Is U.K. wild camping a blokey thing?

[barryd]

Ive just realised we have not spent one single night wilding this year. The first short trip early summer on Flamborough head on our favourite boggy basic CL for a few weeks then we have been away from June through Wales for a couple of weeks and ever since then North Devon, South Devon, West Dorset, South Devon again then back to North Devon where (Wait for it) we have been hold up on two of Woolacombe bays premier all singing all dancing sites for the past six weeks. I know. My idea of hell normally but there was method in the madness. The one CL we like here is on grass and no EHU and solar no longer cuts it for us past September and I managed to work out the cheapest ways to block book, a week or two ahead, always booked from a Friday. Its great when its like it is now with hardly anyone here but not so great when its busy.

For me the out of the way rural CL's are what I like. We dont really tour properly anymore. I like to be somewhere for a week or two at least and just use the bike and really get to know a place properly. You cant really do that wilding I dont think, least not easily. Some of the CLs we use are just authorised wilding really. You meet nicer people I think on those than you do on these sites though for sure.

 

[Robmac]

Ive just realised we have not spent one single night wilding this year. The first short trip early summer on Flamborough head on our favourite boggy basic CL for a few weeks then we have been away from June through Wales for a couple of weeks and ever since then North Devon, South Devon, West Dorset, South Devon again then back to North Devon where (Wait for it) we have been hold up on two of Woolacombe bays premier all singing all dancing sites for the past six weeks. I know. My idea of hell normally but there was method in the madness. The one CL we like here is on grass and no EHU and solar no longer cuts it for us past September and I managed to work out the cheapest ways to block book, a week or two ahead, always booked from a Friday. Its great when its like it is now with hardly anyone here but not so great when its busy.

For me the out of the way rural CL's are what I like. We dont really tour properly anymore. I like to be somewhere for a week or two at least and just use the bike and really get to know a place properly. You cant really do that wilding I dont think, least not easily. Some of the CLs we use are just authorised wilding really. You meet nicer people I think on those than you do on these sites though for sure.

A small, cheap, basic CL/CS near a pub Barry. You can't beat it!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Ive just realised we have not spent one single night wilding this year. The first short trip early summer on Flamborough head on our favourite boggy basic CL for a few weeks then we have been away from June through Wales for a couple of weeks and ever since then North Devon, South Devon, West Dorset, South Devon again then back to North Devon where (Wait for it) we have been hold up on two of Woolacombe bays premier all singing all dancing sites for the past six weeks. I know. My idea of hell normally but there was method in the madness. The one CL we like here is on grass and no EHU and solar no longer cuts it for us past September and I managed to work out the cheapest ways to block book, a week or two ahead, always booked from a Friday. Its great when its like it is now with hardly anyone here but not so great when its busy.

For me the out of the way rural CL's are what I like. We dont really tour properly anymore. I like to be somewhere for a week or two at least and just use the bike and really get to know a place properly. You cant really do that wilding I dont think, least not easily. Some of the CLs we use are just authorised wilding really. You meet nicer people I think on those than you do on these sites though for sure.

So as the boss tallies everything, how much has staying on sites cost you this year, and how many nights altogether?

 

[Nabsim]

So far this year I have spent 4 nites on sites. First two in January when I had forgotten generator and last two when Caz was supposed to be meeting up

 

[barryd]

So as the boss tallies everything, how much has staying on sites cost you this year, and how many nights altogether?

She's not here right now but as she keeps records of everything Im sure she will know. I think it was mid June we set off. Ill have to check but the average cost per night was about £11 I think. Even half term on Easewell which is part of the Woolacombe Bay group Ive got a serviced pitch for £107 for the week and the week before that on Twitchen which is the more expensive one it worked out about £12 a night. It can be up to £99 a night there in peak season. Generally £75 July and August. Would rather stick pins in my eyes than go then though.

