Camping by the roadside in the UK

pimptovimto

Hello

Has anyone done this or does do this? I am planning a tour round the UK next year I am mostly going to need to camp enroute due to locations and money. I dont have any experience of camping on a tour so any advice would be great. I am touring to most major cities and am mostly worried about camping nearby these locations e.g. manchester and birmingham.

Thanks

PV

UKScooby

Good topic - I am trying to plan (and get fit) to do the JoGLE next year - possibly early / mid May to get the best mix of work commitments and cooler weather.
Camping was my preferred option and to keep weight down, also eating when you can. You get the flexibility to stop when you want - despite planning I am a devil for diversions I find when I'm out.
My thought was the feasibility of the pub beer garden - they get the evening meal and some drink from you. You get the use of the loo before bed and, hopefully, again when you get up. (I can only do so much 'rough' !! - Ideas needed on the hygiene front, other than a wash in the sink). This would especially work in the country, but could also work in the outskirt areas of the cities. Some are actually set up for it, sitting perhaps alongside their B&B rooms etc.
Some city areas do have proper camp sites near the centre - usually more for caravans, but with careful planning ahead.
You do get some more 'open' areas in cities, but are they also where the local kids hang out - especially if you don't know the area. If you want to spend a day around a particular city the best idea may be to stop the previous day just on one side, spend the day in the city area, then move out to the other side for the second night, ready to move onwards the folllowing day.
Other ideas are very welcome though please.

pimptovimto

I am planning for a charity cycle visiting all of my employers offices in the UK, I only have a limited time to do this and also planning around openning and closing times adds to the difficulties and also means that I lose the flexibiltiy when it comes to where and when I need to start and stop. If worst comes to worst then there are always B&B's for more built up places I would need to stop but right now I dont really want to do it that way I want the challenge of camping as much as possible.

Forgetting the city overnights for a moment does anyone camp at the side of A/B roads, in fields or verges and laybys, any information about your experiences and tips would be appreciated.

o/

PV

MajorPayne

Heya mate,

Sorry I'm honestly no expert on the matter but it's what I was considering while saving money and raising money for a charity called 'combat strees' basically planning to camp at night 10 or so meters from the road along the way asking land owners if I could pitch up a tent for the evening, rest, eat and then ride off again the next day.

Someone mentioned in a post I made about a chap who was using one of them mountain style tents and pitching up, up trees in urban areas too.. Which I thought was awesome to be honest.

I'm only planning on using a armed forces basha style or a two-man along with a stove, roll matt, kip-bag, water and some food along with some spares for the bike of which I'll purchase food and water as I go so not to be carrying too much weight on my trailer being pulled behind my carerra racer.

Just brought a second-hand triple crank and triple levers off ebay so I've get a better range of gearing to assist the pulling of the trailer and saving my legs on them climbs, planning again with another racer of a trip solely in the UK as a test run from the midlands down to Devon doing about 50~60miles a day which is about 4~5hours worth of riding a day.

Working on being more and more lighter and also trying to get another lad interested so we can share the trailer by which I mean morning and afternoon swaps. it's a big adventure even the planning for it as well

About all I can offer to be honest as I'm still working on the whole idea myself, even if a little rushed for time it makes it more enjoyable

Kind regards,
MajorPayne

dtp

I drive along the A4 quite a bit and around silsbury hill and down towards hungerford I see people pitched up in tents quite regularly. My guess is that you' should be fine.

I can't comment on safety etc, but I guess you'll be ok unless someone specifically targets you.


p.s. be careful not to get caught in one of those 'something about mary layby moments' :oops:

amaferanga

pimptovimto wrote:

Forgetting the city overnights for a moment does anyone camp at the side of A/B roads, in fields or verges and laybys, any information about your experiences and tips would be appreciated.

o/

PV

I've done it in Scotland and also in the Lakes/Yorkshire Dales (and a lot in the African bush). Its better if you can keep out of sight, but not always essential. Much depends on where in the country (or world) you are.

To do it unnoticed you usually need to be pitching your tent not long before it gets dark. Once its dark even a small hedge or a few tress can keep you hidden from the road. But my experience has often been one where the roadside is perfect for wild camping most of the day, then time comes to stop there's nowhere suitable. Then you have no choice but to either take a chance and chuck your tent up hoping for the best or keep on until you find somewhere. I guess what I'm saying is that it may not be quite as flexible as you think.

If you're turning up at work sites though I'd have thought you wouldn't want to be too smelly so campsites with showers would be a better option? Plus, many campsites only cost a few quid - you'll be spending much more on food each day.

Oh and I'd definitely avoid laybys.

andymiller

amaferanga wrote:

Oh and I'd definitely avoid laybys.

I was going to suggest getting one of those red safety triangles...

