
> On a three capacity Danish site we were alone. Until midnight when a whooshbang turns up. With a dog!
> That will teach me.
> Still, we managed to not be too quiet this morning as they slept.:hammer:




Been there, done that. 

02.30am a marauding gang of Froggies ( 5 of them )  turned up on the aire that we was alone on and made a hell of a racket as they parked up.

I returned the favour at 06.00am when we was up and about, started the engine, left it running and opening and closing doors as loud as i could.

They were not impressed and said something very rude to me through an open window.


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## antiquesam (Jul 11, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Much prefer a night with the wooshbangs to a night in neat rows with with the flimsy white boxes.



I find I rarely have to share a field with more than one other unit on CL's and can usually pick my spot, but then everyone's experience is different. I think my motorhome could be described as a flimsy white box, but it's survived twenty four years so far, so perhaps they're not so flimsy.


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## alcam (Jul 11, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Much prefer a night with the wooshbangs to a night in neat rows with with the flimsy white boxes.





Agree with you re the rows of white boxes , not really sure what a whooshbang is ?
When I first started was a little nervous about where I parked . Then discovered the freedom of wild (rural and urban) camping . Decided not to ever use campsites etc . Now , with more experience , I use campsites very occasionally . Never got round to joining any of the clubs .
That is what suits me , fortunately we are all different .


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## spigot (Jul 11, 2019)

Moped said:


> If it’s an area we like and plan on stopping for a few days we always head for €12 ACSI sites if available even when local wild camping spots are nearby. Maybe even €14 depending. €16 only if local motorhome aires are charging rip off prices which French coastal ones sometimes do. We like the option of spreading out with tables and chairs and the use of hook up for the espresso coffee maker and ebikes. And the additional security if we are away from the MH for long periods daily.
> 
> When touring a to b to c on a daily basis 100% wild camp if possible.
> 
> What we do notice is that when the motorhome villages set up in Spain in the winter months the owners for the most part seem to sit outside their motorhomes all day with their dogs. Whilst we understand the need to get away from the northern winter I do find the thought of sitting outside my motorhome for several months at a time keeping guard somewhat depressing!



I would call them *Motorhome Ghettoes!*

Not only do they sit outside all day, they also sit & watch the telly all evening.

No wonder most of them are fat!


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## Beemer (Jul 11, 2019)

Sometimes it is just nice to use a good camp site.
Somewhere, you can put out your chairs n table, do your washing, leave your van in a relatively secure location and travel out for the day.
We may spend about two nights out of a 14 day holiday on a site to do van ablutions.


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## 1977paul (Jul 11, 2019)

alcam said:


> Agree with you re the rows of white boxes , not really sure what a whooshbang is ?
> When I first started was a little nervous about where I parked . Then discovered the freedom of wild (rural and urban) camping . Decided not to ever use campsites etc . Now , with more experience , I use campsites very occasionally . Never got round to joining any of the clubs .
> That is what suits me , fortunately we are all different .



Park next to a van conversion with a sliding side door.....you'll soon discover what a "whooshbang" is!


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## alcam (Jul 11, 2019)

1977paul said:


> Park next to a van conversion with a sliding side door.....you'll soon discover what a "whooshbang" is!



Aah . In that case I'm a Scottish whooshbang .
Always take the dog out last thing . Not climbing out a window for anyone . 
If someone is parked close to me its their choice


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## mike w (Jul 11, 2019)

1977paul said:


> Park next to a van conversion with a sliding side door.....you'll soon discover what a "whooshbang" is!



We are in Italy at the moment and had  a great laugh at your explanation. Here the Caravan Club rule of 8m between units has been lost in translation, for 8m read 8cm. The price for this comfort has translated inversely.


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## Biggarmac (Jul 11, 2019)

Tonight my stop is at a Camping and Caravanning Club meet.  £7.50 a night.  Only a dozen vans on a big field. Plenty of room and no markers to adhere to.  Water available, toilet disposal.  Waste wster round the field edge.  A lot cheaper than a site.


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## maingate (Jul 12, 2019)

Biggarmac said:


> Tonight my stop is at a Camping and Caravanning Club meet.  £7.50 a night.  Only a dozen vans on a big field. Plenty of room and no markers to adhere to.  Water available, toilet disposal.  Waste wster round the field edge.  A lot cheaper than a site.



