Aussie Import

Ausgold

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Hi All,

I have just joined your very informative forum. My wife and I are retired school bus operators and ex-farmers. In Australia we travel a lot in our 4WD and caravan to remote outback locations prospecting for gold with specialist metal detectors. We also enjoy hunting for coins and treasures in more "civilized" locations with our other detecting machines.

At the moment we are researching the idea of flying to the UK in 2025 and buying a used motorhome. We would then spend about 6 months visiting your lands and metal detecting along the way.

In Australia we are well catered for when travelling, with many rural council areas being "RV Friendly", offering free water filling points, grey and black water dump points and increasingly even free overnight or 48 hour camping sites, sometimes even with free hot water showers. Small rural towns NEED the revenue that tourists can bring into them and the local businesses and councils recognize that they can attract people to stop and detour into their towns by offering such free camping options.

On major State and National Highways there are also free camping and rest areas as authorities realize that Fatigue is a major contributing factor in serious road crashes (It's now called one of The Fatal Five). We are encouraged to stop and take a break every 2 hours and to sleep in our beds rather than behind the steering wheel.

We have joined your Forum to educate ourselves on the UK system and explore possibilities for our trip. I do have a question or 2 already if I may?

I have been looking at the Location App and surfing around the landscape looking at places and facilities. In the map legend there are red icons for Aires Chargeable (AC) and Aires Free (AF). Looking on the entire map of GB I have found a few AC and zero AF. Am I missing something, is this something I will only see if I pay to become a Full Member or are there just very few of them?

Cheers,
Ausgold
 
Hi, and Welcome.

There are very few aires in the UK, most of them AC rather than AF; you will only see all POI locations as a paying Full Member.
Some local authorities and small businesses have been establishing aires in the UK in the last year or two, but for the experience you describe in Australia, you need to be looking at countries on the continent of Europe, France being a good example.
 
At the moment we are researching the idea of flying to the UK in 2025 and buying a used motorhome. We would then spend about 6 months visiting your lands and metal detecting along the way.

If you are looking to maximize the use of free locations I suggest that you get a self contained moorhome (Water & waste water tanks; toilet; heating;) rather than a small camper van.


I have been looking at the Location App and surfing around the landscape looking at places and facilities. In the map legend there are red icons for Aires Chargeable (AC) and Aires Free (AF). Looking on the entire map of GB I have found a few AC and zero AF. Am I missing something, is this something I will only see if I pay to become a Full Member or are there just very few of them?

On the positive side a lot of pubs will allow you to park (usually free) overnight if you ea there.
The only facility most provide is the use of their toilets during pub opening hours.
Some supermarkets also provide overnight free parking, but always ask first.
 
There's little for free in the UK camping wise, stopping is legal but facilities are pretty much all paid for, have you done all of Oz, it is certainly a lot easier there!!!
 
Even though you would only use it for 6 months, I think it would be worth joining the Camping and Caravan Club to get access to cheaper prices at sites. There are still plenty of sites at reasonable prices and the chances are you would need to use a site every few days regardless to replenish fresh water and empty grey tank and toilet cassette.
Also if over 60 (I assume that is likely the case as you are both retired), you get an extra cost consession with the C&CC.

I have no doubt metal detecting would also bear more fruit in the UK than in Oz?
 
Hi, and Welcome.

There are very few aires in the UK, most of them AC rather than AF; you will only see all POI locations as a paying Full Member.
Some local authorities and small businesses have been establishing aires in the UK in the last year or two, but for the experience you describe in Australia, you need to be looking at countries on the continent of Europe, France being a good example.
Thanks for your reply
 
If you are looking to maximize the use of free locations I suggest that you get a self contained moorhome (Water & waste water tanks; toilet; heating;) rather than a small camper van.




On the positive side a lot of pubs will allow you to park (usually free) overnight if you ea there.
The only facility most provide is the use of their toilets during pub opening hours.
Some supermarkets also provide overnight free parking, but always ask first.
Thanks r4Dent, yes we would be buying a larger vehicle with ensuite bathroom and toilet. I had thought we'd be able to use our heavy vehicle drivers licences to be able to buy virtually any size motorhome, but recent research shows that as international visitors we will be restricted to <3500kg on a normal drivers licence. The pub stops are familiar to us alot of outbreak pubs here are doing the same thing here now too.
 
