New to this need some help please

[SpareX]

Hello every one my names Darren i am 23 and live in south Kent

i Would really like to get into wild camping and bushcraft in general, i have always loved camping since a kid we used to go to the new forest twice a year and camp with my parents
and i used to love it

but i would like to go one step more and get closer to nature with out a car load of equipment i would like to pack up a bag and some gear and go into the woods and camp out for a night or 2 maybe in the future

buts there are some things im worried about

i am not a total newbie when it come to camping in general with tents ect ive always hunted with air rifles never really stayed out the whole night though

my main concerns are how experienced do i need to be to get out and have ago alone ?
i understand i need loads of kit to do this and dont mind spending some money over a couple of months

but what are the basics i need to do this ? i have used fire lighter before and can strike them ok to make a fire

i dont want to sleep in a tent would like to use a tarp i think is this advisable ? with a hammock or on the floor ?

also what are people perceptions of a strange man camping in the local woods lol because most of the wooded area i know around my area which is Kent tn postcode are fairly public for dog walkers ect

also how do we stand with having knifes on us for bushcraft ?

and do i need to get some courses under my belt or can i learn as i go i do watch alot of youtube videos and read books if i do need to do some courses is there any where in kent i can do these ?

or is there anyone in kent who does some wild camping or bushcraft and wants an apprentice or some company ? lol im easy going and just enjoy the peace of nature and to get away from a busy life and make thing simple for a while

i am very serious about getting into this im not one for fluffy living i dont mind roughing it out

sorry if it seems alot of random questions i just have some much to ask you guys i want to start it right and get off on the right footstep thats why i am asking here

if you got this far thankyou for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance to any reply ill check this thread very regular

darren

 

[lucan]

Welcome to the Forum Darren.

I'm still relatively new myself, Firstly take your time in looking around, There are some great threads that are very informative, The Knowledge that the members have is second to none, I've learned lots and i'm still learning.

I was told that there's no such thing as asking a daft question on here. It's amazing what you can learn.

Lucan

 

[SpareX]

Thanks for the welcome

Yes i have been looking on this forum for a week or so now finally learnt how to use a compass properly with a map with the 3 part compass guides great infomation been watching these youtube vids nearly watched the whole channel lol

http://www.youtube.com/user/wall2rockclimber?feature=watch

stone age bushcraft great videos very informative and no rambo crap just good honest advice

he kind of inspired me to finally take the jump and have ago i expect the first thew times will be quite daunting on my own but exciting at the same time i love watching wildlife and it seem to be a great place to gather your thoughts

also without the misses in my ear i love her dearly but Jesus there not human

darren

 

[spandit]

Darren,

Welcome to the forum - I'd advise you go to the Sussex meet at Broadstone Warren, there's a mixture of tent/tarp/hammock campers and we're all bristling with knives. There's a lot of experience there - some professional instructors often turn up so you can get tutorials for free (although you might have to make them tea).

It's a good, safe place to start - no chance of getting moved on and not so remote that you can't retreat to your car if it gets too cold/wet!

 

[SpareX]

Would love to come up and say hello like i say im new to this and need to get some kit sorted

what would be the main things i need ? will the be place to hang a hammock ? is it wooded ? or will i be needing a mat

im going to order a Honey Stove Ti - Titanium for the cooking side of things i this a good choice ?

a dd hammock and tarp i have a sleep bag anyways

a cup of some description to cook with i imagine

main things like tea and food lights ect

am i missing anything really important ?

and no tasking fun out of the new guy failing to put hes tarp and hammock up
thanks for the welcome

 

[jackcbr]

Hi and welcome.

Lots of questions here and I may not be the best person to answer this, but here's my thoughts.

If you have a garden, start there. Learn some different firelighting techniques and practice them in different conditions (damp, rain, cold). Also consider not being able to have an open fire, so you might want to consider a stove. Think about what you really need to cook with and ease of simple meals. Again I tend to go with boil in the bag stuff. Nutritious and some can be tasty. I have a Crusader cook set and use a biodegradable gel fuel. I am also in the process of collecting together the bits to make a Monkeyboy Meths burner. It's on the forum somewhere and I'll try and find the link.

When it comes to shelter, I'm a hammock and tarp guy. But I also have a lightweight oneman tent. Again I select what's best for the environment I'm going to. I can configure my tarp for ground dwelling, but up on the moors and mountains I prefer a tent. But either way a good mat is essential to provide a thermal gap between you and the rest of the world. I personally go for a Thermorest self inflating mat and supplement it with some good carpet underlay in really cold conditions. Been out in minus 2 this winter and still swung in the trees nice and toasty.

