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Subject Topic: Car Camping.
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25/2/2017 at 6:44pm
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit:  Camp Cot Bivi Bag and Tarp.
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Hi folks, does anyone have experience of car camping on UK Campsites. What
sort of things are expected ( rules to abide by ). What sort of things are acceptable.Regards


Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!




25/2/2017 at 6:58pm
 Location: North Devon
 Outfit: Robens Fairbanks Coleman Phad X3
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Do you mean turning up by car or are you wanting to sleep in it?

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Sean


25/2/2017 at 7:54pm
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit: Various tents
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As far as Camping and Caravanning Club Sites are concerned, their Club Site Policy is:

"3.5 - Sleeping in private cars or vans with side and rear windows is allowed on Club sites, provided the vehicle has specially designed internal sleeping accommodation such as fully reclining seats and fitted curtains. A tent attachment for changing purposes must be erected."

if that was your question?



25/2/2017 at 8:40pm
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit:  Camp Cot Bivi Bag and Tarp.
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SLEEP IN IT


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26/2/2017 at 6:34am
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Elddis Majestic 155
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Hi Mike,
I think on most sites, you will be out of luck.
All down to H & S and site insurance.
I believe to stay in a vehicle it must have been constructed for the purpose of sleeping people.
That is why commercial vehicles are banned on a lot of sites.

Regards,
Greg

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Growing old is not for sissies


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26/2/2017 at 7:40am
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
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Previous post

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XVI yes?

As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.


26/2/2017 at 10:29am
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Would this actually be an issue on a campsite in the UK? Certainly would not be in France. You just turn up, pay your money & camp. Would anybody come along & say "you can't sleep in the car, you must pitch a tent"? Why would they do that?

Campsite rules generally have some sort motive even if not immediately clear. Ie banning of commercials & certain makes of caravan is designed to exclude campers that the campsite might consider 'undesirable'. Single sex groups because of possible late night noise issues & so on.

I'm failing to see how a campsite would object to anybody arriving in a car, failing to pitch a tent & sleeping in the car. Would anybody even notice? One way would be for op to buy a cheap 1 person tent £30 just in case. He could pitch that & still sleep in car. It would be a place to store excess gear anyway.

Post last edited on 26/02/2017 10:33:28


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26/2/2017 at 10:45am
 Location: tyne and wear
 Outfit: Lunar Galaxy EB. Passat bluemotion est
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there used to be nights i slept in the car when we used to camp with a tent at side farm in glenridding. Sometimes we would watch dvd in the car with a couple of cans and fall asleep. Noboddy used to bother us although we did have the tent pitched up. Full stretch in the back of a mondeo estate with a dvd player strapped to the headrests. Those where the days of rock and roll, its all something else now but i get wrong for typing it.

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Life is a journey. Enjoy it


26/2/2017 at 2:53pm
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: A2DS+Nuevo
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Tried it, not comfy at all, plus we had no curtains so the light woke us early and everyone could see in. (We were in a public - albeit remote - car park.) it was hard to make enough room given the clobber we had with us. Even a tiny tent is preferable. But give it a go outside your own home - you can always go back to your own bed at 0100 if needs be.

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2026: 14 sites / 33 nights. 2025: 13/27. 2024: 20/41. 2023: 9/23. 2022: 13/35. 2021: 11/29. 2020: 4/20. 2019: 13/35. 2018: 20/33. 2017: 10/22. 2016: 19/33. 2015: 15/27. Didn't count sites/nights 1985 to 2014.     


26/2/2017 at 8:23pm
 Location: Derby.
 Outfit: VW+T6+HiTop
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I'm pretty certain that I have previously read on here that sites that state "no sleeping in cars/vans" or similar are governed by their local council, and such rules are part of their licence agreement?
The fine print will state things like number of windows and for the vehicle to be designed for sleeping in, ie a campervan/motorhome as opposed to a tranny van with a mattress in the back.
As the chances of anyone actually looking inside are slim, I've even read on here of folk using "stick on windows", to make their van look like a campervan... from the outside at least!

If a site is governed by such rules in order to keep their licence, whilst you may get away with disguising a standard van, there'd be little hope of getting around the rules in a car.


Like I say, I've read such things on here, and no idea how true that is.


The nearest I have seen to anyone "sleeping in a car" (on a campsite), was a landrover type vehicle, but that had an awning over the back door (kitchen in the back), and a tent on the roof rack, with loft ladder attached!
Looked bloody fantastic, to be fair!



Ooh... Ooh... I tell a lie...

Couple with small tent...They came back from the loo block (power socket?) with a fully inflated double air bed... wouldn't fit through tent door, so had to partly deflate, squeeze into tent, then... not sure! (There was no evidence of re-inflating. Certainly not powered inflation!)
A short while later, she emerged from the tent having swapped her full length ball gown (Don't ask!) for her onesie... and promptly locked herself in their car, despite his gentle protestations at the car window. She was still locked in there when we went to bed, he was sat outside the tent sulking.

... They were gone by the time I emerged at 06:30 next morning!


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2026: 56 nights thus far...
2025: 68 nights
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From July 2012: 23 nights


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15/7/2018 at 9:05pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Tent - various
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How did the car camping go? I have done it twice in Shropshire. And once in the Lake District.
I am looking for places in midwales.


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17/7/2018 at 9:06pm
 Location: lancs
 Outfit: Avondale Dart 545 4
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Hi Cathycampa I have a small camper and use this site https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=12431 a lot its about six miles from Devils Bridge was there last week and a lady was car camping on her own lovey site with nice welcoming owners so put it on you.r list just a shame it cant accommodate caravans or large MH,s
PS a 2 minute walk to 2 dog friendly pubs


17/7/2018 at 9:30pm
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit: Various tents
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UKCS listing for Nantyrhelyg.


18/7/2018 at 6:37am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Tent - various
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Thank you. I will take a look.


via mobile 04/9/2023 at 10:37pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: None Entered
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via mobile 06/9/2023 at 9:40am
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: A2DS+Nuevo
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Rob1977, the car with tarp is parked where the caravan tow car would go & may be the tow car? It’s certainly too close to the pitches on either side to be unrelated to one or other of them, judging by the pitches opposite.
I’m guessing cooking was done in the caravan but the TV is impressive.

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2026: 14 sites / 33 nights. 2025: 13/27. 2024: 20/41. 2023: 9/23. 2022: 13/35. 2021: 11/29. 2020: 4/20. 2019: 13/35. 2018: 20/33. 2017: 10/22. 2016: 19/33. 2015: 15/27. Didn't count sites/nights 1985 to 2014.     



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