Wildcamping Legally in UK?

Exu

Guest
We are new members and live in Spain.

EU Law allows you to *park* your motorhome anywhere a (similar size) commercial van can legally park. It is *illegal* to discriminate against motorhomes just because they are motorhomes (though it *is* legal to ban caravans). And by *parking* it means you can sleep or cook in your motorhome, but cannot put out tables and chairs or awnings etc. Only your wheels can be on the ground and strictly peaking you cannot open side windows that open outwards. (In Spain this right to park is even enshrined in Spanish Law - and explained in English by the Guardia Civil Trafico on their Torrevieja website.)

We are coming to UK for 6 weeks from end of June to mid-August and intend to tour around, wildcamping some of the time.

So can anyone explain please what wildcamping is and what is not allowed in England, Wales and Scotland? Does UK obey EU Law on this?

Thanks.
 
My understanding is that it is illegal to wild camp in England and Wales. In Scotland the law is different and wild camping is allowed, although you have to be considerate as to where you park. In England & Wales you just need to find quiet places or perhaps a supermarket/pub car park and ask to owner if it is ok to park. Parking on the roadside is possible but just be aware that if you're ask to move it is probably better to do so. Some councils will allow overnight parking in car parks, just look for signs on entry. Don't draw attention to yourselves while wilding and you should be ok.
 
Sorry krypton I think you may be wrong there, I don't think it is illegal to wild camp in England,
I've never had any hassle down south at all, maybe one of our learned wild camping friends will be able to shed some light on this.... Come on John. T. this is your department...
 
This topic has been covered over and over again. There is no specific law that prevents motorhome owners sleeping in their vehicles whilst being parked on a public highway. There are of course plenty of laws (or acts of Parliament) that could be used to prevent this. No vehicle is actually allowed to be parked on a public highway as it is illegal to obstruct any part of the public highway. I could list a few that could be twisted. But unless HGV drivers are going to be banned from sleeping in their cabs in laybys, car parks and on the highway, then I do not think we have much to fear. The Police are only going to be interested in you if you are causing a nuisance or for safety (yours or the safety of others). I have wild camped in Britain for 27 years and never once have I been told that I am committing an offence or breaking a law. But I bet that most of us break lots of laws without realising it.

Basically:

Do not park where you are not welcome.
Do not park where you may upset local residents.
Do not park where your safety or the safety of others is at risk.
Try and be discreet and have respect for others and the place you park.
Do not leave anything behind, and try and clean up the location if possible.

In the twelve years of running this website not one of over 50,000 members has ever reported being prosecuted for wild camping in a public place. I know that recently someone has been fined for parking at Hufton, however this was a car park that has a TRO preventing overnight parking.
 
No such thing as 'wildcamping' this is just a term we use to describe our hobby, We just park our vehicle in a suitably quite spot and sometimes we even fall to sleep after all it would be against the law to drive if your ability to drive is impaired by tiredness. Its more likely you will upset a local than the police. We were on the isle of skye right up at the top parked in a small spot, we were not even going to stay the night when a lovely local slowed down in a red pickup and shouted f**k off you Bas***d Pik*ys. That was it she who must be obeyed insisted we went elsewhere there and then. So its quite easy to upset anyone.
 
Exu said:
We are new members and live in Spain.

EU Law allows you to *park* your motorhome anywhere a (similar size) commercial van can legally park. It is *illegal* to discriminate against motorhomes just because they are motorhomes (though it *is* legal to ban caravans). And by *parking* it means you can sleep or cook in your motorhome, but cannot put out tables and chairs or awnings etc. Only your wheels can be on the ground and strictly peaking you cannot open side windows that open outwards. (In Spain this right to park is even enshrined in Spanish Law - and explained in English by the Guardia Civil Trafico on their Torrevieja website.)

We are coming to UK for 6 weeks from end of June to mid-August and intend to tour around, wildcamping some of the time.

So can anyone explain please what wildcamping is and what is not allowed in England, Wales and Scotland? Does UK obey EU Law on this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Not quite right there you can not park you motorhome in a car park that has a sign saying no motorhomes also you can not park in a road that has a sign saying parking for cars only that is in Spain by the way:wave:
 
by law in the uk if you are tired you should stop and rest ...quite right too
so if you happen to go to sleep ?
 
Regardless of the law, the major impediment to true wild camping (as distinct from tesco-parking or one of many variants) in many countries is the extreme difficulty in finding suitable places. Some areas are so completely fenced, gated, hedged or walled that about all you are left with are tiny pockets of land on irregular intersections of back roads or laybuys.
 
having tented it years ago,with kids , i quickly came to the conclusion that not only is every bit of land owned by someone, but these owners will walk miles across a field in filthy weather to shift some oiks off his land
 
I park in places that do not annoy people by being next to their property. This said in Dover there are a large contingent of Irish registered motorhomes cars and caravans, who have moved in on a new access road for a building site, I thought at first it was wild camper being cheeky and waiting for a boat sailing BU it is actually a load of Irish Travellers who have moved in to live there and they will not move until a court order is made and the Police will act.. Disturbing thing is that there are several very nice newish motorhomes among them ( about half the total number) It seems that the rules on towing caravans without having taken a test has persuaded the younger one to move from towed vans to motorhomes.
If this becomes more prevalent then the problems for us will increase.
 
or is it motorhomers are turning into gypsies .
that old fridge over there i can shift it for you .
would you like your drive tarmaced ?
 
kenspain said:
Not quite right there you can not park you motorhome in a car park that has a sign saying no motorhomes also you can not park in a road that has a sign saying parking for cars only that is in Spain by the way:wave:
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Hi Ken,

I don't think I have said anything that is not in accord with
Motorhome and Campervan Legislation - Driving In Spain and
Motorhome Parking - Driving In Spain
and hence, at least in part, we are actually saying the same thing.

but this thread is meant to be about parking a motorhome in UK, not Spain so if we want to talk about Spain maybe there should be a new thread.
 
