woodseaves Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I have been told that when in Scotland you can park and stay overnight anywhere on public land. Is this correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Within reason yes. Scotland has a more sensible approach to 'wild camping' than England and Wales and welcomes the MH/Campervan/Caravan instead of hounding them out or corralling them into some awful compound charging exorbitant rates. Some places i have stayed just one night, others up to a week without any problems whatsoever. Much depends on locality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 woodseaves - 2015-03-08 11:31 AM I have been told that when in Scotland you can park and stay overnight anywhere on public land. Is this correct? I would just say be 'Discreet' and make sure you leave nothing behind to say that you had stayed there. yes, there are plenty of beautiful and wild places to stay, away from the big cities. Observe the rules and you will be fine. Have a great time. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Scotland is good for wild camping mainly because its so big and empty, not because the Scots are more welcoming than anyone else. We've wild camped all over the place including the Outer Hebrides but there are places that are becoming tired of flocks of motorhomers abusing their welcome. When we went to Barra for instance, our first island in the Hebrides tour, we could park by the tiny airport and watch the little planes come in (only when the tide was out!) but I've heard that the locals have now banned motorhome parking there. Two years ago in Argyle we just couldn't find a suitable spot around the Dunoon area. There where 'No Overnighting' signs all over the place and I was told that, once more, the locals had become fed up with all the free campers. However, get north of Glasgow and into the Highlands and it's very easy to find a lovely quiet spot. Wild camping in England is a doddle and it's just about knowing where the spots are. There is no need to use a site if you really don't want to. Websites such as 'Wild Camping for Motorhomes' have databases of suitable places all over the U.K. and there are hundreds of them, all recommended by members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Indeed there are many places especially in the Highlands where you can park up for a night. However, do remember that although the land may be unfenced that does not mean it is public property. Plus, as has been mentioned wildcamping especially among tenters has become a dirty word in certain areas as they leave a lot of mess behind them. Loch Lomond is another area banning wildcamping as a result of the thoughtless actions of a few. The other thing is that in certain parts lay byes will have a 'no camping' sign. This is to stop the Travelling community from setting up a 'permanent' home. Unfortunately, again the innocent pay the price. Parking areas may have height barriers, again to stop the invasion by the unwanted. The other point I would tactfully make is that in the Highlands, and other parts of the UK, tourism is a provider of income and campsites rely on customers to survive. It is always a good idea to put back a little something to the community and I know some will say that they spend in shops etc, but do try to support the sites/Cl/CS as well, as if they all close, then there may be nothing left. I accept that I am being abit hypocritical in making that statement in that we rarely visit the Highlands any more but my excuse is that as a child I spent so many wet and soggy holidays up there, that my desire for something warmer has become dominant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurtle Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Wild or 'Freedom' camping in Scotland is one of the things that makes motorhome holidays here so popular. There are some folks who never set a wheel on a formal site and a lot more who would never stay anywhere other . Increasingly though a lot of people seem to work around a 4/3 or 5/2 basis, where you wild camp for 4 or 5 nights of a week and spend the other nights on a site, or vice versa This seems to offer a decent balance between freedom and civilisation or, at least , knowing where your next tank of fresh water is coming from and what you're going to do with the contents of your holding tank. An association of campervan and motorhome hire centres 'CaMPA' are currently running an on-line survey , looking at how people feel about the idea of wild camping and how it can be developed in such a way that issues are minimised. Obviously there are problems when too many people want to stay in the same place. One example is Dornoch , and the Highland Council have taken , or are going to take measures to stop overnight parking their. That is one of the few exceptions though .....we've enough space up here for more than a few folk :-D The legality of the standard 'no overnight parking' signs was succesfully challenged last year and , ultimately , as it's not a police matter, it would be up to Council officers to manage and control the matter and they can't afford to employ anyone to do so. You'll find a copy of the 'Freedom camping guidelines ' 'here' So the best thing is to stick to the guidelines, consider the needs of local businesses and come and enjoy the best part of Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Had Enough - 2015-03-08 2:13 PM When we went to Barra for instance, our first island in the Hebrides tour, we could park by the tiny airport and watch the little planes come in (only when the tide was out!) but I've heard that the locals have now banned motorhome parking there. No that's not correct. The Western Isles Council asked for MH's/Caravan owners to "respect the Machair land" which runs alongside the sea/beach/runway. If you parked there then you should know apart from the small airport building there is just one private dwelling which is actually at the furthest end of where the MH's parked and not even in front. It's not "the locals" at all. Barra also now has five recognised areas for parking, two of which have full facilities. Vatersay, another tiny island (population a mind blowing 90) is also open to wild camping with a simple 'honesty box'. Spurtle - 2015-03-08 2:49 PM Wild or 'Freedom' camping in Scotland is one of the things that makes motorhome holidays here so popular. So the best thing is to stick to the guidelines, consider the needs of local businesses and come and enjoy the best part of Scotland. Excellent post and couldn't agree more. One thing for sure, you won't find signs like this in England; http://oi60.tinypic.com/ay20cj.jpg ........but you will on a tiny little island with a population of just 138 people! This is the "welcome" you get in "friendly" England; http://oi58.tinypic.com/9qjvrq.jpg http://oi58.tinypic.com/2dch8g4.jpg http://oi59.tinypic.com/1zna0ir.jpg http://oi59.tinypic.com/2qa8d47.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Dave225 - 2015-03-08 2:35 PM Loch Lomond is another area banning wildcamping as a result of the thoughtless actions of a few. The other thing is that in certain parts lay byes will have a 'no camping' sign. Are you sure? We're being led to believe that this kind of thing only happens in unfriendly England. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Spurtle - 2015-03-08 2:49 PM Obviously there are problems when too many people want to stay in the same place. One example is Dornoch , and the Highland Council have taken , or are going to take measures to stop overnight parking their. Surely not? We're being led to believe that this kind of thing only happens in unfriendly England. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Had Enough - 2015-03-08 2:13 PM Two years ago in Argyle we just couldn't find a suitable spot around the Dunoon area. There where 'No Overnighting' signs all over the place and I was told that, once more, the locals had become fed up with all the free campers. I apologise. My wife and I must have been hallucinating and just imagined we were in Scotland when in reality we were in unfriendly England. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Cromarty on the black isle was a lovely free spot, i will put a picture on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Try campercontact...lots of places to overnight with reviews and photos. free online. less then a fiver for App for smartphone etc.. easier to search by the map IMO http://www.campercontact.com/en/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hey lordy lordy de Judge is back. Where yo bin man?. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hi Peter & Will :-D Pop in now and again to pick up my fan mail :D If I think I can be useful I post but been a bit quiet on here recently. I downloaded campercontact on to my tablet phone a few weeks ago and it seems a very good resource....Heading for Spain Thursday week, will find how useful it is then...You heading for Spain Peter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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