Wild Camping - 0

Many Motoring organisations tell you to plan your journey, this too is the case with a motorhome holiday.

If you are travelling overseas and arrive late in the evening off a ferry stay in the port area, there will be other motorhomes doing the same thing as you. You will have a fresh start the following morning in daylight. Those of you who return from the Continent via Dover there is no parking facilities at the port.

Plan your stopover very carefully, all the better if there is another camper of two there, there is safety in numbers.  Where possible park under a light, with blackout blinds the street light will not effect your nights sleep.  Don't stay out in the countryside where there you are isolated unless there are companions with you.

If possible fit battery powered vibration alarms to all doors and windows. These are cheap and will alert you if there is an attempted break-in while you are in the Motorhome.

Make sure, if you are disturbed that you have a clear path to drive off. Never place overnight bags etc on the drivers seat. Have your keys close to hand. Never leave them in the ignition. Put all valuables out of reach of the would be thief. Make sure you have a clear path to the drivers seat.

Never park up in a services between lorries, the thief has the perfect cover of the lorries and you could also be hemmed in. If one has to park in a services park outside the pumps, but not causing an obstruction, in view of the cash desk.

Should you be contemplating a residential area be sure to reconnoitre it during daylight hours. All estates look the same after dark. Leave the area as you found it.

How many times have you parked up in a seaside town thinking you were safe for the night, then the boy racers arrive and start doing hand break turns by the motorhome and you are sprayed with stones causing a lot of damage to the side of the motorhome, and a disturbed nights sleep.

Remember the thief know that you will have valuables with you, most motorhomes these days have a TV, Digital camera and possibly a video camera as well as passports some cash and the credit cards. It has been known that thieves have taken one person to an ATM to obtain cash while the other is left behind with another criminal.

It has been stated that we should have aires in Ireland, there is no guarantee that an aires is a safe place. Aires are normally situated on the outskirts of a town. Should you be the only motorhome in the aires, there is a question of safety unless it is patrolled. I had picked out what I thought a beautiful place in my area for an aires but after what happened in Co. Louth recently I would have second thoughts about proposing it, it is at a dead end by a river with no way out if one is in trouble.

Anti Social behaviour and Drugs seem to be a big problem in all countries these days. Is your life and that of your party worth €20 or €30 you would spend on a caravan park for a night. Times are changing. What we did 25 years ago cannot be done safely these days.

You might find the links in the  Useful Links page of interest. These were supplied by a very helpful site visitor. Many thanks for your contribution.