Wild Camping spots in North Devon

[MattBW]

I call it an eyesore.

Some locals feel the same about regular campervans.

 

[T6 CFO]

The main issue is in fact the number of jet skis being launched from the slipway and the danger they cause.

As for people not paying I suspect someone has had a wander round and seen no parking tickets on windscreens without grasping that the majority don’t get a ticket but pay by app.

As for the numbers, these are a gross exaggeration. There were a couple of days when the numbers of day visitors were pretty high but overnight about half a dozen is the norm when it’s busy.

It does show though how easy it is to give the concept bad press. It’s going to be an uphill struggle getting Aires type stopovers provided by the local authorities with this sort of press.

Today the car park is pretty full. I counted 8 campers of various types. There is no mess.




Mike

 

[LisaKent]

We were there a few weeks ago and felt very unsafe, we counted 25 campers there and most were less than 3m apart, I dread to think what would of happend if there was a fire. We also got talking to locals and none of them like the motorhomes being there any more . If you look on Facebook there is a community group where they all talk and moan about it, I even got called a grockle

 

[rod_vw]

We've used the Appeldore parking a number of times as we have relatives just a couple of miles away so it makes a convenient over nigh place when visiting.
The outlook over the estuary is great and over night is normally peaceful. In the past there has always been a parking attendant doing his rounds in a morning looking for those who have not paid. I understand that the same attendant covers the other local parkings (sorry a European word) so visit times may vary.
I do feel that after a good number of years providing this service they should be providing fresh water plus grey & black waste disposal. After all if you park overnight and sleep in a car, lorry or un-marked 'van' you don't have to pay, it's just us motor caravaners who do and get nothing supplied for the price.

 

[CaliforniaBen]

Campervans to pay more and park in zones at Churchfields

Councillors agreed to increase campervan parking to £15 a night, with a maximum of two nights per stay

www.inyourarea.co.uk

 

[T6 CFO]

Campervans to pay more and park in zones at Churchfields

Councillors agreed to increase campervan parking to £15 a night, with a maximum of two nights per stay

www.inyourarea.co.uk

Thanks Ben.

Sounds like there were some sensible voices amongst the councillors but not enough to get an Aires.

I live in Appledore and the starting position of the Councillor who raised this was a complete ban.

2 Days is about right as very few stay more than 1 anyway. £10 would have been about right but sounds like they are going to be confined to a specific zone which is not so good.

I’d agree it’s not suitable for long stays as there are no facilities and it’s a public car park.

The determined could stay for a couple of nights and then pop over to Bideford where there is a similar car park.

Trouble with this policy is people may park in the streets rather than pay £15 which is worse.

I’ve found the odd voice amongst locals
who believe they clog up the car park but in all honesty there is plenty of room for most of the year and a bit of imagination would have resolved any problems.

I’ll post pictures of a zone if one does in fact appear.




Mike

 

[soulstyledevon]

If they make it un-appealing and people are forced to park in an unattractive part of the car park. Campers wont see any benefit to using the provisions...

We see again, local councils trying to punish and penalise visitors to their economy...?

 

[Adamvanman]

£15 per night and having to use dirty public toilets, no thanks .

 

[Bryan2411]

As someone quite new to this, who has never yet stayed in a car park overnight £15 with no facilities is too much. Many CS/CL sites with facilities can be accessed for that cost (albeit without proximity to the water and view).
COVID has massively increased Staycations and the campervan/motorhome market is growing ergo a larger impact on communities visited by this group. Only the future will dictate how enthusiastic this market continues to be once travel and package holidays return. As a California owner I’m admittedly biased but I feel slightly out of the motor home category. Our vehicles fit in a car park space, they have low roof lines (unless sleeping) and seem to drive around small lanes and streets without a drama, so if motor homes, or white whales as they seem to be referred to cause an issue just put a height restriction on the car parks. I’m not anti motor home by the way, but they do have a huge visual impact in some of the pictures above.
Naturally all visitors need to be respectful of the places they visit regardless of their mode of transport.

 

[rod_vw]

Here is what I wrote on the above website last evening. Sorry it's all in a string but that's the way that particular website presents your text however you lay it out when typing.

"My wife and I visit relatives in Northam once or twice a year and use the Appledore park overnight in our camper. Paying £5 per night was OK but still way out of European pricing for parking with NO SERVICES! I can see reason for increasing the charge to control the camper/motorhome parking BUT we deserve decent services for that increase. There is a toilet block in the carpark so the provision of a fresh water tap, toilet cassette empty point and drive over drain to empty grey waste would not be difficult. See Peter Vickerys comments above. Please, local councilors look seriously into what our European neighbours provide for the motorhome community and follow their example. You will not be disappointed at the income that can be generated from visiting tourists. Scottish councils have stepped up to the mark after experiencing the great increase in motorhome owning tourists during 2020 and are providing low cost parking places for us. They will, without doubt benefit from the increased revenue generated, Torridge council area can benefit in a similar way. Please listen to Councillor David Brenton who is obviously experienced in motorhomeing and knows how we think and behave. Over charge us and we will go elsewhere, the financial loss will be yours even if the loss of pleasure is ours. £15 per night is TOO MUCH, £10 IS A MAXIMUM! By the way if you want us to park at the back of the area you MUST remove the skate-board park to remove the noise disturbance."

 

[Lightning]

Here is what I wrote on the above website last evening. Sorry it's all in a string but that's the way that particular website presents your text however you lay it out when typing.

