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Wild Camping in Great-Britain
Last revision: February 15, 2003
1st co-ordinate: Philip’s 1996 Road Atlas Europe (1:1.000.000)
2nd co-ordinate: AA 2003 Maxi Scale Britain (1:160.000)
contents:
England & Wales: page 1
Scotland: page 10
Northern Ireland: page 12
Isle of Man: page12
General: page 12
10D1 - 02A3 Cornwall - St Just - Large car park in centre of town - free and with no restrictions on overnight parking. Local pubs and shops. Close to lands End, Sennen Cove, Cape Cornwall and Penzance.
10D1 - 02A4 Cornwall - Levant Mine National Trust - THE place to park up for the
night. The National Trust and Trevithick Trust own and run Levant mine, a working Cornish
steam engine. Just above the site is a large level parking area with stunning views over
the Cornish coast, engine houses and out towards Pendeen Watch lighthouse. In the village
is an excellent pub - the Trewellard Hotel - one of the friendliest pubs I have been in
for a long time! The walk from Levant Mine to the pub is an experience in itself - dark
and mysterious - past Cornwall’s ancient mining heritage. Great cliff top walks
especially towards Botallack mine - exceptional!
10D1 - 02B3 Cornwall - Carn Brea - Just off the Penzance/St Just road near to the airport. Last hill in Cornwall - flat level site but very isolated.
10D1 - 02B3 Cornwall - Lamorna Cove - Spectacular parking area but it costs! In season overnight parking works out at approximately £5.00 - from 21.00 to 08.00. Great position on edge of harbour wall - great views with walks on either side. Could be fantastic in a winter storm and much cheaper - prices after 1st November - £2.00 from 21.00 to 08.00 Pub a short walk from harbour - Lamorna Wink but not sure if it is open all the year round.
10D1 - 02E5 Cornwall - Redruth: a small lorry park
10D1 - 03F4 Cornwall - Falmouth: long stay Lorry and coach park
10D2 - 03G4 Cornwall - Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula - idyllic small harbour with pubs! Come into the village off the main (sic) Tregony/St Mawes road - car park on left and short walk into town.
10D2 - 03J5 Cornwall - There are a number of free sites around Eden/Heligan.
10D2 - 03J6 Cornwall - Follow the A390 into St Austell from Liskeard, after large roundabout and before ASDA-supermarket, turn left towards Penrice Hospital and Porthpean. Road narrows, continue until cross road. Turn left towards Trenarren (Black Head). Great views over St Austell Bay and towards the Gribben (Fowey). Car park before houses. Take left hand lane - rather uneven but passable - until you come to large open space with level parking. Superb walks out to Black Head (NT) but, as luck would have it, no pub. There is the Ship in Pentewan two miles further on from crossroads. Three miles from Heligan and four from Eden.
10D2 - 04B5 Cornwall - entering Cornwall over the Tamar bridge on the A390, onto dual carriageway after Treulefoot Roundabout, up the hill past Menheniot turning, toilets and lay-by on the left. Alternatively, continue on for approx. 1/2 mile, turn left towards Looe and then immediately left again. (Old road left abandoned). Don't forget to visit Mevagissey!
10D3 - 05J6 Torbay - Paignton: on the seafront.
10D2 - 06D4 Cornwall - Very rural site at Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor. Just east of Camelford two roads head towards Rough Tor and Brown Willy (these are mountaintops). Narrow road and great switch back road - excellent at full speed but DO make sure road is clear. Great walks up to the Tors though no close pub!
10D2 - 07G4 Cornwall - Heading into the county on the A30, past Launceston, you come off the dual carriageway and, on the left-hand side, there is a small lake and fishing advertised. Pull in and turn to left but not down to the fishery. Empty moorland in front of you!
10D4 - 09K5 Dorset - Lyme Regis, out of Lyme heading towards Charmouth - turn right just before Timber Vale campsite - 100 metres and road veers around to the left - go straight on - footpath to the Spittles! (real country round yer!)
10D4 - 10B5 Dorset -West Bay site, okay to stay on car park, it has the legend "Motorhome" across two bays, the car park nearest the Pubs, bottom left under the trees. The ticket machine in West Bay has a notice instructing a £2 fee is payable for the period 7pm to 8am. I did not see any prohibition for overnight sleeping. This is an ideal overnight stay - three pubs round the harbour and a car boot sale most Sunday mornings
10D4 - 11G3 Dorset - Of the A351 Wareham/Swanage road turn towards Steeple. Go past monastery (I think!) up the hill. Before you go through the Army controlled checkpoint there is a large car park on the left. Great views and, if timed correctly, excellent walks around Tyneham and Worbarrow Bay. (NO PUB).
