Wild Camp A Month 2018 Challenge

[Herman]

Herman reporting in.

We are very pleased to say we missing any bad weather and had a fantastic weekend.

First night was a a stop over at Horse falls just outside Llangolen.
20180525_211709.jpg - Google Drive
20180525_211807.jpg - Google Drive

The n down to Fairborne, and caught the ferry into Barmouth for the day. 2nd time we have stopped here, both times it's been as windy as hell.
20180526_190641.jpg - Google Drive

Then down to Aberystwyth for our third night out. With a superb view for coffee in bed in the morning.
20180527_172603.jpg - Google Drive
20180528_074714.jpg - Google Drive

 

[suneye]

Love Wales it's so beautiful and so much less crowded than the bit of England I live in

 

[Herman]

Love Wales it's so beautiful and so much less crowded than the bit of England I live in

For a bank holiday I could not believe how quiet it was.

 

[hotrats]

A wee wild camp

 

[brucews]

View attachment 63829

Looks good, where is it?

 

[reiverlad]

Just back from what I sisncerely hope will be my last desperate need to fit in a quick monthly wild camp trip.

I am in the process of moving to Port Bannatyne on the gorgeous Isle of Bute
I took the opportunity, while transporting bits and pieces to the new flat to combine this visit with a relaxing night out near my new home.
Unfortunately, I also forgot to take the camera bag, which I had even laid out specifically for this trip !! grrrrr.

I will take some photos when I am next up there .

Hopefully from next month i will have the chance to get out and about and do some proper wild camping !!

 

[JohnClimber]

I snook in an early one last night on the the way back from Northumberland, I'll post up later the photos when I can be bothered firing up the laptop.
Met up for a brew with Alnwickist as well.

So here's where the gang is at

Alnwickist - 5/5
Herman - 5/5
Campervanannie - 5/5
Allen - Wints - 5/5
Eileen - Wints - 5/5
Suneye - 5/5
JohnClimber - 6/6 - Halfway there :cool1::drive:
Brucews - 5/5
Reiverlad - 5/5

Still to report in with a 5/5
Peteabix - 4/4

 

[JohnClimber]

The plan was simple, stop over on the way home from Northumberland in the Lakes before heading hom to bag my 6/6 and MrsClimbers 5/5 campervan a month.

Found this great spot at Wet Sleddale reservoir and wet definitely the order of the day

We arrived in rain, it eased, we had a walk along the side of the reservoir, I got this photo which I quite like

We made tea, ate it while the rain got heavier and heavier, so much so that the rainwater found it's way under the rolled up awning and into the van above the sliding door, it was coming in in streams, a quick text to a mate in the south Lakes told me it was sunny down there, so as my rain fall radar app said the rain wasn't going to get any better but it wouldn't head south we packed up and headed down the M6 and found a wide lay by on the outskirts of the village of Silverdale on the Lancs/Cambria border.

The weather was nice and apart from the odd car and a train passing by we had a great night and my half year is complete

After a think I've ordered a strip of this to fit on top of the door to stop the rain coming in when it get's as heavy again

 

[JohnClimber]

So you lot

Alnwickist
Herman
Campervanannie
Allen - Wints
Eileen - Wints
Suneye
Brucews
Reiverlad

How are you finding it halfway through 2018?
Is it addictive?
Is it easy?
Is it hard?
Will you complete 2018 with a 12/12?

Most importantly will you carry on in 2019?

And will any of you looking in be signing up to join us in January next year?

 

[brucews]

Nice pics again John, well done; where are you getting the rain strip from?

Saturday, 2nd May we thought the weather was going to be unsettled, so we planned to do a "Castle" run locally, and we set off to see Huntly Castle in the morning (which was excellent, and sunny), then Kildrummy Castle to follow, but torrential rain hit us as we got there. We waited for the flash flooding to subside by having lunch in the castle car park, but it never really eased up, so we headed off to Corgarff Castle planning to stop the night in their car park below:-



We finished early at Corgarff, so I decided to take a run through to Tomintoul (slowly due to the steep climb) and take advantage of the early evening sun to enjoy the views, and so we ended up wild camping at the roadside at Auchnarrow, and had a wonderful peaceful night, hitting the 6/6 mark.



Sunday morning was a misty, surreal start and we made our way slowly to Dufftown and took a chance on getting a parking space at Auchindoun Castle (very limited) and were rewarded with an empty car park; a short stroll later we were enchanted by a beautiful ruin poetically situated, and fantastic for photos, of which we took many!!



