Ok,as for me,i have never ever 'used or payed' to go in a sheep pen, i mean campsite, oops i tell a lie,once when 'roughing it in Tenerife ' with my sleeping bag,not knowing where to go,and in the middle of no where,i stumbled on ,what they called a campsite,which had tents set up for people who didn't have one,smelling of urine and vomit,noisy drunk locals or dare i say 'gypsies' as that what they seemed like,i stayed the night and then found my other 'nights' along the coast on the beach.
I have been to 'sites' to meet friends and also enquired at them and parked near to them (it was dark) and i honestly can say
i have no intention of staying at any,both abroad and back in the UK overpriced and unsuitable,but hey thats just me and my opinion.
I have 'wilded' for over 35 years,the last 10 on and off,mostly on,or should i say in a campervan/motorhome.
I think spending your money locally does go along way,but moreso,is the way you look (sadly) the way you act,and the way you treat the place or area,for example i have found a stunning cove or beach in Greece,near Kavala,i have been going there for three years now,roughly every 3 months for a week or more a time,and from the first day,i collected all the rubbish,not just in my spot or area,but the whole beach !! it didn't look like anyone noticed AND i didn't do it for that,i done it for my personal thing,thinking of nature and not wanting holiday makers or locals to think i caused or added to it,within 2 dys there wasn't any litter/rubbish to be seen,every morning from then on,i'm greeted with 2 fresh fish from the fishermen,and every evening,i get smiles and nods when i turn up and also waves,i am accepted,i start my little clean up,when i arrive each time and bin it.everyones happy.
Now if i played my music loud,lit big bonfires,sweared,shouted,walked around nude,crapped in the bushes etc etc,then my little heaven,would have lasted the once,and i can also say the same for all my other spots,i cant vouch for anyone else,i would hope
everyone acts like this,and nothing to do with age,young or old,theres always dickheads (scuse my french)I'm no friendly looker either with long hair.nearly to my waist and long beard to my chest (biker not hippy..nowt wrong with hippies though
) but its your actions and the way you come across(
this is not intended as a lecture for younger wilders,who actually WILD ) and i would think it harder trying to make the 'locals' relax more to you,if YOU pull up,in an old van,with hand painted murals 4 irish wolfhounds and Black Sabbath blasting out of your old Marshal amps !!
I have what i call,a posh motorhome (dont you know,lol) a 95 Talbot Autoquest 6 berth,but to some including the
motorhome lot this isn't good enough,and i have been shrugged off a few times,to me,their loss.
I dont see how the 'newbies' come across as knowitalls,but are or where asking a question about 'wildcamping' and i cant see where they say how old they are ? so unless your very old (Maingate) but your not,as have't reached pensionable age as yet,maybe old in the tooth in/on this site !! but give them a chance and dont frighten them off,WE can all play a part in the
wildcamping scene....maybe,even in pub carparks and council parking
