Fear of the dark

[JonathanD]

I don't think he does much scaring, the place doesn't get anybody in it as it is far removed from anywhere and completely overgrown in the Summer. No one even tries to get in there, it's so bad. Which is why I chose it to camp in, and why there are otters there.

It's a good question about the spoil, I couldn't see any. He was walking around in plain soled shoes/boots, no tread whatsoever. This also ties in to the Tom Brown thing.

 

[resnikov]

Could he have dumped the spoil in the river?

 

[mountainm]

This may have been covered in the previous thousand odd posts - but who owns the land?

 

[JonathanD]

Could he have dumped the spoil in the river?

No, I walked pretty much the whole length tracking otters. From the way he does things, I think he has a healthy respect for nature and the environment.

 

[JonathanD]

This may have been covered in the previous thousand odd posts - but who owns the land?

No idea. British Waterways probably.

 

[Beardy Adam]

I don't think he does much scaring, the place doesn't get anybody in it as it is far removed from anywhere and completely overgrown in the Summer. No one even tries to get in there, it's so bad. Which is why I chose it to camp in, and why there are otters there.

It's a good question about the spoil, I couldn't see any. He was walking around in plain soled shoes/boots, no tread whatsoever. This also ties in to the Tom Brown thing.

He must have a hard job on walking around wearing footwear without any tread! It's all very odd. What are you going to do now, Jonathan? Keep periodically going back and checking on our little pistachio lover?

 

[Home Guard]

And the wheelbarrow, carrying any amount of soil around in a wheel barrow will leave a nice and distinct line on the ground.

This just gets more and more interesting!

 

[JonathanD]

He must have a hard job on walking around wearing footwear without any tread! It's all very odd. What are you going to do now, Jonathan? Keep periodically going back and checking on our little pistachio lover?

Yeah, I'll keep having a mooch now and then. It will be near impossible once the vegetation grows though and finding the same places is near impossible as it looks so different. No doubt a couple of us will stop there at my spot in the Summer too. Need to let the ramsons die away, all my kit stunk of garlic for months after stopping overnight early last year.

 

[JonathanD]

And the wheelbarrow, carrying any amount of soil around in a wheel barrow will leave a nice and distinct line on the ground.

This just gets more and more interesting!

The track and bent vegetation that was caused by the wheelbarrow last week has completely overgrown already. Himalayan Balsam grows at a ferociuos rate. The wheelbarrow has remained untouched since then, so he has done all the excavating he needs.

 

[Harvestman]

Right, now that I've finished reading this thread in entirety (well, I skipped the bit about black holes, if I'm honest), I now have to go and take the dog for a walk. That is, walk along a remote and unlit stretch of canal, almost entirely wooded on the footpath side. Not much moon tonight either.

That'll be a test of my nerve. I might just take something reassuring to carry...

 

[Trango]

I can't recall the exact details of those 20+ pages but was there evidence of actual tracking or actions that let to the conclusion that this individual is most likely a skilled tracker? He is sneaky for sure, wears treadless soles... that's linked indeed to stalking. But a stalker isn't necessarily a tracker. I could go over those pages again but if someone could rather point out some of the facts again that would be helpful in further analyzing this incident.

Long shot: was the individual camouflaged? I take it you couldn't take a good look. I would be interested in knowing how he dressed (or lack thereof) while he's doing the things he does. Might provide some further insight on who he is and what he does.

At this point I would lean towards the fruitcake vector rather than something malicious. Either way, the game is on now that you nicked his pistachios. Oh wait, that could have been the otters in his perception! Damn. Sweet lingering doubt. Nice work and solid action on your part. Be safe.

 

[Harvestman]

"Gasp...gasp... I made it. Home safe. It can't get me here. I think I shook it off back there... it came out of nowhere... so fast. It was... it was horrible...those teeth, the smell of its breath... if the dog hadn't defended me I... my god, the dog. The poor dog. When the lead went slack I just ran... I could hear it behind me... I've never run so fast...ran till I couldn't hear it any more. Lost it about half a mile back. Got to tell someone... describe it, warn people...