Water is the next thing to consider, some people carry it in, some source as they go. And the cost can vary as much too. An old 2lt Coke bottle (other brands are available) is probably one of the cheapest ways to go. Personally I source as I go, so keep my overall weight down and can cover larger distances. Others collect and boil to sterilise, others use chemicals. It really is a matter of choice and again location.

Carrying a knife - we all do this at our own risk in a public space. I do not know the actual laws on this, so I only carry what I absolutely need, which is a Mora clipper. This I keep deep in my pack along with a Laplander saw. My personal feeling is, if I was stopped and searched my reason for carrying it is fairly reasonable, it is not readily available to use as a weapon. But this still may not be enough to keep you out of jail.

Think what you can carry and then think again. Depending on the distance you want to carry it, even a can of beans becomes heavy. I have done circular walks from my home so that I can carry my kit for a decent distance and then spent the night in the garden. I got use to what I need to carry and if I wasn't warm enough in the night there was a bed waiting for me.

As for wild camping, it should be pointed out that if you don't have the landowners permission, you are breaking the law. That said, I do have a land owners consent but still observe stealth camping principles as there is a foot path running through the wood. Don't set up until it is getting dark and break camp at first light. Most importantly LEAVE NO TRACE!!!!!!!!! Consider where you are, an open fire can be visible for quite some distance, as can a torch light.

As for courses, again it is a very personal thing. I've done courses and they are very good Frontier Bushcraft have some offers on at he moment. PM me your email address and I'll forward on the deals they sent in the week. Otherwise I don't know how close you are the Ashdown Forest, but the Sussex Bushcraft group have a regular meet there. In fact we've got one coming up towards the end of the month. a great group of guys willing to share tips, tricks and ideas.

Hope that makes a bit of sense, think I'm starting to ramble now....

 

[jackcbr]

and no taking fun out of the new guy failing to put hes tarp and hammock up

No promises there. The banter is half the fun of the meets. Even experienced guys fall out of their hammocks sometimes. Or have kit failures. Spandit I'm sure will tell you about my near death experience when I used the wrong carabiner. If he hadn't spotted it, my hammock would have definitely sent me crashing to my death in the night.

P.S. there may be a slight exaggeration in that

 

[SpareX]

Hi and welcome.

Lots of questions here and I may not be the best person to answer this, but here's my thoughts.

If you have a garden, start there. Learn some different firelighting techniques and practice them in different conditions (damp, rain, cold). Also consider not being able to have an open fire, so you might want to consider a stove. Think about what you really need to cook with and ease of simple meals. Again I tend to go with boil in the bag stuff. Nutritious and some can be tasty. I have a Crusader cook set and use a biodegradable gel fuel. I am also in the process of collecting together the bits to make a Monkeyboy Meths burner. It's on the forum somewhere and I'll try and find the link.

When it comes to shelter, I'm a hammock and tarp guy. But I also have a lightweight oneman tent. Again I select what's best for the environment I'm going to. I can configure my tarp for ground dwelling, but up on the moors and mountains I prefer a tent. But either way a good mat is essential to provide a thermal gap between you and the rest of the world. I personally go for a Thermorest self inflating mat and supplement it with some good carpet underlay in really cold conditions. Been out in minus 2 this winter and still swung in the trees nice and toasty.

Water is the next thing to consider, some people carry it in, some source as they go. And the cost can vary as much too. An old 2lt Coke bottle (other brands are available) is probably one of the cheapest ways to go. Personally I source as I go, so keep my overall weight down and can cover larger distances. Others collect and boil to sterilise, others use chemicals. It really is a matter of choice and again location.

Carrying a knife - we all do this at our own risk in a public space. I do not know the actual laws on this, so I only carry what I absolutely need, which is a Mora clipper. This I keep deep in my pack along with a Laplander saw. My personal feeling is, if I was stopped and searched my reason for carrying it is fairly reasonable, it is not readily available to use as a weapon. But this still may not be enough to keep you out of jail.

Think what you can carry and then think again. Depending on the distance you want to carry it, even a can of beans becomes heavy. I have done circular walks from my home so that I can carry my kit for a decent distance and then spent the night in the garden. I got use to what I need to carry and if I wasn't warm enough in the night there was a bed waiting for me.

