Small base camp set up, do`s and donts

[BILLy]

Hi All
could you give me some tips with the following please?
Or links,
I would like to build a one/two man shelter/ base camp in keeping with my surroundings in my woods, so I can spend nights there without my tarp and hammock etc, I would like it to be as warm and dry as possible, I want to try and use as much natural resource as possible, cordage etc if i need to put a tarp up as water proofing I will but will try and disguise/blend it in, my woods are two fold, the area has flat and hilly area`s mainly covered with dense birch and the odd spruce/pine also ash and the other area is mainly pine, douglas, again hilly and flat with a river at the bottom running through.
which area would be best suited?
· on what side do I have the opening, eg south north
· how big should it be height wise
· should the bed be raised and how
· near water or not
· on a slope or flat
these are some of the questions I’d like help with please and any other do`s and don’ts you have had experience with
Cheers
Bill

 

[Repperz]

To be honest, I am far from a bushcraft expert (I'm sure one will be along shortly to correct me/ give you better advice), but I do a fair amount of minimalist bushcraft camping in british woods and so will try answer your question.

1. Personally I would pick the second area for my camp but I would defiantly raid the first (assuming they're not too far away from each other) for silver birch bark, fallen deadwood (as deciduous trees in my experience tend to drop more potential good firewood, which saves cutting up a living tree for wood) and such before heading over to your new camp location. The reason I would pick the second is because the river would provide water, and pine/douglas branches make waterproofing a shelter quick and easy - much easier than spending what feels like years ripping up spare bracken and putting it on your shelter.

2. Depends on the shelter and location a bit. Wind tends to play a bigger factor in where I decide to put my shelter door than anything else, as rain will obviously fall in a slant according to the wind, and you don't want it to slant inwards towards your door. I find with a lean to just putting the back into the prevailing wind works, while for a 'flying V' as I call it, the position of the entrance matters less.

3. I always just went with the rule 'big-enough-for-me-and-not-much-else'. I find most of my deep lean to's (so shelters where the roof is at a fairly more acute angle to the floor than normal for when I'm expecting bad weather come to around my waist height.

4. Personally, I don't bother, I just pile either leaf litter (be warned it takes a lot) beneath my wool blanket or pine needles etc. However, it's worth noting a lot of people do raise their beds. Google it for various methods.

5. Near water, but not near enough to be at any associated risks (flooding if the weather turns south, saturated ground etc). Being near water makes going to collect it for boiling obviously a lot easier. It's worth camping just slightly uphill from the river if possible.

6. Flat ground is just generally easier, although be sure you aren't camping in a hollow or basin, where rainwater can collect and generally ruin your day.


As a general don't, don't try and rip up bracken without gloves. Lesson= Learned the hard way for me ...

 

[woof]

I built a frame out of fallen wood, then take a tarp with me to put over it, & just take the tarp away with me. This leaves the site fairly natural for when I'm not there.

Rob

 

[BILLy]

Thanks guys really good info for me to get started there