Orkney campsites

[John Slater]

The term wildcamping does not apply to campervans and motorhomes in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code however responsibly you do it.

 

[Lightning]

The term wildcamping does not apply to campervans and motorhomes in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code however responsibly you do it.

The parking section of the code applies, providing you park responsibly.

 

[Digger]

The code does not allow parking to camp and does not give any right to take a vehicle onto any private land. As almost all land in Scotland is privately owned seems sensible to ask permission rather than risk causing aggro and bad feelings. It is when confrontation and arguing starts we all suffer. Stealth and good manners win. The right to roam has introduced a freedom with real responsibilities attached and penalties. It could also be taken away very easily if abused.

 

[Lightning]

The code does not allow parking to camp and does not give any right to take a vehicle onto any private land. As almost all land in Scotland is privately owned seems sensible to ask permission rather than risk causing aggro and bad feelings. It is when confrontation and arguing starts we all suffer. Stealth and good manners win. The right to roam has introduced a freedom with real responsibilities attached and penalties. It could also be taken away very easily if abused.

This is what the code says.
Overnight stays in campervans and motorhomes
Access rights do not include motor vehicles and there is no specific guidance on campervans and motorhomes in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. There is no legal right to park beside the road overnight, but there may be no objection to this in some instances - so extra care is needed.

Advice from Scottish Natural Heritage is as follows:

• Managed caravan/camp sites should be used where possible. More information about campsites and caravan parks can be found on the Scottish Camping and VisitScotland websites, and at VisitScotland iCentres
  
• Follow the Highway Code and observe any local guidance, including specific requests not to park overnight in particular places.
  
• Follow the general guidance in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code: respect the interests of others, care for the environment and take responsibility for your own actions.
  
• Follow the guidance in the Code on parking, taking care not to block forest, estate or farm entrances, and the guidance on litter and human waste. Only empty any chemical toilet waste in designated chemical waste areas.

 

[Digger]

There is no legal right to park beside the road overnight as you point out. That says it all. SNH is only advisory and has no legal standing where a complaint arises. I am not arguing a point but stating the case that the legal side is one where we have to respect and recognise our responsibilities. nmtbs.

 

[Lightning]

There is no legal right to park beside the road overnight as you point out. That says it all. SNH is only advisory and has no legal standing where a complaint arises. I am not arguing a point but stating the case that the legal side is one where we have to respect and recognise our responsibilities. nmtbs.

It is not illegal to park on the highway providing you are not causing an obstruction or on yellow lines etc.. It is also not illegal to sleep in your van. It is illegal to drive when tired. Furthermore there may be no objection to you parking beside the road as the code points out.
These communities also need to respect that people can legally park and sleep anywhere on the highway, they have no legal basis to object.

 

[Lightning]

This is an FOI request made in Cornwall. The response is clear that they do not actually have the power to enforce any ban on people sleeping in vehicles that are not causing an obstruction.

Clarification of laws and policy regarding sleeping in vehicles. - a Freedom of Information request to Cornwall Council

I am writing to you regarding Cornwall Council's policy towards people sleeping in vehicles. 1 Please clarify your policy regarding overnight sleeping in vehicles on the highway, road verge, layby, or carpark, specifically Campervans/part conversions, Motorhomes and HGV commercials. 2 Please...

www.whatdotheyknow.com

 

[flying banana]

It is not illegal to park on the highway providing you are not causing an obstruction or on yellow lines etc.. It is also not illegal to sleep in your van. It is illegal to drive when tired. Furthermore there may be no objection to you parking beside the road as the code points out.
These communities also need to respect that people can legally park and sleep anywhere on the highway, they have no legal basis to object.

Exactly. How do people think truckers get away with it. And I'm sure not all lorry drivers throw their bottles of 'truckers tizer' in the bushes but unfortunately a small minority of them do. I don't know why we are arguing about it. As for the nimbys saying it's not nimbyism it's interesting to note that the 3 people here that say don't go to Scotland are all from there. Best take our money elsewhere imo . I was thinking of heading up that way soon but i reckon my crisp 20s will spend easily enough elsewhere.

 

[Herman]

Exactly. How do people think truckers get away with it. And I'm sure not all lorry drivers throw their bottles of 'truckers tizer' in the bushes but unfortunately a small minority of them do. I don't know why we are arguing about it. As for the nimbys saying it's not nimbyism it's interesting to note that the 3 people here that say don't go to Scotland are all from there. Best take our money elsewhere imo . I was thinking of heading up that way soon but i reckon my crisp 20s will spend easily enough elsewhere.

