This Frugaldom Corner of Scotland

Rescued foals

In 2020, with the COVID lockdowns hanging heavy over all of us, we struggled along, devoid of volunteers, gainful employment (or self-employment) and with support at an all time low. Several friends lost their jobs, their businesses and their loved ones. Times were pretty grim. We had just taken in 5 emergency rehomings late 2019 - a Shetland pony, plus 4 colt foals that had been part of a large rescue operation in South Wales.

We survived 2020 and then into 2021. With the support of a few vanlifers and a planning exemption certificate from Dumfries & Galloway Council allowing us to charge £5 per night for visiting campervans and motorhomes, we made it through 2021, having rehomed the Shetland pony but gained a laminitic retiree. Estimated costs of keeping a pony here average £1,000 per year and £10,000 is a huge amount to pay out just on feed, bedding and hoofcare. We are lucky in that we have no rent, mortgage or other debts to service so as long as the animals are fed, we are fine. 

Yard parking

When the council exemption certificate ended, we decided to continue with our 'aire', the certification transferring to the organisation called 'MotorhomeFun'. We remain licensed for up to 5 campervans, only now it is through CAMpRA Rally. 

We remain at £5 per night for stopovers. We are still off-grid with no services other than a soakaway for waste tap water and a tank for emptying cassettes from portable toilets. We are still devoid of visitors, volunteers or supporters most of the time, despite being listed in many of the relevant sites, directories and mobile apps. This makes us a great hideaway for anyone travelling around our part of southwest Scotland. 

 

A holiday park or campsite is something we will never become but if you love wildlife and nature, plus ponies and the odd goat, you are welcome to stop in for a visit, park up, stay a night, a weekend, a week or a fortnight. Just remember that all you get for £5 per night is a safe place to park and a memory of Frugaldom. We recommend you bring peanuts, eggs and apples for the pine marten and badger clan. some dog food for the fox or cat food for the feral cats. Alternatively, you could bring carrots, apples, celery or bananas for the ponies and goat.

Frugaldom Fresh Aire, Nature and Wildlife

Feeding station

 

Here at Frugaldom, we have several feeding stations set out for the various wildlife that frequent the land. With over 12 acres of wilderness deicated to nature and wildlife, the project comprises grassland, woodland, orchard, wetland and the pony tracks where the sanctuary equines live. 

Campervan/Motorhome Bay 1

The yard has designated parking for three campervans or motorhomes (max. 7.5m)  Parking bay 1 is in the corner of our yard. It is edgd with hawthorn and dog roses and we do not keep a tidy garden - this is a wildlife haven so everything is kept as wild as possible.

Corner plot

Across the fence, there is a wildlife feeding station, made up of bird feeders, bird bath and a platform that the wildlife can go under or on top for feeding. It is a simple structure built from recycled pallets and old water pipe. The badgers often walk through the pipe and the pine marten can occasionally be seen on the platform if you leave him out an egg and some peanuts for his supper.

The Rearing Horses

In front of this parking space is the sculpture of two rearing horses, 'Balius and Xanthus', the immortals. As well as the mythical connection, they are in memory of the Galloways, a breed once common around these parts but bred into extinction in the development of the Thoroughbred racehorses of today.

The yard

The yard is fairly flat but not perfectly level. We are toally off-grid so no services are included in the £5 parking fee. Campervans and motorhomes must be fully self-contained with on-board toilet, water and waste containers. Frugaldom is about affordability, simplicity and getting back to nature so we expect our visitors to respect the property, the wildlife and the rules, of which there are a few. We are not a campsite but as long as you have everything you need and leave no trace, you are welcome to come along, park up and experience Frugaldom. 

Badger at feeding station

As a sanctuary and nature project, we do allow well-behaved pets but they must be on short leads and in for the night before wildlife surveillance begins. You are welcme to bring along your own trail cams and peanuts are always appreciated. Frugaldom is not for profit, we operate voluntarily. We have a Friends of Frugaldom support group you can join from as little as £5 per month, then visit us anytime you can.

Wildlife Watching at Frugaldom from your Campervan or Motorhome

When visiting Frugadom in your campervan or motorhome, you are likely to encounter some of the wildlife that we feed in the garden and orchard around the yard. Bay 1, a corner pitch, overlooks a wildlife feeding station so for any photographers, wildlife watchers or nature fans, feel free to bring along a rail cam and set it up ouside your van. I left a camera out there last night just to see what is visiting.

