and it’s hello from me.

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hello,

I’m in the throws of changing from family camping kit, to solo bushcraft kit. What I want to know more about are going to be fairly obvious to you good people and I need your guidance. I can imagine that this won’t be the first time this has been asked, so if you feel like answering, i’ll be grateful and if not, i’ll understand.

For example, i’m finding myself feeling drawn to buying some high-end expensive gear, such as Fjallraven No8 (except it doesn’t appear to be either waterproof or warm), the Isle Royale Jr, Buffalo Mountain shirt, Solo Stove Titan, a D&D tarp... some really nice and useful gear. If you’re feeling the urge to stop me with great urgency to put me straight then please do, as the missus is growing ever more nervous about my kit list and I need to tell her that ‘they’ told me to buy it ... perhaps it would help if I explained a little about what i’d like to be able to do.

I really enjoy moving slowly and deliberately through woodland (I live in Sussex). It’s not that I couldn’t move more quickly but I get a lot out of looking closely at habitats and learning about whatever I encounter and I don’t think that can be done quickly. There are inherent issues with moving slowly, such as parking charges, daylight....and this leads me to my next ask. Whenever I find a patch of woodland worth exploring, it’s always fronted with a large sign outlining who owns it, local bylaws, parking charges, warnings about prosecution.... it doesn’t make for much fun, let alone finding a secluded spot on which to pitch a tarp, light a stove to cook on and keep warm and hang out until tomorrow. I’m not into being tracked by men with clipboards and a list of carefully memorised contraventions, as all I want to do is be as quiet and anonymous as possible. I want to find a few places Sussex, Kent, Hants would be good, where i’m not going to draw the attention of the local Ranger or Warden because it’s considered acceptable (for responsible folk) to be there with my ID books, binoculars and a spoon gouge and a tea pot on a fire etc

So, if anyone can help, i’m open to suggestions. Many thanks and looking forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Darryl

 

[MrEd]

Hi darryl

I am in West Sussex, couple of things

There is a sussex bushcraft meet near arundel - check this thread

https://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?threads/sussex-group-new-year-meet.151126/#post-1883607

Also
Re: the woods - I do much the same, I enjoy seeing the wildlife and also seeing and noticing different habitats and the changes of the season etc.

Look for some woods that are off the ‘tourist and dog walking’ routes - avoid the public areas and look for the ones with a footpath along the middle or the edge, then park on a nearby lane or road and walk in. That’s what I do and have found some superb places, and sat and had a brew etc and not seen a single person all day apart from me - bliss!

Get an OS map and start looking for interesting places

Where in Sussex area are you?

Ed

Oh and clothing etc, I wear surplus and outdoors shop normal-type stuff - I just choose dark colours and natural fibres as they are silent compared to modern synthetics!

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hi Ed,

Many thanks for your reply. I’ll check that link in a mo.

If you are happy to share some of your secluded finds, i’d be very grateful but I quite understand if you’d prefer to keep them to yourself. Not sure If i need to earn forum PM points, but give it a go if you want.

I live in Brighton

Best wishes,

Darryl

 

[MrEd]

aah cool, i am just north in hickstead. When you have PM right (not sure when that occurs) i can ping you some map links, there are a few out of the way places in the downs if your prepared to walk off the beaten path a bit

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

aah cool, i am just north in hickstead. When you have PM right (not sure when that occurs) i can ping you some map links, there are a few out of the way places in the downs if your prepared to walk off the beaten path a bit

If you ever fancy some company (fairly sane or so i’m told) on a wander about the woods, drop me a line.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi Darryl, welcome and enjoy.
Might be worth having a read here, https://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?threads/wild-camping-in-the-uk.52767/
and here. https://bushcraftuk.com/community/i...-access-seeking-and-finding-permission.52652/

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hi Darryl, welcome and enjoy.
Might be worth having a read here, https://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?threads/wild-camping-in-the-uk.52767/
and here. https://bushcraftuk.com/community/i...-access-seeking-and-finding-permission.52652/

Many thanks. It’s near impossible to not trespass in Sussex, as everywhere is owned by some entity, trust, charity etc. However, i’ve been following a Dane on Youtube ‘Cimbrer Bushcraft’ and after much searching, he only today found a landowner willing to allow him to use their land. So there’s hope.

 

[Janne]

You have nice stretches of woodland around Mayfield, Five Ashes and Heathfield.

There is a woodland just west of Skippers Hill prep school in F. A., even has a stream running through it.

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!

 

[MrEd]

If you ever fancy some company (fairly sane or so i’m told) on a wander about the woods, drop me a line.

