Where do you go to refill drinking water?

Thanks @barge1914
Post 18 perfectly valid at the moment (C&CC)
Post 19 Not surprised (CAMC)

We belong to C&CC they seem to suit motorhomers better than CAMC..just an impression.
We belong to both, I've written to both, both say they are considering the impact of increasing motorhome membership, but as yet neither are doing anything about it.
 
For some sites they have space for say 8 vehicles but are restricted to 5 by both clubs

I do not know if that is their (The Clubs) choice or implemented by the Local authority who geve "usage permission"
Maybe jus a number pulled out of the air several years ago and it has simply stuck !
I know they can get permisiion to increase for special occassions..but do they bother..Maybe "Blind-eye syndrome" gets an outing.
AND are the local Authorities in turn bound by "the Beast above".
With Covid-19 I suspect there will be no increases for a while or long while
 
So we have the follow up question.

Would you overnight in (or near) a graveyard/cemetery carpark .
Some French aires are perilously close.
We do not as Nida seems to know if there is one near, which we may not have seen until we drive out the next day.
So not for us.
Buddhists seem fairly "Ghost Orientated" !
Yes, but only with a evening arrival and early departure. Not worried about the ghosts along as they are quiet!
 
Probably going to take some hits for this but if you are not paying for water you are stealing it. If you don't have the tap owners permission you are stealing it, garage forecourt, cemetery or wherever unless it is being offered for free taking it is stealing it.

Emptying toilet cassettes into public toilets should not even be a thing, that's why campsites etc have specific dumping points for toilets. We have returned home on occasion with a 'full load' and when I dump it in our down stairs loo that room is 'out of commission' for a good half hour. Public toilets are not cassette emptying points and should not be used for that purpose.
I will probably get flak too.
I am with you on not emptying toilet cassettes into public toilets or whatever manhole one can find and lift. They are not made for that purpose and damage can be caused.
However the air is still free, even if immorally polluted. The sea is still free even if immorally polluted and I believe that water should be free too, a human right. I think damming water is stealing water from those down stream, not claiming ownership. Those who hold water have the duty to provide enough for the public good. In civilized countries they recognise this and provide public water. If a spring or high stream or tap is available it is not stealing. Clearly with bottled water you are stealing the bottle, so that is moot.
 
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For some sites they have space for say 8 vehicles but are restricted to 5 by both clubs

I do not know if that is their (The Clubs) choice or implemented by the Local authority who geve "usage permission"
Maybe jus a number pulled out of the air several years ago and it has simply stuck !
I know they can get permisiion to increase for special occassions..but do they bother..Maybe "Blind-eye syndrome" gets an outing.
AND are the local Authorities in turn bound by "the Beast above".
With Covid-19 I suspect there will be no increases for a while or long while
I believe the figure of 5 vans is a prescription within the caravan and control development act and part of planning exemption requirements perhaps
 
if you dont put anything in the toilet other than pee, poo etc then its ok . its the chemicals etc in the toilet that cause the problems .
as for campsites ,many have their own sewage works that get killed if they get chemical toilet waste in them . the toilet drop usually goes to a seperate tank that trucks come in and suck it away to go to special places .
use no chemicals and tipping in a normal toilet shouldnt cause a problem.
having worked in the sewage industry and the fresh water industry i do have experiance of the systems .
 
Probably going to take some hits for this but if you are not paying for water you are stealing it. If you don't have the tap owners permission you are stealing it, garage forecourt, cemetery or wherever unless it is being offered for free taking it is stealing it.

Emptying toilet cassettes into public toilets should not even be a thing, that's why campsites etc have specific dumping points for toilets. We have returned home on occasion with a 'full load' and when I dump it in our down stairs loo that room is 'out of commission' for a good half hour. Public toilets are not cassette emptying points and should not be used for that purpose.

Sorry but I still disagree, a public tap in a cemetery is just that, public. What needs to be abided by are the moral principles involved. Attaching a hose and washing your car is wrong, filling a container to drink from is acceptable behaviour in my opinion as the amounts involved are negligible and its use justifiable

I think it sadly reflects the 'its mine' attitude that some of our society have if you consider this act as theft.
 
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Emptying toilet cassettes into public toilets should not even be a thing

In an ideal world I would agree. However what are the alternatives?

We can make our cassette last for six nights, but we want to explore Britain for longer than this. We don't want to come home after six nights.

Our preferred style of travel is to stay for one night and then move on. On very rare occasions we might stay for two nights maximum. We also prefer to leave home when it suits us, which may change depending on the weather, hospital appointments, etc, and then make up our route as we go - we always have plan but this is always subject to variation. This makes it impossible to book campsites in advance and even in normal times some will not accept bookings which are only for one or two nights and at this time most appear to be full.

The sites run by the two clubs will not offer service only visits - for which I would willingly pay.

There are no public service points available, unlike France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.

I know some people carry a spade and dig a hole to bury the contents. Not something I have done.

This leaves public toilets. When I empty the cassette here it is always when no-one is around and I always leave the facility cleaner than when I arrived.

On our next trip I am going to phone certified sites / locations to see if they will provide services for a fee.

An idea that was floated some years ago was WC members offering services where they are able to do this from home location. But this appears to be administratively difficult.

