Travel Channel UK - Wild Camping (2011)

Jo Sinnott hits the road travelling from Ireland to Portugal on her Triumph Bonneville motorbike. Her challenge? To explore Europe but sleeping 'wild' all the way. During her journey, she meets some incredible characters, from artists and musicians, to survival experts and wildlife enthusiasts; all of whom offer a guiding hand to help her discover some of the continent's most beautiful and unspoilt locations. From camping in the grounds of a remote school house in Ireland, to sleeping on the deck of a multi-million pound yacht in Monaco, Jo persuades the locals to let her pitch her tent or roll out her sleeping bag in some truly unusual and remote settings. Throughout her journey, Jo finds herself in the midst of weird and wonderful events such as Beating the Bounds in Wales, bull running in Spain and a Secret Supper at the Cannes Film Festival. She also makes the most of the great outdoors, wild swimming in Alpine lakes, building a survival shelter in the Brecon Beacons, riding the waves in Wales and even straplining in the Basque country. Wild Camping is about travelling as it should be; spontaneous, adventurous and natural. It's an alternative look at some of the most beautiful regions in Europe. Life on the road, with a tent and wild inclinations!

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Part 1: Ireland
With her motorbike loaded with the bare essentials, Jo Sinnott begins her 3,000 mile Wild Camping adventure across Europe. She heads to a writers retreat in Ireland, on the Beara Peninsuala, where she explores the stunning coastline with the help of some local poets and her first night's camping is beside a waterfall.


Part 2: Wales
Jo Sinnott arrives in Wales where she, and her motorbike, enjoy a trip through Snowdonia National Park on the Ffestiniog Railway. She learns about living off the earth from a permiculturalist before heading off for her first night's Welsh wild camping at Fantasy Island art instillation in the middle of a dense forest.


Part 3: Normandy
Jo Sinnott kicks off her journey through France micro-liting over the iconic Mont-St-Michel before getting back on her motorbike and heading to Normandy's most emotive celebrations, the D-Day commemorations. After picking up a few culinary tips, Jo's back on her motorbike for a 400 mile ride through central France, to her final stop Annecy; home to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and the perfect location for a spot of wild swimming.


Part 4: The Alpes Maritime and French Riviera
The Mercantour National Park is Jo Sinnott's first destination as she arrives in the Alpes Maritime region of Southern France. Concert Pianist Frederic Chauval, and his daughter Fanny, take Jo on a hike to the perfect wild camping spot in the remote mountain village of Molliere, deserted since WWII. Jo discovers it's not all glitz and glamour at the Cannes Film Festival as she visits Cannes in a Van, but she gets a taste of old Hollywood when she meets up with octogenarian actor Rico Zermeno. Her stay in the French Riviera is rounded off by and invitation to a Secret Supper.


Part 5: Southwest France and the Basque Country
Jo heads South towards Carcassonne, where she finds a local vineyard to sleep in. She offers to pay her way and is put to work on the vines. Another bike ride brings Jo to true Spanish Basque country, she enjoys a meal at a Txoko - an all male gastronomic society, and pays a visit to Lesaka on fiesta day. The final leg of this journey takes her to the coast, for a spot of surfing, straplining, and an incredible cliff top wild camping spot.


Part 6: Spain
Jo Sinnott arrives in the Catalan county of Ribera D'Ebre, site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Spanish Civil War. Back on her bike, Jo heads south 300 miles to Spain's fourth largest city, Seville, where she indulges in her love of Flamenco and is faced with challenge of finding an urban wild camping spot. On the final leg of her Spanish journey, Jo continues south to Cadiz to the beach resort of El Palmar where she gets a birdseye view of the coast in a gyrocopter and finally gets to pitch her tent on the beach.


Part 7: Portugal
After riding nearly 3000 miles across some of the most stunning landscapes in Europe, Jo Sinnot reaches Portugal for the final leg of her journey. She heads to the coast near Sagres to brush up on her surfing skills and camp out with other fans of the waves. Jo's last few days are spent getting back to basics in the incredible Estrela Mountains. As she wild camps, wild swims and wild cooks, Jo reflects on her European adventure and puts her newly learnt wild camping skills to the ultimate test.







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