Places for wild camping through winter months
- Thread starter Hairy man
- Start date
Take a look at the Sussex Bushcraft Club. We meet once a month near Arundel West Sussex. 250 acres of woodland.
The FC doesn't own land, they assist in managing land owned by various government bodies.
Just remember that to be able camp on land within England and Wales you need the landowner or tenants permission (apart from certain small areas). The forum doesn't encourage or advocate such camping without that permission.
No! Sorry, as a landowner I object to that attitude. It doesn't cost anything to ask. I manage my woods specifically for conservation. If people go in and camp with no knowledge of the management plan or the objectives, and with limited knowledge of the ecosystem, they can do a lot of harm. My woods are open to people I know and people who have had the manners to ask.
That standing deadwood that I have left on purpose is there for the invertebrates and the birds; the fallen deadwood is left to be decomposed by fungi and invertebrates; that straight hazel rod that I have been watching for the last couple of years is destined to be a shepherd's crook - I could go on. If you ask, I may say no, or I may just say where you can camp and what you can and cannot do. I am the custodian of this land and looking after it is my responsibility and at my cost (time and money). I even have to insure it so if trespassers get injured I'm covered.
The Forestry Commission and NRW in Wales take a very dim view of this. Their costs of 'making the forests safe' have shot up and, consequently, they can only do it where they specifically allow public access (footpaths, cycle tracks, horse/pony trails) - they cannot make the forests legally safe for people to 'wander' at will.
We were talking about this the other day after watching some YT videos of Brits canoeing in Sweden - there just seems to be more of a tendency to break off deadwood or even cut stuff down to make fires, set up camp etc. I don’t know if it’s because people here in the UK are fed on RM and other bushcraft TV programs and think it’s OK to do thing like that without permission and that it’s always a good idea regardless of when and where you are, or what? (I’m not saying that Swedes never do that sort of thing, but it seems more common/accepted/expected here.)
It's that attitude that got " wild campers " during the pandemic a bad name which messed it up for genuine leave no trace bushcrafters and wild campers, to the point where certain areas that had tolerated it began to talk about a total ban on wildcamping. I know dartmoor was seriously considering it, and also places in Scotland where it is more tolerated.
Stealth camps were all over you tube encouraging people to camp in silly places like roundabouts.
Always ask. It's polite and shows you have some idea of responsibility.
Near me, is an area of woodland that belongs to an estate. It was covered in fire scars and messy abandoned tents with broken gin bottles, cans, faeces, and torn down live trees that they had attempted to burn whole!
I spent some time clearing up the mess they made, and it took a long time. Made me and the landowner furious. Still, I got me some brownie points with the owner, and though not allowed overnights, have daytime access over a certain part of the land, as they know I will keep my eyes open and report trespassing activity.
If you were to just pitch up and set yourself up for the night there, I'd be turfing you off! No questions asked.
You are trespassing, and lighting a fire is criminal damage. End of.
Always ask. It's polite and builds trust.
I'm afraid,the "just do it anyway, its not a crime" attitude, is not what this forum is about, or condones.
It's trespassing , and if you light a fire or burn wood, break branches etc it's criminal damage. If you don't regard that a crime, how would you like me to pitch up in your garden unasked and do just what I fancied?
You'd be calling the police in no time, and getting me carted off wouldn't you?
Set an example mate... Don't be a donkey.
This attitude makes me so bloody angry, if it's not your land stay off it.
I spend half my time clearing up other people's rubbish.
Cutting green trees. De-barking living silver birch trees. Fire rings, bottles , cans, "shelters" , excrement & toilet paper all over the place. Even sleeping bags and tents.
Don't even think about "wild camping" on our ground or you will be leaving without your kit.
As another land owner I will say that an awful lot depends on attitude. If someone stealth camps for a night and cooks on gas. Pitching late and striking camp early without disturbing anything then that is one thing. Setting up for more than a night, gathering wood, foraging, lighting ground fires, climbing locked gates or fences without permission will immediately get my back up. Wait to be invited.
As Broch mentioned earlier in the thread, a landowner may be prioritising certain species on their land that you may be completely unaware of. It’s always better to ask.
We have a neighbour that rents out a holiday cottage and self entitled townies that stay there feel it’s alright to pillage the log stacks along the drive, burning our winter fuel in order to have a “campfire” in mid summer at the height of a heat wave (massive fire risk) You can imagine how short of patience I can get with these people. Making the same explanations each week for each new group of idiots.
As Broch mentioned earlier in the thread, a landowner may be prioritising certain species on their land that you may be completely unaware of. It’s always better to ask.
We have a neighbour that rents out a holiday cottage and self entitled townies that stay there feel it’s alright to pillage the log stacks along the drive, burning our winter fuel in order to have a “campfire” in mid summer at the height of a heat wave (massive fire risk) You can imagine how short of patience I can get with these people. Making the same explanations each week for each new group of idiots.
Take an axe or a fixed blade along without the explicit permission of the landowner, suddenly not just civil but you also fall foul of the reduction of violent crime act which is a whole new ball game. You would have no defence in law if you had any fixed blade or axe in your possession.
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Sorry, but how is that? Having possession of a bladed article without the landowners permission is irrelevant-the law states you need a reason for carrying said items, not permission from the land owner?
Just wondering because a hiker on a path on private land with rights to roam, but has an axe or such on them would therefore be breaking the law?
Private land and a public right of way/access land are two different things. Carrying a bladed article onto private land could be considered armed or aggregated trespass - the landowner could call the police and it may be then be dealt with as criminal offence.
Carrying a bladed article on a public right of way or access land with public access would be dealt with in the same way as if the person was anywhere else that was ‘public’. What reason does someone have to carry an axe or bladed article on a public right of way or access land? You have no right to cut, chop or use the knife or axe on access land?
I was under the impression that private land can still have right of way or roam? That's where I was confused- don't want to be in the wrong and stay the right side of the law just in case.
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