Wild overnight parking- Scotland

I think this is an issue for which there's no silver bullet. However, on a few points raised in this thread....

We once again see the application of the the type of sweeping generalisation and narrow minded nonsense that attempts to tar all motorhomers with the same brush. Reading the article in the Northern Bugle/Star/Echo Trumpet in which the owners of Dornoch Camping site feature,  (I've also perused the court case documentation), they accuse Motorhomers of leaving rubbish, dumping dirty water, and (I quote), "Defecating by the Roadside". I, (and I'm sure many hundreds of thousands of other Motorhomers), have never had the want/need/desire to  relieve myself by the roadside - generally decent people don't I think. This practice is completely abhorrent, and has no place in a society where Homo Sapiens can stand up straight and wipe its own behind. If we're away for a few nights, we carry a spare cassette, and manage the situation by seeking out a service point - Dornoch have one apparently ! (you have to laugh) to empty Grey and Black - I have never randomly dumped our grey waste anywhere other than via the correct facilities. Certainly not into water courses - again, the perpetrators should be burnt ! (Sorry).

On the issue of inconsiderate, selfish, ignorant,  "wild camping"...nope, not me either. If we're not on a site for a night, we park discreetly, away from view, or in an area where over-nighting is permitted.

Leave no trace/impact..Not entirely possible I agree, as all vehicles leave tyre tracks, but we always do our best to leave the place as we found it. We treat everywhere we stay with the upmost respect, and attempt to treat everyone we meet in the same way.

"If people can afford a motorhome, they can afford the cost of a proper campsite".

Completely agree, but purely in our case, (although I'm sure many other MH owners will agree), this statement misses the point. We're lucky enough to own a new-ish Motorhome, and so can of course afford to pay for a campsite....but sometimes we just don't want to. We enjoy being able to park, (But not poo), in the woods. It provides the sense of freedom that forms a large part of why we love our "Van". 

Finally, I'd like to re-raise a regularly mooted solution. One answer could be to roll out more Aire type facilities, or to in some way enlighten land owners of the benefits of allowing MH parking overnight, by charging a few quid to let us park up, top up our water and empty the loo, or none of these....huge carparks stand empty overnight the length and breadth of the land. That, or a few of the more forward thinking local authorities/village committees to provide free services, in the hope (although I realise some people wont spend a penny more than is necessary), that the clientele spend a few quid in the local pubs and shops - a'la French model. This of course would require investment, times are hard right now, and there's always the risk that lowlifes will leave their "Detritus" lying around the place. However, as a viable alternative this would maybe help to relieve the pressure on the small rural communities that are the victims of the less considerate Motorhomer, and put a few pounds in the kitty at the same time.

And finally.....its probably worth acknowledging that some people just dont like Motorhomers. In the same way that some people don't like, Caravans, Motorbikes, Cars, Cyclists, Wasps, Warm Beer, Northerners, Southerners, Prawn Cocktail Crisps and Cucumber. People as they say, are people (Apart from the ones that poo at the side of the A9).

Happy travels everyone !

Moderator comment: Post slightly edited. 

Visit Scotland is currently surveying "campers" as to their requirements for holidaying there.

peedee

 Nice post, Matt...lots of good points. We can't expect everyone to 'get it' but you've made your points in the right spirit.👍

I am not against motorhomes, we are considering buying one in a few years. I also agree provision of Ares type locations should go hand in hand with tightening (banning) wild camping legislation for motorhomers. Unfortunately too many selfish motorhomers have seriously damaged the reputation in the eyes of too many inhabitants of the highlands. There are lots of things I like doing but the law doesn’t allow - such as riding green lanes on a motorbike but a selfish minority got it banned for the majority. 

We took part in a survey whilst we were up in D&G last year. Local authority staff member out and about talking to visitors, and locals, about utilising more off road parking spots for legal overnight stopovers. Some places and local communities have made a real effort to welcome campervans and MHs. 

".....huge carparks stand empty overnight the length and breadth of the land."

this is one of the most frustrating things for MHers who just want a safe place to overnight....and is one of the simplest ways that places like France accommodate (welcome) passing vans to local communities.

No height barriers, a few (6-10?) marked places away from cars if need be, no specific provision for services (but there often is...it makes sense to allow drain and top up). Car parks often have toilets so water (and sewage) access for a MHSP is comparatively easy to integrate into existing infrastructure.

a typical village stopping place might be in a church car park, where two or three vans might tuck themselves away, pretty much undetected bar a Sunday. We've used loads of these.

I posted a photo earlier this week in the hedges thread...an aire near Fougères, just a car park with a dozen wider spaces, delineated with small hedges and a service point...there were several vans there enjoying the hospitality of the lovely village. We had our last evening meal out there prior to the ferry next day.

not only was the aire convenient, the local council had provided a board with information regarding other local Aires they were responsible for and how to find them...

just a simple thing but is all about attitude.

There are two ways for an authority to 'deal' with MHs...

in my experience (15 years of continental travel using all sorts of MH stop over points) if vans are welcomed, folk respect what's been provided and do respond by not abusing things and they spend time (and money) in the community.

If notices have a different 'flavour' (go away, height barriers, punitive charges etc...) folk will do just that and cross these places off their 'lists' and soon spread the negative word...

note the wording on the notice....

"Welcome to Le Coglais, also discover 9 other lovely free Aires within 15 minutes of here"....says a lot.

I suspect one challenge of managing aires in the UK Will the temptation they offer to certain ethnic groups to take up a more permanent form of residence on them. 

Only some travellers belong to a separate ethnic group. But this is not apparently a major problem “over there”.

No it's not, that's because most local councils over there provide separate campsites for the travelling workers. Not always in a nice area I must say but provide they do. 

I think much of the damage (to countryside and MH reputation) has been done by newcomers to MHs, or MH renters during and after Covid. They probably don’t belong to the CMHC anyway, do not read pages on here either so live in ignorance of best practice, Tent campers have also done a lot of damage, with no facilities at all for their waste of any kind. 
Controls are bound to be imposed, the price of ignorance and laziness which conscientious people finish up paying on our over-crowded islands.