Dos & dont's... of wild camping
Are you tempted to try wild camping? It is becoming very popular with motorhome owners these days.
But if you do decide that you’d like to pitch away from a site on your next tour, you’ll need to ensure you are doing so in a safe, legal way.
If you are caught wild camping in an area that does not permit it, you can be fined, making your ‘free’ camping trip not so free.
To familiarise motorhome owners with the rules, the experts at outdoor holiday booking site Pitchup explain the laws at destinations across the UK and Europe.
United Kingdom
Wild camping is only legal in England if you have first obtained permission from the landowner. Most land in England is privately owned, with one exception.
Dartmoor National Park is the only place in England where wild camping is officially permitted, although there are still restrictions on where you can stop overnight (see dartmoor.gov.uk).
The rules operating in Wales are similar to those you’ll find in England.
In Scotland, right-to-roam laws are still in place, which means that wild camping is generally legal. You can set up camp in certain areas across Scotland, so long as you follow the Scottish Access Code. (You can find out more about the Code at www.outdooraccess-scot land.scot/practical-guideall/camping.)
It’s important to note that in places such as Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, you must buy a camping permit between March and September. The permit will cost you around £4 per night, but in peak season, popular areas sell out – try to plan about four months in advance.
Germany
Wild camping is prohibited in Germany and if you pitch in a German forest, you risk a fine of up to €500. If you are desperate to experience the wild forests, there are several ‘nearly wild’ sites available (pitchup.com).
Italy
Free or wild camping is not legal in Italy, unless you first obtain the permission of the landowner, and it could cost you €100 to €500 if you are caught camping illegally.
It is also important to note that the Italian authorities regularly patrol all of the tourist areas and coastlines to enforce this prohibition.
Croatia
Croatia also prohibits wild camping. It is punishable by law and there is a 3000kn (€400) fine if you are caught. In tourist areas, on the coast, and in national parks, the ban is strictly enforced.
Tourists and locals are only allowed to camp in registered campsites or on parking lots designated for motorhomes.
France
Although wild camping in France is legally something of a grey area, it is generally tolerated, so long as you have the landowner’s permission, or if you are far away from any of the tourist sites.
In the north-east, the Morvan peaks are a popular choice, while in the south of the country, there are several wild camping spots around Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue.
France has a tremendous network of aires, which offer a touch of wild camping experience – and you might even find electric hook-up. You should, however, avoid staying overnight on motorway aires.
You should also note that, whichever aire you stay at, you’re not allowed to ‘camp’ – so barbecues and outdoor chairs shouldn’t be used.
Instead, you could opt for Camping La Viotterie (campinglaviotterie.fr), a, family-friendly farm site in the Mayenne countryside, and just a 20-minute drive from the lake at La Rincerie. Here, chairs and barbecues are allowed!
Spain
No wild camping is allowed in Spain, and it is also very important to understand the difference between parking up and camping.
It is illegal to park in any wild, non-camping place and set up your awning, table or chairs, which would be classed as camping.
This rule also applies to beaches, and camping or sleeping on the beach is forbidden.
‘Countries across Europe have different regulations covering wild camping’
For further information about wild camping and some great ‘nearly wild’ campsite suggestions, visit pitchup.com/campsites /-/wild-camping
Wake The Tiger, Bristol This July, Bristol will be welcoming the launch of the world’s very first Amazement Park.
Wake The Tiger will be a collaboration of more than 100 artists in various fields, including poets, storytellers, scenic artists, robotics experts, fabricators, costume makers, architects, videographers and prop makers, working together to bring to life this new interactive experience in the St Philip’s area.
A hybrid of art gallery, theme park and film set, the Amazement Park will lead visitors through different environments, from passages to hidden forests and an ice cave.
Web wakethetiger.com
Stay at Baltic Wharf
CAMC Campsite
Web caravanclub.co.uk
Canal cruises, Derbyshire
Sandiacre Canal Trust plans to bring boat trips to the beautiful River Derwent in July. The fully accessible, electrically powered leisure cruiser will offer tours on the river, from Derby to Darley Abbey Mills.
Stretching 15 miles along the river valley from Derby to Matlock Bath, the World Heritage Site hosts a series of historic mill complexes, with one of the many significant buildings being the Silk Mill.
Web visitderby.co.uk
Stay at Conkers
C&CC Site
Web campingand caravanningclub.co.uk
Cleveland Pools, Bath Britain’s oldest lido is due to reopen in August. After
an epic 17-year campaign to preserve the historic open-air swimming pools, which are now more than 200 years old, the charity has received a £6.1m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This will enable them to bring this unique site back into use as a community pool.
Restoration work has now begun to make the facility both fit for use and eco-friendly, with plans to create a truly spectacular open-air public pool, where the energy that is needed for heating the water will be supplied from heat pumps sited in the adjacent River Avon.
Web www.cleveland pools.org.uk
Stay at Bath Chew Valley
Web www.bathchew valley.co.uk