10D4 - 11G5 Dorset - Take minor road from Bere Regis towards Wareham - 'Egdon Heath' in 'Return of the Native'. Various parking areas, one of which close to pub
10D4 - 11H3 Dorset - pull in outside Corfe Castle, have stopped there on numerous occasions without any problems. Nice views of castle & steam trains are a bonus
10D4 - 11J4 Dorset - ferry road at Sandbanks ferry (Poole harbour), sea 25 yards away. The road is quiet between 11pm & 7am as ferry doesn't run between those times, spent Easter with about a dozen other motorhomes, but it gets busy in the summer, have seen up to 80 vehicles parked up. Go to the national trust car park at The Knoll to empty loo and fill up with water
11D5 - 11J4 Dorset - Studland on the isle of Purbeck - on side of the road leading to the Sandbanks chain ferry at the entrance to Poole Harbour, on the Swanage/Studland side of the ferry. A very nice spot, and when I stayed there, there were 13 motorhomes. The road is surrounded by lovely moorland.
11D5 - 12A6 Hampshire - In the New Forest try the Avon Forest Country Park on the A31 outside Ringwood. Go past Ringwood towards Poole, under the Ashley Heath Roundabout and take the next roundabout left (park is signposted) There are toilets/water and it is quiet.
11D5 - 12B5 Hampshire - Several years ago we parked our car overnight in a Lorry park on the outskirts of Christchurch (It’s possible this site doesn’t exist anymore) Ended up in lay-by on A35 within sight of the welcome to Christchurch sign.
11D6 - 13H6 Hampshire- Hayling Island - There are three spots within yards of
the bridge to Hayling Island which are occasionally used by motorhomes. None of these is
official, or could be described as quiet, but at least you'll have a nice view in the
morning! (your wheels might be a bit wet if it's a really high spring tide too.... :-)
1. On the mainland side of the bridge there's a public car park shared with the Ship pub,
next to the slipway (public loos too).
2. Turn left immediately after crossing the bridge towards Northney marina. Parking for
one or two vans only on seaside of road after about 100 meters.
3. Continue about 50 meters further on the main road after the turn to (2). There's a not
too obvious turn on the right-signed 'Hayling Billy Trail'. There's a disused bit of road
here, opposite the garage (Shell I think) and screened from the main road a bit by trees.
And if you carry on down the main road another half mile there's a track next to the Esso
garage which leads to some parking and a slipway. Rather quieter, but busy if it's windy
because of wind- and kitesurfers.
11D6 - 15F2 East Sussex - At Hove Lagoon (3 miles west of Brighton) there is a slip road off from the A259 where lorries park next to some toilets, but continue following the road around to the port and you can park underneath the sea wall - much more secure.
11D7 - 15H3 East Sussex - Lewes - A town-centre car park with no height barrier! It's in Friars Walk, behind the Friends MeetingHouse (50.8735N; 0.014E). It’s a pay-and-display park but free after about 6:00 PM and at weekends.
11D7 - 15H3 East Sussex - Lewes - There's a car park with no barriers at Spring
Gardens (off North St) in Lewes where we've spent the night in our van, it's
pay-and-display but not at weekends. Just remember to park well away form the bottle
banks, which can be noisy!
11C6 - 15H6 East Sussex - Ashdown Forest - There are pull-ins to picnic areas
each side of the A22 in Ashdown Forest, south of Wych Cross.
11D7 - 15J2 East Sussex - If anyone is catching a very early ferry from Newhaven, a good place to sleep overnight might be on the seafront at Seaford. Unrestricted parking, and about 10 minutes drive from the docks. There is a sign saying ‘No Overnight Parking’, but motorhomes have been seen there at night, probably OK if you arrive late and leave early.
11C8 - 17J7 Kent - Dover, a small lay-by on the B road towards St Margaret’s. There is a monument to the first flight of the old RFC (now RAF) in the lay-by and it was reasonably quiet (apart from the howling gale).
11C8 - 17J7 Kent - Dover, in the town centre carpark, which is on the main road two minutes from the ferry terminal. It is free until 8am and, if you park on the far side, reasonably quiet. The shops etc are round the corner.
