Should we have regular wildcamping get togethers?

[Geoff.W]

O.K. Lets decide New Year, what about Saturday January 12 2008, either Monsall head or Matlock, a walk , a talk and a few bevies. Could be the start to a new year of cameraderie and an incistance to persue a right to WILDCAMP. Over to Y'all.

Could well be up for that. Any one else?

Regards Geoff.​

 

[loubylou]

me,me,me,me

 

[loubylou]

sorry about that, getting excited already.

 

[snowgoose]

Poll on meet ups

After having allready voted I have wondered if this meet idea will be supported as enthusiasticly as the window sticker idea.Sorry to be cynical but am one the origanal MISOGENISTIC GRUMPY OLD MEN.
snowgoose.

 

[hillwalker]

i love the silence, but i also like some company for abit off banter..

 

[Geoff.W]

Another possible venue for get togethers could be the shows (pinched idea from another forum). Avoids the permision/insurance issues and some give a discount if enough book.
Other less formal meets could be anounced in a:-

"I will be at (place) from (date) to (date) if any other members wish to join me."

Obviously we would need to be carefull too many didn't turn up. Recognition is another factor, has anyone thought about having a sticker.

(Dodges flying bullets)

Regards Geoff.​

 

[Don]

Whatever, Whenever. Give us the details and we will be there Looking forwardto it.

 

[tresrikay]

Nice one Geoff, The last time I was at Monsall head was I think Feb this year and 2 other Vans turned up and I did not make contact and we all seemed to keep to ourselves I don' t think you would get too many turn up in Winter anyway and a co-incidence is a co-incidence and you would do your socialising in the Hostelries. As regards Freezing up I don't think you would go ahead if it was a horrendous forcast and if you heat up your hot water last thing at night it should stop any freezing probs, remember it was -6 at Leek last week *****. As regards the sticker does anyone rmember the " Make us welcome " campaign by Motor Caravan mag a few years ago. I found a few of those stickers in my glove box the other day so I will be sporting that under my G.B.

 

[David & Ann]

Don Madge....Help

Whatever, Whenever. Give us the details and we will be there Looking forwardto it.

Hi Don
A fellow member, David_302 under the post "Croatia to Bulgaria" needs your wide knowledge on the Baltic countries. I have tried to help, but feel that your vast knowledge is far more superior. Look it up and see if you can give the young lad sound advice. Thanks Buddy.

 

[Telstar]

January Meet

I'm up for that.

As for the freezing of pipes etc, my Telstar pipework does freeze frequently so I have had an extra drain valve installed near the pump and I have altered the blown air heater pipework so that I have an outlet under the seat where the pump sits, which is operated by a discreetly placed sliding control (like they used to have in caravans years ago). Cost me about £10 to amend the heater pipework. The drain valve was done by the dealer and they didn't charge, although this might have had something to do with them having to rectify the problem Lunar created after they fitted a caravan chimney seal (sloping roof) as opposed to one for a level roof! They did the jobs at the same time.

Jon

 

[lenny]

I wildcamped for the first time last weekend with my son,Connor,and his two mates (all 13 years old). we had a great time with no problems.
Even managed to meet by chance two of our friends. Trevor and Tonyfu (I think I spelt the latter correctly).

ps. Trevor sends his regards

 

[sundown]

I wildcamped for the first time last weekend with my son,Connor,and his two mates (all 13 years old). we had a great time with no problems.
Even managed to meet by chance two of our friends. Trevor and Tonyfu (I think I spelt the latter correctly).

ps. Trevor sends his regards

Well done lenny, ahem!(senior member) sir!
sundown

 

[lenny]

Well done lenny, ahem!(senior member) sir!
sundown

Thanks again Sundown,, Had'nt noticed, shameful though, a seniour member and still hav'nt mastered the photo attatchments.
Will try again.

 

[Geoff.W]

Congratulations Lenny on both your first wild camp and on your senior member status. Great to hear you and the lads had a good time, and I hope that I am right in thinking that this was helped by meeting up with other members, (hope they were well).

