We went to the New Forest about a week or so ago and to be honest it was a total nightmare. We parked up at one place and was moved on just before dark by a forestry commission ranger who sent us to a campsite 3 miles down who charged us £13 for the pitch for myself, partner and dog. The toilets were rank, in fact I used my own loo! The showers were a pound to use and we got no sleep cos the only pitch was on a slope. Plus I found the people who ran it rather snobby and rude. Acres Down Farm, Minstead. Never go there!
The second night we actually gave up looking for areas to wild camp because it was all marked up by the forestry commission, either that or the places where you could have pulled over were blocked with little wooden stakes or huge drainage ditches. We stopped at a forestry commission site....£20 for a van, partner and dog....no showers, this included a £2 admin fee because we were only staying one night!!
Well I wasnt going to pay that, daylight robbery in my honest opinion!
In the end we found a layby which was set back from the road, no signs saying you could not overnight camp. We did stop but had a restless night because we were c onstantly listening out for the sound of the forestry commission landrover pulling in to move us on.
You can actually refuse to move on if you say you feel it is "unsafe" for you to do so ie, you are too tired to drive further. Do not say you have had a drink or they can do you for being in charge of a vehicle even if you have no intention to drive it. It is against the law for them to move you on if to make you drive will put you or other people in harms way. The police will not enforce it either in these circumstances. A useful fall back position but not conducive to a good nights sleep or an enjoyable visit.
We got a lot of strange looks from passing locals too before dark, I guess they dont like it either.
and this spot is so close to the Forest itself it is ideal