Thanks for this Kat. Reading between the lines, the change in the law does not seem to be directed at the vast majority of wild campers who are responsible, but at a different sector of society. It was very useful to have the change highlighted - and I was particularly interested to note that the "free for all" in Scotland does not apply to motorised vehicles. This was news to me!

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

You’re probably right, not that anyone would ever admit it. But they can’t create a law for one section of society, so we all need to be aware of it. And yes- Scotland confuses many people. Lots of incorrect info out there sadly.

Brilliant video Kat. Brings some clarity to what has been a confusing situation for far too long. Thank you.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome. Glad you found it helpful

I must say for me I prefer the safety and security of a CL site for a few quid, only 5 vans allowed so you still get your peace and quiet, usually in an attractive location, facilities available for waste etc and no nighttime worries of being knocked up in the middle of the night or worse.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Totally get that and there’s no rule which says you must wild camp. Sadly, the CL sites often get booked up far in advance too

I am hiring a camper van from my work and plan to wild camp but was quite concerned when I heard it was not actually legal to do. So this video was very well put and put me at ease with my plans. I was sent here from a link in the Kat at Wandering Bird email I’ve subscribed to 👌🏻

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you- have a great trip 🙂

Thanks for this Kat, I also thought that by wild camping I would be committing an offence. At first sight this seems to be pretty comprehensive, but, and I agree with Victor here, it does not define who is considered to be the necessary authority to request you leave. The Act appears to be in 2 parts, the first is definitive (with caveats) and the second seems to be subjective. I quote (The numbers and capitalisation are mine) : (1) The offence will be committed if a person who resides or intends to reside with a vehicle on land fails to leave the land or remove their property without reasonable excuse when asked to do so AND (2) they have caused, or are likely to cause, significant damage, disruption, or distress. As I read it, because of the AND in the clause, both parts need to be met in order to have committed an offence. Further, Para 3.1 states (in clarification), "two or more persons are trespassing". So a lone traveller cannot be deemed to be committing an offence under this Act. Just saying 😉. 😎

Wow thanks so much Kat for sound and sensible guidance with link and experts from the law. Phew what a relief 🙂

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I didn’t want to add to the ‘drama’.

Thanks Kat, you have made it very clear. As you said this only really applies to the bad wild campers. ❤️

Thanks for this video! Makes total sense and I agree its a good thing to stop the people who are determined to give us all bad names! 😁👍

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely!!

Thanks for that video, helps a lot in terms of understanding the new law from a motorhome owners point of view.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome. Glad it was helpful 😊

Arguably the best post on this topic! Brilliantly presented and yes, you just got a new subscriber👍 thank you🙏🏿

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Awww, thanks very much. I appreciate that and glad it was helpful. Thanks for the support.

Hi Kat, I took this to mean exactly as you say, thank you for your clarity

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks a lot I thought the same as you. I had to laugh when you said go to a campsite for a good nights sleep. I was on a site in Cheddar once and some first timers were playing loud music and drinking beer until 2am. Fortunately those situations are rare.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Oh, I know. Worst nights we've ever had were on a campsite- that's why we started staying off-grid. Everything has pros and cons I guess.

Nice 1 😊 thanks for the info and for not causing panic attacks! Leave no trace and for those that do you deserve to be penalised for being arseholes and spoiling it for the rest of us 🤨

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Thanks for your reading of the law. It is of course subject to interpretation, but if I am asked to move, whoever asks me to move, I will do so. I do not wish any problems with locals, landowners and authorities.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Very sensible.

I bought a campervan, as I have Grade 4 cancer and I can get away LOVING 'Wild Camping' when I feel good so booking ahead is not an option for me. If anyone knocked on my door I would just smile and say I needed a few hours sleep and this lovely spot seemed perfect.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

And you’d be fine. 🙃 have some epic adventures xx

Hi Kat, according to my local Council it is illegal to camp on your own land in a van without residencies planning permission.