As one of the 3 people from Scotland saying don’t go there; I was caught south of the border when the Scottish lockdown rules were announced restricting travel to 5 miles for essential purposes only. Unlike Dominic Cummings I abided by the rules. When the rules were relaxed and the floodgates opened, I decided to stay where I am for the time-being. Incidentally, I have also kept away from Bournemouth beach.

 

[Graeme Ferguson]

My understanding from a research report I posted previously, is that they are unable to enforce the permit scheme, as the ban conflicts with the highways act, although the permit scheme which was very expensive to introduce is still active. In my view it is at least in part Nimbyism. Happy for visitors to stay on sites in the area, not happy for them not to.

 

[Graeme Ferguson]

My understanding from a research report I posted previously, is that they are unable to enforce the permit scheme, as the ban conflicts with the highways act, although the permit scheme which was very expensive to introduce is still active. In my view it is at least in part Nimbyism. Happy for visitors to stay on sites in the area, not happy for them not to.

The Highways Act does not apply to Scotland where the main legislation is the Roads (Scotland) Act. In some parts of the Highland Council area they have raised traffic orders (Road Traffic Act) that prevent overnight camping in certain lay-bys and there are a number of location where this is signed and includes the details of the traffic order. Just to further muddy the waters some of the NC500 is on trunk road and some is on local road so different Roads Authority and different use of traffic orders.

The terms now being used in Scotland is wild campers for those travelling the hills using their right to roam and dirty campers for all of the neds escaping to the country to get pissed and leave all their crap being

 

[flying banana]

As one of the 3 people from Scotland saying don’t go there; I was caught south of the border when the Scottish lockdown rules were announced restricting travel to 5 miles for essential purposes only. Unlike Dominic Cummings I abided by the rules. When the rules were relaxed and the floodgates opened, I decided to stay where I am for the time-being. Incidentally, I have also kept away from Bournemouth beach.

It's ok. We aren't coming

 

[Lightning]

The Highways Act does not apply to Scotland where the main legislation is the Roads (Scotland) Act. In some parts of the Highland Council area they have raised traffic orders (Road Traffic Act) that prevent overnight camping in certain lay-bys and there are a number of location where this is signed and includes the details of the traffic order. Just to further muddy the waters some of the NC500 is on trunk road and some is on local road so different Roads Authority and different use of traffic orders.

The terms now being used in Scotland is wild campers for those travelling the hills using their right to roam and dirty campers for all of the neds escaping to the country to get pissed and leave all their crap being

They are unable to enforce their scheme in Loch Lomond, as previously posted, and pasted below. For the same reasons they will be unable to enforce such a ban elsewhere in Scotland.
Also, the yellow ‘No Camping’ signs seen in many Scottish Lay-bys have been proven to be unlawful as they are normally not backed up by an order. The wild campers in the hills are also in the papers for leaving their rubbish behind, and lighting bonfires on the fells. In fact as they do not have on board toilets they must be worse than campervans. Most people are responsible, fine people with littering if they do, no matter what they are sleeping in.

The Loch Lomond permit scheme to manage wild camping is proving tricky and expensive to enforce. Somebody has performed a thorough analysis of the situation in the attached link, as there are proposals to introduce similar schemes in other areas in Scotland.

• And, for reasons explained above, the Park has effectively had to abandon all attempts to ban the parking of campervans and caravans because of its misunderstanding of the relationship between the camping byelaw provisions in the 2003 Act and Road Traffic legislation.

The reason referred to is that you are allowed to sleep in your car for safety reasons to prevent tired driving.

Response to Scottish Parliament Petition 1751 to “Create no wild camp zones in Scotland” - parkswatchscotland
In September, the local SNP Councillor for North, West and Central Sutherland, Kirsteen Currie (see here), lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament petitions Committee to create no wild camp zones in Scotland (see here). The petition was prompted by perceived concerns with the impact of...
parkswatchscotland.co.uk

Reply

 

[Lightning]

Off road camping – can we cut out the confusion?

CHARLES INGRAM lives in a makeshift campsite on the verge of the A9 near Bruar in Highland Perthshire. The 70-year old former garage owner has endured three winters here, first of all living in his Mercedes car before migrating into a family sized tent. In the past year his little camp has...

www.walkhighlands.co.uk

 

[Digger]

Off road camping – can we cut out the confusion?