11C8 - 17J7 Kent - Dover - Motorhomes can overnight along the seafront at Dover, it’s pay & display, less than a fiver for the night I think.
10C2 - 26B7 Carmarthenshire - Just off the A484 in Burry Port. If one follows
the signposts to the harbour one comes to a wide sea front overlooking the harbour.
Although there are houses nearby, no one seemed to mind one or two motorhomes parked by
the edge of the harbour. There is even a public toilet nearby, and a caravan selling hot
and cold food and drinks. Quite a pleasant spot.
10C4 - 29F4 Bristol - There is a location on the Downs area of Bristol (top of
Parrys Lane just off the Downs) where I have seen on countless occasions motorhomes doing
a bit of unofficial wild camping. This is in an area known as Saville Rd and normally
during the day it's used as an unofficial truck stop, complete with a mobile burger bar
(very good it is too). Whilst I've been there during the day, having a cup of tea and a
sarnie, I have spoken to some of the motorhomers there, and they have actually said that
they've been sent there by the local Police to stay the night when they have failed to
find a site. It is very quiet here. As a general rule as it's off the main road and there
is no housing close by, there is usually at least one or two vans here every night.
11C5 - 30B3 Wiltshire - A useful stop on the way to (or from!) the West Country is a
lay-by on the A4 just over a quarter of a mile west of the roundabout at Beckhampton
between Marlborough and Calne, we've used it three times. There's only one entrance and
you go up a slight rise to a level area at the top, above and fairly well screened from
the main road. There are some good walks from here and it's quite near Silbury Hill
11C7 - 34A4 Kent - The Lorry Park beside the A2 just outside Gravesend (the one on the north side by the Cafe). Take the turning to Singlewell. If you are travelling west, come over bridge over top of A2 as if you are going into Gravesend but immediately you are over A2, turn left as if you are going back to A2 towards London. You will see entrance to Lorry park on left before reaching the bridge. Early morning Lorries in and out.
11C7 - 34B6 Essex - In the Basildon area of Essex there is a lorry park well sign posted if you head in the Southend direction from town centre. It is in an area called Burnt Oaks. The sign says only overnight sleeping in specially converted lorries for the purpose. Have had no trouble staying there.
11C7 - 34C2 Kent - Maidstone Services (M20) - You can stop at the Maidstone Services on the M20. They had some dedicated Motorhome parking bays when we stayed overnight after leaving Dover late one night. (£5 fee applies)
11C7 - 34D3 Kent - As you cross the bridge on to the Isle of Sheppy there is a deep lay-by on your left opposite the Nature Reserve.
11C8 - 35G2 Kent - Canterbury - The Kingsmead coach park is open to motorhomes. On payment of a £5 fee, all day parking is allowed, and there is access to toilet waste disposal facilities - at road level so that onboard tanks can be emptied, and fresh water for refilling tanks. Overnight parking is not permitted.
11C8 - 35G2 Kent – Canterbury - The Dover Road Park & Ride facility has dedicated spaces for motorhomes, the charge is £1.50 and includes the bus fare. Water is available and there is a ground level dump station for black & grey waste. Overnight parking is not permitted.
11C8 - 35G2 Kent - Canterbury - Canterbury offers drivers of motor caravans the facility to use the Coach Park in Kingsmead Road at £10 for 12 hours (7am - 7pm) including free use of a toilet drop and fresh water supply. No overnighting
11C8 - 35G2 Kent - Dover - Overnighting before Dover, past Canterbury on the A2 for
about 2 miles. Look for a garage and campsite on your left-hand side and pull in. This
also leads to a large lay-by. Have overnighted there many times HOWEVER, some lorries
overnight there, and some have freezer engines running all night
11C8 - 35J1 Kent - Nearest place to Dover is the carpark right in front of Walmer Castle (between Dover and Deal) with views of channel shipping.
11C8 - 35J2 Kent - Sandwich - Motorhomes overnight unofficially on the town quay with no problems, BUT in their wisdom Dover District Council are imposing pay parking on the town from 2003 so that may all change
11C7 - 46C4 Essex – Braintree - Lorry park at Springwood Industrial estate. Free, no height barrier, floodlit, not used by many truckers since by-pass opened. 20 minutes walk to town centre. 5 minutes walk to all night garage with shop.
