Camper van trip through North Wales: a journalist's experience of spontaneous travel

The A9 is currently restricted southbound at Kincraig due to an overturned caravan. Traffic is slow on approach and police are in attendance.

North Norfolk District Council has granted a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development for Castaways Holiday Park on Paston Road, allowing caravans and lodges to be occupied from January 4 to the end of February. The decision follows evidence of uninterrupted winter occupation for over 10 years, with booking records from 2016 to 2026. This comes after the council refused a separate application in March to remove the seasonal restriction permanently, citing safety concerns near Bacton Gas Terminal and potential impacts on protected wildlife.

The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) has launched a campaign distributing QR code-branded bin bags to campers who are found camping irresponsibly, aiming to reduce litter and promote responsible camping. The bags, part of the 'Rubbish Campsites' campaign, include a QR code linking to camping guidelines and a directory of over 100 official campsites. The initiative is led by Cumbria's Strategic Visitor Management Group in partnership with the National Trust, Forestry England, and Westmorland and Furness Council. During the August bank holiday weekend, special split bins will be placed at Ullswater Information Centre and Coniston Boating Centre for a 'vote for your favourite fell' activity.

The borough council took legal action against more than 20 named respondents and 'persons unknown' to stop them living on and developing the land. Families had applied for retrospective planning permission for a 'gypsy site', but the judge ruled there had been 'flagrant' breaches of interim orders and granted a final injunction. A representative said the land was left with 6,000 tonnes of hardcore, which groundworks contractors would likely remove.

A man was rescued from a sinkhole about 9 meters deep at Higher Trevaskis Caravan & Camping Park in Cornwall on 24 July. Emergency services evacuated part of the campsite and used line rescue equipment to bring the casualty to safety; he was then taken to Royal Cornwall Hospital by ambulance. The park owners said specialist mining engineers assessed the site and confirmed it could continue operating safely, and the historical mine feature is being capped and permanently secured. The sinkhole was an unrecorded historical feature, according to the owners.

The owner of Ditchling Camping in East Sussex, UK, has defended allowing controlled campfires despite a government warning about high wildfire risk. Conrad Howard said he takes the warning 'extremely seriously' and has consulted with emergency services. He stated that only small, controlled fires in designated pits are permitted, with disposable BBQs and open ground fires banned. An unnamed local resident expressed concern, saying the site could pose a fire risk, and has contacted Lewes District Council and MP James MacCleary.