If you are asked to move on would it be a defence to say you are really tired from driving and would be a danger to others until rested OR if you have had a drink could you say you are not fit to drive legally? Just asking for a friend… great advice by the way . It will be nice to get the Black Belt Lawyers views on this.

Very helpful video. Thanks, Kat

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome. ☺️

Thank you very clear information indeed. Have a nice day :)

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you- you too 🙂

Also absolutely agree that those people causing damage, distress etc can be moved on.

@SlimTortoise

2 жыл бұрын

Sadly these days causing distress to someone can be caused by just smiling at them.

Thanks Kat, that was really useful 👍

The most common sense and clear explanation I have seen. Too many scare vlogs out there at the moment.

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I tried to be as factual as possible to not add to the chaos

Thanks Kat! I just hope that vigilante private individuals don't interpret this change as a licence to bully people excessively.

The sad fact is that, as usual, the minority spoil things for the majority. As a keen mountaineer I have been wild camping in a tent for some 50yrs in a time when no one else wanted to do it. In the last few years everyone else has started doing it and unfortunately they don't all respect the countryside code or the true nature of 'leave no trace'. I now see used nappies left in rivers along with empty drinks cans etc. From March next year I will be living and travelling full time in an A class motorhome but already I see more and more previously used park ups being closed off to van lifers with height restrictions and signs banning overnight stays. Unfortunately, and because we are now all being pushed into using campsites instead, the campsites are capitalising on this by charging extortionate prices in the UK. I wonder, will the police being moving on the gypsy travellers that often cause more damage and distress than anyone else who lives in a van or motorhome? My experience tells me not because they are afraid to get involved when they may encounter violence.

Another great video with some good information

good information Kat. My only comment is the application of the (and any) law or act by the police. You have pointed out the wording that should allow wildcamping to continue BUT some over enthusiastic cop will either find some other offence or give you a hard time. Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about that.

@CarmenCole1

2 жыл бұрын

Offer them a cuppa they appreciate that 😊

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

I guess that applies to many laws. But if the police ask you to move on, you should do so.

Very good informative vid , would it be possible for you to put the highlighted sections of the law you talked about on a printable sheet ? thanks

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful. The link is to a printable guide so I guess you could print that if you wish.

So the main difference between this amendment and the original Act is that if you cause trouble, or don't move on when told to it is no longer a civil offence but is now a criminal one (I.e. it doesn't require a private prosecution like it used to in the 1994 Act). So... 1994 Act if you fail to move on the police could do nothing. It was down to the landowner to prosecute privately. New amendment it is a criminal offence to not move on and no private prosecution is required to qualify for punishment. That seems to be the main difference I think. What has stayed the same for both laws is that if you move on when told to, no offence has taken place. Is that right?

@WanderingBird

6 күн бұрын

Yup. But that only applies to England & Wales. Scotland didn’t sign up to that.

Really interesting and useful 👍

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

I can see busy body vigilantes knocking on doors at 2am as you say who don't have any connection to the land and get a kick out of doing it....

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Possibly. But they could do the same before. People who enjoy doing that aren't new, but thankfully aren't too common.

Thanks 2 time I did watched. Thanks again

Interesting.. Once again the law will seem to apply to the van owners who disrespect where they think they have a right to stop.

I’m confused. How is parking overnight on a road or public lay-by considered trespassing on private land?

Ok I’m sure this has been asked….. I’m the best clean and behaved camper in my Motorhome BUT I’ve pulled up and had the knock on the door and asked to move and the dilemma is I’ve had a few glasses of vino before bed and maybe over the limit.

@WanderingBird

Жыл бұрын

Don’t drink while you’re wild camping. It’s a park up, not a campsite or aire and you could be asked to move on. That’s the easiest solution.

I’ve interpreted the Act just as you have Kat.