CHARLES INGRAM lives in a makeshift campsite on the verge of the A9 near Bruar in Highland Perthshire. The 70-year old former garage owner has endured three winters here, first of all living in his Mercedes car before migrating into a family sized tent. In the past year his little camp has...

www.walkhighlands.co.uk

They felt sorry for old Charles but then evicted him. As for Loch Lomond it is enforced and will continue to be so by police scotland. No one wants to stop tourist and visitors are welcome but there is a limit to capacity and too many disrespect the countryside. If you think dumping toilet waste is ok you are not on the welcome list.

 

[Lightning]

They felt sorry for old Charles but then evicted him. As for Loch Lomond it is enforced and will continue to be so by police scotland. No one wants to stop tourist and visitors are welcome but there is a limit to capacity and too many disrespect the countryside. If you think dumping toilet waste is ok you are not on the welcome list.

Well, according to the link I posted, which appears to be well researched they are unable to enforce it. It’s interesting that the source of the original problems in Loch Lomond is stated as fisherman.

Virtually nobody thinks dumping toilet waste is ok. A small proportion of people direspect the countryside. Focus on them. It is traditionally acceptable to bury toilet waste when wild camping all over the world though.

The countryside belongs to all of us, not just those who live there. The decision of who is and isn’t welcome also belongs to all of us, not just those who live there.

 

[thebigirishone]

the people of scotland clearly don't want your money or business. go elsewhere. try a much warmer Yorkshire welcome in the dales. less midges too

I’m not sure that is true at all. I had a fantastic week in the outer Hebrides, where is was quiet and peaceful. There has been many who have gone up north to do the NC500 and treat it like a bucket List and complete in as short a period as possible. If you are going anywhere, you need to be sensitive to the area you are in. Spend some money, smile, be friendly, you will be amazed at how people will forget that you are english... lol

 

[Herman]

Well, according to the link I posted, which appears to be well researched they are unable to enforce it. It’s interesting that the source of the original problems in Loch Lomond is stated as fisherman.

Virtually nobody thinks dumping toilet waste is ok. A small proportion of people direspect the countryside. Focus on them. It is traditionally acceptable to bury toilet waste when wild camping all over the world though.

The countryside belongs to all of us, not just those who live there. The decision of who is and isn’t welcome also belongs to all of us, not just those who live there.

It traditionally WAS acceptable to bury toilet waste. However, with increasing numbers of visitors using a very restricted number of locations it is becoming increasingly unacceptable. It is worth reading ‘How To sing In The Woods’ by Kathleen Meyer which explains the problems when areas become overburdened with ordure. I agree that there should be more public toilets, but there are aren’t.

 

[Nomis]

We are in Shetland and we are having the time of out lives. These islands are so beautiful and everywhere there are toilets and free warm showers by the roadside. We have been here a week and have yet to use a campsite. Havnt seen ANY other campervans or motorhomes at all. Everyone is super friendly. We are in no hurry to head south after reading the comments on here...

 

[Paul Grice]

The wee Cranky woman has shut Scotland...... yull nai be welcome... aiy

 

[ClanTimmins]

We are Scottish but live in England and hope to go up later this month. There are beautiful alternatives to the NC 500! This time we're going to Arran and the Mull of Kintyre. We always stay on sites and have booked three sites all with facilities open who seem very pleased to welcome us.

 

[BeagleMum]

We are Scottish but live in England and hope to go up later this month. There are beautiful alternatives to the NC 500! This time we're going to Arran and the Mull of Kintyre. We always stay on sites and have booked three sites all with facilities open who seem very pleased to welcome us.

Have you been to M O K & Arran before? They are beautiful we’ve been multiple times.
We were due on Arran again in April which was cancelled due to Covid. Have a great trip

 

[Herman]

It traditionally WAS acceptable to bury toilet waste. However, with increasing numbers of visitors using a very restricted number of locations it is becoming increasingly unacceptable. It is worth reading ‘How To sing In The Woods’ by Kathleen Meyer which explains the problems when areas become overburdened with ordure. I agree that there should be more public toilets, but there are aren’t.

Interesting that the word ‘sing’ in the original post has become ‘sing’ in the above. If it was good enough for Shakespeare it should be good enough for the vwcaliforniaclub.

 

[Herman]

Interesting that the word ‘sing’ in the original post has become ‘sing’ in the above. If it was good enough for Shakespeare it should be good enough for the vwcaliforniaclub.

Still more interesting that the word sometimes spelled sh1t has yet again been changed!

 

[kp64zl]

Interesting that the word ‘sing’ in the original post has become ‘sing’ in the above. If it was good enough for Shakespeare it should be good enough for the vwcaliforniaclub.

It’s a good book