"We have the right of public access in Sweden," people say cheerfully, implying that this means that you can free camp with your motorhome, just about anywhere. But it's not that simple. The off-road driving law actually puts a stop to most of it, and what's left are various kinds of car parks ... where prohibition signs usually appear these days.
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ShareWhere do you actually get fricampas?
You often see those dreamy pictures of a campervan or a van moored right next to a lake. Idyllic! Sometimes you can actually find such places, where you can stand, but it's not that simple. The off-road driving law states that motor vehicles are not allowed to drive off-road, which means that you cannot drive your motorhome on any kind of natural land that is off the road.
So what you want to find are small, simple car parks, perhaps on gravel or similar, in a scenic location. Why not next to a lovely lake? Sometimes you do find these little gems, but what do you often find? Well, a prohibition sign!
Why these prohibition signs?
Of course, one might ask why these prohibition signs have appeared. Is it that the motorhomes are littering or misbehaving? Or is it that they take up all the parking spaces for days on end, leaving no room for anyone else? Yes, such things have certainly happened, and so of course those of us travelling by motorhome must take care not to trigger these annoying bans!
But sometimes you really don't understand the bans. Gravel car parks on beaches, for example, why shouldn't a motorhome be allowed to park there in the off-season, when there are no bathers anyway? We've come across large, completely deserted car parks several times. No one there. But still a prohibition sign addressed to "people like us" ...
Incidentally, we wonder about these prohibition signs against motorhomes in high season too. We can understand that you do not want motorhomes to "take over" parking spaces near the beach and "camp" there for several days. An effective way could be to prohibit parking between 00-06 or similar.
Sometimes, however, motorhomes are banned completely, with height barriers or prohibition signs, so that they cannot be parked during the day either. In other words, motorhome owners are not allowed to visit a beach in the middle of the day to swim for a few hours. Is that really reasonable?
Is it even possible to fricamp?
The prohibition signs are boring. We can understand that some are needed, while others seem rather unpleasant and completely unreasonable. So, is it even possible to free camp?
Our answer is yes, absolutely! It might be a bit more challenging than before though. It can be easier in the north and easier in the low season. The "park4night" app can be a help sometimes, although of course you have to double-check everything yourself, as it is user-generated.
What are your thoughts on free camping and prohibition signs? Is there anything that annoys you? Do you have any good tips?
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Anette Nilsson says:
Of course we want to be able to free camp, but that is not a right that we as motorhome owners have. And we sometimes wonder what people think when they park when there is a no parking sign and there is still a motorhome there.
But there are indeed bans we don't understand.
We live in Gothenburg, right by the sea at a municipal boatyard and a municipal bathing area. From 1 June, when the boats are supposed to be in the water, the gigantic place where the boats are stored in winter is empty. Yes, there will of course be cars with people going to the bathing area. But the City of Gothenburg has put up signs prohibiting class 2 cars from driving into the large car park. You can't even park your motorhome and go down for a swim.
It came about because motorhome owners parked in the car park and, as a matter of course, plugged into the electricity poles belonging to the moorings. Stupid and selfish of course. However, we think that the City of Gothenburg should fix 10 places just for motorhomes, with the possibility to stay one night or at least park during the day. I've written to the City of Gothenburg and the chief executive explaining that motorhome owners can't even stay and take a dip. Not visit the fantastic café that is absolutely beautiful right by the sea, because there is no possibility to park anywhere else, but I have received a blank no from the municipality. I think that we motorhome owners should get together and maybe contact Sweden's municipalities to get at least opportunities to park in more places. Every municipality should have emptying points for grey water and toilet cassettes for environmental reasons. This would make it possible for motorhome owners to empty their waste in the appropriate place.
We have discussed this a lot and we should join forces to make this happen. Do you agree?
With kind regards, Anette and Stefan at enturitaget.se
22 May 2024 - 8:17
Helena says:
We agree that it feels strange to stay with your motorhome overnight when there is a prohibition sign. Some people say "I'm not camping, I'm parking", but even if you try to argue that, you are hardly welcome in such conditions.
What you describe with a ban on class 2 cars is super sad. Why not, as you say, arrange some places where motorhomes are actually welcome? And if you don't want overnight guests in a car park, then it's better to ban parking at night than to ban class 2 cars. Surely everyone must have the right to stay for a few hours to bathe?
Very sad with a blank no from the municipality! Do they justify it in any way? And yes, good idea!
22 May 2024 - 10:49
JoY says:
We have also noticed that more signs have come up, agree that you feel pushed away from, for example, bathing places. Where to park the car then, when barriers are up. Understand to some extent that it easily annoys the surroundings when people spread out and put their chairs outside the cars, etc. There are always two kinds, those who do not do so and those who spread out and then you pull all motorhome people over a comb and the prohibition signs come up. The law of the land, a bit tricky I think, I don't think many people think about when a small forest road appears and you search in to find the little hidden place. No wheels off the road hmmm.
Then of course there are many municipalities that organise nice things for motorhomes, not to be forgotten.
Have fun in the sun
22 May 2024 - 8:48
Helena says:
Yes, there are those who spread out unnecessarily, and in this way contributed to triggering the bans, unfortunately. But it would be better if parking could be controlled in a reasonable way. Some spaces for motorhomes perhaps. If you can only park during the day - then write that instead of banning motorhomes completely from parking. Maybe you just want to take a bath or visit a café? You have to park somewhere ...
And yes, absolutely, there are many good examples too, municipalities that organise nicely and make you feel welcome!
22 May 2024 - 10:53
bmlarstravellingblog says:
Unfortunately, it will probably be more difficult for us motorhome drivers to free camp in the future and unfortunately it is probably the case that some motorhome drivers have put us in this situation. I saw an example in Lidköping a few weeks ago when there is a car park next door to Kronocampingen where motorhomes are allowed to park. When I walked past there, the motorhome owners were sitting outside their cars with tables and sun loungers. Probably there will be prohibition signs up as it suffers. The same at the beautiful Råbäck harbour on Kinnekulle where there used to be 5-6 free motorhome places but after about twenty cars crowded down there, broke roadsides and the like, it is now completely forbidden to even go down.
Then I agree that, for example, beach car parks could very well be used as overnight accommodation at least during the non-bathing season. This year we intend to go north and there we still hope that we will be able to find nice fricamping sites.
22 May 2024 - 10:15
Helena says:
Yes, unfortunately there are those who drag things a little too far all the time, and that of course contributes to increased bans ... But hey, you could stand in many of these places during the off-season, right?
22 May 2024 - 10:55