camping

The housing crisis in the Pyrenees opens the debate on the limits of camping

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“I am a temporary worker and I come to work in the Tena Valley. The rents are 800 euros and I am not going to share a flat. I prefer to live in the van with my cat (…) I don’t understand why they focus on me when I don’t break the regulations.” The words are those of an indignant woman. One to which the Civil Guard demands movement when it understands that it is camping illegally. One that, if what is said in the video is true, is completely right and the regulations are on its side. What happened? The video is brought to X by a user of the social network and in it you see a woman who, between irony and indignation, explains that she works as a seasonal worker in the Tena Valley (Huesca), that she lives in her van and that the Civil Guard is asking her to leave because, supposedly, she is camping. The video shows the conversation between the woman and one of the agents. He defends that “it’s been going on for a month and a half now” and that “that can be considered camping.” She, for her part, alleges that she does not take any items outside and that she also moves, which the agent also acknowledges. “Rents are 800 euros”. In her video, the protagonist points out that the cost of housing is very high in the Tena Valley and that she does not want to share a flat. “I prefer to live in the van with my cat,” he emphasizes. The truth is that this enclave right next to the Pyrenees is very tense. In fact, it was only a few months ago that he was born. Decent Housing Viello Aragón in defense of access to housing in this Aragonese area. They point out that the area is full of tourists. The problem is not just a matter of underused second homes. The group points out that the European funds dedicated to sustainable tourism are causing the attraction of more and more visitors with the conversion into apartments and houses as rural complexes, which worsens the conflict. They defend that it should be stopped the delivery of new licenses for tourist use, they propose the creation of a public housing pool, declaring the region as a stressed area in order to control prices and punish the owners of more than four residential properties who have empty homes. The final objective is to facilitate access to housing and so that the economy can diversify so as not to live solely on tourism. Yes, the law is on your side (sort of). The truth is that if the author of the video complies with what she says, the law is on her side. As explained by the colleagues of Motorpassionthere are no regulations that specify a maximum time in which a person can spend the night in their car. Because camping in a place not authorized for it is illegal but spending the night is allowed. The PROT Instruction 2023/14 It is the one that collects these differences. It states that “parking is not camping” as long as: That the vehicle, with the engine stopped, is only in contact with the ground through the wheels (stabilizing legs or any other device is not used, except for chocks, provided for by the General Traffic Regulations). That the vehicle does not occupy more surface area than what it occupies when closed, that is, without the deployment of projectable elements, chairs, tables, etc., elements that can invade a surface larger than that delimited by the perimeter of the vehicle, understood as the plan projection of the same. That the vehicle does not emit any type of fluids or noises to the outside. One but. And then, the instruction also states the following: All of the above will be understood without prejudice to the powers of the town councils, through their municipal regulations, to limit or regulate, without discrimination based on the type of vehicle, the stopping and parking points under criteria of physical organization of traffic, commerce or environmental criteria, or with the purpose of favoring the arrival of this type of motorhome tourism, establishing for this purpose, parking zones or areas or, where appropriate, camping. Likewise, the regional regulations that have been approved or could be approved for the purpose of tourism promotion in the national territory will be taken into account. to promote a new type of accommodation that in any case will coexist with the full application of national legislation on traffic and road safety and especially the regulations relating to stopping and parking maneuvers. The matter here is a little more delicate because the video does not explain the situation regarding any of these concepts. What the instruction makes clear is that the City Council can delimit where a motorhome can park. In the images it appears that the van is located on the outskirts of a town but it is not clear whether or not the vehicle may be parked there, specifically. Without knowing the municipality, we also do not know if the town’s mobility ordinance imposes a maximum parking time. In the case of not wanting to park in the town, the situation is more delicate. In this case, regional regulations require you to spend the night in an area expressly authorized for this purpose since the Tena Valley is a protected environmental space. What do we get clear? In a municipality, a person can spend the night without any problem in their car or caravan as long as the vehicle is parked correctly and they do not take belongings and objects outside (from chairs to awnings). In that case, the driver is considered to be camping and this can only be done in an area authorized for this. Therefore, living inside a van and making life in it is not illegal as long as no noise or fluids are generated that are emitted to the outside. … Read more

Red Eléctrica asked for calm. Immediately afterwards, thousands of Spaniards flocked to buy generators and camping gas.

