Why were we embarrassed?

REC

REC

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Parked overnight in an English Heritage car park next to a castle. Had a good quiet nights sleep then...was woken up at 7.30am by a group of about thirty teenagers and adults who had met up to do a Duke of Edinburgh Award walk. They were all milling around and leaning on the van (its a bit stealthy..so looked unoccupied:ninja:). We have to get out via the sliding door (no access to front seats...have to look at that for the future!) and decided to wait till they went before getting out. They did not leave till 9.30am!! So why were we reluctant to fling the door open and scatter them? The longer we left it the worse it became. This was our second wildcamping trip, and we were quite surprised at how awkward we felt. I think if we had got out immediately it would not have been so bad but we didn't as we thought it would only be half hour at most! The other thing was that we had sat there listening to all the conversations and it felt like (was) eavesdropping! What do others do in this situation?
 
Couldn't get to it as its in the front and the van seats were in the way! Good idea though..will take the battery radio next time!
 
Chuckle chuckle :dance: I would have yelled from inside "get orf my van" and then flung open the doors but then I do have a weird sense of humour :banana::banana::banana: Also would have had to get dressed first otherwise they would have more of a shock when the door opened :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:
 
a deep and evil witches laugh,then a bit of silence followed by a tarzan yodel usually breaks the ice at this sort of awkward social occasion i find
 
Rock the van from inside?

We are anything but a stealth van, being a huge white blob with big windows, external lockers & top box.
 
Should have just opened the door and sent your mrs out and shut it quick.

Mine would have torn them to shreds in seconds with her viceous tongue. lol.

No I would have opened the door after the first touch and said watch the van lads they would have been more surprised than you.
 
in future just open the door and get out,they wont have realised what you were up to and would probably start appologising for leaning on the van..
 
Start making bacon butties & mugs of tea. 30 people @ 4quid a throw = 120 quid for an hour's work.
 
Rock the van, it would then have been them that was embarresed. :shag:

Mind you thats as long as you was in there with the wife and not your brother or friend.:lol-049:
 
Well Henry is usually sat looking out the window, don't think they's be leaning on my van
 
REC said:
Parked overnight in an English Heritage car park next to a castle. Had a good quiet nights sleep then...was woken up at 7.30am by a group of about thirty teenagers and adults who had met up to do a Duke of Edinburgh Award walk. They were all milling around and leaning on the van (its a bit stealthy..so looked unoccupied:ninja:). We have to get out via the sliding door (no access to front seats...have to look at that for the future!) and decided to wait till they went before getting out. They did not leave till 9.30am!! So why were we reluctant to fling the door open and scatter them? The longer we left it the worse it became. This was our second wildcamping trip, and we were quite surprised at how awkward we felt. I think if we had got out immediately it would not have been so bad but we didn't as we thought it would only be half hour at most! The other thing was that we had sat there listening to all the conversations and it felt like (was) eavesdropping! What do others do in this situation?
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I guess you both felt you didn't really belong there. If you are going to be comfortable wildcamping that's something you are going to have to overcome. The reality is that you have as much right to be there as anyone else, including all those going walking. You should have opened a door and let them know you were there, but I guess you know that really. If you are going to continue wildcamping you are going to have to be a little more proactive ..
 
Makzine said:
Chuckle chuckle :dance: I would have yelled from inside "get orf my van" and then flung open the doors but then I do have a weird sense of humour :banana::banana::banana: Also would have had to get dressed first otherwise they would have more of a shock when the door opened :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:
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Yes the getting dressed bit took a little while too! Any noise would have been a good idea..we just sat there being stupid!

Morgan...I AM the missus! And yes probably would have scared them...not with my tongue but my "first thing in the morning" look!

Chloe (the dog) was with our son..thought we would get the hang of wild camping for the first time without her! She never barks though...does not seem to have caught on that it is something dogs do!

Went again last weekend...braved the rain, went through floods and ended up in a little village church carpark. Helped the villagers put some of their road back and clear the carpark of debris (river diverted through it the night before). A couple even called the next morning to ask if we needed anything (their "facilities" or breakfast!). Now that is def not stealth camping...it was a little wild though!
 
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Now that IS brave, camping in a spot where a river has only recently broken its banks! I wouldn't have stayed there for a 100 quid!

Even when first tenting with the Scouts (late 1950's) we were always taught "seek the higher ground, sheltered but not under trees" . If anyone has never camped under a tree, the noise of twigs, drips & acorns (or whatever) dropping off onto your tent. caravan or Motorhome all night is dreadful!
 
It was very safe, the river was in culverts either side of a higher, private road and mainly ran down the main road taking tarmac, and all the rocks from underneath and dumping them in the entrance to the car park. We were on the highest part of the car park well away from that area, having no wish to wake up on an island. Also other residents had parked their cars in the lower (?more at risk) side of the car park. There was not a lot of choice having been stuck trying to get out of Dorchester where all the roads were flooded! This was the only passable (ish!) road going out that day! We had been heading to Abbottsbury beach which was still not accessible four days later! You can just see the wet from the debris in the entrance to the car park, the other line is just bad surface, but we moved rocks from about 30 ft down the lane. Quite a scary trip that day.

church carpark.png
 
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