Lost confidence

[Moonraker 2]

Having been confined to home exclusively for the last three months with only a couple of days out, I have found myself losing the confidence to free camp. This feeling has been exacerbated by the stories of people in Wales and Cornwall and elsewhere actively and in some cases physically discouraging visitors.
I thought I would book a couple of days in a campsite but school holidays are upon us and campsites are already saying they are likely to be full.
I expect a couple of short trips locally might restore my confidence but I wondered if anyone else was feeling a little shaky.
I certainly won't be going abroad this year.

 

[Asterix]

I think it'll be fine after everything reopens,the locals will be too busy with the hordes taking over the local towns and beaches to worry about a lone van parked up out of the way.

 

[in h]

I am more worried about covid-19 than hostile natives.

The government said they'd be led by the science when it came to easing lockdown, but the scientists say its too early.

The risk is now higher than it was in the middle of March.

We all want to get back on the road, but just because lots of people are acting foolishly doesn't make it a good idea: it makes it an even worse idea.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Short trips to start with should do the trick?

You can scuttle back home quick if it doesn't feel right. I'm sure there's lots of folk feel exactly the same as you do, but judging by the number of mohos I saw trundling up and down both motorway and side roads in south Northumberland yesterday (Saturday) there's a lot more who are already getting back into the swing of it already.

Whether they were off on day trips, booked in and travelling to campsites, or possibly overnighting pre the 4th July 'lockdown lifting' date, who knows?

People have short memories.

TBH I think an awful lot of people will be having way bigger things to worry about now than motorhomes roaming about.

Suck it and see? Your confidence will come back given a little time

 

[SimonM]

They’ve been discouraging visitors because it hasn’t been permitted to visit until now . I’d be very p’d off if I saw someone being out and about when they shouldn’t especially if they were staying overnight

 

[mark61]

Couple of local trips sounds like a good plan. Day trip out, camp out if you fancy or go back home if uncomfortable. Testing the water is always a good idea when a little anxious.

 

[Deleted member 34243]

Agree with SimonM. Loads using our local park. Police regularly moving them on. Try to suggest that it is not allowed and that the police will move them met with serious abuse. Even had a large tent set up on neighbours land yesterday. They could at least have chosen a discreet colour.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I am more worried about covid-19 than hostile natives.

The government said they'd be led by the science when it came to easing lockdown, but the scientists say its too early.

The risk is now higher than it was in the middle of March.

We all want to get back on the road, but just because lots of people are acting foolishly doesn't make it a good idea: it makes it an even worse idea.

I understand exactly where you're coming from, but can I gently disagree?

We are much more protected travelling around in a motorhome or camper than most other folks in normal vehicles. And that includes staying somewhere overnight as well as day trips.

With all necessary facilities on board we don't leaving our rubbish and human waste in bushes and beauty spots, or (hopefully if you've got any sense!) dive in to mingle with hordes of other people in the most popular tourist destinations.

The whole point of having a camper and going wild camping, imho, is to go places where you can avoid too much contact with the rest of humanity (apart from at meets, of course, but that's by choice) whilst still enjoying the freedom and joy a change of scenery gives you.

Apart from locking yourself away indoors, I don't think you can get a better, or much safer way of travelling about at any distance outside your home.

 

[Robmac]

I would be more worried after a second wave and another lockdown, that might push people over the edge.

I reckon motorhomes would get a large portion of the blame for spreading the virus, rightly or wrongly.

 

[Fisherman]

I understand exactly where you're coming from, but can I gently disagree?

We are much more protected travelling around in a motorhome or camper than most other folks in normal vehicles. And that includes staying somewhere overnight as well as day trips.

With all necessary facilities on board we don't leaving our rubbish and human waste in bushes and beauty spots, or (hopefully if you've got any sense!) dive in to mingle with hordes of other people in the most popular tourist destinations.

The whole point of having a camper and going wild camping, imho, is to go places where you can avoid too much contact with the rest of humanity (apart from at meets, of course, but that's by choice) whilst still enjoying the freedom and joy a change of scenery gives you.

Apart from locking yourself away indoors, I don't think you can get a better, or much safer way of of travelling about at any distance outside your home.

Spot on Marie.

We pose much less of a risk than someone staying in a hotel or a B&B.
But already the great il informed are telling you not to come to Scotland.
But if you want to stay at a hotel or B&B, and pose a much greater risk to us.

WE WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD OLD TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH WELCOME .........


