Wildcamping Aguilas or Not!

Byronic

Guest
I know quite a few forum members like to w/camp in and around Aguilas.
Such as Playa Carolina, Bahia Arroz etc.
An article in the murciatoday.com reports that the Aguilas Authorities are
intending to fine wildcamping motorhomes €1500 if parked within 5km. of
beaches or coast. Definitions of camping and parking aren't made but I'm
uncertain of details as I can't bring up the rags' site again, and didn't have time
for a screenshot.
Those interested may want to search further.
Anyway not a good omen should other authorities follow suit.
 
Just noted that the article is being shown on another....... ahem forum!
 
The police moved us on in September. They were very friendly and nice about it. So we moved to la Azohia and parked, camped there for two weeks and nothing said and Police drove by 2 or 3 times a day.
By the looks of it for that area I suppose we will use Anibal aire and garage and use the bikes to get to Carolina.
 
I live near Aguilas and also have camped in the areas. What is happening is that Local people make more and more complaints now about Motorhomes wildcamping and usually its because a very small minority don't just park they camp and they stay more than 24/48 hrs so obvious they are camping, we have seen washing lines out all day, tables chairs etc so they are clearly not parked, and of course a small minority leave rubbish behind hence complaints and its beginning in many parts of Spain. Additionally what also is happening is if you are wildcamping near a site and the site has space the police will ask you to move perhaps they are paid by the site who knows. We parked last year in a car park in Moraira and local police offered to escort us to the local site.
 
Yep read this via the other site, I bet it is just the thin end of the wedge. They are not going to spend money on parking areas, and a lot of the authorities are, for us and then have motorhomers lifting drain lids to dispose straight into the sewers untreated.

:wave::wave:
 
It is my understanding that the Spanish Cops keep moving us on, for the reasons given BUT I got the impression that the local owners of Camp sites are really the ones who put pressure on the local Mayor and Police, complaining that there are Camp sites around and that we park on beaches or anywhere there are free options. Doing this affects them earning a living and that by moving us onto sites the Local councils earn money in the process. This impression I got was at Tavernes and a few aother spots along the spanish coastline. It is the Spanish Campsite owners who really pressure the Councils.
 
Its not just the campsite owners. Expats complain about motorhomes parking in places that spoil their view. They have nothing else to do with their time but to harangue the local mayors.
 
Last edited:
Chainsaw Charlie said:
As others have said our own worst enemies!
2 weeks anywhere is probably not going to make the locals happy
Click to expand...
No campsites near , bars and restaurants all around and a spar shop next door.so their doing pretty well from it. And from speaking to others there the police have never bothered anybody. The locals use it as a car park. And it is huge. It’s just waste land.
 
Chainsaw Charlie said:
As others have said our own worst enemies!
2 weeks anywhere is probably not going to make the locals happy
Click to expand...

Not in itself the whole problem. it's the large concentrated numbers these days
that exacerbate the situation.
Had no such complaints or trouble in 1972 when I was 20, 6 months in a
Commer poptop! Those were the days, almost alone other than a few Kiwis
and Aussies doing/boozing the Grand Tour.

Much the same reaction to regular tourism in Venice and Barcelona due
to the overwhelming numbers, (even though they make a significant contribution to
the economy). Different reasons of course, crowding of roads & public transport, etc.
not lifting sewer access hatches or nicking water!
 
The costas would have ended up with much more aesthetic appeal
if the building code had been applied without the thick layers of corrupt
practices down the years. Particularly the restriction on building within
100m of the coastline. Even today there are plenty of Mayors and officials
either in pokey or awaiting trial over bent property deals.....their legacy usually half
empty urbanisations & pig ugly apartment blocks blotting the landscape for decades whereas at
least m/homes can be easily removed or thin themselves out overnight.

Just wished the locals and expats got at least as exercised over getting rid of
these illegal concrete eyesores as some appear to do over motorhomes.
 
The expat 'mechanics' issuing genuine UK MOT certs always made me larf,
and the UK reg. cars running around for years, no VED, no MOT no
insurance, not quite as many these days what with the occasional
policia crackdowns. Still a Timeshare hardsell presence in the summer
how many fraudulent...who knows.
No need to learn Spanish I suppose, when most work is for the English speaking
community, advertise in Sur English Edition, Euro Weekly and the like.
 
Last edited:
I am a expat as some of you put it and yes some of what you say about motorhomes being the problems here is true. My partner is Spanish and so are my boys and many times we have gone out of our way to help motorhome owners. Before you slag Spain of just look at your own country nothing to be proud of there any more. My Spanish friend told me about this thread as I dont post much on here now this was a great site when i first came on here now it has gone down hill a bit
But luckily the friends of i made on here have my number so we still meet up when they come over. The best thing to do if you dont like a country is what I do stay away. Happy travels :wave: For those that know me. Warm and Sunny just of for a quick swim :lol-053::wave:
 
According to the article there are beaches, where motorhomes may park, near Aguilas for up to 48 hours.

The 1,500 euro fines are for wild parking within 5km inland of the other beaches and within that distance of a camp site.
In addition fines of 750 euro are to be imposed for:
Lifting a manhole cover to dispose of toilet waste or dumping toilet waste,
Obscuring the view of a monument or the landscape.
Putting out tables, chairs or awnings etc.

This is contrary to Spanish national law which allows motorhomes to park anywhere another M1 vehicle can park. There is no prohibition of using the parked vehicle day or night. However M1 in European law only relates to vehicles up to 3500kg. It is a grey undefined area for passenger vehicles over 3500kg. The national Ley de Costa bans parking within 500 metre of any beach around the coast of Spain other than within urbanisations.

This year San Pedro del Pinitar Town Hall tried to ban nude bathing on any of its beaches, other offences included urinating on the beach or in the sea, One person has been fined for being naked on the beach and now the ombudsman has urged the Town Hall to change its attitude. A number of Town Halls feel they can make up their own laws but these can be overruled by the national government.
 
Yes and one of these 48 hour areas was set up last year.
No facilities whatsoever, in full view of the main road , so much
for 'm/homes spoiling the view' but they didn't forget the €10
a night charge sign! There were a handful of desperates there.
Personally I wouldn't have bothered even if gratis.
 
wilding

This is a sensitive thread, and as you will have seen in the papers over the last months tourism has been allowed to grow unchecked in many place to the detriment of the landscape and the locals. I have enormous sympathy with them and I am also the cause! I like to travel and so try and choose to go to places less visited.
With regard to camping, my two visits to Spain gave me the understanding that they do not like wild camping, ie: next to rivers or in beauty spots, but will tolerate you parking up in most car parks. I feel that if the local authority has the decency to make a car park and allow you to stay there, usually for free, then it is very rude to challenge them by off site parking.
In England we are not even permitted to stay overnight in a car park and there is this ridiculous rule that ensures many car parks are empty over night!!
I now struggle to use rural car parks as many of them now have height barriers, even if I didn't want to stay over night...how unfriendly is that.

I would encourage anyone to build bridges with the locals where ever you are, stick to local codes as much as possible and try not to exacerbate an issue that may spoil it for everyone later on.

Happy winter holidays to all of you who are lucky enough to get away for the winter. Viva Espania.
 
Generally, the real problem, is, the people who turn up in groups. I saw this Autumn one group of about ten. They were all full timers with cars and trailers and ended up setting up a mini town all on their own. They were a mixed group of Brits and Germans. The site we were parked on had no sanitation and no water. One Brit parked so close to me that I could not get my gas locker open. Needless to say we legged it.

:rabbit::rabbit:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top