The badgers were active, snuffling around the feeding station for quite some time, rooting for peanuts that we always put out for them and the pine marten.

Frugaldom is also home to several feral cats that roam around after dark. We very seldom catch sight of them during daylight but we know thet are out there in the same way we know the badgers, pine marten and fox are out there - caught on camera. This is Macaroon, the black cat. She is often seen along with Socks, a tabby and white male. Most have ben neutered under the catch and release scheme so we shouldn't see kittens. 

The fox is here most nights and we think she is nursing cubs somewhere nearby. Unlike the badgers, who have already brought a baby along to Frugaldom, she hasn't ventured within camera range with any cubs, yet. It could be soon - it could be while you are here watching.

This is a photo we caught of one of the mother badgers bringing her cub into the paddock a couple of nights ago. We love supporting the wildlife here and will happily accept peanuts, complete dog food or cat food in lieu of payment for an overnight stop. Likewise, you are welcome to leave eggs for the pine marten as these are his favourite food of the moment.

The pine marten is a little more elusive but if you can't see him, you ofen hear him at the feeding platform in the big tree, where the clunk of the wooden lid of the feeder signifies he is there snacking on peanuts. Leave an egg and peanuts out for him on the platform next to bay 1 and chances are that he will pop by for a late supper.

We can comfortably accommodate three motorhomes or campervans up to an absolute maximum of 7.5m but you need to have your own toilet on board and bring water as we are completely off grid with no services other than our grey water waste soakaway and a toilet tank for emptying cassettes. We have rain water harvesting to a 1000 litre tank for rinsing but during dry weather, this can run out. At £5 per night for an overnight stay, it is still well and truly worth a visit to Frugaldom. Find us on Google maps, SearchforSites, Park4Night and What3Words///Photo.Regal.Fencing will bring you to our main gate. Just search for Frugaldom or better still, join us via our support group at www.ko-fi.com/Frugaldom then visit whenever you can.

See you soon!

Are There Any Aires in Scotland?

This page is dedicated to campervan and motorhome stopover providers within Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland licensed through CAMpRA Rally Group*.

ARE THERE ANY AIRES IN SCOTLAND?

Yes! At time of writing, there are 162 CAMpRA aires within the UK and around one third of those are in Scotland. Many have their own websites, are pinned on Google maps and/or have social media pages. Frugaldom blog is hosting a free list of some fabulously frugal aires that should be on every campervanner or motorhomer's list.

WHAT IS AN AIRE?

An aire is a simple stopover that can be used by campervans or motorhomes while travelling. These can be service points that offer fresh drinking water, electric hook-up and toilet emptying facilities in exchange for a nominal fee or, in some cases, a donation. Some aires simply provide a safe, secure and legal place to park. The 'no services' aires are handy stop off points and allow you to relax and rest for a day or two without the worry of being moved on, as long as you don't display any camping behaviour. No camping behaviour means no awnings, no BBQs or firepits and no setting out the sunloungers, chairs or picnic tables. Aires provide overnight parking, nothing more. Most expect you to arrive in daylight with everything onboard you require and leave no trace when you go. The usual price for these stopovers is around £5 per night, slightly more if there are services available. The 'CAMpRA' licensed aires are star rated with 3 stars meaning no services, 4 stars have waste facilities and 5 stars can mean electric hook-up is available. Prices vary accordingly but like I said, many are asking for only £5 per night. Aires, unlike many holiday parks and campsites, are open all year round. 

WHO OWNS AIRES?

Aire owners are just ordinary people who want to offer those travelling in campervans or motorhomes an inexpensive alternative to fully serviced campsites that stipulate a minimum stay. Aire owners set their own rules and prices, depending on the facilities available on site. Some will have grass pitches, some will have hardstanding or be based within enclosed yards, all will be for a maximim of 5 vehicles. If you arrive at an aire with 5 vans already parked, move on to the next available stopover site, don't risk losing the aire owner their licence.

FINDING AIRES (The demonstration links here lead to Frugaldom's aire)

Being rural, postcodes and SatNav can often take you the wrong direction. In the countryside, several miles of single track lane may link a number of farms, houses and businesses, all with the same postcode. There isn't always anyone around to ask directions and often mobile signal can be non-existent, so no option to call anyone. For this reason, we always recommend using What3Words or else check for pinned sites on Google Maps. Many sites and apps such as SearchforSites and Park4Night include coordinates for these overnight stops.