We finally tripped a couple of miles back to Dufftown to take in Balvenie Castle, followed by lunch at the Glenfiddich distillery. Another excellent weekend spent doing the Wildcamping Challenge, thanks to John.

 

[Wheelie]

We're loving the posts and photos, and are very tempted to join in for 2019. We wild a lot around North and Mid Wales (where we live & work), with trips to Scotland, the North East and Lake District occasionally thrown in for a change.

If anyone is looking for new seals of any type, try
Rubber Door Seals | Rubber Extrusions | Window Rubbers | Boat and Caravan Seals | UK
We changed vans in March this year, and bought new rooflight seals from them. Excellent service and cheaper than all the "Caravan Specialists" we could find.

 

[JohnClimber]

Thanks Wheelie,

There's nothing stopping your joining and posting up now, look back at your photos and diary and back date your posts here.

Or just start on 1/6 and Simon if you get out this month.

Thanks for the seal link, Brucews, that the company which ordered it from last night, they are in the post today so I'm told

 

[campervanannie]

Not a great stop off but wild just on from saddleworth Moore in a lay-bys but it's late and I come out to keep Wae and Ann company it's only 13/14 miles from my house lol

6/6

 

[Herman]

So you lot

Alnwickist
Herman
Campervanannie
Allen - Wints
Eileen - Wints
Suneye
Brucews
Reiverlad

How are you finding it halfway through 2018?
Is it addictive?
Is it easy?
Is it hard?
Will you complete 2018 with a 12/12?

Most importantly will you carry on in 2019?

And will any of you looking in be signing up to join us in January next year?

It's a challenge fitting it in every month, I personally would like to get away a couple of times a month , but work want me to work the odd weekend, or family want some of my time, but we will continue, even if it means just nipping out for an odd night as i had to do in January.

 

[reiverlad]

This has been a really tough 6 months trying to fit in a trip out each month.

Nothing to do with the challenge - just trying to combine it with moving home !

I think the idea is a great one and i should find it much easier from now on.

I certainly aim to get out and about at least once a month every month of the year - whether this challenge is on or not !!

 

[wints]

June's stopover



This is our June stopover.....approx 2 miles north of Kendal, on the approach road to the Windermere C&CC site.
Very quiet night, 1 other van, and a Dutch (they're everywhere) truck.

regards
Allen & Eileen

 

[Deleted member 75172]

Still to report in with a 5/5
Peteabix - 4/4

Hello John

It's been rather difficult this month so far with work and weekends full helping my daughter with her house.
Oh, and SWMBO keeps arranging socials with friends for times when we could get away......

My van is in for a new water pump 21/6 (HOW MUCH?) so will be camping out the night before and night after that.

Will have a day to explore the area around Shipley Country Park, Nottinghamshire.
Anyone in the area likes mountain biking and wants to be a guide would be most welcome and we might even stop for a beer.

Feeling very envious of the superb locations shown in the photos.

 

[Herman]

6 of 6 Helwith bridge inn. North Yorkshire. Very pleasant and very busy with motorhomes.

 

[reiverlad]

Another trip to Bute - am slowly but surely getting the flat ready to move into in a couple of weeks.

Bute is very motorhome friendly !!

This trip tho come with piccies - covering both this and the last trip !

A view one can never tire of - especially as this is also the sort of view from my window !!

Ps This is only a 2 minute walk from my flat !!

 

[Alnwickist]

Barley Mow, Shepperton 06-06

Just home after my drive back from Londinium.

Was attending an event at Kempton Park Racecourse, so used my WildCamping app to find somewhere close by.

Turns out the Barley Mow car park near the Shepperton Studios is a *great* place to camp up.

I gave the landlord (John) a ring last week to double check he was ok with this, and he couldn't have been more welcoming. So not only did I get a safe place to park up, but also a nice pint of Tea that evening. Plus a chinese takeaway from down the road - John was happy for me to eat it back in the pub with my pint.

A boisterous Saturday night - but the pub closes at 11pm on the dot (presumably to keep the neighbours happy) and everyone was gone by 11.15pm. Therefore a quiet and relaxing night... until the local wild parrots woke me up at 6.30am.

I thought being 350miles away from home I might have been able to have a parrot-free lie in for once!

Breakfast at the beer garden table before heading down the road to the racecourse.

6 down, 6 to go...

xA