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“The ghost of the great blackout has once again haunted Spain,” This is how my partner summed it up after learning that Red Eléctrica Española had detected new “sudden voltage variations” in the peninsular network. The news was enough to reactivate a recent fear: being left in the dark again. And with that fear, the fever for forecasts also ignited. In search of forecasts. Demand for products related to energy supply and survival has increased by 76%, according to data from the European price comparator Idealo. Among which stand out stoves and camping gas, with an increase of 253%, followed by power stations at 87%, radios at 56% and portable batteries at 49%. Interest in products such as water purification tablets has also skyrocketed by 20% and flashlights by 14%. An alert that set off the alarms. The alert issued by Red Eléctrica Española October 7 was enough to put the population on guard. Although the company assured that the voltage fluctuations “do not pose an imminent risk of a blackout,” the population reacted quickly. Many households, still with fresh memories of the April 28 blackout, began to reinforce their domestic emergency kits, as recommended the European Commission at the beginning of the year. The great precedent. The current prudence is not accidental. Half a year ago, the peninsula suffered a blackout that left the entire country without power for more than twelve hours. During that day, the chaos moved to the stores: endless lines and empty shelves in hardware stores and large stores. Servimedia data they confirm it: The demand for electric generators shot up by 639% and that for gas camping stoves by 547% in just 24 hours. Mass hysteria or rational prevention? The figures may suggest an emotional reaction, but the data rather points to a new culture of foresight. Before the blackout, only 5% of Spaniards had an emergency kit prepared. After the event, the figure doubled to 10%, and the intention to prepare for it went from 32% to 58%. as detailed on YouGov. The CIS adds that 78% of citizens did not feel afraid during the blackout, although 53.5% acknowledged that they remembered the kit recommended by the EU. Furthermore, 88.2% positively valued the civic and supportive behavior of their neighbors during those hours of darkness. The phenomenon has revived the debate: are we facing a “collective energy hysteria” or a modern form of domestic resilience? The business of self-supply. In a matter of months, concern about a possible power outage has created a new market niche: that of energy self-sufficiency. Sales of generators, solar panels and stoves they multiplied by five after the blackout in April. Large chains such as Leroy Merlin or Decathlon sold out their stocks in hours, while neighborhood hardware stores had their own special August selling flashlights, radios and batteries. The trend has not stopped. From Idealo confirm that the searches of these products continue to rise. In parallel, interest has grown in so-called portable power stations, small devices capable of charging everything from mobile phones to basic appliances, and which are already among the most consulted articles on the internet. “Prepper” culture is normalized. Added to this fever of prevention is the rise of the so-called prepperspeople who prepare for emergencies. In fact, two of them described how the blackout tested their preparedness: Their kits allowed them to cook and stay informed when most people lost power. A phenomenon that, far from eccentricity, reflects a growing search for domestic autonomy. A new energy consciousness? Electrical Network insists that “There is no imminent risk of a blackout,” but citizens—and the market—think differently. The culture of self-sufficiency is no longer a rarity and has become established in the collective mentality. There is no blackout in sight, but there is a change: many prefer to rely on their generator before the electrical system. In times of uncertainty, energy is no longer only measured in kilowatts, but also in peace of mind. Image | FreePik and FreePik Xataka | A ghost haunts Spain: the ghost of another massive blackout caused by network tension problems

In the Aragonese Pyrenees there are more and more people camping and bathing in Ibones. Until the police arrived

