Wild versus Free

tonybater

Guest
I have been searching for suitable wild camping spots on other web sites and came across a long thread which turned into a debate about wild camping - well more of a rant really! Contributors were moaning about motorhome owners who spend thousands of pounds on their outfits and are then too mean to pay for camp site fees.

I think they are missing the point completely. To me, wild camping is not about saving a few pounds - I am perfectly happy to pay up for my overnight stay - it is about the freedom of going and staying where you want, when you want, often spontaneously - no forward planning - in fact exactly what encouraged me to buy a motor home in the first place. There were suggestions that we should all use CS/CLs instead. I am a member of the Caravan Club, but have rarely used CLs as I find that especially during peak season, there are no spaces available when you get there, and you are encouraged to book ahead - so much for freedom and spontenaity!

Do others think like me - that wild camping is about freedom rather than free camping?
 
I couldn't agree more. We tend to book onto a site every so often for the added luxuries, but much prefer the freedom of not having to plan and being able to do what you want, when you want. Although we always plan our holidays in advance, I don't we have ever stuck totally to our plans - had we been in a caravan we would have had to.
 
Tony, I could not agree with you more.
There is nothing that compares with happening across a beautiful spot and thinking - that'l do for me!
 
Hi tony,

That debate you were on about sounds like the one on outandaboutlive. There has been more than one on there.

I joined in and gave them my take on wilding.I do not think I am very popular with some of the po faced lot on that forum.

It is very good for in depth technicaladvice. That is the main reason I go on it.:D
 
I assumed from the title of this website that we were all wildcampers. Do some people actually use campsites?
 
Bulfrog said:
I assumed from the title of this website that we were all wildcampers. Do some people actually use campsites?
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not many i would only say about 98%:rolleyes: but lots talk about it:eek:,the closes most come to wildcampin is a pubstopover 2 meals 6 bottles of wine:D be cheaper to pull on a site :D
 
i totally dislike campsites and try to avoid them at all times. i find them horrible places and not exactly over keen on the people that i find on them if and when i use them. some seem like a boat marina walk through one to get to the other. what does a campsite offer. expensive water somewhere to tip loo and thats it. dont use club houses as they are full of people i dont like. dont actually use pubs muchas same people frequent them as well. cant see anymore safety on a campsite and usually feel the campsite as just ripped me off. wild free call it what you like. dont pay for parking if i can help it. sooner be on a gypsy camp than a campsite. and you get a better welcome . spent a few days in portugal last winter with a fairground . hard to communicate but what a friendly bunch. no thank you keep your camp sites . cheers alan.
 
tonybater said:
I have been searching for suitable wild camping spots on other web sites and came across a long thread which turned into a debate about wild camping - well more of a rant really! Contributors were moaning about motorhome owners who spend thousands of pounds on their outfits and are then too mean to pay for camp site fees.

I think they are missing the point completely. To me, wild camping is not about saving a few pounds - I am perfectly happy to pay up for my overnight stay - it is about the freedom of going and staying where you want, when you want, often spontaneously - no forward planning - in fact exactly what encouraged me to buy a motor home in the first place. There were suggestions that we should all use CS/CLs instead. I am a member of the Caravan Club, but have rarely used CLs as I find that especially during peak season, there are no spaces available when you get there, and you are encouraged to book ahead - so much for freedom and spontenaity!

Do others think like me - that wild camping is about freedom rather than free camping?
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I would I agree, wild camping is about spontenaity and freedom rather than free camping.

We end up with a mixture of wild and campsites-so far (our first year with our MH). To me if we are having to pay to parkup up overnight on a car park I would check out a local campsite-sometimes as cheap if not cheaper we have found, and out of the way-no "boy racers".

But you can't beat a peaceful spot with a great view all for free.

We sort of have plan to set off with, then change it as we find interesting places to visit or to stop.
 
On our last trip our daughter and her partner were with us and as the campervan only sleeps 2 we booked into a campsite for 3 nights so they could stay in a tent. On arrival we were informed by a camper that the place we selected was 'reserved' for a rally (pop-top caravans, they even had a flag). After wildcamping it was not a pleasant experience, so we won't do that again for a while. I agree with other posts it is the freedom and the shear serendipity of not knowing what you will find, who you will meet. Our best travelling memories are of such experiences. With the growing number of MHs and CVs it's just as well that many choose to stay on campsites - more room for us wilders!
 
I was once told that I was in the top 2%. I thought they meant IQ.:D

Now, after what Old Arthur has said, it must mean wilding.:confused::(

Have not been on a site for more than a year but then I am not a fair weather camper. If we are out and about this winter then I may need a site to charge up my batteries and do laundry.
 
wild every time

could not agree more the only time we have seen anything nicked was on site,several fishing rods taken from behind the vans during the night
 
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I think campsites are missing the point, if they were to charge a reasonable price (to me £3 to £5) for a motorhome to park up overnight (something like after 8pm until 9am) if they have the space why not :rolleyes:. I usually don't want to camp I only want to park somewhere reasonably overnight then be off to find somewhere nice for the day. At the prices they are usually charging I will just wildcamp & they get nothing. Unlike many campers & caravanners many motorhome owners will use their van throughout the year, but site owners still persist in charging ridiculous prices all year round.
When we are abroad we usually try to find a free aire but don't go out of our way too much if we find one for a few euros.
 
