Overnight Parking Post Lockdown.

I do most of my wild camping in North Wales. Sometimes I will park in the car park behind Joe Brown's in Capel Curig. Other places could be in one of the laybys on the A5 in the Ogwen valley, or at the end of the road at Cwm Eigiau. When things have calmed down a bit, do you think the police will try and stop overnight parking completely, even if you are parked legally? I wouldn't want to come back and find my car had been towed away! In the Lakes police are actively moving people on if they are parked overnight.

Ian Barton said:

I do most of my wild camping in North Wales. Sometimes I will park in the car park behind Joe Brown's in Capel Curig. Other places could be in one of the laybys on the A5 in the Ogwen valley, or at the end of the road at Cwm Eigiau. When things have calmed down a bit, do you think the police will try and stop overnight parking completely, even if you are parked legally? I wouldn't want to come back and find my car had been towed away! In the Lakes police are actively moving people on if they are parked overnight.

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Is using public transport a option?

I've recently returned from Snowdonia - there didn't seem to be parking trouble as long as you avoid Pen-y-Pass and its vicinity.

I was planning on parking unobtrusively, away from the 'normal' hiker-parking spots, and do the extra mile or two on foot, but found I didn't need to - possibly because of the iffy weather. Car was fine left for four days.

This official website gives some useful information about the 'official' position, and is worth checking:
https://www.snowdonia.gov.wales/authority/coronavirus/car-park-vacancies

I think Joe browns is best bet myself Ian. I don't fancy leaving my vehicle around ogwen area personally.Ive not heard of any problems around this area saying that though. It's the parking where ever you want during the day thats more of a headache.

Just leave a note in the window saying.... Night runner.... Attempting an fkt for such an such route....
They can't tow a car away without good cause. Imagine the resources involved.

Rmr said:

Is using public transport a option?

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Public transport. What's that? Nearest bus stop is about three miles away and buses are rarer than hen's teeth. Nearest station with any sort of direct connection to North Wales is more than 10 miles away and charges £15 per day to park your car.

Nowadays I tend to go to the Arans or Arenigs, where parking is generally much easier.

What's 3 miles each way to a hiker?

I was reading on another forum about the situation at Pen-y-Pass. It would seem that the Police were ticketing cars as they lacked the facilities to tow them away.

I knew someone who lived up by the dam in Cwm Eigiau, he aways kept his car in the car park at the end of the road. That was the nearest he could get it to his property. I'd imagine he would have been very displeased if it had been towed away from there.

Really the local Police have too much to do already to go up every back lane looking for parked cars. Just avoid the honeypots and you'll be fine.

Pavement and on-street parking in England - UK Parliamentresearchbriefings.files.parliament.uk › ...

Pen y Pass is a designated car park. If you are not in a designated car park, on the pavement, or causing an obstruction (this might be interpreted as being too close to a bus stop or blocking line of sight to a junction), where there are no road markings or other signage indicating otherwise, there is no restriction on street parking. Bear in mind in rural areas, you would have to leave space for a tractor and its goodies to pass easily. You cannot be towed, ticketed or clamped unless you are parked on a narrow road where you might impede other traffic, or blocking an entrance. The worst you might expect is a "Police aware" sticker on the windscreen. On private land, I believe the landowner can pay to have your car removed as long as they cause no damage. When I worked for HM Constabulary, you wouldn't believe how often people would complain about someone taking "their" space outside their house - and weren't right happy about being told that you neither would nor could do anything about it. Park sensibly, if you are worried, take photos of your car clearly showing that there are no markings or signs preventing parking and that there is no obstruction. If some over keen bean sticks a ticket on on your screen, it would very quickly get binned on appeal. One trick I have used, is ask a local farmer if you can park out of the way in his yard and give him a bottle of wine or a four pack of decent ale - a lot cheaper than the parking charges!

Chiseller said:

What's 3 miles each way to a hiker?

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Not too far, but it would involve at least two changes of bus and another two trains to get to North Wales. Even if all the services interconnected promptly it would take around 4 hours to get to Bangor plus however long it takes to get from Bangor to my start point. It takes about 90 minutes by car.

I tried the public transport (rail) route to the Rhinogs last year - suffice to say it was interesting, but took twice as long and cost twice as much as driving.

It was a novelty not to be thinking about parking though, and I may do it again sometime.

Ian Barton said:

Public transport. What's that? Nearest bus stop is about three miles away and buses are rarer than hen's teeth. Nearest station with any sort of direct connection to North Wales is more than 10 miles away and charges £15 per day to park your car.

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Oh

We were in the Ogwen Valley last weekend and the police towed away around 7 cars and campervans that were unlawfully parked on the A5 near Llyn Ogwen. It was quite a big operation with loads of police including several in unmarked cars. I think they've taken similar action on the Pen y Pass road recently?

