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How Britain's barge-dwellers are fighting a battle to stay on the water

Delta9

By Delta9
in General Boating

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Graham Davis Veteran

Graham Davis

Posted
Posted (edited)

If you take the coast road from perran to hayle, there are some pretty good overnight stops along the cliff roads, but the locals ain't keen on emmets.

 

Know it well.

Daughter tried stopping there in her van (a Pug) last year and got moved on very quickly.

(Other daughter lives in St Ives)

Edited by Graham Davis
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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted (edited)

What ARE 'the rules' when CCing in a motorhome, exactly, please?

How many do you want?

 

There are of course various road traffic laws you have to adhere to for one (too many to list) but as regards stopping overnight you generally can't just stop anywhere you like.

 

Wild camping is undertaken by motor homes in particular rather than caravans and if they keep their head down and don't draw attention they get away with it, sound familiar?

 

But where you stop and where you can't is sometimes set down by local bye laws. In touristy areas residents often lobby local councils hard to prohibit motorhome and caravan parking in certain areas. That is why you often see height restriction poles on some car parks (and to discourage travellers of course).

 

Mainland Europe is generally considered to be much more motorhome friendly where fo example towns in France have Aires providing basic free overnight camping.

Edited by MJG
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Hawthorn Contributor

Hawthorn

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Posted

Indeed there are, I normally spend at least one night a week and often more parked in Cornish lay-bys in my truck and I've never been asked to move on.

There are loads and loads and loads of places along the canal that boaters can pull in for the night too. I rather think this article was about the unfairness of being expected to move at all, once you have found somewhere you like. Actually I understand this, as in London, if you do risk moving, you might find it hard to find another spot that suits you so well, unless your friends save it for you. ( Based on my very limited experience of trying to do that two years ago. Gave up, moved out, back to my long term mooring. No pleasure being a wandering vagabond, so can only imagine how difficult it is to try and be a continuous cruiser in London now.

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bassplayer Influencer

bassplayer

Posted
Posted

How many do you want?

 

There are of course various road traffic laws you have to adhere to for one (too many to list) but as regards stopping overnight you generally can't just stop anywhere you like.

 

Wild camping is undertaken by motor homes in particular rather than caravans and if they keep their head down and don't draw attention they get away with it, sound familiar?

 

But where you stop and where you can't is sometimes set down by local bye laws. In touristy areas residents often lobby local councils hard to prohibit motorhome and caravan parking in certain areas. That is why you often see height restriction poles on some car parks (and to discourage travellers of course).

 

Mainland Europe is generally considered to be much more motorhome friendly where fo example towns in France have Aires providing basic free overnight camping.

I think you'll find that local 'authorities' are effectively doing the same as CRT. Scare mongering with signs, height restriction barriers and 'rules' which would not stand up to statute law. Or even common law if you get a good judge.

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Guest

Guest

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I think you'll find that local 'authorities' are effectively doing the same as CRT. Scare mongering with signs, height restriction barriers and 'rules' which would not stand up to statute law. Or even common law if you get a good judge.

Personally I don't see the need to 'assert' my rights when there are plentiful places to stop legitimately, at a cost of course but then when I can't afford to own and use a caravan any more and stay within the rules it will get sold.

 

Simples...

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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... can only imagine how difficult it is to try and be a continuous cruiser in London now.

Surely if you are continuously cruising then you won't be 'in London' for very long before your continuous cruise has taken you elsewhere?

 

Or are you referring to continuous mooring?

 

Tony

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Hawthorn Contributor

Hawthorn

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Surely if you are continuously cruising then you won't be 'in London' for very long before your continuous cruise has taken you elsewhere?

 

Or are you referring to continuous mooring?

 

Tony

Mmmm.... good point! I'll change that to being a 'boater without a home mooring'.

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Guest

Guest

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Posted

If your wild camping and the police move you on its not a wild enough site.

I walked and camped the whole coast of Devon and Cornwall and i never got moved on once.

Unfortunately my caravan is 7.9 metres long, and very white, so as far as staying 'off the radar' it's a tad harder. However it's matterless as I am not interested in stopping overnight where I'm not allowed to.

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Guest

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Scotland now virtually you can stop any lay by so long as you do not cause an obstruction had a fantastic 2 weeks up there last year

Kev

This I have heard but haven't yet fully and properly checked out for myself.

 

I do intend to though.

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Graham Davis Veteran

Graham Davis

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Posted

If your wild camping and the police move you on its not a wild enough site.

 

I walked and camped the whole coast of Devon and Cornwall and i never got moved on once.

 

Easy in a small one man tent.

Not always so easy in a camper van.

Scotland now virtually you can stop any lay by so long as you do not cause an obstruction had a fantastic 2 weeks up there last year

Kev

 

Even that is getting clamped down on now. Wild camping has been banned in the Loch Lomond area,

http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/visiting/east-loch-lomond-camping-byelaws/menu-id-611.html

Other areas are now looking at doing the same.

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scrunch Collaborator

scrunch

Posted
Posted

Always been a Devon and Cornwall fan but I hate to say they are now second choice such stunning scenery and despite people saying the road are tricky I didn't have a problem and the canals lovely and some very big boats use them, downside is midges cant remember time to avoid but they are supposed to be a nuisance. Thats my bit for the Scottish Tourism board done.

Kev

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George94 Experienced

George94

Posted
Posted

Irrespective of the rights or wrongs of the situation (or the article!), why, oh why, do we have to go through this ritual of calling them "bargees"?

 

(Incoming!....)

 

 

People who live on barges, or work with barges, are called bargees. It's not a ritual, it's correct use of English.

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People who live on barges, or work with barges, are called bargees. It's not a ritual, it's correct use of English.

......and people who live on a Narrowboat are called?

Cross post with mtb

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