Vanlifing full time in the UK

[Mnm]

Hi all!
We are in the process of getting a van and converting it with a view to spending the winters in the mountains in Europe, so my teenage daughter can snowboard. To save money we are thinking of living in the van in the UK too but are struggling to find places to let a Sprinter stay longterm. Anyone else managed to do this? stealthy camping won't really work as there are 3 of us + dog ( not very stealthy lol). Any advise greatly received

[kryten]

I think the law in England and Wales means you are only allowed to stay on campsite for 28 days. After that you have to leave, I think for at least 24 hours before returning. The law in Scotland might be different. I would suggest rotating between 3 or 4 campsites in the area you need to be in, stay in each one for 4 weeks at a time, You might get a discount from the sites owners for staying for 4 weeks. Always keep looking out for deals, especially during the winter months. Some campsites also close during the winter months, so be aware of that.

[Mnm]

Thanks for that, so many things to consider... shame in England it isn't as easy as in Europe!

[Maizeymid]

We are a family of 4 with a dog and a cat living full time in a vehicle in the UK. In my experience it really isn't feasible to be at all stealthy when there are children and animals onboard! We found a series of small independent campsites near us and also sent a polite and honest letter to farms and liveries in our area all of which are close enough to allow us to stay in work and school. It can be done even in a vehicle as daft as ours! It might have some bearing that we are in an area where camping is fairly popular and so there are a good number of sites to choose from. You should also be aware of the potential difficulties of vehicle dwelling with a family, it's not for everyone. I would definitely recommend spending an extended period living in your van before you bin the bricks and mortar.