Stealth camping tips for towns/cities

[Teejay]

Wasn't there a series a few years back where he was supposedly "surviving" out in the US wilderness but was revealed to be using a hotel ( making use of available resources !!)?

The real survivor is Lofty Wiseman, do a video search for him and his views on Ray Mears and Bear Girls (sic)

Someone from the audience asked Lofty what he thought of Ray, his reply was something along the lines of " Ray Mears couldn't survive in Tescos, he's the wrong shape for survival"

 

[Teejay]

We are just getting into the idea of wild/free camping and wondered how would you approach a pub landlord?

Do you call first and ask "if I eat can I stay in your car park?" Not sure I want to have a condition attached or is that the only way to do it, .i.e. if I eat/drink can I stay?

..end of ramblings..

 

[GrannyJen]

We are just getting into the idea of wild/free camping and wondered how would you approach a pub landlord?

Do you call first and ask "if I eat can I stay in your car park?" Not sure I want to have a condition attached or is that the only way to do it, .i.e. if I eat/drink can I stay?

..end of ramblings..

Britstops, by agreement with Steve, the publisher are not supposed to impose conditions, relying on the integrity of the Britstopper, but in practice a few do.

In the past I have just pulled in to one with a car park that I like, mention that I will be wanting a drink later on and "is it ok to stop the night in my camper"?

 

[flying banana]

We are just getting into the idea of wild/free camping and wondered how would you approach a pub landlord?

Do you call first and ask "if I eat can I stay in your car park?" Not sure I want to have a condition attached or is that the only way to do it, .i.e. if I eat/drink can I stay?

..end of ramblings..

no. it's actually on their own website. eat in the pub.camp for free.

 

[CYCLOPATH]

We are just getting into the idea of wild/free camping and wondered how would you approach a pub landlord?

Do you call first and ask "if I eat can I stay in your car park?" Not sure I want to have a condition attached or is that the only way to do it, .i.e. if I eat/drink can I stay?

..end of ramblings..

I would just ask if you can stay.....it is the only polite way to do it, wether they are Britstops or not. If they want to apply conditions, that is up to them, It is their private property. If you don't like what they offer, take your business elsewhere .
I don't actually have the britstop book, but have found pub recommendations on other sites

 

[CYCLOPATH]

The real survivor is Lofty Wiseman, do a video search for him and his views on Ray Mears and Bear Girls (sic)

Someone from the audience asked Lofty what he thought of Ray, his reply was something along the lines of " Ray Mears couldn't survive in Tescos, he's the wrong shape for survival"

Most of these popular tv programmes are like that. I had a patient who lived near the original River Cottage, With Hugh Ferney W. They saw them planting rows of fully grown vegetables, and taping freshly cut brançhes on trees , to creat the 'effect'. That's show buis I guess.

 

[ejmoore]

The real survivor is Lofty Wiseman, do a video search for him and his views on Ray Mears and Bear Girls (sic)

Someone from the audience asked Lofty what he thought of Ray, his reply was something along the lines of " Ray Mears couldn't survive in Tescos, he's the wrong shape for survival"

It always seems to me that Ray Mears must know some really good natural source of carbohydrates (or beer) - he doesn't look like he's just living on nuts & berries.

 

[BikerGran]

In Ray Mears' defence I would say that if you watch his earlier programmes from some years ago he looked quite 'lean and hungry'. Age and a comfortable income catch up with us all.

As for wild camping - or 'free camping' I've done it a few times, usually choosing somewhere with another campervan, or a layby near a fairly busy road. Roof down, no blinds, blanket over the seat backs for privacy. I'm a lone female too.

For a pub car park, if it's planned I usually find a pub on google earth, have a look at their menu (most have some sort of online presence) and drop them an email. Not been refused yet. If unplanned, park up and ask in the bar.

 

[Teejay]

Well we are going for our second wild camp this evening* Still think I'm overthinking it but practice makes perfect.

..me...

*Moved to here, originally posted in wrong thread.

 

[Jukebox70]

Wild camping at the moment. In a residential street, Just off New cross rd central London. Like others have said, front seats moved forward to create slightly more room for ease of using portaloo, curtain up behind front seats. Little bit noisy being under the flight path to Heathrow and so close to the main road, but it's ok. A couple of weeks ago we wild camped in a car park quite close to Huddersfield on the moors, 1.30 am woken by a group of very loud speaking in their own language, I think possibly Africans or Indians. Did get a little concerned as we we're in an almost now cali, with the roof up. We thought we'd be safe parked in the middle of nowhere. As it happens we was but a bit worrying. In the morning we saw that they'd left all their McDonald's wrappers strewn around the car park. Feels so much better and safer being parked in central London.

 

[Baloni]

We asked the landlord at one wonderful pub near to Buxton if we could stay and instead they let's us sleep inside the pub by the fire there was snow on the ground outside. Same pub stayed in their car park in the Campervan and nipped to the cafe next door in the morning for breakfast and once we slept in the hay loft above their pig shed.

Can anyone now guess the name of the pub?

Always ask I say.

Truck stops in Scotland (on the road to Arran) are often a great place to stop as they have proper toilets which open all night and come in handy in the morning!

 

[B J G]

Make sure you swivel the seats in case the plod try and pin you for drink driving.

You just have to be in charge of a vehicle, sitting position doesn't come into it.
Not speaking from personal experience but was advised of that fact in my youth when I used to sober up before taking the future Mrs home.

 

[Sad]

Happened to see this link on an old thread:

http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/uk-stopovers/9-motorhome-stopover-listing

Might be a little useful?

 

[briwy]

The Wild Camping downloadable pois also list pub stops as well as true wild camping spots.
Like Jen we generally have a look at them on Google Earth before deciding to stay.
We have friends with Mazda Bonfo and they have camped all over Europe in city centres, car parks etc and have never had any problems. Not sure I'd have the bottle to stay in some of the places they have though.