Even though you would only use it for 6 months, I think it would be worth joining the Camping and Caravan Club to get access to cheaper prices at sites. There are still plenty of sites at reasonable prices and the chances are you would need to use a site every few days regardless to replenish fresh water and empty grey tank and toilet cassette.
Also if over 60 (I assume that is likely the case as you are both retired), you get an extra cost consession with the C&CC.

I have no doubt metal detecting would also bear more fruit in the UK than in Oz?
Thanks for that info wildebus. I'll look into it as yes I am over 60.
The attraction of detecting old stuff in the UK is very strong to us. Obviously Australia has a very short history of any metal usage. It only began in 1788 and was very limited for at least the next 70 to 80 years after that. Compared to Britain's very long history including the Bronze Age, Celtic use of coinage, Roman Empire and 2000 years since then.
 
Sounds like you've had a very exciting life long may it continue wishing you lots more adventures and good luck .Northumberland and Scotland must be on your visit list.
Best Wishes from Whitley Bay
 
Both of the main clubs have 5 pitch sites. Often farms so they can be in beautiful locations. A lot cheaper than formal large club sites.
Camping and Caravan Club - CS = certified site
Caravan and Motorhome Club - CL = certified location
Both have apps
All have water and cassette emptying
Many have hookup, some toilets / showers.
Have fun.
 
Sounds like you've had a very exciting life long may it continue wishing you lots more adventures and good luck .Northumberland and Scotland must be on your visit list.
Best Wishes from Whitley Bay
My 25 year old in Queens land at the min ,better weather than here in UK ,
 
My 25 year old in Queens land at the min ,better weather than here in UK ,
Hi Liz,
We live in Queensland and do most of our gold prospecting in this state. Yes we are called the Sunshine State for a reason.
 
Both of the main clubs have 5 pitch sites. Often farms so they can be in beautiful locations. A lot cheaper than formal large club sites.
Camping and Caravan Club - CS = certified site
Caravan and Motorhome Club - CL = certified location
Both have apps
All have water and cassette emptying
Many have hookup, some toilets / showers.
Have fun.
Thanks for your info Clunegapyears. I had seen several references to CS and CL and wondered what they were. We like the farm locations that's what we would mostly like to use.
Cheers
 
The other option if joining a certain club previously mentioned (c&cc) is that they have temporary holiday sites where they rent a field. Stays can be 3 days to 30. You would need to check the out and about on the website and you would need to join.
The plus is that you can stay at many sites for £12 - £15 per unit ( not per person) per night. The sites are often rural and offer water and toilet drop included in the price. No showers or toilets.
It you combine these with a couple of free stops in between you can have a cheap trip.
Please check the metal detecting, I think you need a permit. Most land in UK is privately owned.
The continent: France, Spain, Germany is great and has lots of free motor home stop overs.
 
Thanks for that info wildebus. I'll look into it as yes I am over 60.
The attraction of detecting old stuff in the UK is very strong to us. Obviously Australia has a very short history of any metal usage. It only began in 1788 and was very limited for at least the next 70 to 80 years after that. Compared to Britain's very long history including the Bronze Age, Celtic use of coinage, Roman Empire and 2000 years since then.
Make sure you look into regulations over here regarding metal detecting in particular relation to historical finds. You will need landowner permission and finds have to be formally recorded. We don't have any true wilderness. Welcome and enjoy your trip.
 
So we love Australia and have been 9 times but now the cost is too high to return.
The aire system in Europe is pretty good for free parking but to set up camp aus style you will have to pay for the privilege. Between £7 and £60 depending on what you want per night
Full membership on this site gets a bonus of the free water tap places that are not on other clubs .
Have a look at searchforsites .co.uk for places to stay
Joining both should cover all you need and it's what we use for all of europe.
I expect there are metal detecting clubs in the uk for info on what happens here. ( I've no idea).
 
I lived on the Sunshine cost, Noosa Heads Queensland for few years, and would rather be there now! but a few months travelling the UK and beyond would certainly be interesting time. Careful how big a van you get as it'll limit the smaller places to visit as we're a very densely populated Island! Have Fun!
 
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