In praise of wild camping

In praise of wild camping

So far in my short trip into Spain I’ve enjoyed four evenings in ‘wild camp grounds’. The beauty of having the van is that you are totally self contained. Pull up, put the roof up and you’re set for the night. A truly nomadic existence and cost free.

Camp sites with toilet blocks, internet connections and security gates provide a sense of safety, but also domesticity and a sense of being insulated from the world around you.

The uncertainty and adventure associated with finding a place to lay your head is a real return to nomadic roots.

My most recent wild camp was on a beautiful beach bordering Andalucía and Murcia. Signs proclaimed sin acampar (no camping) and when the local Guardia Civil (Police) drove onto the beach at 6.00pm I thought I was about to be told to move on. However the gods seemed to be with us and they simply smiled and drove off. The warm Mediterranean Sea proved to be the perfect bathing pool and the clear night sky showed more stars than I can ever remember seeing at home. Morning brought with it a burning red sunrise – the perfect alarm call.

Here’s to more wild camping.

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