I totally agree with Kontiki. Our first night in our van was on the Gower out of season. We arrived at 9pm, used no facilities, no water, no hook up and left at 10 am the next morning and they charged £20:eek::eek::eek: What a bloody rip off. That's how we came across wild camping and we haven't used a campsite since. Although we are looking into CL's as an alternative because there are areas where the only places to stop seem to be Pubs. If you have to pay for a meal and drinks it doesn't seem to be such good value anymore.
 
maingate said:
I was once told that I was in the top 2%. I thought they meant IQ.:D

Now, after what Old Arthur has said, it must mean wilding.:confused::(

Have not been on a site for more than a year but then I am not a fair weather camper. If we are out and about this winter then I may need a site to charge up my batteries and do laundry.
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Same here, Ive not been on a site in tha last 3 years. However things are changing too quickly and free-camping is getting problematic with all the height barriers being installed almost everywhere. Just returned from Ireland (N & South) and confirm that last years there were numerous spots to overnight-4-free, , ,but not anymore! I built my own van with the intention of being self-sufficient with 110 amp batteries everywhere and 30 gallons of water on board. I found 'harbours'being handy places but 'No Overnight Parking' signs have popped-up. My bet is: there is a conspiracy against free-overnighters in the UK and Scotland + North & S-Ireland. I've never been to France but it is looking positively enchanting compared to what I have been experiencing of recent -- any contibutions to that would help me to decide?
 
great britain is full of jealous people they dont like to think you got away with it and they cant. some love the campsites and will help do away with all wild camping if they could . forget holidays here take your van abroad. you can park in police and fire stations and lots of authority places for free .you cant even park in the day here in most authotity carparks. most want a great big caravan a new 4x4 and an awning to cover a football field and cant get there head round quiet lake side or riverside .or even a nice sunset over the sea. no bingo or a big barbeque big enough to roast a cow. think all fires are bonfires .they never sit round that small well looked after fire and chat about life. cant do it so you must stop it. cheers alan.
 
Old_Arthur said:
not many i would only say about 98%:rolleyes: but lots talk about it:eek:,the closes most come to wildcampin is a pubstopover 2 meals 6 bottles of wine:D be cheaper to pull on a site :D
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That has dissapointed me Arthur. I thought we were all wildcampers. Why have one of the symbols of freedom (campervan/motorhome) and then follow someone elses rules when you park up?. And having to pay silly money for the privilege.
 
My wife and I have wildcamped for 30 years, sometimes up to 18 months continuously. Money is not the problem it is the fact that we choose to wildcamp because we are independent. We do not need someone to supply us with a piece of grass to park up on, we will find our own.
 
I agree that the real point of wildcamping is finding your own spot that you like & not so much the fact it is free.
We are staying in the UK for the most of this year due to family commitments, because of that we thought we would join the C&CC to use the temporary holiday sites & CS's. We went on one of the THS rallies at Ross & it wasn't too bad, another one we went on we thought was rubbish, not only that the price was dearer than it said in the magazine. We tried a couple more in Anglesey & the first one we didn't think we could get on & off the field without getting stuck & the other one we couldn't have made it round the turn to get onto the field so we just did the usual & wildcamped.
We don't like campsites of any kind which are too organized & you have to park on your plot facing a certain way. As for cheap campsites the only ones of those we could find are miles from anywhere. Think we will stick to wildcamping for most of the time.
We are hoping to fit a break in to Brittany around the end of September for about a month, it must be about 5 or six years since we have been there. It's nice to be welcomed even by the French :rolleyes:
 
Roger Barret said:
But surely the point of WCFM is wildcamping.



Syd
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Hi Syd,

I think you have spent far too much time on the dark side of the moon.

You do not get thrown off this site if you have ever stayed on a campsite. If you are not happy with people who stay on sites then you had best look elsewhere for company.

For a start, I have spent many nights on sites when I worked around the country and used my van rather than stay in hotels or boarding houses. I stayed very rarely on Club sites which were still a lot cheaper than hotels (and often had superior facilities). Usually I stayed on CL`s or CS`s which were cheap as chips. I never had any problems with officialdom on sites and met a lot of friendly people who had m/homes and caravans.

I agree with the comment that there is a group of m/homers who will not spend a penny if they can help it. It is often this type who overstays, leaves a mess behind and f***s it up for the rest of us.

I take 6 dogs away with me and I choose coastal areas. I am about to do an extended trip around Scotland. Hopefully I can do without any campsites but I have done my homework on sites to give me an option should I need it.

If you are the freeloading type then don`t bother me if we ever meet. You cannot mistake my van, it has a nodding dog in every window and they are not Churchill.
 
Anyone else noticed that trottersindependenttrader who is criticising those who may wildcamp on grounds of price, hasn't paid his £15 to become a member:D
 
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