In remoter areas wild camping should be feasible - or you could ask permission. But I'd have thought it would be a lot more difficult in built-up areas.

You may think this is an off-the-wall suggestion, but what about contacting the other offices to see if someone will either let you put up your tent in the garden or sleep on their sofa - and let you take a shower? It would be a practical way people could help, and as you work for the same firm they'd have some reassurance you weren't a nutter or a weirdo (Or then again, maybe not..)

That would then leave you to worry about where to camp when the offices are more than a day's ride apart.

FixedNewbie

Hello

Ive done a bit of this, i would suggest as mentioned above that you try to avoid having to camp in city's. I usually find a wee road off of major roads and cycle up that for 5mins, by then you can usually spot somewhere over the hedge to camp.

Try and pick fields without any live stock - ive found sheep are ok to camp near but i would never pitch up with the larger live stock. They will be curious about you and i am always worried they may stand on you at night.

Camping rough you need to be aware of ticks etc. Would not be the first time ive woken up with a few on me! Magnesium sulphate gets rid of them although ive found smothering them in Vaseline to be just as effective. Have a look online for some pics so you can recognise them as they look very different when they are fresh than when you may see them on your pets after a good feed.

As mentioned above, try and get in behind hedges or trees, anything to help you hide. put your valuables inside your tent. I dont know what you are intending to use but i have a very small Highlander Bivi tent that weights about 1.3kg and is very weather proof.

I can sleep without a roll mat which saves weight and space, i have a voyager sleeping bag that is tiny. I can post picks of my setup if you like.

HTH!

andymiller

FixedNewbie wrote:

Camping rough you need to be aware of ticks etc. Would not be the first time ive woken up with a few on me! Magnesium sulphate gets rid of them although ive found smothering them in Vaseline to be just as effective.

I'm not sure that's good advice. According to the Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK:

DO NOT use petroleum jelly, any liquid solutions, or freeze / burn the tick, as this will stimulate it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the chance of infection.

They recommend (and sell) a tick remover tool:

http://www.bada-uk.org/defence/removal/removaltool.php

FixedNewbie

andymiller wrote:

FixedNewbie wrote:

Camping rough you need to be aware of ticks etc. Would not be the first time ive woken up with a few on me! Magnesium sulphate gets rid of them although ive found smothering them in Vaseline to be just as effective.

I'm not sure that's good advice. According to the Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK:

DO NOT use petroleum jelly, any liquid solutions, or freeze / burn the tick, as this will stimulate it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the chance of infection.

They recommend (and sell) a tick remover tool:

http://www.bada-uk.org/defence/removal/removaltool.php

Personaly i think you need to take a lot of warnings from Health and Safety body's with a pinch of salt, they do like to scare monger, i experienced a lot of this with open water swimming!

Vaseline is good because it suffocates them causing them to remove their heads for air and consequently drop off, i reckon ive treated 13+ with that method. So far so good! You only really have to worry about limes disease but that mainly carried by deer and is fairly rare in itself.

andymiller

FixedNewbie wrote:

Personaly i think you need to take a lot of warnings from Health and Safety body's with a pinch of salt, they do like to scare monger, i experienced a lot of this with open water swimming!

Vaseline is good because it suffocates them causing them to remove their heads for air and consequently drop off, i reckon ive treated 13+ with that method. So far so good! You only really have to worry about limes disease but that mainly carried by deer and is fairly rare in itself.

Well no disrespect, but I suspect the BADA people know a bit more than you do and I think I'll follow their advice: Lymes disease is something to take seriously.

tardington

Erm back to the OP!

I camped in a layby a couple of miles outside Lairg after missing a youth hostel :oops: Luckily we'd filled our bottles up fairly recently before we jacked it in, but is was pretty much unplanned and un serviced stop. We were a bit back from the road - it was a deeper than usual layby, and someone else had had a fire so there was a set up fireplace already. But I got up for a late night pee and the midges were mad! They also homed in on the bit of me that didn't have repellant on. :shock: :shock:

It was fine, really, but I'm not so sure I would do it on a road that wasn't really quiet - we saw 3 cars the whole night.

tardington

Ah! Major Payne and whoever else it was!

Lunatic 'stealth camping man'
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 96969&v=1s
There are some good pictures after the first page. 8)

Bodhbh

Camped a fair bit behind hedges and in the corner of fields the last year or so. Mainly due to bad planning rather than relying on it as the main sleeping option. Would generally ride till past 8, it gets dark, then stop around 9 for food and beer and nip out of town a couple of miles to setup camp. The beer garden thing works, normally I would have a large meal and a few beers then ask after you've spent a fair bit of money and it's clear you're not some hobo. Not exactly saving money then however...