Same here, just 3 of us on a mahoosive field in North Yorkshire. It is costing us £8.50 for the one night we will be here, we are moving on to Ripon this afternoon and the dogs will have a whole Racecourse to play on.

With the demise of many of my longstanding wilding spots, the C&CC options are being used more and more. :sad:


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## groyne (Jul 12, 2019)

Literary just joined the C&CC on Monday because we're holidaying in Norfolk, and the wild spots seem to be mainly Laybys.


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## groyne (Jul 12, 2019)

1977paul said:


> Park next to a van conversion with a sliding side door.....you'll soon discover what a "whooshbang" is!



Prefer that to the flimsy with his genny running at all hours.


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## mike w (Jul 12, 2019)

mikewroe said:


> We are in Italy at the moment and had  a great laugh at your explanation. Here the Caravan Club rule of 8m between units has been lost in translation, for 8m read 8cm. The price for this comfort has translated inversely.


Things have got worse today on this Italian site, an English woosh bang has turned up and decided to take all of the tents avaiable space!! (look behind the Mini in the photo)


i


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## spigot (Jul 13, 2019)

mikewroe said:


> Things have got worse today on this Italian site, an English woosh bang has turned up and decided to take all of the tents avaiable space!! (look behind the Mini in the photo)
> 
> View attachment 72012i




Oh, the joys of campsites.

Just got back from 5 months in Spain without going near any of the wretched places. Just one night on an aire in San Sebastián €7.5 & 4 nights on an aire in Ayegui, 4 Euros for 4 nights.

Rest of the time we were on our own on deserted beaches, in marinas, mountainside locations, anywhere where there were no other vans.  

Driving back through France we stayed on free village aires, away from main roads, where at most were 3 other vans.


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## caledonia (Jul 13, 2019)

mikewroe said:


> Things have got worse today on this Italian site, an English woosh bang has turned up and decided to take all of the tents avaiable space!! (look behind the Mini in the photo)
> 
> View attachment 72012i



Looks horrendous.


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## antiquesam (Jul 15, 2019)

I've just got home from a very enjoyable weekend at the New Forest Motorhomer Meet and had a great time, but having read the comments about straight lines and flimsy white boxes before I went I thought it ironic that on a meet, connected to this forum, we were all positioned in neat lines within defined boundaries


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## caledonia (Jul 15, 2019)

antiquesam said:


> I've just got home from a very enjoyable weekend at the New Forest Motorhomer Meet and had a great time, but having read the comments about straight lines and flimsy white boxes before I went I thought it ironic that on a meet, connected to this forum, we were all positioned in neat lines within defined boundaries



That’s why I’ve never attended a meet!


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## groyne (Jul 15, 2019)

caledonia said:


> That’s why I’ve never attended a meet!



And I'm antisocial as well.


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## caledonia (Jul 15, 2019)

groyne said:


> And I'm antisocial as well.



Definitely a member of the antisocial social club.


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## mossypossy (Jul 15, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Definitely a member of the antisocial social club.



Oh can I join.
I have tourettes if that feckin helps.


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## groyne (Jul 16, 2019)

So shall we form the Antisocial Social Society.
Rule one, we never meet.


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## alcam (Jul 16, 2019)

groyne said:


> So shall we form the Antisocial Social Society.
> Rule one, we never meet.



Who do you think you are talking to ?


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## caledonia (Jul 16, 2019)

Much prefer a remote lochside or deserted beach to a field beside a pub full of vans with flags on poles and people sitting on chairs talking about how much power their solar is making. :scared:


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## davep10000 (Jul 16, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Much prefer a remote lochside or deserted beach to a field beside a pub full of vans with flags on poles and people sitting on chairs talking about how much power their solar is making. :scared:



Agreed - This pic taken a few days ago in the cairngorms (spot my camper!).
However, I am still troubled that I am a white blob in a beautiful landscape - seriously thinking of spraying it a more sympathetic colour...!


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## caledonia (Jul 16, 2019)

Mountain biking and wildcamping heaven. Lots of nice peaceful places to spend the night in the Cairngorms. My vans stealth black and blends in well with the landscape.


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## davep10000 (Jul 16, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Mountain biking and wildcamping heaven. Lots of nice peaceful places to spend the night in the Cairngorms. My vans stealth black and blends in well with the landscape.



NOT having a white or silver van is right at the top of my 'must have' list on the next (hopefully home built) van conversion.


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## Greenwayjay (Jul 16, 2019)

Each their own I say and do what you like, as long as your respectful of others.  I personally Wild Camp as preference if its a good location and/or quite out of season. Ive seen so many areas I use to park up (Wales and Cornwall) shut down during the past couple of years due to over use or idiots ruining it for others.  Im happy to mild camp depending on where and when I want to be there, but I do try to find the small camp sites, where you park where you want on grass with space and hopefully contribute your tenner or so to the farmer direct/local community. This is based on my experience of walking the South West and now 3/4 todate of the Wales cost path…


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## Deleted member 54605 (Jul 21, 2019)

*CL/CS camping*

We have just got back after a couple of weeks south of the border (ie in England!) where are I am rather more anxious about wildcamping. We slept in several car parks and picnic areas in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Co Durham and Northumberland. I have to admit the best nights we had were on farmers' fields with access to as much water as we wanted (Yay - long hot showers!!). One chap asked for £7 but the others were £5 per night. I think that is a good deal - you get peace and quiet, security (no car park doughnuts/doughheads) and lots of water and waste disposal. We paid more to sleep on a car park in Lythma St Annes (£7 per night) with no services - but we needed to be in that location. I must admit we relax as we cross the border back in Scotland where we have enjoyed many wonderful nights wild camping in amazing locations. Nairn Harbour has to be one of my top ones but New Aberdour Beach, Cullen, Banff, Latheronwheel are all wonderful too. Best view was the one at Scotts View near Melrose.


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## caledonia (Jul 21, 2019)

crumblygapper said:


> We have just got back after a couple of weeks south of the border (ie in England!) where are I am rather more anxious about wildcamping. We slept in several car parks and picnic areas in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Co Durham and Northumberland. I have to admit the best nights we had were on farmers' fields with access to as much water as we wanted (Yay - long hot showers!!). One chap asked for £7 but the others were £5 per night. I think that is a good deal - you get peace and quiet, security (no car park doughnuts/doughheads) and lots of water and waste disposal. We paid more to sleep on a car park in Lythma St Annes (£7 per night) with no services - but we needed to be in that location. I must admit we relax as we cross the border back in Scotland where we have enjoyed many wonderful nights wild camping in amazing locations. Nairn Harbour has to be one of my top ones but New Aberdour Beach, Cullen, Banff, Latheronwheel are all wonderful too. Best view was the one at Scotts View near Melrose.



Had my van for seven years but never been over the border to Englandshire.


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## daygoboy (Jul 21, 2019)

davep10000 said:


> Agreed - This pic taken a few days ago in the cairngorms (spot my camper!).
> However, I am still troubled that I am a white blob in a beautiful landscape - seriously thinking of spraying it a more sympathetic colour...!



Don't be too hasty and waste money, at least you'll blend-in come winter, at least some of the time.
Ignore this advice if you're just a fair weather softy of course!


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## daygoboy (Jul 21, 2019)

caledonia said:


> Had my van for seven years but never been over the border to Englandshire.



Must be that 'Wall', a psychological effect.
Hadrian was a Spaniard, he built that Wall to keep the Scots out of Spain, not out
of England, Spain was getting overcrowded with holidaymakers he had to
do something. 


Got that from the Donald Trump version of history.


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## mike w (Jul 22, 2019)

groyne said:


> So shall we form the Antisocial Social Society.
> Rule one, we never meet.


I have just realised that every time I pass a motorhome on the road and they wave, its like a secret Masonic handshake to to antisocial club. Penny has finally dropped.


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## groyne (Jul 22, 2019)

No, A.S.S members don't wave.:wave:


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## maingate (Jul 23, 2019)

crumblygapper said:


> We have just got back after a couple of weeks south of the border (ie in England!) where are I am rather more anxious about wildcamping. We slept in several car parks and picnic areas in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Co Durham and Northumberland. I have to admit the best nights we had were on farmers' fields with access to as much water as we wanted (Yay - long hot showers!!). One chap asked for £7 but the others were £5 per night. I think that is a good deal - you get peace and quiet, security (no car park doughnuts/doughheads) and lots of water and waste disposal. We paid more to sleep on a car park in Lythma St Annes (£7 per night) with no services - but we needed to be in that location. I must admit we relax as we cross the border back in Scotland where we have enjoyed many wonderful nights wild camping in amazing locations. Nairn Harbour has to be one of my top ones but New Aberdour Beach, Cullen, Banff, Latheronwheel are all wonderful too. Best view was the one at Scotts View near Melrose.



