CAMPERVAN WILD CAMPING
Everything you need to know
Wild campervan camping is a fantastic way to spend a night in your van if you prefer to be away from people and like to avoid noisy, over-crowded campsites. You can wild camp in some incredible places – next to rivers, by the sea, in the middle of forests and up mountains whilst staring in awe at the Milky Way as it sparkles overhead.
We suggest … Only stay one night in any one place!
Wild Camping or Free Camping as its sometimes known refers to parking overnight in public areas or non-campsite locations. Wild Camping in Ireland is widely accepted, however according to the letter of the law it is technically not legal. That said, Wild Camping is very popular amongst seasoned campers due to a few practical factors.
Firstly, cost. If you intend on travelling for a prolonged period, the cost of staying in a campsite every night will begin to add up. Rates vary but generally expect to pay anything from €35 to €60 per night. Expect to pay a little more depending on proximity to urban areas or popular scenic sites where the demand is high during the summer months.
Secondly, location. Ireland is unique regarding its unspoilt natural beauty. Often some of the most scenic locations are well out of the way from towns and cities. Therefore, Wild Camping may be the only option should you wish to experience waking up to the sounds of the sea lapping against the shore or in the centre of the rugged Burren National Park.
Last but by no means least is the fact that our Wanderings campervan is sufficiently equipped to be as independent as you want to be! Therefore, regardless of location, you will enjoy lighting at night time, electronics charging facilities, central heating (gas) and water heater (gas) so cooking and showering are no issue as our camper carries its own water supply.
However, Wild Camping is not for everyone. Often families travelling with children prefer to book into campsites due to the vast array of activities and facilities, kids clubs, archery, zip-lines, restaurants, bars and much more! We always advise customers who are new to camping to book into a campsite close by for night one until you become accustomed to the vehicle.
What is campervan wild camping?
Wild camping with a Campervan could technically be described as staying with your van anywhere which doesn’t have facilities. So no electric hookup or waste disposal. At its heart, camping is supposed to be about simplicity and getting closer to nature. That’s what wild camping offers, and in these unsettling times, that’s never been more important.
How to Wild Camp with a campervan – Practicalities
There’s no point planning a wild camping trip if your vehicle isn’t set up for it. There are a couple of motorhoming essentials to figure out before you go off-grid with your vehicle.
Campervan Wild Camping – How to find places near you
Depending on what you’re doing will depend on how you look for wild camping places. If you’re heading into the countryside for a weekend, you will look for remote car parks or lay-bys which won’t have much noise or passing traffic.
If you’re just stopping on the way to somewhere else, you should look for places not too far off our chosen route. Again, you try to pick somewhere quiet that’s not by a busy main road- otherwise the van shakes violently all night as trucks drive past.
Useful Campervan wild parking Apps
Park4night
The best app for finding wild overnight parking spots in Ireland and all over the UK & Europe is www.park4night.com. This site is FREE to join & there is both an app and a website.
Campervan pub stopovers
The other option is to find pubs which allow/ encourage Campervans to stay over. Many pubs will allow campers to stay in their car park or even in a dedicated field for free, as long as you eat in the pub that evening. Seems pretty fair to me! You can use the Campervan parking apps above to find good Campervan pub stopovers near you.
Water
Consider what your water requirements are. In the Campervan, we carry 90 litres, which is enough water for 3 days if you’re very frugal – but that does include a quick shower for each of us every day. We will supply additional water cans for spare water. You can fill up before you leave home or a camping site, or you’ll find a public water tap in most towns.
Waste
Consider your bathroom set up. Our van has a toilet built in- but even with a bathroom/ toilet installed you need to make sure it has enough space to take …. anything you put into it. No point camping in the middle of nowhere and then realising the toilet is about to overflow & needs emptying. So be sure to empty your toilet at a responsible and sanitary place whenever you can.
Consider your grey waste capacity too. Many people empty grey waste (which is water from sink and shower) into the wild. If you’re going to do this, please use products which will not be harmful to the environment and don’t empty black waste anywhere except for in approved areas where it won’t do any damage.
We tend to empty grey and black waste at the same time in an approved Campervan emptying facility, like a campsite. Alternatively, you can use public toilet blocks and use a bowl to empty grey waste and then pour it safely down a drain.
Check out this great site which shows you where to locate free toilets in your area www.pee.ie.
Efficient lighting
This is another thing which can really muck up your power plans. We try and make as much of the lighting in the Campervan LED- and those which we can’t we try not to use when off-grid camping. Be deliberate about your lighting and remember to turn them off when not in use (especially the outside one!!)
We also use extra lights, which are battery-powered and can light up the seating area quite nicely without any power drain at all.
Fires while campervan wild camping
There is nothing more romantic than an open flame, as you sit around of an evening and enjoy your secluded spot.
HOWEVER, please ensure the fire is off the ground and doesn’t leave any scorch marks and be sensible- if it’s been very hot and dry the surrounding area is likely to go up with a stray ember and could potentially cause a devastating wildfire. Remember, wild camping is not always a ‘right’, more of a tolerance from the land owner. A fire could be the thing which gets you moved on.
Cooking while wildcamping with your campervan
We find one 6kg gas bottle lasts us about 3 days – which is used for cooking, fridge and the heating on constantly nearly all the time. We supply an additional spare gas bottle in case you run out. If you happen to run out you can buy gas bottles in most local stores in town and villages around Ireland. We will reimburse for any expenses.
Campervan off-grid power
We only have one campervan domestic leisure battery to keep our power useage to a minimum. When we’re off-grid parking, we make sure we have already topped up all our phones, ipads, laptops, drone batteries and the wifi dongle as we are driving (using 12v chargers and an inverter), so we don’t use our precious battery power while we’re wild camped.
We have Solar power in the campervan which charges during the day & whilst driving.
Supplies
Campervan Wild Camping – advice for beginners
Wild camping with a vehicle is not a right. Anywhere. But in many places it is still tolerated for people to park up off-grid overnight, provided they are considerate, responsible and follow these simple guidelines:
- Only stay one night in any one place
- Don’t put up awnings, outside furniture or make a lot of noise.
- Don’t block access to fields or park in overtaking places (that’s illegal)
- Keep well away from buildings and don’t block anyone’s view (unless you seek owner’s permission)
- Take away all litter and waste
- Obey local bylaws (especially where you need a permit to park in certain places)
Campervan Overnight Parking- what to do/ what not to do
- “DON’T leave anything other than tyre tracks” was how it was explained to us- and I love that definition. If we want to keep wild camping, for free, we need to respect the land we are staying on and the fact that most of the time we are there with kind permission of the landowner. The more people who leave rubbish/ cause damage, the quicker we’re ALL going to be stopped from staying anywhere.
- DON’T play loud music
- DON’T put up awnings/ permanent structures. You need to look like you are just stopping for a few hours.
- If there is a charge, pay it. It’s still a heck of a lot cheaper than a campsite for a night.
- You can always move. Should other people move in who are noisy/ unsociable or who you just don’t want to be parked next to, then just start the van and move.