Wildcamping How To Guide 2012

A fan can be used at night to drown out outside noise that's keeping you awake.

- you can get one that will turn off after an hour, when hopefully you are sound asleep!
- a fan fitted into the roof, drawing fresh air from outside and blowing it onto the bed is great in summer.
 
note parking stop

always note where you are when you park up in case you need emegency help during the night
 
If you've got stuff that requires AA or AAA batteries, consider buying rechargeable batteries with a charger. Get one that can be plugged into a 12v socket and you'll always have a supply of charged batteries. They can be re-charged time and time again (hundreds possibly if they're a good make) and you're doing your bit towards keeping the planet cuddly. :idea-007:
 
Callers In The Dark

Welcome any late night callers with a multi-million candle power spotlight. It gives you time to see them clearly first without them seeing you properly, & will give you a few vital seconds to react if needed before they can regain sight in darkness. If it just happens to be a friendly face no long term harm done.
If you need further defence confidence; keep the fire extinguisher handy.
Be vigilant but don't be fearful; be confident but don't be complacent.
 
Think & plan ahead!

When parking in an exposed position for instance, right next to the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point in Knoydart, West Scotland facing out onto an idyllic sunset over the North Atlantic beware, check the Met.Office web site on your laptop/iPad/Smartphone for any 'Gale Warnings' in the vicinity, before you go to bed. Having to reverse onto a narrow track at 04:15 am on a dark wind-swept night when the rain is coming down in stair-rods and not remembering what was behind when you parked, is no laughing matter believe me, be warned! :sad:
 
Loch side parking

Be careful when parking over night at scottish loch sides, always stop on the hard standing and if you want to park closer walk the route and area you wish to park up first as loch sides can be boggy, I have been stuck loch side and it cost me 300 pounds to get towed out, midle of no where no one else about and a bank holiday, so I had no choice but to call my breakdown service, they charge because loss of traction is not classed as a break down.
 
Parking in towns

Leave all the blinds/curtains open if you're going out. Then it doesn't look as if you plan to stay the night. By the time you get back from town anyone who might have objected will be tucked up in bed or at least in their slippers.:lol-053:
 
Alyn waters country park

Number 1. Always Always face the way you will exit !!
We became a little complacent three weeks ago at the most lovely country park, arriving early to take our dog for a walk, lovely clean parking, beautiful kiddies playground, well manicured grounds and at least 200 acres of parkland. No restrictions of any kind, so of course we decided to stay the night. during the afternoon and evening the local constabulary drove in and out twice, smiled and waved, and we thought they were "checking us out". A man arrived at around eleven to walk his dog, we were just going to bed. Apart from this guy and us, there was nobody else in the park, or so we thought. The car parks in this park are in a dip, i thought i could hear people laughing and shouting, my wife then pointed to the silhouettes of several people against the skyline, but said she thought we would be ok as they are "just kids", and they dont know we are here at the bottom car park.
Not until chummy finished walking his dog, loaded up, switched on his lights and lit us up like a Gin Palace.
I said lets go right now, and by the time i moved from the bed to the drivers seat, and upped the blinds, (i had put all away, locked draws, step in etc before going to bed) 6 to 8 of these "kids" had charged down the car park, some 3 hundred meters, and crashed into the side of the motorhome, and i had left us facing the wrong way.
Between the dog going berserk at the noise, and me starting up instantly, it gave us just those precious few seconds to do a 3 point turn and drive up and out through the middle of at least thirty odd teenagers.
With 2 you might feel brave, but believe me with 32 you would be foolish to be brave.
As i said, this is RULE No1.
And the park, Alyn Water Country Park, just north of Wrexham, on the B5425


On behalf of everyone in the Llay area, apologies. If you happen to be in the area again, call in to the Royal British Legion. It backs onto the park you mention, has a huge car park that's nearly flat ish, has overnighht cctv, and is very accommodating to campers. Cos I run it. Just call in and let me or my staff know if you want to stop over, and if your thirsty I'd be grateful if you bought a drink.
 
like almost any aspect of life;
be observant
use your common sense[if you haven't got any,develop some!]
trust your judgement
look confident even if you're not
don't get complacent-crap happens !

in any situation put yourself in the mind of the imagined adversary-ie,leave stuff lying around,a thief will nick it,leave stuff on show with only glass in the way,ditto
drop rubbish,play music,hang washing-locals will hate you,put yourself in their place
boy racers in the car park,ask them a question''wheres the nearest shop,pub?'' etc this simple trick humanises and catergorises you and settles the natural suspicions and worries of the lads.if you can turn it into a bit of banter,word will fly round the community,relaxing everybody
this attitude soon comes easily,if you have to learn it
 
Keep an eye on weather reports. If snow imminent I would use camp site to ensure I don't get stuck somewhere in the wild. If high winds stay away from cliff edges, beaches and water. Obvious but still!
 
In the years when I was part time in the van over the course of the summer things would gravitate into the van.

One of the easiest starts to the season I had was the year I had a list on the pinboard in the truck of the things I took OUT over the winter! I walked around the house, gathered them up and put them back in!
 
Keep a crate/curver box or similar at home, and anything that has been brought home for attention and needs to go back in the motorhome, towels that have just been washed etc., goes straight into the box. Next time you go to the motorhome, if it's in storage like ours, you take the box and put things back. Saves them getting put away and forgotten about at home.
 
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