11B5 - 53H3 Warwickshire - Stratford upon Avon - Cattle Market next to railway station. Free parking, no height barrier, 5 minutes walk from town centre.
11B5 - 54A8 Leicestershire - on the A444 between the M42 and the A5. There are about 6
'old road' lay-by’s, some screened from the road by shrubs. The council has recently
put notices restricting parking to a max of 12 hours - so they would be OK for overnights.
They are between Twycross and Fenny Drayton. The one nearest Fenny Drayton (just
north of it) has a caravan cafe during the day - so could provide breakfast! It is only
about 5 minutes off the A5 so is you are looking for somewhere there, it could be worth a
short detour.
11B6 - 56A6 Cambridgeshire - An old road at Stibbington where the truckers'
'diner' is situated. About a mile after the main junction with the A47 (bridge over the
road). You might find it somewhere here.
11B6 - 56B8 Cambridgeshire - Around Water Newton, just before the signs for East of England Showground and Alwalton, there is a bit of old road which sometimes has a cafe in it during the daytime. It's shielded from the road by a belt of trees, but there is usually a somewhat ramshackle 'Cafe' sign.
11B7 - 58A7 Norfolk - Thetford Forest has a good site near Santon Downham, over the River Bridge and Rail Bridge - parking in forest area on the right. Watch the weight limit on the bridge - 3 tonnes but you can get it to the site from the other direction. Lovely walks through the woods - deer seen last year.
11B8 - 59J3 Suffolk - park on the sea defences to the south of Aldeburgh in East Anglia, drive through a car park up onto the wall/track. Yachts on one side, sand and sea on the other! A truly spectacular site.
10B4 - 63J6 Stafford - Had problems finding anywhere running down A5 from Llangollen to Shrewsbury. Took the road to Whitchurch Truck Stop just outside Whitchurch. It says £2 overnight and HGV's only but spoke to friendly trucker he said no one pays and don't worry about the HGV sign. Parked in the Long stay and Lorry Park middle of Worcester one afternoon and came back to find lorries filling it up. Meter says if you have a ticket that expires after 6 PM you can stay overnight. Most truckers don't bother with this. Friendly lot suggested that if we parked under the Railway arch (where lorries are banned from parking) we would be better off when all the lorries arrived. Entertaining to see them getting as many lorries in as possible.
10B4 - 64B5 Shropshire - Market Drayton - There is a dedicated truck park just
off the A53 at the junction with the A529. It is outside the livestock market and just
behind a big Tom Cobleigh pub (family friendly, with a playbarn). You sometimes get
refrigerator trucks here which can be noisy!
11B5 - 65G3 Staffordshire - North of Lichfield - A515 signposted Ashbourne At junction with road signposted Handsacre there is a lay-by (rough ground) where Motorhomes have parked up before now and been undisturbed. Often a passable breakfast served by chap with a mobile kitchen. Virtually opposite Seedy Mill Golf Club (takes all comers I believe - if you really feel you must have a pre-breakfast round!)
11B5 - 65G3 Staffordshire - take turning left through Handsacre and Armitage.
Just after Plum Pudding PH slight hill. Immediately over crest on left pull in to small
canalside parking area - suitable for anything that can get off the road quickly - have
even seen lorries parked there. Three pubs in vicinity - Plum Pudding (now also quite a
good restaurant - but a bit pricey), Spode Cottage (Tom Cobleigh outfit), and Ash Tree -
towards Rugeley.
11B5 - 65J3 Leicestershire - M42/A444/A5 - Just off junction 11 - M42/A444 where the M42 becomes the A42 - half a mile towards Measham on an unclassified road (used to be the A453 before the A42) there is a large lay-by (old road). Used by lorries some nights, but I've never seen it full and its empty at weekends. There is a McDonald's and fuel at the Motorway Island, and 2 miles beyond the lay-by, in Measham itself is a Cantonese takeaway next door to a fish and chip shop. There is also a hotel (the Metro) at the Motorway Island - which has a restaurant, so plenty to eat! The junction is half an hour from the NEC off peak (an hour plus between 7.30am and 8.30am).
11B6 - 67H4 Lincolnshire - Colsterworth - Just beyond the Colsterworth
roundabout (junction with A151, where the fuel stations are) there is an off-road lay-by
which was an old road. The Ram Jam Inn and the adjacent garage share a large car park
which might be useful if you park discreetly (that's off the A1 at the slip road for
Oakham, turn right under the A1 bridge, then left and immediately left again).
