Why do you do it?

[lotty]

we have been Motorhoming for 4 years now but have only been wilding since last summer after finding this site.
We always used sites before as we knew no other way and have had some great times. In August last year we did 7 nights out in Devon/Cornwall and only stayed 1 night on a sites and 1 night in a farmers field at £7, we had an equaly great time,in some ways better. The locations of the wild spots were better than the campsites being closer to the town/beach etc. Still being new to the wilding game I still feel a little nervous of being remote and alone and have also had locals shouting nasty things to me or making comments in a loud voice so we would hear which has made us feel unwelcome and nervous of continuing wilding, however, we will still try to use wild spots over campsites but if I do not feel safe or welcome then I will use a site as to me being out in the MH, touring and exploring is what it is about.

 

[n brown]

we have been Motorhoming for 4 years now but have only been wilding since last summer after finding this site.
We always used sites before as we knew no other way and have had some great times. In August last year we did 7 nights out in Devon/Cornwall and only stayed 1 night on a sites and 1 night in a farmers field at £7, we had an equaly great time,in some ways better. The locations of the wild spots were better than the campsites being closer to the town/beach etc. Still being new to the wilding game I still feel a little nervous of being remote and alone and have also had locals shouting nasty things to me or making comments in a loud voice so we would hear which has made us feel unwelcome and nervous of continuing wilding, however, we will still try to use wild spots over campsites but if I do not feel safe or welcome then I will use a site as to me being out in the MH, touring and exploring is what it is about.

i feel i should make some comment on this.if you feel worried about a particular spot,and you decide to ignore this feeling,you won't sleep.follow your instincts and move on.i've parked up in hundreds of places with my wife and 4 kids,and if i or my wife felt uneasy,no matter how much hassle or what time,we're offski,no messing.i doubt this happened more than 20 or so times out of all these,but always listen to your instincts,who cares if you're mistaken .remember this mantra'when in doubt,bugger off'

 

[ivecotrucker]

In the UK I wild for:

The Peace, The Quiet & The Views.
As stated by other contributors; the ability to park up, brew up, eat & sleep in a pristine location (seaside, running water, mountain views etc.).

Unfortunately there is a noticeable difference between wilding in the UK & Continental wilding. In France, Spain, Italy few if any people make it their business to mind your business if you are parked up somewhere for the evening/night. Over here some idiot will pull up & park their car 3 feet away or walk past 'tut-tutting' or deliberately park & leave full main beam headlights on your window curtains/blinds et. etc.

We have had 1 minor deliberate damage to the vehicle & 1 theft - both in the UK ! yet no trouble in Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia or elsewhere abroad.

 

[groyne]

Why do I do it?

The view this morning.

and the beer wasn't to shabby last night.:dance:

 

[antiquesam]

We are just ambling back from a few weeks touring the west country. Every now and again we need to stop in a site with electrics so the other half can dry her hair., but who would want to stay in a site that looks like a housing estate with pristine vans all lined up with nicely trimmed lawns unless you need a washing machine and a decent shower when you can stay in places like Fernworthy Reservoir, Porlock Hill or looking over Salisbury plain as we are tonight?

 

[angelaa]

We are self employed and summer is our busy time. My husband got cancer 3 years ago and it made us stop and think. He is now clear thank goodness, and we now go away every saturday night during the summer and weekends in the winter. Just gives us time together away from the phone. Woke up this morning watching the sea coming in. Cant be better.
Angela

 

[nij]

Many reasons for us TBH

A area we actually WANT to stay
The views
Ease
Price

are the main ones

 

[Rubbertramp]

Words fail me!



The view from my bedroom window....Inverkirkaig March 2012

 

[Rubbertramp]

Aye, and for the next month or so.....Tis a great life!
Call in if yer passing....It's the only camper in the village ( but not in a Little Britain way!)

 

[Firefox]

I guess freedom is the most important for me. Not only the freedom of when you get there but also the freedom of getting there. I get bored of doing paperwork, I do enough of that at the office! This includes ringing up, leaving messages, or finding they are booked and having to search for somewhere else. Then paying at the site hut at certain times or having to leave/arrive at certain times. It's all too much like the day job for me.

