What sort of caravanner are you?

[iansoady]

I can never understand why they call it "wild" camping when it's more like car park "camping".

 

And in answer to the original question we're definitely not that sort. I fail to understand why people will pay £40,000+ for a motorhome then begrudge the €12 or so a night for a municipal campsite. But then there are a lot of things I don't understand in this world.

[Jaydug]

15 minutes ago, Lutz said:

I didn't see anything of that while we were in Aguilas last October and November.

 

 

That's understandable.   There wasn't too much wild camping in Andalucia during November and December either.   In fact, my site was far from busy.   But then once the New Year is over, the camping population explodes.    And so it will continue till the end of April, and then it quietens down again.

[ivan leslie]

20 hours ago, Malc Edge said:

I do not know if it's still allowed or still there but in high summer there was a beach on the Costa Blanca near La Marina township where the Spanards would drive from Madrid and elswhere and set up camps in the trees behind the beach.This camp settlement was massive and people slept anywhere,some outside, some in tents ,some in vans,some in cars,complete with children and dogs running wild, BBqs anywhere they fancied.We used to pass this on our our way to the beach there.We had a house in Torrevieja but sold it and upgraded to a caravan.I can also remember when La Marina camp site on the main road to Torriveija looked like a Prisioner of war camp, look at it now too posh and expensive for us.

The local authority have stopped the "wild" camping near La Marina, thank goodness!  The La Marina camp site is undergoing extensive alterations at the moment which are aimed at the summer holiday business in the main although some of the new bits will improve things for the over winter people.  

[Flying Grandad]

Our site, (Bahia de Santa Pola) on the Costa Blanca, has had a "Completo/Fulll" sign outside of reception since just after New Year.  Management is turning people away on a daily basis. There is a significant number of MH's parked up in Santa Pola, just along the sides of residential streets close to the seafront. 

[Guest]

Looks like what is seen widely across the Algarve...

[ivan leslie]

14 minutes ago, Guzzilazz said:

Looks like what is seen widely across the Algarve...

And I think in Morocco until it was stopped a couple of years ago.  The freeloading MH's get everywhere don't they ??

[Borussia 1900]

I’m a fair weather, luxury facilities kind of caravanner. I’ve spent months on end roughing it in some of the worlds more unpleasant places, when I go away now it’s tip top or I’m not going.

[Jaydug]

Look at my picture at the start of this post - below:

 

 

I know for sure that some of the vans shown in it have been parked for more than a week.    The local Guardia Civil turns a blind eye to any camper-van which parks  "For 24hours -  providing no chairs or tables are erected alongside the van"

So it's not surprising when they suddenly 'blow their top' and turn out in force to empty the carpark .................................  But soon they start creeping back.

Today's picture:-

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Jaydug

[Easy T]

I wonder where the new encampment is

[Jaydug]

46 minutes ago, Easy T said:

I wonder where the new encampment is

 

There was no sudden influx on this site yesterday!   And it's only a couple of miles away.

[CommanderDave]

It looks like a lot of Hymer motorhomes in the picture could it of be possibly a Rallye just stopping over before moving on to another site . A lot motorhomes in Spain over winter Rallye as it is cheaper rates as a group .

 

 

 

Dave

Edited February 16, 2019 by CommanderDave

[Guest]

As a motorhome owner who only ever uses official campsites, I completely understand the appeal of an occasional overnight stop whilst en route. Even though I have everything I need on board to allow me to stop anywhere, I really do not understand the appeal of stopping for more than a few hours in a council car park with no facilities, even if it is free.

Gordon

[David in Cheshire]

On the Ile de Re all camping is supposed to be on official sites according to the road signs but it didnt stop the owners of a hugely expensive Niesmann+Bischoff  motorhome spending their days on waste ground adjacent to the sewerage works.

[ValA]

43 minutes ago, David in Cheshire said:

On the Ile de Re all camping is supposed to be on official sites according to the road signs but it didnt stop the owners of a hugely expensive Niesmann+Bischoff  motorhome spending their days on waste ground adjacent to the sewerage works.

Similarly in the Ardeche in France - our campsite (just 11 euros per night for motorhomes to overnight) had plenty of pitches - large enough to accommodate big motorhomes.  A kilometre or two away (and by a sign advertising the campsite) two obviously very expensive German motorhomes were parked in a layby off a very busy and noisy roundabout............. and when they left in the morning they had left piles of rubbish and their toilet waste (with blue chemical) poured into the hedge!  

[kiaboy]

1 hour ago, David in Cheshire said:

On the Ile de Re all camping is supposed to be on official sites according to the road signs but it didnt stop the owners of a hugely expensive Niesmann+Bischoff  motorhome spending their days on waste ground adjacent to the sewerage works.

 

Our experience of  Île de Ré was the smell of sewerage on an "half day" visit was enough, didn't even eat there due to it, can't imagine spending more than that there, especially near to the source of the smell, but then it might have improved since then..

[marchie1053]

On 18/02/2019 at 08:10, David in Cheshire said:

On the Ile de Re all camping is supposed to be on official sites according to the road signs but it didnt stop the owners of a hugely expensive Niesmann+Bischoff  motorhome spending their days on waste ground adjacent to the sewerage works.

Perhaps the emplacement outside the sewage works was deliberate for convenient wild camping? It would be the one site where the occupants could put a stool outside ...

 

I'll get my coat

 

Steve

[BroGoat]

On 15/02/2019 at 08:59, montesa said:

Total total myth enjoyed and endorsed by the CMC & CCC to get you booking ahead. 

We travelled at the end of January 19 down to Spain without a single booking anywhere.

Stopover sites on way down no issue at all.

Even called in at Bonterra Park Benicassim - yes the one that's booked fully solid always in mid winter - no problem (again) choice of about 10 pitches including silver and gold FS ones - lots of lavish newish MH's inc Brits wild parked, 'living the dream' free on the dirt road at the back of town about 300 metres away.

Arrived un-announced at our choice of final long term site - 150 pitches - choice of 60+ to choose from. Dirt scrubland about 200 metres away average 30 to 50 MH 'wild' camp nightly (note wafting scent of Elsan in the air). Brand new MH Aire 2 miles up the road at minimal cost - 60 pitches with just one occupied.

Do not be thinking these wild MH campers all along the Costas are just penniless hippy vans - no no far from it some are even new 68 reg British reg Coachbuilts (sporting CMC stickers !) living err 'the dream'. To be fair if the owners do become a bit too scruffy or dirty they do seem to pop onto our site every week plus for a night or two to empty & re-load their tanks, have a good wash & shower and do some washing and then its off back to the scrubland. The wild MH's are nicknamed 'the great un-washed' on our site !

I can understand that there are some choice beachfront & headlands that are idyllic for an odd overnight wild camp but most are just dried up dirt old car park areas.

It's a Funny world.

Rant over .....

 

Totally agree. Spent last eight winters in Spain/Portugal from September to April, never pre-booked and never been turned away from a site of our choice.

 

Only once tried to pre-book and told by the site they had an agreement with the C&CC so we must book direct with C&CC, as we had not booked the ferry crossing with the club they wanted, despite us being members, a £75.00 booking fee, for a 7 day stay costing around €115. Of course we paid it - NOT

 

Steve