Doesn't this illustrate very well why the idea of meet ups can be of great benefit, come on there must be a few more out there wanting to join in, and vote on this pole or even put a few ideas forward.

In response to some of the other points raised isn't the whole point of an informal meet that those who wish to can just turn up, I personaly feel that if some one has put forward a meet idea it would be polite for those that are definately going to indicate this in the thread. I am also in favour of more formal meets where I agree more thought and prebooking to a recognised venue would be essential, and obviously different requirements e.g. hook ups could be taken into account.

Regards Geoff.​

 

[lenny]

Wildcamp meets

Thanks Geoff, Although we met up,it was'nt planned but it just shows the value of this site as the sites I visited were recommended here by Trevor, I think he was just passing by and checking up on his patch.
Although we had no problems,following visits by the local authority and the bizzies, I think it may cause a bit consternation if they were to find a beauty spot swamped with motorhomes.
Therefore I think you are right, Meets should be formal and held at a registered site.

ps. this is a pic of our Jack chillin after a day on the beach

 

[Geoff.W]

Hi. To reduce any confusion I my have caused in later posts this is the relevent part of post no. 14 that I made.

As the meet ups idea seems to be taking off perhaps we could start a list of suitable venues, thier should be some wild camp spots out there that would take up to about 6, but over this number I think we would have to find a more "official" venue. I'm not suggesting a £20 a night site but using a minimal facilities site, farmers field, or pub carpark for £5 a night or less.

I think this shows we are all in basic agreement regarding meets. I conceed that my original number of 6 may be too high for most wild camping spots, but this was suggested as a max., venue permiting. To explain what I mean by informal meets, I can see no reason why if a limited no. of members wish to get together or indeed a member is away and wouldn't object to company, that the forum could not be used to make arangements.

Hope this helps clear up my position.

Regards Geoff.​

 

[snowgoose]

It really depends on the weather as if it is freezing we could do with a hook up of some sort.
Now before you all call me a wimp, I am thinking of the water system freezing up and causing damage!!!!, well that is my story and I will stick with it!!!.
But seriously, for a winter meet, it would be much better if we could at least have a fan heater turned on as I am sure that I am not alone in not wanting to sleep with the gas heater turned on!!
I cannot justify no heating and the water pipes and possibly boiler freezing up]clipped]


Well thank goodness there is some saving grace in an OLD BASIC VAN, no problems with frozen water boilers as fer heating get a hot water bottle or a dog to cuddle up to .I think my remark about the meet idea went wild,so here it is agin. First we meet up then set up THEN GET WILD
snowgoose

 

[tresrikay]

Meets.

Just another Idea to throw into the ring, I have in the past put forward to the CCC Local D.A. the Offer to use the school where I work as a venue for a rally site, we reckon on fitting about 15- 18 units on the Playground. The School would have to make a charge and there would be no hookups but water and elsan disposal is no problem. The School is in Bollington near Macclesfield on the edge of the Peak national park, plenty of good pubs near and various restaurants including an Indian close by. I could arrange something for weekend 15/16/17 Feb next year if anyone is interested. If we had enough of us a £5 a night should cover. We could'nt accept arrivals before 4 p.m. Friday and would have to leave by mid afternoon Sunday . So does this appeal to anyone ?????? LET ME KNOW. P.S. this is the last weekend of half term.

 

[tresrikay]

The reason I have said about boilers freezing up is because I do know someone that it happened to and they had to buy a new boiler

Greetings Graham, I was still take your point about hot and cold water but that is left outside the water I had hot in my boiler at Leek was still running warm next morning, they are pretty well insulated and if under a bed or in a locker I dont think it would freeze even below - 6. regards Rik.

 

[Biker Jeff]

Some boilers have an automatic drain valve, that will cut in when the temp gets down to a certain degree.
I keep meaning to find out if mine has this function, but keep forgetting to find out.