11B6 - 67H6 Lincolnshire - If you come off the A1 (left) soon after Grantham
onto the B6403 there are a couple of areas that lorries use in the first 200 yards off the
A1. Some of this is grass but on the South side there is a fairly long patch of concrete.
It is quieter here than your average lay by and less busy. Alternatively there are various
lay-bys on that route, again used by lorries. Some are set back from the road so will be
that bit quieter.
11B7 - 70A7 Norfolk - Further down the road try Brancaster beach - parking on the right and toilets on the left. Good place to fill up with water.
11B7 - 70B7 Norfolk - Burnham Overy Staithe - National Trust and boating club car park, all right for staying one night.
11B8 - 71G3 Norfolk - A1151 (The Wroxham road out of Norwich) pass the Green Man pub at Rackheath, 1/4 mile on the left-hand side, where the old bends have been straightened.
08D3 - 72E2 Gwynedd - Exiting Caernarfon past the castle (on your left) you come to a roundabout immediately before Waitrose. Turn left at roundabout down to the end and turn right where it says Coach parking. Another Lorry congregating spot. Carpark is immediately beneath Waitrose.
08D3 - 75F2 - Flintshire - Coming into North Wales via the Mersey tunnel and through Queensferry take the B5129 to Connah’s Quay. In town turn right to signs of Industrial Estate keep going till you reach the riverside. Turn right and park in lay-by by riverside. Only a few fishermen for company (rod & line). Quiet with a view of trawlermen trawling between two small boats. Spoke to a rod & lineman he said "no problems there with all night fishing also the trawlers are only after Salmon and have been know to give away anything else they catch".
08D5 - 75G2 Cheshire - Chester - Next to the river and near the race course. Big Long Stay Car park. £1 per night. Just outside city wall. Water taps outside toilets. Camped 24th November 2001, with about six other Motor Caravans. Good spot backing on to river.
09D7 - 79H2 Lincolnshire - A15 south of Waddington - Go past the airbase until you come to tower lane on the right.1 mile down dead straight and then turn off on second bend. Recommended for Air spotters but if Waddington is flying this spot is at the end of the runway so be warned.
09D7 - 79H4 Lincolnshire - Scampton - Turn off A15 onto A1500 at the showground
signposted Marton/Scampton/Gainsborough. Turn right towards Scampton village, there is a
viewing area right on the junction. If the Red Arrows are flying this spot is spectacular.
Also back towards the A15 there is a spot at the side of the showground. The last two
spots are fine for the Xmas mart but use the park and ride which is five minutes away,
sometimes there is a special park and ride on the showground.
09D7 - 80B5 Lincolnshire - on the A631 between Market Rasen and North Willingham is a picnic area on left just beyond the racecourse. If you are narrow enough you can get into the carpark section (I can just get in with my small coachbuilt)
08C5 - 83F7 Lancashire - Entering Lancaster from the south turn left at foot of bridge over river signposted as Industrial Estate. Go beyond the houses and you come to a large factory on the left. On the right there is a deep lay-by (or picnic spot as rubbish bin present). Quiet with view of river.
09C6 - 85H5 North Yorkshire - Between Leeds and York in centre of Tadcaster there is a carpark by the river where the buses turn round. Fills up with lorries of an evening.
09D6 - 85K6 York – Just outside York is a Park & Ride
09C7 - 87G8 East Riding of Yorkshire - A deep lay-by on left of the A165 coming out of Bridlington, as you exit town
09C6 - 91G8 Durham - Off the A1M Junction 58 Turn towards Bishop Auckland, about
4 miles on the right-hand side.
09C7 - 92E4 North Yorkshire - North York Moors - Hole of Horcum, A169 N. of Pickering on North Yorkshire Moors. Car Parks (2) at top of Blue Bank. Seems okay for overnights but probably not for longer stay.
09C7 - 92E5 North Yorkshire - A169 Pickering to Whitby road just before 1 in 5 hill
down to village of Sleights. Seems okay for overnights but probably not for longer
stay.
09C7 - 93G3 – North Yorkshire - Coast view parking at Scarborough, to the North of town, good park and ride at Scarborough.
09C7 - 93F6 – North Yorkshire - Coast view parking at Whitby to the North of town, head for West Cliff signs
09C5 - 99G5 Northumberland - For those visiting Hadrians Wall: We stayed in the car park across the road from the Roman Army Museum (near Haltwhistle). There are toilets (locked at night). It's one of the few car parks in the area without a dreaded ‘No Camping/Overnight parking’ sign.
