Laws on wild camping

[redbranchwarrior]

That's entirely correct. Bear in mind however that if damage is caused or you cause alarm, harassment or distress to the landowner it then becomes a criminal offence.

For a civil matter you can be asked to provide your name and address for a civil case to be heard; but no-one (including the police), has a power in law to demand your name and address.

Only if your words/behaviour etc is 'threatening or abusive or insulting or disorderly...' And in sight and or hearing of the victim.

Also a police officer can demand your name/address if they are going to report you for an offence, refusal to give these can result in arrest.....

 

[Sleeping Wild]

I live in Lincoln, Lincolnshire and want to get out wild camping rather than having early mornings and late nights. However reading around on the laws of wild camping there doesn't seem to be a very clear answer. Most places say its illegal however others say it is okay.

I was wondering if anyone knows the exact laws and could help me out, and would like to no if anyone does much wildcamping.

Thanks
James

POST EDITED: BushcraftUK does NOT condone illegal behaviour (wild camping - camping sans permission of the landowner, etc.).

 

[Gray]

Camping not a crime on Open Access land eg.
http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/category/magazine/?p=2078

But once again let us all shiver in our shoes that we might break a law if we poke our noses outdoors.

wild camping on open access land is not illegal according to this

 

[widu13]

Only if your words/behaviour etc is 'threatening or abusive or insulting or disorderly...' And in sight and or hearing of the victim.

Do you really need to clarify it further. A lot of the POA is encompassed by what I wrote.

Also a police officer can demand your name/address if they are going to report you for an offence, refusal to give these can result in arrest.....

Correct, however a civil tort is not an offence therefore no power exists to demand a name/address.

 

[knifefan]

Another small point to remember is that any landowner or his agent is allowed to use "Reasonable Force" to remove trespassers!!! However, the "force" must cease as soon as the trespasser had crossed the property boundary!!!! Also, there is no trespass if you are asked to leave - and you do so straight away

 

[widu13]

That's quite correct, but I hope members wouldn't let it get that far. There's a big difference between a cheeky leave no trace and blatantly refusing!

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

 

[jimmypw]

Be honest now, Has anyone been in a situation where you have been caught wild camping and the situation has persisted beyond "go away!"?

 

[greensurfingbear]

It's tricky finding somewhere where fires are ok and when you do you're onto a winner.

Move to Scotland

 

[widu13]

Be honest now, Has anyone been in a situation where you have been caught wild camping and the situation has persisted beyond "go away!"?

Being totally honest; hypothetically of course, if I had have been wild camping I would be confident in saying I had never been caught. Possibly down to the way I hypothetically camp. I can categorically state however, that I would never let it get to the chopsy stage though.

Having dealt with landowners a lot in an old job they've got enough to do without clearing up other people's crap and dealing with attitudes. As I see it, they're allowed an attitude- it's their land!

 

[redbranchwarrior]

Do you really need to clarify it further. A lot of the POA is encompassed by what I wrote.



Correct, however a civil tort is not an offence therefore no power exists to demand a name/address.

Yes i think so.

There is a common misconception surrounding s5 POA that it only requires H.A.D which is clearly not the case. Also, I would not agree that 'a lot of the POA' is encompassed by what you wrote, if you are going to quote legislation when giving advice surely it is better to do so more comprehensively rather than less?

Absolutely correct regarding civil law, but you brought up two criminal offences where this does apply......

 

[widu13]

There is a common misconception surrounding s5 POA that it only requires H.A.D which is clearly not the case. Also, I would not agree that 'a lot of the POA' is encompassed by what you wrote

No there isn't a misconception, but some there are some inexperienced practioners. One of the key elements of the P2P is that HAD is caused or may have been caused to an ordinary person. I really don't think the members want to have S4-S5 rammed down their throats. My point before you took it OT was NOT to make a civil matter a criminal one.

 

[redbranchwarrior]

No there isn't a misconception, but some there are some inexperienced practioners. One of the key elements of the P2P is that HAD is caused or may have been caused to an ordinary person. I really don't think the members want to have S4-S5 rammed down their throats. My point before you took it OT was NOT to make a civil matter a criminal one.

I'm not sure why you are becoming so ariated over this!?

In my experience this is a common misconception, if this isnt your experience then bully for you, I'm very happy for you.

I didnt and don't think your post was very clear or accurate, so I decided to elaborate. My elaboration didnt extend to any other sections of the POA but I still stand by my assertion. Now lets move on shall we....

 

[greensurfingbear]

I never knew I needed a permit for a chainsaw! Is this correct?

You don't need a permit to own and use a chainsaw for personal use. But to be honest as a chap that uses them a lot at work I think all people who want to own one should do a wee safety briefing even if it's just to cover the basics.

 

[spandit]

You don't need a permit to own and use a chainsaw for personal use. But to be honest as a chap that uses them a lot at work I think all people who want to own one should do a wee safety briefing even if it's just to cover the basics.

One of the reasons you can't buy Stihl chainsaws mail order. I bought mine in a shop & had a safety briefing before they'd let me pay.

 

[treefrog]

Also a police officer can demand your name/address if they are going to report you for an offence, refusal to give these can result in arrest.....

Under Sec 50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 it is also an offence not to give your name and address if a constable has reason to believe that a person has been acting, or is acting, in an anti-social manner.

 

[redbranchwarrior]

Under Sec 50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 it is also an offence not to give your name and address if a constable has reason to believe that a person has been acting, or is acting, in an anti-social manner.

Very true, something that is frequent overlooked.

 

[Colin.W]

They introduced the chainsaw regs after the hospitals were overrun with people with pretty nasty injuries after the infamous huricane that Michael Fish assured us wasnt on its way. It was a knee jerk legislation that wasnt properly thought through, which is why you have contradictions such as you are not allowed to use a chainsaw in a public area without a licence but you can use one on private land providing you have the land owners permission and are not doing it for the land owner or for payment including payment in kind but if you do have a mishap the land owner can be done for allowing an un licenced chainsaw operator to work on his property although in fairness that is more to do with H&S regs concerning code of practice

 

[Gotte]

I'm a pacifist nihilist anarchist at heart, which kind of means I don't believe in the rules put down by a rule hungry society, but don't go looking for trouble either. My advice would be to find a little corner of the world where no one goes and camp. If you get trouble, which, if you choose your spot well, you shouldn't, then tough it out and tell them that you're doing no harm and if they want to take you to court for existing for a few hours, with camping equipment, on their land, then so be it. I imagine no jury would convict. If it were me, I'd take a few pics on my mobile phone of my camp, nice and tidy, no rubbish, no fire, and show it to the judge. A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words.

 

[River98]

Also, depending on where you are in essex, don't forget the massive coastline up there. You are free to have small fires on the beach too but advised to let the coastguard know so they don't think a boat is on fire.

Is it okay to camp on the coast line?

 

[Toddy]

Technically the coastline, the liminal zones, are Crown Property. Bear in mind that folks earn livings on coastal lands and many of them are scheduled or SSSi's

I would also ask folks to mind that it's not on to encourage others to break the law; and south of the Border that means camping illegally. The forum rules are quite clear; do not encourage or advise anyone else to commit an illegal act.
Other members work blooming hard to obtain and to keep permissions; negative posts like those do no one any favours.

cheers,
Toddy