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Original poster

Camper Van Virgins

29 replies

JoJoEtc · 03/08/2021 22:02

Just looking for any tips more experienced camper vanners can offer. We've booked a camper van for 8 nights in early September. DP, DD (age almost 4) and me. Plan is to wild camp a couple of nights and spend the rest on a couple of NT campsites.

OP posts:
Fluffyowl00 · 03/08/2021 22:43

Park4night is a great app with advice on free/low cost places to stay.

Tangledtresses · 03/08/2021 22:46

What would you like to know?

Clymene · 03/08/2021 23:08

When you say wild camping, do you mean parking in a lay-by?

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Cars & vehicles
Springspringhurrah · 03/08/2021 23:34

Don't wild camp with small child. Could you imagine the stress of being told to move on after you've got your excitable bundle finally to sleep...

Depends on Size of vehicle, but consider how much stuff you have to take as and where it will go when you're sleeping - car seat, buggy etc. We don't have room in ours to sleep and store stuff. Have to take a pop up tent too. This is also handy for getting dressed in, stashing camping chairs etc overnight so they aren't soaked in the morning..

Food - keep it really simple or eat out always takes forever somehow and camping washing up is Spain. Pot noodle add some veg. Pre cooked chilli plus rice pouch.
Fish n chips!

Campsites are mega booked up atm. Don't assume you can just rock up. Even the most basic farm sites have booking systems and are full this year

Download audio books / kids TV but only let this be known if raining or you're having a mare packing up at the end .. other than this abandon devices

Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 01:33

Thanks all. We are heading to northern Scotland. We aren't planning on parking in a lay-by more off the beaten track. Alternatively we've been advised we can park in some pub car parks as long as we buy dinner there. It's a converted sprinter, so not huge but not tiny either.

OP posts:
Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 01:35

We're going on 11th September for 8 nights. Hoping things won't be quite as booked up by then.

OP posts:
TenPenceMix · 04/08/2021 01:46

Book in to a campsite. There's far too many motor homes parking in random places. The campsites will have facilities for your grey waste as well as showers and toilets (save using the camper one) emptying the cassette toilet isn't fun!

Notebooksarefabulous · 04/08/2021 01:59

Dont assume that parking in off the beaten track places will mean you wont get moved on.

A friend of mine used to live in his car (long story, dont ask!) He tried parking in all sorts of spots - city centre, carpark, layby. Got moved on constantly. So he tried parking literally 20 miles from anywhere. Still got moved on most nights. Often more than once per night.
And still saw Doggers more than he knew was a thing.

HirplesWithHaggis · 04/08/2021 02:08

Not sure how far off the beaten track one can get in a campervan. Or are you planning to take the tent up a hill somewhere, having legally parked your van?

Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 07:20

Ok, the wild camping bit is DPs idea. We are booked in a campsite for 2 nights near Loch Lomond and 4 nights on Skye. It's the other 2 nights on the way back that he wants to wild camp, mainly as we haven't decided where to go on the way back. I'll speak to him.

We're happy with easy food and I'll reduce the amount we take. Pop up tent is a good idea too.

OP posts:
Bryonyshcmyony · 04/08/2021 07:23

Where will you shit? If you are wild camping please don't leave any bloody litter like the people who did last week after pulling off the main road and staying in a field entrance overnight.

Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 07:37

I'm assuming at a services or pub or some other public facility.

OP posts:
sanmiguel · 04/08/2021 08:01

I think you need to give the realistic picture to DH of wild camping with a small child. Do you want to doggy bag their poo? As I don't know many children who conveniently do their business on demand when passing conveniences. Also as others have pointed out, you'll spend your time driving around stressed trying to find somewhere convenient, legal and safe. It's much easier as a hiker with tent but even that's not guaranteed any more. I'd book in sites and enjoy the facilities available to you.

Unescorted · 04/08/2021 08:07

I don't know where you live, but the Tan Hill pub let's campers park up overnight.