As for wild camping, it should be pointed out that if you don't have the landowners permission, you are breaking the law. That said, I do have a land owners consent but still observe stealth camping principles as there is a foot path running through the wood. Don't set up until it is getting dark and break camp at first light. Most importantly LEAVE NO TRACE!!!!!!!!! Consider where you are, an open fire can be visible for quite some distance, as can a torch light.

As for courses, again it is a very personal thing. I've done courses and they are very good Frontier Bushcraft have some offers on at he moment. PM me your email address and I'll forward on the deals they sent in the week. Otherwise I don't know how close you are the Ashdown Forest, but the Sussex Bushcraft group have a regular meet there. In fact we've got one coming up towards the end of the month. a great group of guys willing to share tips, tricks and ideas.

Hope that makes a bit of sense, think I'm starting to ramble now....

wow great information thanks alot yeah i might come upto the meet if i get some kit sorted in time would be a great experience if you guys dont mind a newbie failing like i say i am only a bright age of 23 but i am fairly mature i got a kid a misses and my own place i work as a sparky on euro tunnel so dont think im a yob as that's usually peoples impression just because of age lol

yeah i would like the tarp hammock or floor setup do you useally use a sleeping bag in your hammock or just some blankets maybe be a stupid question lol

and im going to pick up a Honey Stove Ti - Titanium and a evenue meth burner for times i cant find any organic matter/charcoal also some solid fuels

but for the rest im not to sure about

thanks for the reply
darren

 

[SpareX]

No promises there. The banter is half the fun of the meets. Even experienced guys fall out of their hammocks sometimes. Or have kit failures. Spandit I'm sure will tell you about my near death experience when I used the wrong carabiner. If he hadn't spotted it, my hammock would have definitely sent me crashing to my death in the night.

P.S. there may be a slight exaggeration in that

haha yeah im not shy for a bit of banter just hope your ready to get asked a sh1t load of questions

 

[nolightweight]

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60498

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38059

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Just be carefull with the term 'wild camping' and also if you are going to be out find out if your allowed to camp where you plan to.

NO you dont need loads of kit also do you need to spend all that money on a Ti honey.

I recently swapped my honey for the SAT in stainless along side a trangia meths burner.

Decide how you want to sleep be it on the ground or hammock or both. I have a simple hammock setup and bedroll for the floor. My bedroll consists of a gortex army bivvy bag, self inflating mat and sleeping bag, this i can drop into my hammock and sleep off the ground.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Hi Darren and Welcome,

I fully agree with all of Jackcbr's comments and thought i would add my two pence's worth -

Im personally a hammock fan as it not only keeps you off the floor but can also double as a chair (which means you dont need to carry one). It also means you dont have to be too concerned with getting your sleeping bag wet (especially if it is a down rather than synthetic bag) as you are off the ground and covered by a tarp.
I use a Hennessey Hammock whilst my bushcraft buddy favours a DD Hammock but both are pretty good and, with practice, are easier and quicker to put up and take down than tents especially when stealth camping.

As to "wild" camping there is a lot of controversy over this among bushcrafters but essentially if you camp on private land without permission or any public land in England you are trespassing.
There are plenty of threads on here that go into more detail about the legal side this but personally I take the "risk" because i have not yet been able to secure myself any permission on private land.
If you do decide to go down this route i would suggest finding an area away from paths where you are unlikely to be interupted and a "small" fire will not draw attention.
Ideally find the area during daylight as i have, on occasion, been walking long past when i should have set up camp and the following morning found myself 10ft from a path i could have sworn was not there the night before!

Knives, axes and anything that could be considered a weapon are tricky ground and should be kept packed and out of view except when in use though there will always be risk should the authorities come along and start asking questions, again plenty of other threads explain this more fully.

Bushcraft courses are great if you can afford them, both in terms of time and money, and will certianly help to give you a grounding in the basics and you cannot beat having someone who knows their stuff demonstrating proper techniques and correcting you if you go wrong.

In terms of the kit you will need a lot of it is down to personal preferance but i would say (cue upcoming debate) the basics for an overnighter for me would be -
Rucksack
Hammock/Tarp
Sleeping bag
Inflatable roll matt (i find this a necessity in a hammock to avoid a cold bum )
Method of making fire (lighter, fire steel etc...)
Something for cooking in (currently im favouring the crusader cup which can be used on its own fitted stove or directly in/over the fire)
Food
Water (i usually have 2 x 1L water bottles and a 2.5L water bladder as theres no water source in my usual spots)
Spare clothes (in case what your wearing gets wet)
Knife/Axe (optional)
Torch
Mobile Phone (that can get signal in the area you are in)
A friend if you can convince one

I would also stongly suggest making sure you let someone know where you will be and when you are supposed to be back as there have been plenty of horror stories of people getting lost or twisting ankles (or worse) when out for a day or two.

Having re-read this i realise i am making this bushcraft business sound quite risky which, although it can be if you take risks or set out without knowing what your doing, is actually great fun and very sociable.

My last bit of advice would be to get out and about in the areas you want to camp in for just the day or an afternoon with minimal kit so you can explore potential camp sites, areas that might provide natural resources such as fire wood etc... and practice any skills you want to learn in controlled conditions in advance before going off into the woods and trying to rely on them.

As Jack said leave no trace, not only is it a courtesy to others and protects the environment but it also means you can probably go back to the same place again without anyone being any the wiser.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[jackcbr]

haha yeah im not shy for a bit of banter just hope your ready to get asked a sh1t load of questions

We all ask lots of questions and don't be afraid to ask what you think is a stupid one, cos I bet someone (like me) will already have asked it. We are all learning at some level, that's the beauty of bushcraft. No-one really knows it all, not even Mr Mears.

 

[SpareX]

Hi Darren and Welcome,

I fully agree with all of Jackcbr's comments and thought i would add my two pence's worth -

Im personally a hammock fan as it not only keeps you off the floor but can also double as a chair (which means you dont need to carry one). It also means you dont have to be too concerned with getting your sleeping bag wet (especially if it is a down rather than synthetic bag) as you are off the ground and covered by a tarp.
I use a Hennessey Hammock whilst my bushcraft buddy favours a DD Hammock but both are pretty good and, with practice, are easier and quicker to put up and take down than tents especially when stealth camping.

As to "wild" camping there is a lot of controversy over this among bushcrafters but essentially if you camp on private land without permission or any public land in England you are trespassing.
There are plenty of threads on here that go into more detail about the legal side this but personally I take the "risk" because i have not yet been able to secure myself any permission on private land.
If you do decide to go down this route i would suggest finding an area away from paths where you are unlikely to be interupted and a "small" fire will not draw attention.
Ideally find the area during daylight as i have, on occasion, been walking long past when i should have set up camp and the following morning found myself 10ft from a path i could have sworn was not there the night before!

Knives, axes and anything that could be considered a weapon are tricky ground and should be kept packed and out of view except when in use though there will always be risk should the authorities come along and start asking questions, again plenty of other threads explain this more fully.

Bushcraft courses are great if you can afford them, both in terms of time and money, and will certianly help to give you a grounding in the basics and you cannot beat having someone who knows their stuff demonstrating proper techniques and correcting you if you go wrong.

In terms of the kit you will need a lot of it is down to personal preferance but i would say (cue upcoming debate) the basics for an overnighter for me would be -
Rucksack
Hammock/Tarp
Sleeping bag
Inflatable roll matt (i find this a necessity in a hammock to avoid a cold bum )
Method of making fire (lighter, fire steel etc...)
Something for cooking in (currently im favouring the crusader cup which can be used on its own fitted stove or directly in/over the fire)
Food
Water (i usually have 2 x 1L water bottles and a 2.5L water bladder as theres no water source in my usual spots)
Spare clothes (in case what your wearing gets wet)
Knife/Axe (optional)
Torch
Mobile Phone (that can get signal in the area you are in)
A friend if you can convince one

I would also stongly suggest making sure you let someone know where you will be and when you are supposed to be back as there have been plenty of horror stories of people getting lost or twisting ankles (or worse) when out for a day or two.

Having re-read this i realise i am making this bushcraft business sound quite risky which, although it can be if you take risks or set out without knowing what your doing, is actually great fun and very sociable.

My last bit of advice would be to get out and about in the areas you want to camp in for just the day or an afternoon with minimal kit so you can explore potential camp sites, areas that might provide natural resources such as fire wood etc... and practice any skills you want to learn in controlled conditions in advance before going off into the woods and trying to rely on them.

As Jack said leave no trace, not only is it a courtesy to others and protects the environment but it also means you can probably go back to the same place again without anyone being any the wiser.

Cheers, Hamster

wow more great information thanks for taking the time to write all that

you gave a great base on what i need ill also pack a first aid kit and a possibles bag for when im walking away from camp during the day it seem the law penalizes bush craft in a sense but its hard to not penalize it with out letting the disrespectful people run riot

most people i know that do "wild camping " in a sense if any thing do more good for the environment they stay in than harm and will often take litter home ect as i do if im out walking (to and extent ofc i dont go littler picking )

maybe there should be a governing body that only the select people who are doing it for the love of the land and are very respectful could join and have alot more freedom on Publicly owned forestry

anyways thanks for all the great advice im hoping i can get some kit sorted out to come stay at the meet

if not could i just pop up for the day / evening say hello have a chat and look over some of your guys gear ?

thanks again Darren

or i may even just have to bring a tent and do the normal camping thing hehe if worse comes to worse

 

[spandit]

No promises there. The banter is half the fun of the meets. Even experienced guys fall out of their hammocks sometimes. Or have kit failures. Spandit I'm sure will tell you about my near death experience when I used the wrong carabiner. If he hadn't spotted it, my hammock would have definitely sent me crashing to my death in the night.

P.S. there may be a slight exaggeration in that

Slight exaggeration as I wouldn't dream of telling people about it...
If you do come to the Sussex meet, and I hope you do (even if it's just in the daytime to look at what kit people have and get some ideas) you won't need a fancy stove - we tend to light a big fire and cook over that

 

[spandit]

if not could i just pop up for the day / evening say hello have a chat and look over some of your guys gear ?
or i may even just have to bring a tent and do the normal camping thing hehe if worse comes to worse

There are plenty who use tents at the meet, from a bog-standard Millets job to a £1,200 Tentipi - the only problem is finding flat enough ground to pitch it - not sure which bit we're camping in this month

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Hi Darren,.......all you need is enthousiasm....you don't need experience for a first night out unless you're going somewhere 'challenging" ....there are a lot of kit junkies on this forum who will say you absolutely need this & you must have that etc. but it isn't really neccessary...if you want to be comfortable then consider;
Something to carry your gear in,
Something to sleep on, in & under
something to cook in &on (if you don't have a fire),
something to carry water in,
something to make a flame,
something to cut with......speaking of which a 3" folder with non blocking blade (a Swiss army knife is great) is all you will require at first & it's perfectly legal to carry...

It's funny how many of today's generation ask themselves so many questions before launching into this caper.......in my day we just took a few things from the house, went out & did it, learnt as we went along.........All I can say to the youngens starting out is don't worry about the fall, just jump..



Edit; one word of warning; be careful about leaving you kit unattended, many here have had the very unpleasant experience of having their kit (or bits of ) half inched during their absence.....

 

[SpareX]

There are plenty who use tents at the meet, from a bog-standard Millets job to a £1,200 Tentipi - the only problem is finding flat enough ground to pitch it - not sure which bit we're camping in this month

thats cool ill make do i got a cheap little pop up tent that i useally use when i go away somewhere

Slight exaggeration as I wouldn't dream of telling people about it...
If you do come to the Sussex meet, and I hope you do (even if it's just in the daytime to look at what kit people have and get some ideas) you won't need a fancy stove - we tend to light a big fire and cook over that

sounds good big fire some chairs and a couple of beers and some cool people to chat with

Hi Darren,.......all you need is enthousiasm....you don't need experience for a first night out unless you're going somewhere 'challenging" ....there are a lot of kit junkies on this forum who will say you absolutely need this & you must have that etc. but it isn't really neccessary...if you want to be comfortable then consider;
Something to carry your gear in,
Something to sleep on, in & under
something to cook in &on (if you don't have a fire),
something to carry water in,
something to make a flame,
something to cut with......speaking of which a 3" folder with non blocking blade (a Swiss army knife is great) is all you will require at first & it's perfectly legal to carry...

It's funny how many of today's generation ask themselves so many questions before launching into this caper.......in my day we just took a few things from the house, went out & did it, learnt as we went along.........All I can say to the youngens starting out is don't worry about the fall, just jump..

hehe sounds good defo hoping to go clear it with the misses may just be for sat night depends on work

 

[SpareX]

so i take it there is plenty of trees to tie the hammock to then if i get one to bring with me you may have to give me a hand setting it up spandit as not used one before should be an experience

what do you put in your hammocks ? do you put something under your self and a sleeping bag or blankets ?

thanks again guys

 

[spandit]

so i take it there is plenty of trees to tie the hammock to then if i get one to bring with me you may have to give me a hand setting it up spandit as not used one before should be an experience

what do you put in your hammocks ? do you put something under your self and a sleeping bag or blankets ?

thanks again guys

No problem! I can show you the marlinspike hitch & introduce you to the world of whoopie slings!

You do need something underneath you in a hammock - some use a mat but they can be a bit awkward. I made an underquilt from an old sleeping bag which helps but there are a variety of ready-made ones on the Market

Here's the meet details:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87157