Some of the CLs have been as little as £7. The most expensive I think was 6 nights at Park Dean at Croyde just down the road six weeks ago. I think that was like £20 a night which to be honest is my ceiling before my lip starts to wobble a bit. Its not the money. We were spending more on room service on Twitchen than the cost of the pitch just to see the little golf cart bring us grub to our pitch. I just hate paying lots to park the van.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

We don't do sites now as we would ruin our way of doing things, but if I could rent a little bit of grass empty and refill I might be prepared to pay up to £5 now and then just for convenience, we don't need more than that as we are set up not to, so I don't see us ever doing sites, maybe the odd Aire in France for service porpoises.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

We don't do sites now as we would ruin our way of doing things, but if I could rent a little bit of grass empty and refill I might be prepared to pay up to £5 now and then just for convenience, we don't need more than that as we are set up not to, so I don't see us ever doing sites, maybe the odd Aire in France for service porpoises.

Dolphins not good enough for you, Kev?

 

[trevskoda]

We don't do sites now as we would ruin our way of doing things, but if I could rent a little bit of grass empty and refill I might be prepared to pay up to £5 now and then just for convenience, we don't need more than that as we are set up not to, so I don't see us ever doing sites, maybe the odd Aire in France for service porpoises.

Forgot to ask how you managed around Ireland.

 

[barryd]

We don't do sites now as we would ruin our way of doing things, but if I could rent a little bit of grass empty and refill I might be prepared to pay up to £5 now and then just for convenience, we don't need more than that as we are set up not to, so I don't see us ever doing sites, maybe the odd Aire in France for service porpoises.

I might add I think she said our daily diesel spend is down to £2. That's less than the daily petrol spend on the bike which can do up to 139mpg. I guess it's an entirely different style of motorhoming to most people.

Edit: I've been corrected. Diesel is £2.72 and petrol £1.92 but you get the idea.

 

[spigot]

A small, cheap, basic CL/CS near a pub Barry. You can't beat it!

A small, cheap, basic pub car park is even better, not far to fall!

 

[barge1914]

As someone who often wilds alone abroad I find its not often what I do in the UK. Normally here I will go to places where there is an honesty box for donations or to CL and CS minimum facility sites.
Abroad it seems more ok to just park up.
Meg
PS I'm on a CAMpRA aire in Aberdeenshire as I type this. Only van here.View attachment 124145

Which sites that one Meg, I don’t recognise it. We’re heading north at Xmas for a month.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Forgot to ask how you managed around Ireland.

Apart from emptying our waste bins not a problem, but I found if you spoke to someone in the garages they were okay with you dumping into their large waste bin if you were buying from the shop which we usually would, it's the same with taking on water, always ask before spending money there. I did notice, or rather didn't notice a singe dog waste bin.

 

[trevskoda]

Apart from emptying our waste bins not a problem, but I found if you spoke to someone in the garages they were okay with you dumping into their large waste bin if you were buying from the shop which we usually would, it's the same with taking on water, always ask before spending money there. I did notice, or rather didn't notice a singe dog waste bin.

Only have dog sh one t bins in the north/ulster, maybe southern dogs wear nappies.

 

[Biggarmac]

Which sites that one Meg, I don’t recognise it. We’re heading north at Xmas for a month.

Its Grampian Motorhome Hire. Complicated charging regime. £10 to just stopover without services. Drop in services available. Full service overnight stay is £20. Lovely Dutch owner, Mieke, has just won a tourist award for her business.

 

[Nabsim]

Its Grampian Motorhome Hire. Complicated charging regime. £10 to just stopover without services. Drop in services available. Full service overnight stay is £20. Lovely Dutch owner, Mieke, has just won a tourist award for her business.