BONKERS.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Agree with SimonM. Loads using our local park. Police regularly moving them on. Try to suggest that it is not allowed and that the police will move them met with serious abuse. Even had a large tent set up on neighbours land yesterday. They could at least have chosen a discreet colour.

They are NOT responsible wild campers by the sound of it! At least, not 'wild campers' in an actual campervan? Tents?!!!

Don't know how this particular situation is impacting on your day-to-day life, if at all - without all the facts it's hard to say, but are you sure it's not a wee bit of nimbyism?

Just sayin'

 

[SimonM]

It will be interesting to see if the recent blm, bournemouth beach etc and liverpool fc “meetings” raise a spike in their locale.

 

[Fisherman]

I would be more worried after a second wave and another lockdown, that might push people over the edge.

I reckon motorhomes would get a large portion of the blame for spreading the virus, rightly or wrongly.

Wrongly Rob.

First there will be far more coming up here in cars.
Those staying in hotels and B&Bs will be coming in much more contact with people. I stands to reason they pose a much higher risk than us Rob.
But that won’t stop the councillor Colin types from spreading the myth that we are a greater risk.

 

[in h]

It will be interesting to see if the recent blm, bournemouth beach etc and liverpool fc “meetings” raise a spike in their locale.

Trouble is that a spike takes three or four weeks to become apparent. By then the cat will be out of the bag.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I would be more worried after a second wave and another lockdown, that might push people over the edge.

I reckon motorhomes would get a large portion of the blame for spreading the virus, rightly or wrongly.

I kind of doubt that, Rob? Seriously hope you're wrong any road!

Like I've said before, the majority of people have short memories plus a lot of folk are starting to have much bigger things to worry about than what a handful of motorhomes are up to.

Been lots more manic media focus on the hordes of people turning up at beaches like Bournemouth than anything else.
I get the feeling that if motorhomes have been moving around and overnighting against the guidelines most of them have been at least doing it as discreetly as possible?

Who knows for sure?

 

[Deleted member 34243]

Mariesnowgoose. Of course it is nimbyism. We are a tiny hamlet that has been strictly adhering to the lockdown guidance. Why would we welcome large groups of campervans filling the very limited space we have for parking.
Why would we welcome vans without facilities dumping human waste on the Cleveland Way.
why do the police have to waste resources trawling out here to deal with folk who don’t understand simple rules?

just sayin’

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Trouble is that a spike takes three or four weeks to become apparent. By then the cat will be out of the bag.

Yes, but that's most certainly not down to the motorhome community!
And only extremely ignorant, biased or very sad, paranoid souls would ever believe that to be the case.

 

[Gnomus]

My wife shares your concern, our plan is to continue to avoid crowds by travelling to quiet areas locally to build up confidence. In the meantime we will watch and wait, let the initial wave of enthusiastic campers and visitors subside a little and pick and choose somewhere where we are reasonably confident there will be few problems, not least with crowds. Also want to see if there is a spike caused by the easing, I reckon after waiting so long, a couple of weeks patience may be the way to go, Whatever you decide good luck.

 

[in h]

I understand exactly where you're coming from, but can I gently disagree?

Apart from locking yourself away indoors, I don't think you can get a better, or much safer way of of travelling about at any distance outside your home.

I am indeed suggesting that locking yourself away indoors is a safer plan.
In my view, it's not the time for unnecessary travelling.
Come to that, although shops selling non-essentials are now opening, i don't plan to go buying things that I dont need any time soon.
I realise that the government would rather spend £200,000,000,000 on Trident, or a similar amount on HS2, rather than foot the bill for supporting people through more time on lockdown, but my view is that the risks are too high at present.
In a month or so's time we'll have a far better idea of the actual situation. Until then, i play to play safe.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Mariesnowgoose. Of course it is nimbyism. We are a tiny hamlet that has been strictly adhering to the lockdown guidance. Why would we welcome large groups of campervans filling the very limited space we have for parking.
Why would we welcome vans without facilities dumping human waste on the Cleveland Way.

just sayin’

That's a completely different kettle of fish!

100% feel your justified grievance. It's such a rotten conundrum we're all facing and the world always has plenty of selfish, thoughtless idiots who don't know any better. What's worse is law enforcement apparently not able or reluctant to deal with the matter?

I have no solution for your current problem, but someone in 'authority' (council? police? Whitehall?) really should be able to deal with it

We now live in very, very strange times indeed