'Wild camping' in a motorhome or van

As one who occasionally 'free camps', it is disappointing that the LA has prohibited overnight stays at the mentioned car park. Bit exposed and windswept for my taste though. Better a few delineated bays with detailed guidance (e.g  No dumping grey, black or rubbish, a 24 hour limit) which might encourage a less cavalier attitude. Being able to go three days without the need for any services whatsoever, I do not "wild dump" but find it frustrating that so often I'm treated as a pariah who is expected to enrol for "limbo dancing" classes. As I have posted before, camper vans and motorhomes do not always require all services and it is irritating to have to buy a "four course meal when one only wants a snack".

Like I suspect many others who have toured down the decades, we have pulled in for a few hours sleep somewhere safe and off the main road when on a long journey, both in our original camper van, our Land Rover when tenting, and our caravan when heading down to SW. I recall us sleeping in back and cab of LR heading to South Wales, and a gentle knock on door by Welsh police making sure we were ok. They told us to go back to sleep and we wouldn’t be woken again. Same with caravan in Cotswolds, we used to have a few hours shut eye, usually midnight to 5am in a huge layby just outside Moreton. Breakfast at the lovely butty hut that had set up as we slept, then back on the road for 6am

But what is happening now, in much changed times is different. It isn’t a few hours shut eye, leaving no traces of ever being there, it’s more a deliberate policy of not using any form of paid for Site, it’s deliberate littering and fouling of open spaces, safe in the knowledge that no one will actually be checking what is going on. People new to touring, and, from some of the conversations we had last year with MH owners, those who normally tour overseas, primarily using Aire type stops, but not finding similar here in UK. 
I fully agree that the UK isn’t set up for MHs like the Continent, hopefully this is being addressed, even if at a snails pace. But it still doesn’t excuse illegal parking up, or the immoral littering and effluent discharge that so taints the whole of the MH community. It is a small minority that take the free parking up and disgusting habits to extremes, but it has a knock on effect for everyone else that tours in a camper van or MH. We even saw caravans overnighting for free in Northumberland last year, under a ruddy sign that said no sleeping overnight🤷‍♀️
We paid for a Brit Stop booklet to help us find somewhere to stay this year, knowing how bad it is likely to be. Most stays are free, some a car park fee. It didn’t cost much, and we hope will help us tour easier and without paying the big fees on such as Club Sites.

On that, the Club doesn’t really cater for campervan and MH owners who really tour, couple of nights at most. It looks well after those who use their MHs as caravans with a wheel at each corner, who pitch up awnings, connect to all the fancy services, and happy to pay the fees that go with it. But the CLs help with this, true touring paradise (at least those who don’t impose a minimum nights stay) If we truly tour an area, we hop from Site to Site, max of a couple of nights at the one Site. Blowed if I am going to pay £30 plus to sleep for eight hours on a Club Site, happy to leave this for others. So the Club is actually part of the issue, rather than a solution. It needs to recognise the need for basic, short stay stops, including caravans as well. The no facility Sites, many now long gone met this perfectly. But the Club is throwing its Site developments around caravans and MHs used like caravans. Long stays with prices to match.

But surly if you wanted a snack you wouldn't go into a restaurant that only sells four course meals? That would be very foolish. You would go into a small café?

There are other smaller cafes - campsites available. 

This is a general comment, not aimed at anyone or anything. Years ago no-one took much notice of a spot of roadside camping. Sadly laybys and other stop off points are now frequently awash with litter, not just on the ground, it's stuck in the surrounding hedges, trees and verges. Not pleasant places to be in.

And it certainly isn't anything like as safe as it used to be. From our home we can see overnight arrivals at a local beauty spot, their headlights shine like beacons from a local hill. I feel some discomfort that our quiet tranquil spots are invaded and I look at headlights not stars, our wild life is disturbed, they don't get much peace when the day trippers have gone home.

I've recently seen yellow notices going up "take pride in Britain and don't drop litter" or some such phrase. I suppose everyone who stops comes under suspicion, are they the litterers and dumpers? So called "wild campers" are making it harder for the rest of us and to my mind they are spoiling some very tranquil spots, treating them as 24 hour car parks not special places to let nature have time to recover.

So yes, I think it's important that no overnight camping rules are obeyed.

So the Club is actually part of the issue, rather than a solution. It needs to recognise the need for basic, short stay stops, including caravans as well. The no facility Sites, many now long gone met this perfectly. But the Club is throwing its Site developments around caravans and MHs used like caravans. Long stays with prices to match.

I can’t agree with the above. Surely the club is there to provide what the majority of members want and that isn’t basic sites in my opinion. You have only got to look at how difficult it is to get a service pitch, even at the extra premium. At least the CAMC allows one night stops, on our planned tour in May we have several. Some do indeed stay for weeks, most of our stays are between 1 and 3 days. Although we still occasionally stop for a week at sites like Hawes.

You are right in what you say about minimal facility sites ,and both major Pitch suppliers  are doing the same , as with when reading how CLs/CS are advertising , they are all going down the route of what it seems the majority of users are asking for.,more facilities

It is the few as with any type of pursuit ,who spoil it for the majority by their no thought of what they are doing, then complain about thelack of what they want as long as it costs nothing for them ,without thought that it costs others to implement it

And it is still very easy to stay an odd night or two on this clubs sites,,just these days it needs a bit of planning at busy periods ,not so at low season

It is a sign of how busy it is these days ,and how because of the "few?"have made it more difficult to do as in years gone by

As far as I'm aware the parking areas along the Kirkstone Pass do not have any signs or legal restriction on overnighting.  Perhaps you would care to furnish some photographic evidence.  

My experience is all based in mainland Europe - and that is that many motorhomers don't want any sort of campsite at all.  There are a few exceptions of campsites which motorhomers see as ideal for them, but by and large motorhomers there don't go to campsites, and French campsite owners know this only too well. I once met a British lady at a party who even said "We hate campsites". She wanted the freedom to go or stop wherever she chose.

Many motorhomers over there even shun the plentiful official Aires across France and choose to stay as and where they wish - in the sand dunes at the Pointe de Trevignon, in the parking area at Monet's garden at Giverny, on most headlands across Brittany, in the long lay by beyond the zoo at La Palmyre - the list is endless.

I personally never saw it as a problem and was never irritated by it, and in some places their local authorities tolerate it too - but in others they put up height barriers to close things down. Local authorities in the UK must make those same decisions if they see it as a problem for them. It's up to them.

Reading some of the posts on here and other websites height barriers and closing off of areas in the UK is what many are already complaining about and is it seems is now getting more "attention?" from continental LAs because of the increase in the amount of Motor Caravans and the attitude it seems to match from some owners

If it's the large(ish) parking area opposite the Inn, I'm pretty sure there was such a sign there last time we went. The other, smaller areas along that road maybe not. Perfectly prepared to be proved wrong though!