Wild Camping How To Guide

[monkeynut]

Hi autosleeper,
To coin an old phrase you can't always judge a book by its cover
Best Regards Trevor.

Youve got that rite Trever
I was parked up at streets gate near Malham tarn with three big white motorhomes(one with noisy genny) next to me would they speak would they hell(curtains twitching though ) .its happend a few times, shame really as I allways have a one or two bottles of Rioja to share
If you see my rusty plumbers van come n say Hi , im no snob ill have a chat if your in a posh van even if you do block my view
I will even use your loo if you offer ha ha

 

[Trevor]

You've got that rite Trever
I was parked up at streets gate near Malham tarn with three big white motorhomes(one with noisy genny) next to me would they speak would they hell(curtains twitching though ) .its happend a few times, shame really as I allways have a one or two bottles of Rioja to share
If you see my rusty plumbers van come n say Hi , im no snob ill have a chat if your in a posh van even if you do block my view
I will even use your loo if you offer ha ha

Hi,monkeynut just to keep the record straight i am not out to have a dig at anyone as all i am saying is that it's not always right to make assumptions about other vaners because they dont conform to your own standards ie one that are less fortunate than others also i think that autosleeper has made a really good point in his posting being that if you are not comfortable in a place don't stay there, if you saw my mates you yourself would maybe think twice and i would just like to add that they may not have been my mates anyway and autosleeper may have been correct in his assumption that these particular people were or could have been up to no good.
One more thing before i run the risk of boring you all, i never discrimante against anyone that has more or less than me i take people as i find them until proved different there is good and bad in all walks of life.
Best Regards Trevor.

 

[myshell]

They sound like my golfing socks... got 18 holes!!!!!

But we digress!!

Our latest idea is to fit a set of air horns under the van with a 'panic' switch near the bed, I'm sure it would scare some off, and get attention from others - hopefully. If it didn't look so stupid I would like to fit a spot lamp in the centre of each side of the roof so you could light up the area all round the van - but perhaps we're all getting a bit paranoid?

Been there, done that, worn the tee shirt, but I have fitted a car alarm siren (instead of air horns) under the bonnet wired to the leisure battery with one switch mounted on the dash board and another mounted in the habitation area, did this following a bad experience on the French/Spanish border a couple of years ago. Dearly beloved woke me in the early hours with an elbow in my ribs whispering, " there,s someone moving around outside the van" sure enough as I peered out of the window I could make out 3 shadowy figures moving away from us towards a parked car, they then turned around and started back towards us, as quickly as I could I was into the driving seat, ignition on pressed the van horn button....... nothing ! unusual for something Italian not to make a loud noise, not so with Fiat this time though, I make more noise snoring or breaking wind (or so my dearly beloved tells me) this is when I was glad I had internal silver screens fitted, I pulled them off the windows as I started the engine, hate to think what would have happened if I had to go outside to remove external screens or attempt to drive away blind, perhaps this is another tip for the Wild Camping How To Guide always fit easily removable internal silver screens.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, ENJOY IT.

 

[lenny]

)

Hi,monkeynut just to keep the record straight i am not out to have a dig at anyone as all i am saying is that it's not always right to make assumptions about other vaners because they dont conform to your own standards ie one that are less fortunate than others also i think that autosleeper has made a really good point in his posting being that if you are not comfortable in a place don't stay there, if you saw my mates you yourself would maybe think twice and i would just like to add that they may not have been my mates anyway and autosleeper may have been correct in his assumption that these particular people were or could have been up to no good.
One more thing before i run the risk of boring you all, i never discrimante against anyone that has more or less than me i take people as i find them until proved different there is good and bad in all walks of life.
Best Regards Trevor.

Spot on Trevor,Defend your patch.I hate this modern phrase (Low Life).
Live and let live. Lenny

 

[sagart]

And also....
Don't park across farm gates
Don't assume an outside tap means you have a right to fill water tanks....came back home on Sunday to find a Hymer down my drive (farm gate) cheerfully filling up at my outside tap.
Pointed out that this was a little impertinent and was told..."if you are stupid enough to have one, it's a chance you take".
Suggested he parked in a field down the way where there is some hardstanding (being helpful) then rang a neighbour to propose he put his bull in the field Hymer man would have to drive through to get out the next day.

 

[t&s]

yes i would go for that

before you park up
top up with fuel before stopping for the night
before you move off the next day remember
leggs up
dish down
gas off
fridge locked
fridge on 12 volt
and realy enjoy the journey to your next stop
also be polite to all you meet they will respond with the same response
unless in england
when you keep yourself to yourself

 

[Deleted member 775]

before you park up
top up with fuel before stopping for the night
before you move off the next day remember
leggs up
dish down
gas off
fridge locked
fridge on 12 volt
and realy enjoy the journey to your next stop
also be polite to all you meet they will respond with the same response
unless in england
when you keep yourself to yourself

exelent tips,especialy the one about the fridge!!!!no good crying over spilt milk no matter how well you clean it up it still niffs. legs well you only do that once , can be expensive but i have found that the majority of folk especialy other motor homers, are frendly down here also the amount of non m/homers comment on how nice it must be to have all the facilities to cook make a cuppa and the like when your out and, about not to mention about saving cash on b&b,a mate of mine mine at work is even going to get one after finding out how great they are another convert

 

[wolfram]

Hi all ... new to wild camping and campervans .... done lots of tent camping years ago and caravanned for years, using official sites.