 

[yorkslass]

stayed in the dales last night, saw a pair of oystercatchers[ never seen any before] listened to pheasants at dusk and daybreak, heard owls during the night and woke to glorious sunshine in britain in MARCH! only wish every day could be this good. forgot to mention the wonderfull views, hills ,a river and sheep.

 

[Channa]

The 3 bed detached ford mondeo to be washed on a Sunday morning and the 2.2 sproglets.

There are a lot of people even here, whom I can't relate to, see motorhoming as nothing more than recreational and play the weekend wildie needing the crutch of convention.

This weekend as an example. I have had to deal with unsavoury behaviour in a layby...thought the police would turn up I lost the plot and twatted one...wrong of me I know but I did..... Part of the reason is simply I should be able to park without hassle and leave with nowt but tyre tracks and memories
I am currently and all this happened in east yorks....I have visited Beverley what a jewel...beautiful town overlooked..
And has a bonus caught my tea in the form of a nice dab off mappleton.

Sea to table less than an hour, your parisien/London restaurants can't achieve that no much how much you are prepared to pay..

Channa

 

[Randonneur]

Freedom, definitely, we have been to places in our motorhome that I would not even think of taking a car and caravan to!

Brew, loo and kip all on board and usually a nice location to wake up in.

If it's p@#**ing down outside we can get the kettle on and get the tv out or read. No need to get the waterproofs out if you need the loo as its two steps away in the warm and dry.

We spend money in the local area that tourists who are tied to hotels and holiday sites don't tend to do. And yes we do use campsites occasionally if we feel we need to.

Also we can choose when we go on our holidays, no booking required, deposits paid etc. We generally try to holiday outside of the main seasonal times and our minnie lets us just get up and go.

All in all would I go back to booking "conventional" holidays? Not on your life!! The only thing I'd swap our motorhome for would be a better one, but as we've got our minnie the way we like her then I think that's a long way off just yet!

 

[n brown]

i wish people could STOP feeling they have to apologise for using camp sites,do what you like.that's the whole point,the absolute essence of sites like this,personal choice without peer pressure,innit?

 

[northernspirit2001]

Camping under the stars but warm and dry

My wife more or less pushed me in to getting one for me and our son (she's never wanted to go away in it!?). Its opened up a new world! Even if just out for the day I feel I can finally switch off and relax away from the responsibilities and worries that go with running a small and slightly struggling business in a way I could only do before by getting on a plane to somewhere for at least 2 weeks (it used to take me the first week to stop thinking about the business). Now I can get away every weekend or even day that I'm not working!

I think the reasons for me being able to relax are captured better by others on this post, for me its the freedom to break the mold, closeness to nature, call of the wild and being from Yorkshire, avoidance of spending money! Sometimes I just get the MH out and drive to the other side of the village to park up. Even I think that is bizarre why someone would want to do that but it ticks all the above boxes for me!

 

[Haaamster]

My wife more or less pushed me in to getting one for me and our son (she's never wanted to go away in it!?). Its opened up a new world! Even if just out for the day I feel I can finally switch off and relax away from the responsibilities and worries that go with running a small and slightly struggling business in a way I could only do before by getting on a plane to somewhere for at least 2 weeks (it used to take me the first week to stop thinking about the business). Now I can get away every weekend or even day that I'm not working!

I think the reasons for me being able to relax are captured better by others on this post, for me its the freedom to break the mold, closeness to nature, call of the wild and being from Yorkshire, avoidance of spending money! Sometimes I just get the MH out and drive to the other side of the village to park up. Even I think that is bizarre why someone would want to do that but it ticks all the above boxes for me!

Your wife pushed you into it but didn't want to go herself, how did she explain the extra 10 pints of milk in the fridge when you got back :ninja:

 

[Braveheart]

For me I like wildcamping because I like my own space, whilst being amongst nature. I am currently wildcamping as I type this, on the Isle of Mull. I have spent the last 22 days wildcamping around Scotland and have had only one night so far where there has been another campervan. And this gentleman, who had a bike strapped to back of his camper was like minded and was quiet, discreet and obviously enjoyed the serene surroundings. (Lake Maree). I appreciate and respect that.