But, hopefully more helpful, is that Gwern Gof Uchaf farm campsite will let you park a car for £1 a day. I've no idea if they'll let you leave one there for several days but could be worth a try. If you don't know it, this is the site directly below Tryfan. They are restricting numbers on the campsite at the moment so there was plenty of space even when the site was full to its reduced capacity. Best to ring ahead I'd say, they are only present (and will only answer the phone) from 5pm.

Ian Barton said:

Public transport. What's that? Nearest bus stop is about three miles away and buses are rarer than hen's teeth. Nearest station with any sort of direct connection to North Wales is more than 10 miles away and charges £15 per day to park your car.

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For the last 11 years nearly all of my day/overnighters have been done using public transport. When planning a route I consider the rail/bus stop as the beginning of my walk, the planning using maps and timetables is something I enjoy. I also like the fact that my routes are not restricted to circular ones which is usually the case with a car. Having a bus pass & a railcard also helps.

Stuart said:

But, hopefully more helpful, is that Gwern Gof Uchaf farm campsite will let you park a car for £1 a day. I've no idea if they'll let you leave one there for several days but could be worth a try. If you don't know it, this is the site directly below Tryfan. They are restricting numbers on the campsite at the moment so there was plenty of space even when the site was full to its reduced capacity. Best to ring ahead I'd say, they are only present (and will only answer the phone) from 5pm.

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I have stayed there in the past and also the other one nearby. They specifically won't let you park there for more than one day and the owners of one of the sites are very anti wild camping of any sort.

Rmr said:

I also like the fact that my routes are not restricted to circular ones which is usually the case with a car. Having a bus pass & a railcard also helps.

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That assumes that you can get on a bus/train without having to drive there. I do cycle trips where I cycle to my nearest station, catch a train into South Shropshire and then cycle back home. Don't get me started in the problems of getting a cycle onto a train, even pre-lockdown!

Ian Barton said:

I have stayed there in the past and also the other one nearby. They specifically won't let you park there for more than one day and the owners of one of the sites are very anti wild camping of any sort.

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Me too, I can confirm the owner is very much against wild camping, however he once said to me that he goes up into the hill and charges anyone he finds. I asked him if i paid the £5 would it be ok to camp up in the hill, he said yes.

I parked over night at Joe Browns last night,no problems.
You can get off the train at both Conway and Llanfairfechan which both give you easy and interesting access to Northern Carneddau.
Under normal circumstances buses leave Bangor to Bethesda/Gerlan and Llanberis every half an hour, giving you access to Carneddau, Glyderau and Snowdon Range.
You will have to check current timetables to see availability under current circumstances.
PS Cafe moel siabod is serving there lovely food at half price to help people out at the moment. Best vedgie breakfast around,which I am enjoying at this very moment.

At Gwern Gof Uchaf last week there were at least 6-7 tents "wild camping" in the rough ground just east of but adjacent to the campsite. They were using the facilities so I assume they were paying. The farm owns all the land up to the ridge and tryfan so I imagine the farmer may not be keen on people camping on his land when he runs a campsite...

Maybe he'd be more amenable if you said you were walking to hostels or other accommodation?

Also moel siabod cafe let's let stay over night in their carpark for £5.

Snowdonia wildcamper said:

You can get off the train at both Conway and Llanfairfechan which both give you easy and interesting access to Northern Carneddau.
Under normal circumstances buses leave Bangor to Bethesda/Gerlan and Llanberis every half an hour, giving you access to Carneddau, Glyderau and Snowdon Range.
You will have to check current timetables to see availability under current circumstances.

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The problem is I would have to somehow get to Chester or Crewe to catch a train. Doing that would mean at least two bus journeys to get to a railway station. I could probably cycle to Capel Curig (about 6 hours) faster than public transport. However, I wouldn't fancy cycling that far with my backpacking kit!

Snowdonia wildcamper said:

Also moel siabod cafe let's let stay over night in their carpark for £5.

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That's useful to know. I have also used the car park on the outskirts of Capel Curig next to the Bryn y Glo (?) cafe. I know several members of the North London Mountaineering Club, whose hut is up a track behind the car park and they park there.

Ian Barton said:

That assumes that you can get on a bus/train without having to drive there. I do cycle trips where I cycle to my nearest station, catch a train into South Shropshire and then cycle back home. Don't get me started in the problems of getting a cycle onto a train, even pre-lockdown!

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I must be lucky, never had a problem with a booking a bike on a train.Also only had 1 train cancelled in 11 years

Rmr said:

I must be lucky, never had a problem with a booking a bike on a train.Also only had 1 train cancelled in 11 years

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Pick me 6 numbers please