SCOTTISH AIRES

Naturally, I am going to begin with Frugaldom. Overnight parking is provided in the yard so you are fairly sheltered and secluded. The yard is all hardstanding and as level as we can afford to make it for now. Set within the centre of the sanctuary and surrounded by wildlife and wild bird feeding stations, this aire is completely off-grid. Arrival is by daylight only and we have quiet hours between 9pm and 9am. There is no electricity and no fresh running water but we do have grey water waste disposal and a tank for emptying chemical toilets. For use of these facilities, we ask £5. The overnight parking is by donation either by scanning the QR code that links to PayPal or by dropping a few pounds into the donations / honesty box. While here, allowing for weather conditions, you can see the sanctuary ponies, Vincent Van Goat and possibly the badgers, fox, pine marten, adders and various wild birds. We also have our  environmental art project, which now has over 50 sculptures dotted around the site, from wizards and green men to unicorns, woodland creatures and fairy folks. I like to think of Frugaldom as being one of the quirkiest aires you will visit.

AIRES IN UK

I am compiling a list of inexpensive aires for anyone to browse, save, share or take note of for future travels. Aires are the way to go if you are travelling in a campervan or motorhome and in some locations, such as Frugaldom, they are free for those prepared to trade their time volunteering in exchange for safe and secure park-up. This is the link to the list of aires in UK that is currently being developed.

Happy holidays, folks! Frugaldom is about finding affordable options. You are welcome to join us as Happy Hutters or Wildlife Watchers if campervanning isn't your thing. I'm not including camping as there are just too many places in Scotland where you can wildcamp for free. Please remember to observe Scotland's 'right to roam' Outdoor Access code sensibly and respectfully.

* CAMpRA UK Ltd is the Campaign for Real Aires in UK

Frugal Aire

An overnight stop at Frugaldom costs just £5 in a campervan or motorhome.

We can accommodate vehicles up to an absolute maximum 7.5m if you are fully self-contained.  Frugaldom is totally off-grid so no lighting, no electric hook-up, no showers, no running water, so don't arrive expecting campsite facilities. Nearby Balloch o'Dee may better suit your needs if you aren't used to the wilder side of getting away from it all. We simply offer a frugal alternative.

What we do have, however, are basic waste facilities for grey water and toilet cassette emptying, as long as you are using eco-friendly products.

Bay 1 overlooks a wildlife feeding station where you may catch a glimpse of a fox, badger or pine marten, as well as the wild birds that frequent the feeders.

Next are the rearing horses, representing the ancient Galloway breed that once roamed the nearby hills and became famous world wide before being bred out of existance. The Bald Galloway is one of the original descendants of almost all modern day Thoroughbred racehorses and many top performance horses. Now you know.

Bay 2 overlooks more of the wildlife garden that leads to this little area, home to the ghostly hooded rider. Another bird feeding station can be seen here, often visited by the resident woodpeckers, siskins and various other birds and wildlife.

Bay 3 is adjacent to our visitors'herb garden, from where anyone can help themselves.

Payment for stopovers can be made via PayPal to frugaldom@gmail.com or via the QR code but we also have honesty / donations boxes for those  who prefer to pay cash.

If you would like to support our project, which is run voluntarily as a sanctuary, you can do so here.

Thank you for taking the time to read these posts. Please share with friends and help us keep our animal sanctuary, art project and stopover aire open.

Sunshine After the Rain a Frugaldom Campervan Stopover

The Frugaldom yard is empty so we have been making the most of a bit sunshine to trim overhanging hedges, weed planters and  tidy up around the edges. With good drainage and hard standing, the site can remain open all year round for campervans and motorhomes, although few know that Frugaldom offers overnight parking at just £5 per night. We are the frugal option - no frills, no services but a fantasy world of art in nature awaits all who dare to venture within the realms of our wilderness hideaway. 

What3Words//Photo.Regal.Fencing will bring you to our gate. 

We accept PayPal via QR code or pop your payment into the donations box at the sign. Alternatively, join Friends of Frugaldom for £5 per month and make us one of your regular park-ups.

 We are rural, secluded, off-grid and offer secure overnight parking, ideal for solo travellers or for those looking for a hidden getaway. Set within a sanctuary surrounded by ecoarts, Frugaldom is an ideal escape from reality where you can seek solace and find inspiration in nature. See you soon - message me at frugaldom@gmai.com for further details if required.