Reading some of the posts here made me wander how many times folks have had trouble

 

[Trevor]

Hi all ... new to wild camping and campervans .... done lots of tent camping years ago and caravanned for years, using official sites.

Reading some of the posts here made me wander how many times folks have had trouble

Hi wolfram.
I dont think that very many have and also this site is a good insight to avoid it anyway.

 

[wolfram]

Thats ok then ... cuss I hadn't picked up any bad vibes ... Hopefully will be out next weekend...rain rain go away ...

 

[Trevor]

Thats ok then ... cuss I hadn't picked up any bad vibes ... Hopefully will be out next weekend...rain rain go away ...

Hey Wolfram never mind the rain its bloo*dy cold, a good tip for you take your brolly and thermal undie's dont forget the hot water bottle amd maybe a bottle of brandy, good luck.

 

[hogan]

Take only pictures,leave only footprints

 

[hogan]

also be polite to all you meet they will respond with the same response
unless in england
when you keep yourself to yourself[/QUOTE]

Has England really changed that much in the 6 years I have lived here

 

[sundown]

also be polite to all you meet they will respond with the same response
unless in england
when you keep yourself to yourself

Has England really changed that much in the 6 years I have lived here[/QUOTE]

ive always found the english very friendly especially if you try & speak their language,like, Ye canna say whaurs thir' a guid boozer aboot heer?
"its not where you were born that shapes your personality its your personal view of life and how you express it"

 

[tresrikay]

Bring the whole beach back in just one pebble.

 

[maj114]

Landmark

Ialways Try To Find A Landmark Before Bedding Down For The Night When Wild Camping Just In Case We Need Assistance At All No Good Having Mobile If You Dont Know Where You Are

 

[Deleted member 207]

Our criteria;

away from noise - have a look on the map for airfields - flight paths with military jets taking off, railways (one train a day at 2am!! with an engineer that loves to push the horn button), main roads just over the hill, farms that dont smell of pig manure - cos at 5am it WILL smell of freshly sprayed pig manure, etc etc.

discrete - hidden from passing traffic. Off the beaten track and well away from someone's million dollar view over the lake.

near fresh water - we always like to top up in the morning, carrying a watering can to fill from rivers/lakes is handy, a hose with a funnel to fill from running streams. We buy drinking water or boil the rest.

near a public toilet - I hate carrying around extra weight in the porta potti and besides you never know when you'll be able to empty it again. But we try not to park in an area with a WC as this only attracts others into the parking area.

someone else already in your preferred spot - ask if they mind sharing, if that fails use a sob story about camping there on your honeymoon and you intend to relive that wild and passionate night even though it was 50 years ago!! The thought of it usually has them packing up!! If that fails introduce them to a goat you keep in the van, well we packed up when it was used on us by a swedish couple in Norway (I shuder everytime I think about it).

share with others - some our greatest memories are impromptu little gatherings (read bottles of grog) of other travellers, offer a coffee, tea, glass of alcohol and usually everyone gets along famously.

look for tyre marks - if there is enough rubber on the parking area to make another set of tyres - move on, its hoon territory and they will love the idea of doing a few donuts whilst you sleep.

know your location - just as a precaution we would text our GPS coords to our son each night when in Spain and Southern France.

 

[kreos]

I've read through the suggestions for wild camping and I pretty much agree with everything I've read so far. The only thing that seems to have been missed is "make friends with the locals". I've been living in my van since last April and have only stopped on official campsites for ten nights in all of that time. I've found time and again that local people are only too happy to tell you of somewhere to park up where you are out of everybodies way. In fact I even spent a couple of nights parked on someones drive after being invited to park up in the centre of a village so I could be near the pub.

 

[hillwalker]

I've read through the suggestions for wild camping and I pretty much agree with everything I've read so far. The only thing that seems to have been missed is "make friends with the locals". I've been living in my van since last April and have only stopped on official campsites for ten nights in all of that time. I've found time and again that local people are only too happy to tell you of somewhere to park up where you are out of everybodies way. In fact I even spent a couple of nights parked on someones drive after being invited to park up in the centre of a village so I could be near the pub.

did they make ur breakfast aswell

 

[tresrikay]

Always take your empties home or to a recycling centre, I have heard a car park attendant say empty wine and beer bottles left in the bins by motorhomers, then being smashed on the car park, presumably by kids, has led to the banning of motorhomes from the car park. He also stated empty ready meal boxes strewn about, maybe dogs or foxes. ( I don't mean the ready meals contained dogs or foxes, least not unless Don and Trevor had been there ) So er on the side of caution and take it all home.