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The Ibones de Anayet They are a natural treasure, small glacier lakes located in Sallent de Gállego, in the Aragonese Pyrenees. For biologists they are jewelry. For mountaineers resting places and recreation. That same beauty has nevertheless became its cross: as the ibones popularize in networks, they have been filled with tourists who They do not always comply laws, Cold without permissionthey bathe where they should not and even use drones to achieve the best panoramic. Now the authorities They have said enough. Rain of fines. In theory it was going to be a quiet weekend in the middle of the Aragonese Pyrenees, but ended up becoming a true fines. Between Saturday and Sunday the agents of the Seprona de Huesca, together with the agents for the protection of the nature of Aragon, carried out an operation in the surroundings of Sallent de Gállego that resumed with 86 sanctions. The reason? When they arrived at the Anayet Ibón environment, the authorities found 46 mountaineer tents that were violating the regulations. But what did they do? Camp “illegally”, Clarify The Aragonese government, who remembers that the hikers who settled in the environment did so without communicating their presence to the authorities or the Emergency Center 112 and their stores (46) were less than 100 meters from the Lake Security Strip. “Anayet’s ibón and its environment are part of a protected natural space, where camping is only allowed under certain conditions and with express authorization, with the aim of preserving the ecosystem and avoiding damage to flora, fauna and landscapes and environmental value,” insists The Autonomous Executive. An environmental jewel. The Ibones They are small mountain lakes of glacier origin located in the Aragonese Pyrenees that are distributed from the Ansó Valley to the surroundings of the Aneto. They include Anayet’s, Located formations in the municipality of Sallent de Gállego, province of Huesca. Their characteristics make them special spaces … and above all delicate. Hence the authorities are concerned about their saturation. “The problem is that one hundred people go to the same point, to bathe, to eat, to use cream creams,” warns in The Aragon newspaper Fran Gómez, Director of the Province of Environment and Tourism in Huesca. “It is forbidden to bathe in the Ibones, but also when using sun creams, oils are left to the water (…)”. Among other measures and to protect the environment, before making an excursion a “minimum documentation” is needed. @diariovasco The biologist Lorena Escuer denounces through her social networks the camping that had been installed in the Ibón de Anayet. It is an easily accessible enclave through Formigal ski slopes, in the Aragonese Pyrenees, with great beauty and with a delicate flora and fauna. Camping in this type of places is strictly prohibited as well as bathing in the cold waters of the Ibones. These types of prohibitions occur to protect the environment and keep it. 🎥 Lorena Escuer Formigal Pyrenees Pyrenees Aragon Iboneanayet imprudence surprise Aramonon ♬ Original Sound – The Basque newspaper – The Basque newspaper “A remarkable increase”. The weekend campaign, which resulted in 86 fine proposals, was not the result of chance. From the government admit Having proof that more and more people go to spend the night in the area, largely because of their popularity in networks and the promotion of certain companies. “The action has been carried out after verifying in recent weeks a notable increase in influx of people who spend the night in the area, driven by the dissemination of networks and websites of companies that, irregularly, offer stays and charge for camping without having the mandatory authorization.” “A huge speaker”. The excuses for the Aragonese Pyrenees and the visits the Ibón de Anayet are no novelty, but over time they have gained considerable fame. In Your interview with The newspaper, Gómez acknowledges that practices such as those that motivated the almost 90 fines of the weekend “proliferate on social networks” and have become increasingly popular. “It is very promoted and has become a boom. This weekend has been filled. Boca to mouth comes to where it reaches, but now the networks are a huge speaker that allows you to teach a spectacular place and with relatively easy access “, Reflect. A quick search on Google also reveals companies that offer free camping and excursion services in that same area. Is it something new? This weekend’s operation was deployed in a very specific context, after the end of July several meansneighbors and environmentalists denounced the saturation of the Ibones of Aragon. Recently a local mountaineer He reported for example a Today Aragon The stamp that was found when he arrived at Anayet’s Ibón: “18 tents, people bathing and flying drones.” The beauty of the environment added to your access, simple compared to other parts of the environment, have turned the lake, In his opinionin “free and prettier standards of the Pyrenees.” The hyper saturation of Anayet’s ibones He denounced her Also in networks the biologist Lorena Escuer, who in July warned of the presence of drones flying over the place, tents and bathers who dive into the lake without worrying about their impact on the environment. “These ibones are unique and fragile ecosystems, home of high mountain flora and fauna, some protected species. And yet here, at 2,200 meters of altitude, the dominant species in summer is the human,” he laments. Images | Mauri (Flickr) and Aragon Government In Xataka | Aragon’s ski stations are sentenced to death. One of them has had an idea: the biggest tobogan in Europe

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