09C6 - 101H1 Hartlepool - around Hartlepool Marina plenty of good restaurants pubs and there is the Historic Quay on your doorstep, use the rough undeveloped land at the south side of the dock gates for peace and quiet as at weekends there’s sometimes plenty happening.
09B6 - 117H1 Northumberland - Scremerston - Another good spot in the north-east is on the coast near Scremerston (south of Berwick-upon-Tweed): Turn off the A1, go through Scremerston and cross the railway, then follow the coast south, there are several good spots overlooking the sea before the road peters out.
11C7 - 154/155 London - Lincoln's Inn Fields - Lincoln's Inn Fields, is about 150 yards from Holborne tube station & 500yards from Oxford St. or the Thames. The "fields" is a square just off Kingsway and has a large number of Company HQ's spaced so there is a single metered parking space between their gates, Lots of car parking plus room for about ten 25 foot motorhomes. Maximum stay is 2 hours between 8.30am & 6.30pm & free on Sundays & bank holidays. Cost is £2.40 per hour, I arrived 4.30 PM, fed the meter £4.80 and stayed till 8.30 AM the following day. Was nice & quiet at night awoke 7.15 AM. Plenty of choice for breakfast within 100 yards.
Scotland
Car parks at all Ski centres are ok. (Watch for snowgates closing - police may check on you, but are ok about it).
09B5 - 107K5 Borders - Jedburgh on A68 (Scottish borders). Just off A68 there is a car park around which flows a small river. On the other side is Jedburgh Castle, which is beautifully illuminated at night-time. 5 minutes walk away is town centre and the house Mary Queen of Scots lived in. On car park is also toilets and small cafe and souvenir shop. Have seen many campers there. As far as I know there is no charge.
Also on A68 right on Scottish borders on top of big hill are 2 large lay-by’s with fantastic view to the north up to 8-10 mile on clear day. Burger van is there during day also to be seen is a Scottish piper busking.
09B5 - 108C8 Borders - A697 at Coldstream, car park about three-quarters of the
way through the Borough. Toilets in the car park.
08B4 - 115H5 Edinburgh – City of Edinburgh, head towards Dean Bridge from Queensferry Road, hang a left at Church immediately on your right before bridge and head into crescent past residents spaces, don’t turn first right. Great views over Dean Village and free parking Friday night - Monday morning.
08B5 - 116B2 Borders/Midlothian – On the A68 (the caravan route) between Carfraemill
and Fala are two lay-bys on opposite sides of the road on the uphill drag. The one
on the right goes right out of sight, the one on the left has a greasy spoon Mollies (hot
and filling) but if you get next to Mollies van she starts her generator at 06.00Hrs.
Don't use this spot if snow is forecast as it's between the snow barriers. If they close
the road (regular when there is snow) you are trapped between the barriers. The chippie at
Pathhead is great for a Haggis supper.
06D4 - 121J6 Highland – Parking on the A82 north to Glencoe (near Tulla Cott). Piper may wake you up if lucky. Great view to Bridge of Orchy.
06C3 - 127G2 Highland – A private car park at Ardtoe, right on the coast. It charges 40p for an unspecified time. I asked if we could stay overnight and we settled on 1 pound. There were rudimentary toilets but they were out of order at the time. Car park is partly grassy and we were the only vehicle there at night. It's just across a little road from the sea, with deserted coves, clear waters, and fantastic sunsets. And midges.
06C3 - 127G7 Highland - The Isle of Skye - A free camp on the Sleat Peninsula, the road doesn't have a number. It’s a loop road going through Tarskavaig and Tokavaig, off the A851 before you get to the clan Donald centre. The site is between the two villages but closer to Tokavaig - a nice flat and sheltered bit of green near a ruined Macdonald stronghold and right at the waterside. One of our 'best sites'.
06D4 - 127F2 Highland - The Ardnamurchan is pretty wild country, very rocky with lots of heather bracken and tussock. A few free camping areas on the A861 and B8007 if you don't mind a few midges and bit of true wilderness. A lot of the small villages are crofter style and the whole Ardnamurchan/Sunart/Moidart area is a great experience.
06C3 - 127F8 Highland - The Isle of Skye - Don't bother trying to camp anywhere
near Elgol, it's very steep and there are few places you can even pull in.
