Quick hello

[thegimp]

Hi
Just joined the site and thought I'd do the decent thing and say hello.

I'm soon to be the owner of a landrover 127 ambulance converted into a camper.

I work for 6 months of the year out of the UK and spend my six months off in the UK fishing and surfing Devon and Cornwall.

Thought I'd take the plunge pimp out the house to the highest bidder and get a van as I spend most my time at the beach. Seemed like a waste of mortgage just to watch Sky TV and sleep

Reading through the threads it seems like its a fairly hit and miss affair parking up somewhere other than recognised campsites.

Do forum members not feel a little harrassed having to duck and weave round the UK?

I spend my working life travelling and while I'm happy on the move the whole idea of getting my head down wondering wether farmer giles or the police are gonna come knocking sounds like a drag

Does it take away from the experience or does it add a little "Frisson" to the whole exercise.

It looks like countries other than the UK could be more relaxing, especially for longer trips

Or am I just picking up on a few negative vibes which tend to concentrate on a forum dedicated to one subject?

Answers on a post card please

Apologies bit of a long rambling one

 

[GoneInAFlash]

It's all part of the fun!

Hi,

I too have only just joined this site, but I have been "wild camping" for many years. I have only been asked to move on (politely) a few times - always abroad and when I was not choosy enough about where I parked. Also like you we are now spending at least 6 months per year in our motorhome.

I find the best way to ensure trouble free time is:

Don't park where -
it is obviously forbidden.
In front of someone’s house, shop, hotel etc.
Near anything that will be too busy at night - Pubs, clubs etc.

If we are in any way pushing our luck we adopt a more clandestine approach - that is we spot a place that will be suitable but don't park there until it is dark. At night farmer Giles will be asleep and the Police will be too busy to notice you. With you Land Rover conversion you will also have the advantage of not being quite as identifiable as a camper - we have a 7m+ coachbuilt, usually with a satellite dish sticking up! You can always take your sky with you!!

France is a much better proposition with Aires in most towns. These vary between free and a few Euros per night. They also vary in facilities from being just approved parking spaces to better than some camp sites. Most seaside towns in France ban Motorhomes from parking on the sea front - day and night!

After a while it becomes routine and you get very good at spotting suitable places. Of course this site is also an excellent source of information.Be sensible and you will have nothing to worry about.

We find that ensuring that we can fill up with water is more difficult than finding somewhere to overnight. In the UK petrol stations are the best bet. Big supermarket ones such as Morrisons and Tescos ideally- many have trigger type outlets so we don't even have to get the conspicuous hose pipe out.

In France we get our water from Aires, it may cost you 2 Euros for about 100L. Many petrol stations do not have water taps available - they usually have a single watering can of water complete with cigarette buts

In Portugal and Spain we use a mixture of staying on a campsite one night per week and filling up as we leave and also petrol stations but you often have to buy some fuel at the same time. Just drive up and they will come running out and shouting at you before the hose is attached

Just like getting good at spotting overnight spots you soon get good at spotting water supplies. Many towns abroad have taps in the main squares. Also marinas and some toilet blocks have taps on the outside for watering plants etc. We have adapters & connectors to fit almost anything, some we have had to make ourselves. Many people swear by using the taps in cemeteries but I'm not keen on this, I feel that it is just too cheeky. The two of us having a shower and washing up etc. use about 50L each day. So for us without any extra portable containers we have to fill up with water every two days!

Hope this is useful.

Who's rambling now eh!

http://www.GoneInAFlash.co.uk

 

[SNODGRASS]

I reckon you must have the most superb vehicle for wild camping many are the times I've seen lovely spots and thought if only I had a landy!! another thought if you leave the big red cross' on the sides you could overnight in hospital car parks or even army camps !!!!! good luck.