What's that? The window! My god, no! Get back! Get away! Noooooooooo........"

 

[Retired Member southey]

Is his breath nutty? If so it could be JonD! he had a nibble on some blokes in the woods!

 

[finite]

Wow this thread rocks! What's your next move Jon. Going to just keep playing with him for a while or confront him? I must admit it's amusing but I keep going back to the fingers on the tent. I mean a normal person just doesnt do that.

Classy move on the pistachios. A sleepless night clutching a knife for a bag of nuts....fare trade. I bet they tasted good

 

[Tyla]

Normally I find woods peaceful and I can relax in them better than anywhere, but there are occasions when I've quickly left an area because I felt very 'unwelcome' it's an uneasy feeling and specific only to woodland for me! Anyone else experienced it or am a loon?

Im out in the night alot, have been for years, i lamp with lurchers, do a bit of trapping and some fishing that has to be done at night. I have had bad feelings about places or even on certain nights on familiar ground. I go with it, if it doesnt feel right i move on. Perhaps your mind is picking up on stuff that you may not be able to rationalise and warning you away from it or perhaps its nothing. Either way you wont enjoy it and cant concerntrate on the job in hand because your too busy brushing the hairs on the back of your neck back down! Far better to be elsewhere IMO

 

[stovie]

No, I walked pretty much the whole length tracking otters. From the way he does things, I think he has a healthy respect for nature and the environment.

Healthy respect for anonymity, more like it...I can think of only one reason for digging a hole like that...not to be seen when staying entrenched. If all of this is as seen, then I would take some support and confront the situation...it is not a scenario to be treated lightly...You're a scientist Jon, use your analytical reasoning and come to a "safe" conclusion.

 

[JonathanD]

You're a scientist Jon, use your analytical reasoning and come to a "safe" conclusion.

I am, I'm stopping well clear of him until I learn more. He's not doing any harm except for scaring the bejesus out of me some years back. He knows where I camp now and what I do and he's never bothered me since. I don't think turning up with support would be the best thing for someone who is obviously going there to shun human contact. When I eventually bump into him, it will be on my own and in no way confrontational. I want to learn more about him first.

 

[stovie]

I am, I'm stopping well clear of him until I learn more. He's not doing any harm except for scaring the bejesus out of me some years back. He knows where I camp now and what I do and he's never bothered me since. I don't think turning up with support would be the best thing for someone who is obviously going there to shun human contact. When I eventually bump into him, it will be on my own and in no way confrontational. I want to learn more about him first.

Okay. How do you know he is aware of what you do? Have you ever actually caught a glimpse of him? And if you are living a "symbiotic" relationship then why the secrecy on both your parts? I just wouldn't be able to let it lie...But its your call and I respect your decision.

 

[resnikov]

It could just be JD has split personalities and its actually himself which is why he has never seen him

 

[JonathanD]

Okay. How do you know he is aware of what you do? Have you ever actually caught a glimpse of him? And if you are living a "symbiotic" relationship then why the secrecy on both your parts? I just wouldn't be able to let it lie...But its your call and I respect your decision.

He obviously knows about me as he's seen me camping there. His sit spots are along a route I regularly walk to view the otters and I never bothered about the tracks I left. He also used the oar Dave and I left there. The only secrecy on my part is to see what he is up to and not to disturb him, and that is more avoidance than secrecy. I really wouldn't have looked into it this much had people not wanted to know what was going on. I have other interests that take me into those woods, and he is not a priority to me. For all I know, he, or his family may own the woods and he may have far more right to be there than I do. I don't feel threatened by what he is up to there, and he certainly doesn't seem to be doing anything illegal, dishonest or dangerous... just weird. I've camped there many times since with no incident, and will do in the near future. It's all just curiosity to find out how the scraping happened and the hides seem the most logical conclusion short of preternatural phenomenon. I really can't see what good a confrontation with him would gain at this point, especially with more than one person confronting him. One day we will meet naturally, as we nearly did on Monday, but I want it to be on equal terms and not with me in his camp with a big grin and camera. He can aproach me while I go about my business anytime, I'm far less secretive than him and do all my stuff openly.