Thoughts welcome on how fellow Wildcampers manage toilet dumps when their travel plans are not fixed
 
Graveyards with A LOT of sensitivity, there is a risk of adding more people to the list that dont like us, in this present climate I would avoid unless necessary.
Then Why advise it in the first place when we know many of our motorhoming community arn't the most sensitive of people it could be the cause of dogs and kids running around while the water is being taken causing no end of upset
 
I think taking water from a cemetery for drinking, washing or cooking is a more valid use than sprinkling it on flowers that have been cut (therefore dying) to be placed on a grave were they serve little purpose for the occupant and of the person placing them.

As for emptying a cassette in a public toilet, we do not use any chemicals, so I feel happy to use the facilities but with consideration to others. I choose quiet times and use air freshener. Smells no worse in my opinion than a campsite toilet block by 9.30 am.

Davy
 
I've recently bought my first van, and plan to generally (considerately) go "wild" with it. Where do you all generally go for water refills in the UK? Ideally I'd like to avoid buying plastic bottles from the supermarket, and wouldn't mind paying a quid or two.

I wild 3/4 nights then use a site for a day or 2 to replenish water and dump waste. On occasions I have used the C&CC facility at £7.50 to replenish water, dump waste and use their showers and washing machines.
When looking for my new motorhome last year a priority was water tank capacity. My C class has 135 litre fresh that I only use for showering and washing up and 95 litre waste tank. I carry 30 litres of drinking water in seperate containers.
Never used public toilets for emptying cassette, not for me skulking around toilets or carrying the cassette in a bag to hide it from view as some members do. Regarding using a cemetery tap for water no chance, imagine being there if a funeral cortège turned up !
 
Then Why advise it in the first place when we know many of our motorhoming community arn't the most sensitive of people it could be the cause of dogs and kids running around while the water is being taken causing no end of upset

People come on here for advice, the act of being here in the first place shows some initiative has been taken. If the forum starts taking the attitude that new members of the community are possibly irresponsible it will lead to a negative environment where novices are treated with caution rather than being welcomed. It is possible that the OP will let their dog and kids run wild and that would be a real shame, but I will always give someone starting out the benefit of the doubt and offer my best advice
 
Can we please put this in prospective (imagine if a funeral cortege turned up) the OP has a van and was saying he/she would prefer not to buy bottles.......they are not filling a 100 plus liter tank!!
 
I wild 3/4 nights then use a site for a day or 2 to replenish water and dump waste. On occasions I have used the C&CC facility at £7.50 to replenish water, dump waste and use their showers and washing machines.
When looking for my new motorhome last year a priority was water tank capacity. My C class has 135 litre fresh that I only use for showering and washing up and 95 litre waste tank. I carry 30 litres of drinking water in seperate containers.
Never used public toilets for emptying cassette, not for me skulking around toilets or carrying the cassette in a bag to hide it from view as some members do. Regarding using a cemetery tap for water no chance, imagine being there if a funeral cortège turned up !

The CCC have temporarily suspended the 4 hour stay to replenish water and empty cassette and have a shower due to Covid.
Hopefully they will bring it back asap.
 
I've recently bought my first van, and plan to generally (considerately) go "wild" with it. Where do you all generally go for water refills in the UK? Ideally I'd like to avoid buying plastic bottles from the supermarket, and wouldn't mind paying a quid or two.
Due to clearly being in the minority and the upset my suggestion has caused with members I suggest you ignore my advice about using cemeteries as a potential water source.

Best wishes and enjoy your travels
 
We have filled up at French cemeteries as long as they are empty of live people. Whether post covid is the time to do it depends on carefully "putting your toe in the water "
 
In an ideal world I would agree. However what are the alternatives?

We can make our cassette last for six nights, but we want to explore Britain for longer than this. We don't want to come home after six nights.


Thoughts welcome on how fellow Wildcampers manage toilet dumps when their travel plans are not fixed
The alternative is to pay for a site every 5th day. As you say phone ahead to see if just emptying can be booked, otherwise book a night. If that is not possible it would be responsible to go home. Alternatively stretch your 6 days by using public toilets where possible. What about pee pots, they can be un-ostentatiously emptied in hedges without damage. It is chemicals and faeces that are the problem.
Not wanting to use that alternative is not a good reason to damage the septic tank that the public toilet may empty into. Yes Britain should be more like France. That is a real "big job".
 
best to keep the smell down is tip the toilet and dont wash the cassette . you need some bacteria left in the cassette to get working again quickly.
also it helps if you really dont pee in the toilet use a bucket etc . you can get proper bowls that fit cassette so when females need to sit down they can , then tip the bowl into the bucket .
think of it as a cesspit if it gets emptied and washed it can take ages to get bacteria breaking down the solids again.
 
if you dont put anything in the toilet other than pee, poo etc then its ok . its the chemicals etc in the toilet that cause the problems .
as for campsites ,many have their own sewage works that get killed if they get chemical toilet waste in them . the toilet drop usually goes to a seperate tank that trucks come in and suck it away to go to special places .
use no chemicals and tipping in a normal toilet shouldnt cause a problem.
having worked in the sewage industry and the fresh water industry i do have experiance of the systems .
That's one of the reasons that we have a SOG fitted. Also we visit friends that have private systems that are dammaged by any chemicals
 

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