Try pip along to an arundel meet - I haven’t been to one before but am
Hoping to go this Saturday - would be a good way to meet people and find locations/permissions etc.

Everything I do at the moment is on public access land although I don’t really do hardcore bushcraft, I more just like the peace and quiet of the outside and like to sit and eat lunch or forage (simple stuff) and watch wildlife etc. I don’t have fires tbh, I use a gas stove (cheating some would say) as not sure about open fires on public land etc

I have overnight camped aswell, you just have to be selective in your spot.

More than once I have been having a brew 3/4 metres off the path, sitting quietly and people have walked past and not noticed me.

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hello and thank you Janne, John and Mr Ed. I’m awaiting confirmation for the Arundel meet and looking forward to hanging out with some of you.

Thanks for the info Janne, i’ll find those places on my OS map and maybe check them out this week. So if you’re out there and you see some bloke dressed in shiny new gear, wandering around looking for something, that’ll probably be me, so do say hello .

Best wishes and hoping for a dry week,

Darryl

 

[Nice65]

Hi from Singleton W. Sussex

 

[birchwood]

You have nice stretches of woodland around Mayfield, Five Ashes and Heathfield.

There is a woodland just west of Skippers Hill prep school in F. A., even has a stream running through it.

So do you own these woodlands that you are suggesting that the op goes to?
Or are you advising him to go onto someone else's property?

 

[Janne]

Of course he should ask in the nearest house. Standard procedure for most of us. Not you?

The vast majority of members here are law abiding.

I used to own property there, yes. I can direct him to land with nice owners.

Birchwood, apart from a cheeky and idiotic remark, do you have any recommendations to him?

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

What would help both newcomers like me as well as seasoned folk like you and what would also prevent any repetition of the above conflict dialogue (I get that everyone is being helpful and supportive and thank you), would be a sticky with some brief ‘steps to obtain consent to wildcamp’ to direct people to. It would hopefully also appear in search engine searches and possibly draw attention to this lovely site.

Links to council bylaws etc are great but how many people want to read them before grabbing their gear on a nice day?

Something like this:
1. What do you intend to do?
2. Finding the owner
3. How to request permission
4. Managing rejection
5. Saying ‘thank you’

Am I missing a vital point, does this already exist and is it useful?

Best wishes,

Darryl

 

[Janne]

I do not think it is needed.
Just behave as you should, ask ( and explain) at the nearest house with a smile on your face and maybe offer to do something for them if they are positive about you using their woodland.

Be courteous even if they say 'no'. You will get a lot of 'no'.


In some countries we have a kind of 'Right to roam" but it is still considered good form to ask the owner if we plan to use his forest for an overnighter.
Even if we have the right to be there, if the owner is negative, we move on.

 

[Sundowner]

Hi and welcome

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hi from Singleton W. Sussex

Hello

Is that the Singleton that’s at the bottom of the long descent heading eventually towards Petworth? If so, I used to use that road as one of my advanced driving practice routes. Lovely area with loads of lovely looking woodland. I never pulled over to stop and look around but as I whizzed through, I always wondered what the woods were like. Lucky you

Best wishes,

Darryl

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Hi and welcome

hello and thank you.

 

[Nice65]

Hello

Is that the Singleton that’s at the bottom of the long descent heading eventually towards Petworth? If so, I used to use that road as one of my advanced driving practice routes. Lovely area with loads of lovely looking woodland. I never pulled over to stop and look around but as I whizzed through, I always wondered what the woods were like. Lucky you

Best wishes,

Darryl

Sort of yeah. The route to Petworth is over Duncton Hill which is 4 or 4 miles east of here which maybe the hill you’re thinking of. But there is a descent to Singleton from The Trundle which is host to Goodwood Racecourse, the road drops past the Weald and Downland Museum and joins the A286 which heads to Midhurst, about 6 miles north of here. From there it’s east to Petworth, west to Petersfield, north to Fernhurst and Haslemere.

It’s a lovely place to live, there’s a brilliant campsite only a couple of miles away at East Dean with a very easy going tenant farmer. He doesn’t mind fires, hammocking in the woodland etc.

Regards the Fjallraven Anorak 8, I share your views wholeheartedly. Looks great, but soaks immediately, the only bits that are recommended for waxing don’t solve the problem of the hood and back getting wet. Seems fairly windproof, but it’s an expensive windproof. I reckon it’s a dry snow anorak, that’s its environment. I’m considering selling mine and investing in something I don’t mind getting covered in dirt, smoke and fire ash rather than a £360 niche fashion product that stays in the cupboard looking freaking awesome

Fell asleep on the sofa again.