All of this is true. But it is very hard to Police. The reason is because lorry drivers who sleep in their trucks. This country doesn't have enough amenities 4 trucks drivers. So most of them have to sleep any where (WILD CAMP) and a lorry driver cannot move on once parked.

How do you find the places you can stay the night

Hi Kat, thank you for this video, my question is, when you are first requested to move on, MUST it be a police officer or can anyone request you to move?

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Police, land owner or a representative of the land owner.

@geoffbutton3544

2 жыл бұрын

@@WanderingBird many thanks, for that.

To be fair these law changes are aimed at gypsy travellers who do all of the above. Police now have the law on their side moving these people on. Especially when they are disrespectful and cause a mess. Although I hasten to add that not all gypsy travellers are disrespecting and cause a mess

One person in a van travelling arouns sleeping where they stop, as an adventure is not a 'social problem. A group of them turning up on a housing estate stealing from peoples gardens and leaving piles of rubbish every where, is a social problem.

An Act IS Law

I noticed on the way back from Keswick that lots of lorries are parked in lay-bys for the night so do these laws apply to them too? And I mean a lot ie at least 4 or 5 in one lay-by

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

Lorries have a right to park up to sleep- which is fundamentally what we do when we're wild camping. It's not long stays- just enough to sleep and move on safely. I'm not sure on the laws regarding lorries specifically but they are allowed in laybys, as are motorhomes.

@1954Hamster

2 жыл бұрын

@@WanderingBird so we can park in laybys as long as it doesn’t say no overnight parking?

What happens if you've parked up, had a couple of pints, and can't move on?

@yogibear9540

2 жыл бұрын

I think maybe need to use common sense, if there's a chance you'll need to move during the night, be that police, landowners or undesirable behaviour, one driver needs to stay within the limit. Sensible? If on a campsite etc then fine, have a drink and fill your boots!

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

I would alway recommend you don't drink when wild camping. Just in case.

An 'act' is not law - it's legal. The two are not the same. We have FOUR laws here in England and Wales. The rest is legal. Learn legalese while you're there. Laws can put you in prison and rightly so if you break one. Legal is "a request" or "guidance". Learn the difference between the two, how you can protect yourself, and take your power back. The police have no new powers than they had before. What Kat talks about here is common courtesy, pure and simple.

Wow, thats all im saying.......

Good info, But I'm happy staying in France 🙂

makes you feel like a prisoner in your own country. Btw. What are these places that you mentioned, that allow you to camp for cheap. The sports centers etc?

We don't think it helps sensible people when you get groups of van owners congregating in one area such as at the Blue John mine in Castleton. Sadly people publicising on their social media channels has made it a magnet for people in vans/motorhomes, especially at weekends. Sometimes it looks more like a travellers community there and just creates a bad impression

Thanks for common sense.

Whatsinnit b4u

The law is to stop Muppets parking on your property for 6 months

I just put my pikey irish accent on thick and the cops dtive off

You can wild camp to your hearts content here in Scotland just use some common sense

just do it...we are free and pay for the upkeep of this country through taxes.dont park on a persons driveway in front of their house :)

Sadly it's the tiny minority of bad people spoiling it for everyone else. I've already seen this used on travellers. Just a single caravan. They parked up late at night at the end of a cul-de-sac and the following morning 10am the police turned up and they moved on in less than 30 minutes. If the travellers understand they need to move on then and that there is no point arguing then we should do the same. Importantly if you park up record any rubbish that is already there so you can't get blamed for that rubbish. A 30 second recording on your phone could easily save you from a lot of hassle. I'm going to be fitting a 360 degree CCTV system that records 24/7 with audio to protect myself from false accusations from locals. With the added bonus of protection and knowing what's going on outside at night, without having to open/remove window covers.

motorhome , is not camping , sorry .

@WanderingBird

2 жыл бұрын

There we go! I was beginning to think we'd avoided these comments. Took a couple of days but thanks for getting involved. ;)