07D7 - 132D3 Aberdeenshire - Fettercairn, there’s an 'Aire' at the Fettercairn Bowling Club.
06C3 – 134D4 Highland - The Isle of Skye has many opportunities for wild camping in lay-bys, picnic sites etc. Avoid areas too near a proper campsite, where they will try to discourage you, and of course avoid blocking the passing places on one-track roads.
06C3 – 134E7 Highland - The Isle of Skye - The coast road of the Trotternish peninsula has various pull-ins overlooking the sea. A couple of times we asked permission to camp outside a hotel/restaurant where we were eating or drinking. No problem (except midges).
07C6 – 139G1 - Moray - Tomintoul - The first continental type Aire de Service in Scotland at Tomintoul Bowling Club. Facilities are limited to fresh water, water flushing and waste disposal. The site is specifically for motorhomes. The cost is £2 per night, maximum stay 2 nights.
06C3 – 142C2 Highland - The Isle of Skye - A picnic lay-by near Flodigarry, north of Staffin. There were several places we could have stopped in that area.
07C6 - 146C2 - Highland – Try the ferry at Nigg, which has a large car park
and although there is no fishing from the pier, if you have a good rod and a good casting
arm a salmon or two can be taken in late August. Watch out for the school of porpoises and
the occasional whale. While the porpoises are in the bay they drive the salmon into the
shallows, making it easier for poor fishermen like me.
07C6 – 146D3 - Highland - A quiet camp site is the one at Portmahomack near Tain, the site is owned by The Kirk so there are rules about not putting out washing on Sundays etc, but any rules fade into insignificance beside the gently sloping beach where the waves only just lap the beach as it is almost directly facing Northwest and safe within the Dornoch Firth. Whilst in this area visit the Glenmorangie distillery, the tasting room is wonderful and even if you have never drunk malt whisky please try it.
04B5 (not on the AA map) - Broughshane - The first continental parking was in the village of Broughshane in Co Antrim at the Houstons Mill. This service is free, the village is intending to install an Euro-Relais type pedestal over the winter (2002/2003)
08C3 – 152M4 - Mooragh Park, Ramsey. Motorhomes are positively encouraged
to park and enjoy the area, for no cost, for as many nights as desired.
In popular holiday areas, there may be restrictions on overnight parking in car parks or a road ‘lay-by’. In quieter areas however, it may be acceptable to find some quiet area to park.
The general ruling for Tesco is that they have no problem with motor homes "parked up" for the night IF the following is observed:
Park in a discreet corner of the car park - i.e., not right outside the front door, blocking others!
Do not set up BBQ and picnic tables! This also applies to chairs etc.
If there is more than 2 at any one time they start to worry
Never leave anything behind; including water on the tarmac because non-campers think it is from the loo. Seriously!
Only stay one night.
If you follow the above rules you should be ok at most branches of Tesco. If you do some shopping before you leave, it would be a nice gesture to mention to the manager, who you are, and thank him for the use of the car park. (Although sometimes he probably wasn't even aware you were out there!) If he sees you are a customer in his store it could encourage him to keep letting us stay overnight!
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is now used with regard to wild
camping. It was introduced on the back of raves and N.A.T.s and all the hassle that went
on at Stonehenge.... Have a look at the government’s own website containing the act:
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1994/Ukpga_19940033_en_1.htm
Scroll down to the sections on trespass and especially the section headed "Powers to
remove unauthorised campers"(77). Hope that gives a clearer definition of what’s
legal and what’s not....
Basically there's no "right" to stay anywhere, other than on someone’s land
with their permission. Thanks to all those hippies 10-15 years ago, you can be asked to
move on at any time and failure to comply can land you in a whole heap of trouble.
If you stay in a lay-by or any part of a Highway, like a grass verge, then the local
authority can ask you to move on. They first have to know you're there of course, but once
you've been spotted and they ask you to move, then you have to move.
The Police have powers to move you from landowners land if there are two people camping
and (a) you've damaged property or land or (b) you've been abusive to the landowner when
asked to leave. In this instance, damage to the land could include ruts formed in the
field by the tyres, so they can force you to leave under most circumstances. This also
includes common land if asked to leave by a commoner. Of course, once asked, most people
will comply and move on, so no problem, but it's as well to be aware that you've really no
rights. Service stations started putting up the time limits for parking at the same time
this legislation went through.