There is a lot of campers touring the Highlands an Islands ATM. Most Scottish lay-bys have no overnight parking. You can't wild camp along Loch Lomand anymore due to numbers & it is well policed.

There are Facebook groups that share info about free places to stay.

Northernlurker · 04/08/2021 08:18

You can wild camp in Scotland but I agree, have an idea where you are going to do so. Also make sure you can reverse the bloody thing. Drivers who can't are a menace.

MamaWren · 04/08/2021 08:31

Have a look at the Scottish Forestry Commission's (or whatever they are called) website about their car parks that allow overnight camper vanning.
We've stayed in some great places in Scotland for free and never been moved on. We've got 2 yoing children and always have a great time with a mixture of sites and free places.
Park4night is a really helpful app.

RazorstormUnicorn · 04/08/2021 08:48

Wild camping is legal in Scotland.

However, you say you want to be off the beaten track and also use facilities at services? How will that work? Personally I need a wee before sleep and a poo pretty soon after waking. It is possible to do this in the wild, you can read up on leave no trace principles, learn how deep to dig the cat hole for poo, how far from a water source you need to be etc. You shouldnt be doing it in a layby...

As other posters have said, campsites are heaving right now, they might have spaces into September but I wouldn't count on it. Every man and his dog are doing the NC500 this year.

Do you have a leisure battery? EHU? How will you charge your mobile? How will you keep any food cool? Fridges will run down a leisure battery down very quickly, but ice boxes only keep stuff cool 48 hours or so.

This isn't supposed to be negative and don't go, but just some things to think about.

I've bought a van recently but stay on sites as I am not dead keen on roughing it (plus wild camping is illegal in England). I also don't sleep in it as well as I'd hoped so weekends away turn me into a huge grump!

Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 18:19

There is a loo and shower attachment in the van apparently.

OP posts:
Biscusting · 04/08/2021 18:27

Residents have be inundated with novice camper drivers leaving garbage and chemical toilet waste. Be mindful you may not be made to feel welcome even with your best intentions.

Cornwallnewbie · 04/08/2021 18:40

It will be fine. Only use the van toilet for emergencies and it won’t need emptying until you get back.

There’s loads of lovely places to stop between Loch Lomond and Skye. What about Glenelg, Gairloch, Mellon Udrigle or Plockton?

Clymene · 04/08/2021 18:54

Two days will be fine but make sure you know how to use the toilet before you leave! You'll need to empty it every couple of days if anyone is pooing in it.

You can absolutely wild camp in Scotland but with a small child and as novices, I'd recommend you make a plan (even if it's to stop over at pubs A and B If you come back via route X or C and D if you take route Y).

If you go onto SearchForSites or join the Facebook group motorhome pub stopovers, you'll find lots of places. You may well find somewhere lovely just off the side of the road but I'd have some pubs as back ups!

Original poster
JoJoEtc · 04/08/2021 21:41

Thank you for the tips and ideas!

OP posts:
CrazyCatMamma · 04/08/2021 22:23

Wild camping by definition is in a tent, well off the road.
You cannot wild camp in a motorhome - the legality of wild camping doesn't extend to motorised vehicles.

You can however 'rest' in a layby and that rest can be overnight.

This is quite a good read.

www.wandering-bird.com/motorhome-wild-camping-scotland/

Also, Loch Lomond and Trossachs area, camping in by permit only outside of proper sites.
Personally, I wouldn't risk it with a child on board as you may get a wee knock at the window at any time.

CrazyCatMamma · 04/08/2021 22:25

Also, we use the SearchForSites app which shows places you can stay overnight including pub car parks etc and if they have facilities. Think it's free for 14 days or something like that, then about £5 after.

CoronaPeroni · 04/08/2021 22:36

I was also going to recommend SearchforSites. Well worth £5 a year but it's free initially. Every type of stop listed, it's my bible now.

Please don't be tempted to empty your toilet anywhere except on a site with a chemical toilet emptying point. Some of the stories on some fb motorhome pages are horrific. It's so sad.

Enjoy Scotland!