Solo camping quistion

[Mesquite]

Don't read this thread http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43184

it won't help

... I was looking for that thread but I couldn't remember what it was called

I think the only thing that's scared me in the dark whilst camping was when I got up to have a pee, wandered over to a suitable tree to water it only to have a pheasant explode into the air from right above my head. That certainly got my heart pounding

 

[shaggystu]

....I think the only thing that's scared me in the dark whilst camping was when I got up to have a pee, wandered over to a suitable tree to water it only to have a pheasant explode into the air from right above my head. That certainly got my heart pounding

Very blurry eyed having just woken up I stepped on a rabbit whilst looking for a suitable pee tree, I changed my mind and dug a trench instead

 

[Mesquite]

Very blurry eyed having just woken up I stepped on a rabbit whilst looking for a suitable pee tree, I changed my mind and dug a trench instead

I'm assuming it wasn't to bury the rabbit after you squished it

 

[shaggystu]

I'm assuming it wasn't to bury the rabbit after you squished it

You're assuming correctly, although I wish I could've caught and killed the rabbit, poor little bugger was on his last legs with mixy

 

[BlueTrain]

I will admit to having problems sleeping alone in the woods but not exactly fear and paranoia. It's other things.

The first thing is simply being alone. That isn't a fear in itself but it does lead me to ask why on earth I'm there. I certainly don't have that feeling when tramping around the hills, though, only when I'm trying to get to sleep. But I've never slept well in the woods no matter where or with who. However, I need to qualify the expression "in the woods."

By "in the woods," I mean literally among the trees and bushes. Setting up a tent out in the open, a rare thing, is not the same. The most scared I've been in the woods was one trip when the day was nice and warm but not long after dark it turned cold and windy. I could hear things falling in the woods. So I am bothered about being literally under the trees. But I'm also bothered by being in a car and not being the driver.

As far as the creatures in the woods, they sometimes make noise but that doesn't bother me so much. It bothers me a little more since I've seen bears in the woods but still not so much. I worry more about changes in the weather.

 

[Headshed]

I do sometimes if sleeping in a tent. I just cuddle my axe and go back to sleep. Never happens when under a tarp. I guess I feel kinda vulnerable and trapped inside a tent.

I find the same if in a tent, when I was in the army under a basha in the woods I didn't have a problem or recently hammock camping I haven't had much of a problem. Out on the hills no issues at all.

 

[Leigh Robinson]

I will need to start solo camping fairly soon too and have similar concerns. I have given it a lot of thought. I guess a risk assessment.

Most likely nasties to be in the woods at night:
Poachers
Criminals - hiding or collecting something
Perverts and weirdos

If you disturb them, either by stumbling on them or preventing them from doing what they intended, it could get messy real quick. That's the honest truth. So work with risk reduction:

Stay away from small woodland near urban areas. Short walk or small drive increases footfall in the woods. Often the woods can be a shortcut through to get home at night. Know the woods well from the daytime. You will find all the footpaths, cut throughs, car parks. All the places you are likely to bump into people. You can also find escape routes for yourself and gauge what kind of people visit. I wouldn't want to sleep in a wood I didn't know well. I have a place where I BBQ with friends. There is a nice triangulation of fallen trees that provide shelter. A real attraction for anyone. But I know one side of the woods has a ditch running along it, the other side a dirty river and to get to our spot you can only use one small path. The wood is cut off through thick reed. You would have to know that wood well to get to us at night. If you didn't and were trying to get to us, you would make a lot of noise.

Camp in the thickest part of the woods. Make it hard to get to you. Camp away from paths, animal tracks that can easily be followed.

Carry a machete or other tool for defence. If you hear movement. Move over casually and collect. Don't run or grab for it. Better yet wear it on you. Even at night. I have fallen short of this a few times. I was in the woods late at night returning to my car in the carpark when I heard people in there. No idea what was going on. Had no choice but to go in as couldn't leave any other way. Didn't have anything on me so had to brave it. Decided if I just kept my head torch on they wouldn't be able to see my face and would cause some anxiety. It did. Turns out they were young people just hanging out and smoking weed. Now I always carry my knife on me. And I like my walking stick. I can take the cap off the end and it has a point used for ice. It could keep someone off me.

I think a risk assessment is pretty good idea. No different than a lone working assessment at work. I think we can reduce risks by thinking things through.