Each to their own, and if you like the security of camping on an established campsite, I'm glad you enjoy that. But let me give you a typical example of my experiences on campsites.
Last year I camped on the Shell Islands (Wales). I was told when I booked in (and on notices) to NOT camp within 20mtrs of another camper unless I was with them as a group. 'Great' I thought, 'I like that.'
Within hours of us parking up, 2 familes with 4 kids between them parked about 3mtrs away from us and decided to play football, with the ball often richocheting off our camper. That p!55es me off.
I hope I don't offend anyone, but I don't really want to hear the high pitched whines and moans of kids that want a Mcdonut or icecream or whatever.
I even had an occasion in the past whilst tenting on a campsite where a football knocked my wok clean off the camping gas cooker and sent my breakfast flying.
Now don't get me wrong I think kids playing footie; sport etc is great, but not where I'm camping.
I wouldn't be as inconsiderate and pitch/park my tent/motorhome in the middle of a football pitch.

If I'm wild camping and somebody becomes annoying I can switch the ignition on, drop the handbrake and move on to somewhere peacful without losing fees already payed.

I love the idea of changing my view outside my motorhome when I wake up whenever I choose, and exploring different landscapes and going for walks.
I don't need campsite facilities and don't really want the feeling of being hemmed in by rows of other campers.
Also campsites are not always in the best locations. For example, I have just spent 2 glorious nights at Calgarry Bay, where I have seen Buzzards; a White tipped Eagle; oyster catchers; black hooded crows and rabbits. I have learnt this from locals and wildlife enthusiasts that turned up during our stay. I also got to see a golden eagle, being dive bombed by Kestrels by a wildcamper in another location on the island. Outstanding

I love the solitary feeling you get from wild camping. I stood out last night with my wife, spotting shooting stars. There was no light pollution and nobody else around. Highly romantic and Magical.

On mainland Scotland a few days back , we only had 4 cars pass us all day, we counted 7 deer. In a situation like that you start to feel in touch with the wilderness.

Another reason I like wildcamping is because I don't particularly like to follow the crowd. I always like to do my own thing and I'm not conventional.
Being a male At the ripe old age of a 45, I still have my long hair, and couldn't give a hoot for what others may think.

Today seems to be more about rules and regulations than ever, and some of it in my eyes, has gone over the top.

Wildcamping is a release, where you can go 'argh, now I feel relaxed.'

You either get it or you don't.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, and on to the next ...

 

[snowbirds]

Carry on camping

Watching the film Carry on Camping in the 70's Sex Booze & Rock & Roll bought caravan towed it to Wales for two weeks,Rain,rain and more rain for two weeks,returned home sold caravan to buy campervan traveled to france ,Sex Booze & Rock & Roll + sun,sun sun.I am now 65 with larger motorhome.(Snowbirds) only head for sun now +Sex Booze & Rock & Roll Never been back to Wales. happy days,but Carry on Camping.

Regards Snowbirds.:cool1::cool1::fun::fun:

I often get asked what wild camping is and why people do it, the truth is we do it for many reasons and I am hoping that you will share yours here in the thread.

I do not want to debate the label "wild camping" as even my ageing Autosleeper Duetto's owners manual has "advice" about wild camping. And if the term is good enough for one of the countries leading motor home companies, then it is good enough for me!

I will start with the fact that I love the feeling of freedom that wild camping gives. Wether I am parked beside a river or in a lay-by I have all the comforts of my second home with me. I can choose to stay or go.

 

[Deleted member 3802]

Sorry !! if i have to explain to you, you wouldn't understand :dance:

 

[northernspirit2001]

Your wife pushed you into it but didn't want to go herself, how did she explain the extra 10 pints of milk in the fridge when you got back :ninja:

Oh that was you was it?! Just need to find out who fixed the central heating, cut the grass and who built that kitchen extension....