Last time I was up Aberdeen way they were giving weather warnings so I booked on the Woods site up there. Fully serviced with was mid twenties I think. This was a few years ago so who knows now but I think myself that too much for an aire when you can stop free in a lay-by. I would pay a fiver to empty cassette though

 

[Biggarmac]

Last time I was up Aberdeen way they were giving weather warnings so I booked on the Woods site up there. Fully serviced with was mid twenties I think. This was a few years ago so who knows now but I think myself that too much for an aire when you can stop free in a lay-by. I would pay a fiver to empty cassette though

The problem is that unless somewhere already has infrastructure its expensive to put in. On this site they had to have diggers in to level the land and then put proper hardcore on to allow the place to be open all year.
CAMpRA try to get places where there is already carparks and drains in place to open as aires. We even have leaflets that anyone can give to businesses where it might be feasable. (Obtainable from www.campra.org.uk) Places like the Rhug Estate Farm shop in North Wales. Good free stopover with no CAMpRA involvement. Most Farm shops are frightened to try because of council negativity.

 

[Fisherman]

The problem is that unless somewhere already has infrastructure its expensive to put in. On this site they had to have diggers in to level the land and then put proper hardcore on to allow the place to be open all year.
CAMpRA try to get places where there is already carparks and drains in place to open as aires. We even have leaflets that anyone can give to businesses where it might be feasable. (Obtainable from www.campra.org.uk) Places like the Rhug Estate Farm shop in North Wales. Good free stopover with no CAMpRA involvement. Most Farm shops are frigtened to try because of council negativity.

This is indeed the problem which requires highlighting to some.
But the main issue here is the lack of help from our governments, who if they even took just 5% of the billions we contribute to the economy, and gave grants for these initiatives then costs could be kept down.
Private companies carrying out such work with no involvement or help from councils who have not been allocated finance from their government cannot be the way forward. Some councils have borne the full cost of providing facilities with no help from their government. They do so in the belief that we will enhance local economies, and to facilitate us in order to prevent anti social selfish behaviour from some. Action from our national governments is what is required.

 

[Biggarmac]

This is indeed the problem which requires highlighting to some.
But the main issue here is the lack of help from our governments, who if they even took just 5% of the billions we contribute to the economy, and gave grants for these initiatives then costs could be kept down.
Private companies carrying out such work with no involvement or help from councils who have not been allocated finance from their government cannot be the way forward. Some councils have borne the full cost of providing facilities with no help from their government. They do so in the belief that we will enhance local economies, and to facilitate us in order to prevent anti social selfish behaviour from some. Action from our national governments is what is required.

To right. Dumfries & Galloway council had (maybe still have) a fund to help rural landowners to establish aires. Shame they also have lots of no overnight signs in council car parks.
Highland Council have also had some good schemes.

 

[DaveH]

I have noticed on our travels that in the U.K. a majority of those who park up wild camping style in smaller motorhomes and camper vans tend to be single men.

Less so in Europe but then it’s easier to park up there anyway and like others we go south as a couple to avoid harsh northern winters and damp variable British summers. I don’t know if official aires and parking spots count as wild camping but we tend to use these anyway if off grid. I suppose if we parked in the wilds and hinterland I may have noted more single men in smaller vehicles.

Certainly Mrs Moped prefers camp site parking anyway and maybe security and safety for women has something to do with this. If I am on my own which occasionally I am during the off peak season November to March then I do go out of my way to look for reasonable wild camping spots with the few campsites that are open being used for overnight stops if I need services or a battery top up. We do have a large Motorhome that does stand out when parked up.

I had thought about getting a small cheap camper van to make this side of things easier. It would be instead of a car and I would more than likely go away more on my own which may or may not please Mrs Moped but she seems content to baby sit grand children which I am not. She is always whatsapping and FaceTiming family when we are away giving the impression she is not 100% committed to our trips and basically I go away to escape the demands of family.

That’s an aside however.

So getting back to the point of U.K. wild camping being a blokey thing, what do forum members think?

Is it more of a single man thing or are there ladies and couples who do a higher proportion of U.K. wild camping than camp site use in their camper or motorhome?

I do I fair bit of wild camping in Scotland living here and see and speak to a lot of female wild campers up here. My hobby is mountaineering so mainly they are walkers and climbers especially in winter. I have a Renault Trafic for solo trips and a motorhome for trips with the boss. Best of both worlds