What has also got me thinking is what about everything else? I have read quite a lot of paranormal events for my sins of people out in the woods. Its the unexplained stuff that is harder to plan against. I mean if you were an alien for example and looking to do some probing, wouldn't a loner in the woods be a prime target? Easy to pick up on thermal camera, no witnesses. Easy capture. No different from a lion picking of prey at the edge of the herd!

 

[rik_uk3]

Shakespeare said of sleeping in the woods (Midsummer Night's Dream) "How oft a bush becomes a bear." And it's worth remembering that Shakespeare as a youth was apt to do a bit of poaching in the woods around Stratford and so knew what he was talking about.
.

Very good quote.

For all of us our brains are bombarded 24/7 by various stimuli, sights, sounds, smell, touch, heat etc ect and then you up root and go camping. Your brain is used to your normal surroundings and stimuli but going off into the 'unknown' can throw the brain out of sync, it may run fast looking for its point or points of 'normal' reference when they are just not there; hence you may not sleep well, wake up at slightest 'sound'....et al

Your solo camping trip could be viewed as including Sensory Deprivation which may give you the jitters.

 

[Macaroon]

I will need to start solo camping fairly soon too and have similar concerns. I have given it a lot of thought. I guess a risk assessment.

Most likely nasties to be in the woods at night:
Poachers
Criminals - hiding or collecting something
Perverts and weirdos

If you disturb them, either by stumbling on them or preventing them from doing what they intended, it could get messy real quick. That's the honest truth. So work with risk reduction:

Stay away from small woodland near urban areas. Short walk or small drive increases footfall in the woods. Often the woods can be a shortcut through to get home at night. Know the woods well from the daytime. You will find all the footpaths, cut throughs, car parks. All the places you are likely to bump into people. You can also find escape routes for yourself and gauge what kind of people visit. I wouldn't want to sleep in a wood I didn't know well. I have a place where I BBQ with friends. There is a nice triangulation of fallen trees that provide shelter. A real attraction for anyone. But I know one side of the woods has a ditch running along it, the other side a dirty river and to get to our spot you can only use one small path. The wood is cut off through thick reed. You would have to know that wood well to get to us at night. If you didn't and were trying to get to us, you would make a lot of noise.

Camp in the thickest part of the woods. Make it hard to get to you. Camp away from paths, animal tracks that can easily be followed.

Carry a machete or other tool for defence. If you hear movement. Move over casually and collect. Don't run or grab for it. Better yet wear it on you. Even at night. I have fallen short of this a few times. I was in the woods late at night returning to my car in the carpark when I heard people in there. No idea what was going on. Had no choice but to go in as couldn't leave any other way. Didn't have anything on me so had to brave it. Decided if I just kept my head torch on they wouldn't be able to see my face and would cause some anxiety. It did. Turns out they were young people just hanging out and smoking weed. Now I always carry my knife on me. And I like my walking stick. I can take the cap off the end and it has a point used for ice. It could keep someone off me.

I think a risk assessment is pretty good idea. No different than a lone working assessment at work. I think we can reduce risks by thinking things through.

What has also got me thinking is what about everything else? I have read quite a lot of paranormal events for my sins of people out in the woods. Its the unexplained stuff that is harder to plan against. I mean if you were an alien for example and looking to do some probing, wouldn't a loner in the woods be a prime target? Easy to pick up on thermal camera, no witnesses. Easy capture. No different from a lion picking of prey at the edge of the herd!

You sound like a wanted man! Is the KGB after you?............I've been camping and tramping the woods since I was ten or eleven yrs. old and I can honestly say none of the above thoughts have ever crossed my mind,
and very glad I am.

Out in the woods in the UK at night is probably the safest a human being has ever been in the history of the species; there's nothing there to hurt you at all!!!......

And what's with all the talk of knives and machetes? What are you going to do, kill someone?

Just go where you feel happy and keep your wits about you in the normal fashion and make sure you have plenty of garlic, crucifixes, silver bullets and stakes...........you'll maybe be OK.

 

[shaggystu]

....Carry a machete or other tool for defence. If you hear movement. Move over casually and collect. Don't run or grab for it. Better yet wear it on you. Even at night. I have fallen short of this a few times. I was in the woods late at night returning to my car in the carpark when I heard people in there. No idea what was going on. Had no choice but to go in as couldn't leave any other way. Didn't have anything on me so had to brave it. Decided if I just kept my head torch on they wouldn't be able to see my face and would cause some anxiety. It did. Turns out they were young people just hanging out and smoking weed. Now I always carry my knife on me. And I like my walking stick. I can take the cap off the end and it has a point used for ice. It could keep someone off me.....