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Admin said:
This topic has been covered over and over again. There is no specific law that prevents motorhome owners sleeping in their vehicles whilst being parked on a public highway. There are of course plenty of laws (or acts of Parliament) that could be used to prevent this. No vehicle is actually allowed to be parked on a public highway as it is illegal to obstruct any part of the public highway. I could list a few that could be twisted. But unless HGV drivers are going to be banned from sleeping in their cabs in laybys, car parks and on the highway, then I do not think we have much to fear. The Police are only going to be interested in you if you are causing a nuisance or for safety (yours or the safety of others). I have wild camped in Britain for 27 years and never once have I been told that I am committing an offence or breaking a law. But I bet that most of us break lots of laws without realising it.
<snip>
In the twelve years of running this website not one of over 50,000 members has ever reported being prosecuted for wild camping in a public place. I know that recently someone has been fined for parking at Hufton, however this was a car park that has a TRO preventing overnight parking.
[/FONT][/COLOR]
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Thanks for your help

Apologies for asking something that has been covered many times in the past. I tried to search for it before I posted but clearly failed to find what I was looking for.

Since it would seem to be something that has been asked over and over, might the "definite answer" be posted with a sticky perhaps?
 
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Exu said:
Hi Ken,

I don't think I have said anything that is not in accord with
Motorhome and Campervan Legislation - Driving In Spain and
Motorhome Parking - Driving In Spain
and hence, at least in part, we are actually saying the same thing.

but this thread is meant to be about parking a motorhome in UK, not Spain so if we want to talk about Spain maybe there should be a new thread.
Click to expand...

sorry I thought you said something about parking in Spain, I am not sure but I will ask my son later but I think the motorhome parking in Spain as been changed we where talking about this last week I did ask him to bring a copy home from work like all son's still waiting.
 
I agree with Phil's synopsis in a earlier post regarding the UK.

Spain
I contacted La PACA the Spanish organisation a similar organisation to The Motorhome Tourism Organisation over here. The ex-president replied

Dear John,
Many thanks for making me an inquiry. Unfortunately in Spain laws are not like you the perceived. In fact, the laws of the road apply only to movement and parking of an empty caravan, as a vehicle. But using a motorhome as accommodation is considered under the laws governing same camping. These laws are different in the 17 autonomous communities of Spain who have independence to enact these laws.

There are also laws that prohibit using a motorhome as accommodation in the area from the coast by a law regulating the use of a dividing strip on the coast. Mainly in Spain prohibition is to spend the night outside a camping protecting the interests of businessmen of camping. In fact, except in the Basque Country and Navarre, spend the night in a motorhome is not legal. But these rules only apply in some locations, in most of the Spanish territory is allowed to stay overnight in a motorhome, but not because it is a right protected by law. The risk of being denounced and punished economically there, especially on the coast.

The application of laws on camping is used strictly in Asturias, Cantabria and some towns of the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The municipal areas for motorhomes are exceptions. Instruction 08 / V-74 has no application absolutely in the use of motorhomes as accommodation, only applies to parking under the laws of the road. This is possible in Spain for independence in the regions to make laws on issues such as camping.

Sincerely, Arsenio Gutiérrez
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My interpretation was the same as the OP.

I look forward to Ken's reply with up to date info. I know that things were tightening up when we were there last winter and even raising a satellite dish on the roof of a motorhome was being considered as camping. I was told that they were going to limit the maximum stay that would be possible, off a caravan site.

I contacted the N332 Guardia site on this matter and was told the same as Arsenio says above. N332 said I could quote the regulations if I like, but I would still face a fine.
 
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John Thompson said:
I agree with Phil's synopsis in a earlier post regarding the UK.

Spain
I contacted La PACA the Spanish organisation a similar organisation to The Motorhome Tourism Organisation over here. The ex-president replied



My interpretation was the same as the OP.

I look forward to Ken's reply with up to date info. I know that things were tightening up when we were there last winter and even raising a satellite dish on the roof of a motorhome was being considered as camping. I was told that they were going to limit the maximum stay that would be possible, off a caravan site.

I contacted the N332 Guardia site on this matter and was told the same as Arsenio says above. N332 said I could quote the regulations if I like, but I would still face a fine.
Click to expand...
The thing is John as my son as said before many of them don,t know the law and have been told If you fill that they have broken the law fine then if they are not happy with that they can always try to get the fine paid back.
 
kenspain said:
The thing is John as my son as said before many of them don,t know the law and have been told If you fill that they have broken the law fine then if they are not happy with that they can always try to get the fine paid back.
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Quite correct, many don't know the law, or at least plead ignorance of it.
As I have posted several times, you can wave papers, stand and argue, but if the cops want you to go, you go, and if you don't then be prepared to accompany them to the cop shop, and as a consequence you may find the need to employ the services of an abogado. You may well be in the right, and win the argument, but later rather than sooner. Meantime your van may be impounded, or the missus left for who knows how long in an otherwise van empty "wild camping" spot.
If you're a pensioner best of luck getting a fine payment reimbursed before the day of reckoning!
 
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