Best not to name the good spots as the lurkers are waiting for that kind of info. :sad:


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## groyne (Jul 23, 2019)

> I have to admit the best nights we had were on farmers' fields with access to as much water as we wanted (Yay - long hot showers!!). One chap asked for £7 but the others were £5 per night. I think that is a good deal



The further south you go , the more expensive the farmers fields become. We averaged £10 a night (no hookup) round Norfolk last week, staying at the cheapest one we could find in the areas we where overnighting in.


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## mike w (Jul 23, 2019)

So have arrived back in the UK after our trip to Italy. now at our favorite 5 berth cl as it's half way to home. Pitch without a woosh bang in sight, not going to say where as I am a member of the anti social club

u


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## 2cv (Jul 23, 2019)

We had this perfection to ourselves for £5 a night in Essex last week.


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## groyne (Jul 24, 2019)

> Pitch without a woosh bang in sight,





What's that horrible big white thing spoiling the view? :lol-049:


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## linkshouse (Jul 24, 2019)

groyne said:


> The further south you go , the more expensive the farmers fields become. We averaged £10 a night (no hookup) round Norfolk last week, staying at the cheapest one we could find in the areas we where overnighting in.



I'm sure it's a stupid question but, how do you come across/arrange to camp in a farmers field. Surely one doesn't just poll up at a random farmer's house and say ayup, is it alright if I camp in one of your fields?

Thanks

Phill


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## 2cv (Jul 24, 2019)

linkshouse said:


> I'm sure it's a stupid question but, how do you come across/arrange to camp in a farmers field. Surely one doesn't just poll up at a random farmer's house and say ayup, is it alright if I camp in one of your fields?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Phill



Join the C & MC and the C & CC, then use their apps for CLs and CSs. There are thousands, many just fields on a farm.


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## Wooie1958 (Jul 24, 2019)

groyne said:


> No, A.S.S members don't wave.:wave:




That`s what they all were then    :idea:

The other week we had need to take the motorhome over to Blackpool from Preston which is approx 20 miles by A-roads.

Given the location / area Blackpool, Cleveleys, Lytham, Lytham St Annes, etc. as you can imagine it`s crawling with motorhomes at this time of year.

We forced ourselves not to wave first ( which we normally do ) and not one of the motorhomes we saw waved, i gave up counting past 25.

What a sad society we now live in.


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## alcam (Jul 24, 2019)

Wooie1958 said:


> That`s what they all were then    :idea:
> 
> The other week we had need to take the motorhome over to Blackpool from Preston which is approx 20 miles by A-roads.
> 
> ...



Au contraire . Things are looking up .


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## linkshouse (Jul 24, 2019)

2cv said:


> Join the C & MC and the C & CC, then use their apps for CLs and CSs. There are thousands, many just fields on a farm.



I'm in both clubs, but I was thinking that the references to farmers fields was about people camping entirely on their own tucked away in some field. That would be my perfect campsite!


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## alcam (Jul 24, 2019)

mikewroe said:


> So have arrived back in the UK after our trip to Italy. now at our favorite 5 berth cl as it's half way to home. Pitch without a woosh bang in sight, not going to say where as I am a member of the anti social club
> View attachment 72096u



Are you not allowed to join these clubs if you have a PVC (whooshbang) ?


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## mistericeman (Jul 24, 2019)

alcam said:


> Au contraire . Things are looking up .



Indeed.... Word is spreading....
 I find the whole waving at each other because your in a similar sort of vehicle a bit odd.... 
I don't wave at other folks I pass when I'm in the work van and they happen to be in another Peugeot boxer...
I got it slightly more when it happened when we were in the self build transit... 
But in a off the peg motorhome it's just odd.... Mind, I don't particularly like folks trying to make conversation with me when I'm wandering about when we're away..... 
I spend most of my working week pretending that I'm happy dealing with folks, when frankly I'd rather just go in and do my job and leave without having to deal with anyone.


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## groyne (Jul 24, 2019)

alcam said:


> Are you not allowed to join these clubs if you have a PVC (whooshbang) ?



We're in a PVC.



In Norfolk we did have to share a field on 2 occasions, one of them with a Caravan,  the other with a BWB,  though by mutual consent we stayed at opposite ends of the field. The BWB did want to park next to me, but decided against it when he got my version of the Paddington hard stare.:raofl:


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