"My wife and I visit relatives in Northam once or twice a year and use the Appledore park overnight in our camper. Paying £5 per night was OK but still way out of European pricing for parking with NO SERVICES! I can see reason for increasing the charge to control the camper/motorhome parking BUT we deserve decent services for that increase. There is a toilet block in the carpark so the provision of a fresh water tap, toilet cassette empty point and drive over drain to empty grey waste would not be difficult. See Peter Vickerys comments above. Please, local councilors look seriously into what our European neighbours provide for the motorhome community and follow their example. You will not be disappointed at the income that can be generated from visiting tourists. Scottish councils have stepped up to the mark after experiencing the great increase in motorhome owning tourists during 2020 and are providing low cost parking places for us. They will, without doubt benefit from the increased revenue generated, Torridge council area can benefit in a similar way. Please listen to Councillor David Brenton who is obviously experienced in motorhomeing and knows how we think and behave. Over charge us and we will go elsewhere, the financial loss will be yours even if the loss of pleasure is ours. £15 per night is TOO MUCH, £10 IS A MAXIMUM! By the way if you want us to park at the back of the area you MUST remove the skate-board park to remove the noise disturbance."

You want them to remove the skate park? How to spoil everybody’s fun. I imagine they would be very happy for you to go elsewhere.

 

[T6 CFO]

It’s a great shame this was discussed during covid as I would have attended and tried to make the case for an aires type facility.
Even on here there have been adverse comments but trust me as a cheap overnight stop it was worth having.
Jacking up the price and shunting everyone to one area with no facilities is a backward step.
There are a few occasions in high season when it’s busy but many of those are vans with boats and jet skis (another issue).
Shame


Mike

 

[rod_vw]

You want them to remove the skate park? How to spoil everybody’s fun. I imagine they would be very happy for you to go elsewhere.

From experience I know that that park is used well into the dark hours, there is a good street light nearby. Would you like to be parked with your Cali next to it at that time? By what I can see of the plans that is exactly where the council plan to park us!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

From experience I know that that park is used well into the dark hours, there is a good street light nearby. Would you like to be parked with your Cali next to it at that time? By what I can see of the plans that is exactly where the council plan to park us!

I would just park somewhere else if it bothered me that much, rather than asking for a well used local facility to be removed.

 

[Lightning]

I would just park somewhere else if it bothered me that much, rather than asking for a well used local facility to be removed.

Exactly this. Treat others as you wish to be treated.

 

[T6 CFO]

Posting made by @rod_vw was a copy and paste of what he posted for councillors to read and I would suggest that he’s trying to get them to think before adding to the problem by creating a zone in the wrong spot.

It’s a big car park and there are other options.

He’s gone to the trouble of posting in response to the article to try and keep a facility viable for all. Frankly I don’t care as I live here, in fact there’s more room for me to park my Cali there if I feel like it as I have a seasonal pass for all long stay car parks.

You will notice from the press picture 2 campers, there are in fact 3 there at the moment, none of which are camping overnight but parked with a seasonal pass which means they are locals. They haven’t moved for weeks.

I’m disappointed that a time when we are all trying to getting facilities improved the response has been to highlight a part of his post and have a pop.

 

[Lightning]

Posting made by @rod_vw was a copy and paste of what he posted for councillors to read and I would suggest that he’s trying to get them to think before adding to the problem by creating a zone in the wrong spot.

It’s a big car park and there are other options.

He’s gone to the trouble of posting in response to the article to try and keep a facility viable for all. Frankly I don’t care as I live here, in fact there’s more room for me to park my Cali there if I feel like it as I have a seasonal pass for all long stay car parks.

You will notice from the press picture 2 campers, there are in fact 3 there at the moment, none of which are camping overnight but parked with a seasonal pass which means they are locals. They haven’t moved for weeks.

I’m disappointed that a time when we are all trying to getting facilities improved the response has been to highlight a part of his post and have a pop.

In my view the response Rod sent to the council contains unreasonable demands and will probably be completely counterproductive. If we are trying to get facilities improved we should be demanding they spend large sums of money to accommodate us at the expense of other people using the area. It is clear they are trying to discourage use by proposing the price increase without any proposed improvements. Organisations who know what they are doing like CAMPRA should be supported to further our cause.

Should not be

 

[blakeley]

I'm not sure if Bideford are increasing their prices too , but even if they are keeping it at £5 I would avoid it as the area is frequented by druggies and alcoholics at night, we used the public toilets and it was full of used needles, we ended up leaving at 2am as felt very unsafe and went to Torrington which was much nicer.

 

[Zebedee]

My lovely daughter has got a job as an instructor at PGL in Torrington this Summer and she only gets 1 day off a week. I am intending to bring the Cali down so I can see her probably week of 22nd July ish. Do you think it’s safe for a woman on her own to overnight in one of these local car parks. I am currently recovering from major surgery but imagine all “traditional “ campsites are going to want someone staying a week during peak season. Zebedee

 

[Martin]

My lovely daughter has got a job as an instructor at PGL in Torrington this Summer and she only gets 1 day off a week. I am intending to bring the Cali down so I can see her probably week of 22nd July ish. Do you think it’s safe for a woman on her own to overnight in one of these local car parks. I am currently recovering from major surgery but imagine all “traditional “ campsites are going to want someone staying a week during peak season. Zebedee

The only one I would avoid is Bideford, as you get all the local druggies and boy racers in that car park at night

 

[rod_vw]

The only one I would avoid is Bideford, as you get all the local druggies and boy racers in that car park at night

Agreed, been there and seen as @Martin says.

Out of choice I would use Appledore church fields despite the elevated charge and motorhomes being moved from the seafront side. My preference for this is mainly for the view over the estuary and having my brother-in-law living a couple of miles away.

I've looked at Great Torrington but never used it but some reviews on SfS.

 

[Perfectos]

Could you not park at the PGL facility?