Stealth camping

Viscount Aggro

I have noticed this trend around Ireland. Campervans parked up, usually in a forest car park, people asleep in the back of it. Its usually continental Europeans. Its known as stealth camping, plenty of websites on the topic, with advice on where to park up.

campingcarist

I know it as Wild Camping.

The majority of Motorhomes are self-sufficient in that they have toilet, fridge, cooking, as well as their sleeping facilities. Bigger motorhomes also have showers and freezers. Therefore, camping sites with their facilities are not required. Although caravans may also have the same facilities, they lack the "self propelled" facility of an engine and steering.

In Ireland, motorhomes are not catered for but in a few places. Owners of motorhomes do have to buy food, fuel and, of course, they and their families will dine out during their trips thus spending money in towns and villages where they stay or pass through.

Incidently, I don't like the term "camper" - we are not campers, our vehicles are motorhomes not campervans.

spaceHopper

campingcarist wrote: »

I know it as Wild Camping.

The majority of Motorhomes are self-sufficient in that they have toilet, fridge, cooking, as well as their sleeping facilities. Bigger motorhomes also have showers and freezers. Therefore, camping sites with their facilities are not required. Although caravans may also have the same facilities, they lack the "self propelled" facility of an engine and steering.

In Ireland, motorhomes are not catered for but in a few places. Owners of motorhomes do have to buy food, fuel and, of course, they and their families will dine out during their trips thus spending money in towns and villages where they stay or pass through.

Incidently, I don't like the term "camper" - we are not campers, our vehicles are motorhomes not campervans.

No mine is a campervan at least last time I looked it was.

Odyssey 2005

campingcarist wrote: »

I know it as Wild Camping.

The majority of Motorhomes are self-sufficient in that they have toilet, fridge, cooking, as well as their sleeping facilities. Bigger motorhomes also have showers and freezers. Therefore, camping sites with their facilities are not required. Although caravans may also have the same facilities, they lack the "self propelled" facility of an engine and steering.

In Ireland, motorhomes are not catered for but in a few places. Owners of motorhomes do have to buy food, fuel and, of course, they and their families will dine out during their trips thus spending money in towns and villages where they stay or pass through.

Incidently, I don't like the term "camper" - we are not campers, our vehicles are motorhomes not campervans.

Ah Bless..Mrs Bucket has a campervan.

bridster007

campingcarist wrote: »

Incidently, I don't like the term "camper" - we are not campers, our vehicles are motorhomes not campervans.

Campingcarist ????

SEPT 23 1989

Once they don't make a nuisance of themselves and leave the place as they found it

What's the problem?

mikeoneilly

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Once they don't make a nuisance of themselves and leave the place as they found it

What's the problem?

I couldn't relax at that crack.You never know who's out there .Local thugs and the like

Same world we all live in.

SeamusG97

mikeoneilly wrote: »

I couldn't relax at that crack.You never know who's out there .Local thugs and the like

In fairness the only thing I'd be bothered about is being in the way of someone or something - once got boxed in overnight and had to drive up through the middle of a Sunday market in Killaloe brushing stalls on either side and getting a lot of bemused and disapproving looks.
If it isn't safe it probably isn't the sort of place You want to be in the first place.

SeamusG97

Thinking about it has anybody on here actually had a bad experience while parked up somewhere in Ireland?
We always feel safe - this is tempered by the experience of having our newly bought and still German plated van being kicked to **** by a group of youths in Rheims in the middle of the night on the journey home from Hamburg eleven years ago.
We had unwisely parked in an urban car park which seemed fine and leafy and safe in daylight but had quickly emptied out after dark leaving us alone. One lad kicked it hard it passing by and then came back half an hour later at two in the morning with a gang of his mates. Kung fu kicks on all four sides and our 5 And 3 yr olds screaming. No choice but to drive off over a patch of grass in a hail of stones and over a footpath onto the road. It wasn't a great start to motorhoming. Given the history of the area I sometimes wonder if the German reg was a factor. Back on point, I'd never feel threatened at home ( or abroad actually- it was just our lack of cop-on at the time) Are there any stories to contradict this?

crabbypaddy

Only time we've ever had any hassle was also in France on Bastille day at St Bernard came back to find the municipal campsite locked and while parked outside figuring out what to do next had some drunk scumbags in shell suits screaming at us in french to f back to our own country. Ended up sleeping in the motorway services 20km or so away not fun.

Day Lewin

Mine is a Camper Van. A converted Citroen Relay. Still so van-like that you can park her in a suburban street and nobody gives her a second glance, in spite of two caravan windows which have lace curtains!
And yes, it counts as camping: arrive quietly, leave in time, make no nuisance, occupy a small space, manage on the minimum.
I've parked and slept in many a forestry gate, beach-side or lakeshore parking, outside houses - all over Ireland and nobody has ever bothered us in any way.
Of course, we buy meals, food and booze in any place we visit - plus paying into tourist gardens and grand houses.

My lifelong habit has been to leave any picnic spot- or campsite - cleaner than I found it. As well as everything of our own, we also remove at least one piece of litter, and often quite a large amount of recyclable cans, glass etc, or bin-litter.

Two rules to memorise, for life:

1. Arrive at sunset, leave after breakfast
2. Always leave a stopping-place cleaner than you found it.

Plus a postscript for vans and MH's:
-- One is delightful, two may be ok, three is too many. Locals get restive and cops move you on, if too many vehicles are seen congregating. Travel light!

And happy camping!

spaceHopper

Only in Cork, saw a drunk couple having an argument, the lad then kicked the wing mirror off a expensive looking motor home parked next to them.

Also wend down to Inchydoney once parked in the public car park by the beach, blow the hotel. Some guys came in to the car park, pulled up a good 50M away and played a pron CD at full volume. Was with the misses and two other friends in their camper, had driven down from Dublin so where figuring it out for the first night. If it have been me and to of may much larger surfing buddies we'd have blocked the car park exit and called the cops. It would have been worth it to read the court report in the paper and seeing their embarrassment.