Wooliferkins

In England and Wales, there is no legal right to camp wild and, strictly speaking, permission should be sought, Dartmoor excepted. Perfectly legal in Scotland. Friend of mine did LEJOG rough camping all the way with no problem. She was uber careful to be out of sight and a good few steps away from thoroughfares.

bompington

In Scotland:
What the Code says
Access rights extend to wild camping. This type of camping is lightweight, done in small numbers and only for two or three nights in any one place. You can camp in this way wherever access rights apply but help to avoid causing problems for local people and land managers by not camping in enclosed fields of crops or farm animals and by keeping well away from buildings, roads or historic structures. Take extra care to avoid disturbing deer stalking or grouse shooting. If you wish to camp close to a house or building, seek the owner’s permission. Leave no trace by:
-taking away all your litter;
-removing all traces of your tent pitch and of any open fire (follow the guidance for lighting fires);
-not causing any pollution.

Camping at the roadside
Camping has traditionally taken place in many places which are excluded from the interpretation of responsible behaviour in the Code. Camping, such as that at the roadside, is lawful and may have few adverse effects, and can indeed provide a relatively safe and accessible introduction to this activity for the young or inexperienced.

My advice? Go from JOG to Gretna and back, it's about the same distance and the scenery's much better.

geoff_ss

When my wife and I were car camping with an A-H Sprite (not much more space than a couple of bikes and panniers ) in the late 60s we regularly wild camped in both England and Scotland. We'd drive down a quiet lane and find a wide grass verge and pitch the tent. We were usually long gone before anyone found us. Not sure of the legality in England, though and not sure if we'd do it now.

I don't think there's a problem 'wild' camping with permission in a farmer's field. Done that car, motor cycle and cycle camping both here and on the continent.

Geoff

doog442

It takes alot for a stranger or a member of the public to approach a tent and open it...cant vouch for inner city....these sort of things need to be in situ for a couple of days before someone gets round to reporting it so you should be ok.....farmers tend to turn a blind eye if its a one nighter in a field without a car/van present...no reasonable farmer would make an issue although the chances of you even locating the landowner before bedding down would be minimal in most places

BikeNewby

As regards the countryside
I'm planning one of these with some friends and my plan ran something along the lines of:
1. Pre-ride - plan out a route.
2. At the end of each day find either a campsite (google's map search is pretty useful) or a patch of trees near the road (again google maps using satellite view). This isn't actually as hard as it might first seem with a bit of work.
3. If trees then arrive late, go in a little way, lock the bike to a nice sturdy tree (unless you take a D-lock I guess) and pitch up.

I did consider a corkscrew anchor (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Bike-Rack-Anchor-Kit-Playground/dp/B002EB81AO) but binned the idea on the grounds of expense, weight and overkill.

As regards the cities: will you be in there long enough to worry? Can you not plan to pass through and stop either side or are you actually visiting? If visiting then some youth hostels have 'secure' bike storage and can be quite reasonably priced (if you are only stopping the odd night) although I have never experienced their definition of secure. I, personally, wouldn't like to camp inside cities - even with my battered old touring bike. But that's just my opinion.

Hope this helps - it seems like a fun thing to do, good luck and report back I'd love to know how you got on!

pimptovimto

andymiller wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

Oh and I'd definitely avoid laybys.

You may think this is an off-the-wall suggestion, but what about contacting the other offices to see if someone will either let you put up your tent in the garden or sleep on their sofa - and let you take a shower? It would be a practical way people could help, and as you work for the same firm they'd have some reassurance you weren't a nutter or a weirdo (Or then again, maybe not..)

I'd like to think I would have thought about this closer to the time, but then its so bloody obvious I probably would not have. Thank you for this wisdom it is by far the most sensible idea for the inner city nights.

I am going to do a few over nighters in scotland before tackling this anyway so hopefully will get an eye for spotting camp sites and stuff. I am really excited about the camping side of the trip.

geoff_ss

I'm pretty sure I've seen people camping in a green space near the centre of Derby (Bass's Rec for people who know the city). These weren't tourists but (presumably) homeless people. IIRC there were quite a few empty bottles lying around.

So camping wild in cities is possible but certainly not something I'd choose to do.

Geoff

MrsT

Wild camping is ILLEGAL in England, unless you have the landowners permission before you pitch your tent. In National Parks it is expressly forbidden! In Scotland you would be fine, although some landowners can get a bit aggressive. If there is way of camping legally I'd use it, campsites can be quite cheap for a small tent. have a look at The Camping and Caravanning Club, they have listings of lots of tiny sites.

amaferanga

The general plan when you wild camp is to do it without anyone knowing you're there. The worst that's likely to happen if the land owner finds you is they'll move you on. A sole cyclist leaving no trace is hardly a big deal for any reasonable land owner.

No need for the sensationalism, I think everyone knows its ILLEGAL :shock: