Open fires in Scotland not allowed ?

[Dippa]

I'm looking to head to Galloway for a few nights to practice some bushcraft. I read the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and been on the forest commission website just to be clear I understand what is allowed.

I've phoned the forest commission up to speak to them directly, to be told, no open fires at all. Must use a small fire stove off the ground. Especially at this time of year because it's fire season... Surely it's not fire season with how wet it is at the moment ?

Could anyone shed a bit of light on this please ?



Any other suggestions in Scotland where I can go practice bushcraft where I can be a bit more relaxed. I'm looking to get off the beaten track but never been to Scotland before.

 

[Macaroon]

Off the top of my head, there are no open fires allowed on Forestry Commission land anywhere in the UK, and that's what they've told you. If you want to stay within the law that's what you'll have to heed.

A portable firebox is light, easy to carry and cheap to buy; why not give one a try?

 

[Dippa]

Thanks for the reply Macaroon. The portable firebox never seem big enough in my opinion, I might take a look at a few though, any suggestions ?

Do you know where's best to go in Scotland, which isn't owned by the FC, where I could practice bushcraft without the worry

 

[mrcharly]

Look for a private campsite that allows campfires.
Some people use a small welding or soldering blanket to protect the ground, but you still need a fire pot.

I can see why a straightforward open fire is in general banned. Too many ejits and it is difficult to say "Yes fires are ok for sensible people" and expect only sensible people will light fires.

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Depends what you mean without the worry.
One of the biggest problems in Scotland since the Land Reform Act 2003 is that all and sundry head to the great outdoors and make a big mess of the place. Of course, they are not exercising responsible access, as they should be according to the arrangement that gives access, but that doesn't change the fire scars all over the place, litter and destruction.
I would suggest that wherever you want to go in Scotland that you follow the code, exercise responsible access, and leave no trace. A firebox will go greatly towards enabling that, while still allowing you to have a fire. Don't be one of the bad guys!

 

[Dippa]

A private campsite would restrict me with practicing bushcraft in my opinion, and feels to be defeating the idea of wild camping, which we have a hard time doing so in England.

It's frustrating that we can't just go and enjoy what we want because of these ejits who have ruined it for the rest of us!

 

[boatman]

A compromise was in force in Savernake Forest at its barbecue site. No legal over night camping but purpose built barbecues available and could be fueled by gathered dead wood. Made for a great experience and cleared up possible fire hazards from around the area. Modern life being what it is I believe that there are more restrictions there now but isn't this the way to to allow people to experience the great outdoors even if they are not rufty tufty bushcrafters?

 

[Hammock_man]

portable firebox never seem big enough in my opinion

How big a fire do you need. I really can see the draw of (i) a long log fire overnight, (ii) one of those where the logs are stacked at an angle and slowly self fed the fire (ii) my choice is a big at the bottom, small at the top and lit from the top. Slowly building up without any tending. BUT I do not see any of these as wild ( one man) camping. Even a pound shop cutlery drainer will hold a fire big enough to heat a 4 man stew.

I totally get the

ejits who have ruined it

and it is just so true.

 

[mrcharly]

One of the arts of 'bushcrafting' (or as we used to call it when I went walking in the bush in australia when I was young; 'camping'), is seeing how small a fire you really need to cook on.

Sure a big blazing fire is great. Lovely to look at. But they burn the ground, use up loads of timber and are not really necessary unless you are in arctic conditions. You can cook an amazing amount of food from a handful of wood when it is used right.

Keep the big fires for established sites, where the fires are always in the same place.

 

[dannyk64]

Thanks for the reply Macaroon. The portable firebox never seem big enough in my opinion, I might take a look at a few though, any suggestions ?

Do you know where's best to go in Scotland, which isn't owned by the FC, where I could practice bushcraft without the worry

I've been using the bushbox which i'm really happy with. It packs down small, is light, fits to together very well and is pretty sturdy.

They do sell a XL version which i think might be better if you want a larger fire.

 

[GGTBod]

My portable fire box is amazing, cost less than 15 quid at Aldi (or 45 from garberg and other fancier brands lol)and is now 2 years old and still going strong, weighs just under 1.5kg though, worth it for the real fire



Not big enough? What you planning on burning, how many people need warmth from the fire you are gonna have?



when i go solo i only take my woodgas stove and it serves the same purpose if i remove the pot trivet top, again cost about a tenner, weighs less than half a kilo

 

[Limaed]

I'm in agreement with the others - I can understand your befuddlement to the fire season answer, however its actually totally correct.

Scotland has a slightly later growing season than the rest of the UK (particularly in mountainous areas) correspondingly there tends to be an awful lot of dead try foliage (like bracken and gorse) left from the previous season. Add a few dry days, stronger sunlight and careless individuals and you have the ingredients for big fires. Once the growing season kicks in the risk diminishes but it is a real issue in some areas at this time of year.

 

[GGTBod]

Loads of underground peat both in the NE England and most of the southern Scotland woodlands

 

[oldtimer]

White man build big fire and sit by it. Red man build small fire and sit over it.

Don't know when or where I read this, but it stuck!

 

[GGTBod]

I read even further, white man builds big fire and stares into it making him blind to the night, red man builds small fire and sits with his back to it so he can look into the night and know it

again have no clue where i read that lol possibly Larry Dean Olsen

 

[Stew]

My portable fire box is amazing, cost less than 15 quid at Aldi (or 45 from garberg and other fancier brands lol)and is now 2 years old and still going strong, weighs just under 1.5kg though, worth it for the real fire

View attachment 43977

Not big enough? What you planning on burning, how many people need warmth from the fire you are gonna have?

View attachment 43978

when i go solo i only take my woodgas stove and it serves the same purpose if i remove the pot trivet top, again cost about a tenner, weighs less than half a kilo

View attachment 43979

Ok,

so your aldi firebox - looks like the bbq I bought from them with a view to it taking up less space as it flat packs. When I used it I ended up scorching the ground quite bad underneath so quite frustrating. Had to do a a fair bit of dowsing the ground while dinner as cooking. Do you find the same or do you think it was because I was powering it with charcoal?

I have been thinking for this year I need to find a different solution!

 

[GGTBod]

Big flat rock under the stoves or firebox, if you can't find suitable rocks then regularly pour water under the bbq or firebox when in use, it is exactly what you are talking about the aldi bbq grill removed

 

[C_Claycomb]

A shiny piece of aluminium foil under a raised fire box does wonders for keeping the ground cool. After all, it is being heated by radiant heat, so you just want to reflect that away. The foil will never be totally flat to the ground, there are always air gaps, so the low thermal mass foil can only pass heat to the ground via rather poor radiation, or conduction / convection through an air gap.


I would try not to get too hung up on having a fire in order to practice bushcraft. Just having a fire means nothing, loads of people make fire without using or learning a shred of "bushcraft". Certainly nice to be able to have one, but a lot of people get stuck on the idea that its necessary.

Speaking of ejits and the line taken by the organisations responsible for the use of land. Every year we have our Bushmoot, which is populated by people from this forum, people who are interested in bushcraft, the environment and responsible use, and year after year, when people leave the site, there are fires left burning, deep deep fire scars that have not been restored, and old fire dogs left lying around. If that is the best that we can do, on average, the line taken by people like the FS with regard to the public having open fires is rather understandable.

 

[KayakFisherFinland]

Making the bog burn might make you famous, but I doubt you want to be known the tw*t who made it burn for years.
So far have not needed more than the ikea hobo to cook and athmosphere in the woods.
Then again, in my life a fire is an everyday thing. Just the fireplace kinds at home and various kinds at the cottage.

 

[wicca]

Move the stove 6 inches after each burn. 7 days, no fire scar.