Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: Margaret on June 12, 2018

Title: Beach Camping
Post by: Margaret on June 12, 2018
Does anyone know if it legal to just throw a tent up on the beach? Or any campsites that aren't too crowded directly on the beach? Doesn't sound to great to me... I am imagining a sleeping bag full of sand, but the boys are desperate to try it.

Also wondering if anyone has ever used one of those inflatable Kayaks? Lidls is getting them in this week and my sons are also very keen to try this. Will probably get some lessons for them before going off on our own, and it would be one adult and one child or very shallow water and a rope at first, but any advice would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: Beach Camping
Post by: RedLeader on June 12, 2018
I used to camp at Whitepark Bay in years gone by and I know of people camping at numerous beaches in Donegal. It honestly looks like if you get far enough away from the closest car park and stay reasonably unobtrusive then no-one really cares. YMMV tho!
Title: Re: Beach Camping
Post by: Margaret on June 12, 2018
I have heard whitepark bay is great for fossil hunting too. Unfortunately we can't go too far from the car park. My mobility is a bit limited and my husband had a major heart attack and stroke a couple of years ago. We do struggle a bit, even with the campsites, but the boys help and I am bound and determined that they will not be held back.  Both boys have hyper mobility, which is really just being double jointed but without enough exercise it can cause some major problem and at the moment the outdoor stuff is the only exercise they are really very interested in. So one way or another, as long as they are interested, I will get them out camping.

But I think the worst they can do is ask you to move on. I don't think we can be arrested camping, and we do make certain we leave no trace,  we don't drink, play loud music or otherwise annoy anyone. We used to throw a wee tent up for the day sometimes, just a place to get out of the Sun.... I don't do well with uv and no one ever bothered, so they wouldn't really know unless they check at night, at which point we would be in the tents or my husband would be fishing. If worst came to worst we could always pack up and go home.