Do not follow this advice, please. If you can handle bumping into another human being out of the woods without a weapon then you can do it in the woods too.

 

[Tank]

Carry a machete or other tool for defence. If you hear movement. Move over casually and collect. Don't run or grab for it. Better yet wear it on you. ..........Now I always carry my knife on me. And I like my walking stick. I can take the cap off the end and it has a point used for ice. It could keep someone off me.

I hope I don't walk into you in the woods on a dark night lol. Sound like the start to a horror film

I think the more realistic outcome of if you disturb someone doing something they shouldn't be is they would leg it or to do nothing to avoid bring attention to themselves.

 

[riggers]

I recently had a wee solo camp not too far from home and I know what you mean it's a funny feeling what I did was set branches all round my tarp 10m all round if anyone thing approached I would here them and spring into ninja mode lol some good whiskey helps

 

[BlueTrain]

It occurs to me that sometimes I worry more about my car left sitting in the parking lot than I do about myself. But that's a problem more in some places than in others, just like anything else. I worry the least about it in national parks than anywhere else. And sometimes I just worry about whether I can get it started when I come back.

 

[Headshed]

It occurs to me that sometimes I worry more about my car left sitting in the parking lot than I do about myself. But that's a problem more in some places than in others, just like anything else. I worry the least about it in national parks than anywhere else. And sometimes I just worry about whether I can get it started when I come back.

That's a concern I have to, that is where to leave the car! Given that most of my wild camping is in North Wales or the Lakes, often there is only layby's or some carparks with rules about no overnight parking! I'm building up my exposure to night time woodland camping by going to Rough Close, but often I prefer to be out on the wilder moors.

 

[Gill]

I am not scared ,but aware that everything else in the forest must be trembling with fear when i start snoring

 

[Goatboy]

As others have said fear only man in this country. Some interesting reading here, though I'd maybe wait a bit before reading and heading out on your todd. It's natural for man to be apprehensive about what he doesn't know, an inbred survival instinct. (What lies beyond the firelight?) Truth be told there isn't much to worry us these days. My Dad and countless others have said that generally you're the scariest thing in the woods by a long shot.

So don't feel bad and good on you for bringing it up, too much macho stuff about fearing nothing. Fear is there to be listened too just don't let it control you, it's a little inbuilt advisor that needs listened too and assessed.

 

[woof]

I think you've got some serious issues there Leigh.

To the op & others well done to voicing your concerns, it not easy to own up to something like that, but the only issues you will have are as has been said, in woods close to urban areas, or that are easily accesible from vehicles, & also only during the good weather ie summer months. Don't worry about drug dealers, arms dealers, the KGB, burglar Bill etc...Just go ut & enjoy yourself.


Rob

 

[mountainm]

I wasn't afraid of the dark lonely woods.... Until I heard about Leigh, lurking machete in his hand, brow freckled with paranoid perspiration.

 

[Elen Sentier]

As others have said fear only man in this country. Some interesting reading here, though I'd maybe wait a bit before reading and heading out on your todd. It's natural for man to be apprehensive about what he doesn't know, an inbred survival instinct. (What lies beyond the firelight?) Truth be told there isn't much to worry us these days. My Dad and countless others have said that generally you're the scariest thing in the woods by a long shot.

So don't feel bad and good on you for bringing it up, too much macho stuff about fearing nothing. Fear is there to be listened too just don't let it control you, it's a little inbuilt advisor that needs listened too and assessed.

+1 GB. Fear is certainly there to be listened to and is a useful guide and companion. I'm not usually scared and when I am it's by humans, not anything else, and I've been out in some pretty wild places without another human around for miles. That's why finding another one around would have all my hackles up and my axe out. Having said that, the further out in the wilds I am the safer I feel , and most folk in woods near habitation are out walking their dogs, although I've found needles in the wood close by our land here.

I've even slept and woken up 4 ft from the path of a big cat, up in the Cairngorms. Wasn't in the least scared of her, just thrilled and wishing she would show herself. Discovered in the morning it was a she as found the footprints - hers as big as my palm and her kitten's which was normal cat size .

Listen to your fear ... but don't let it rule you. Keep breathing is quite a useful thing to remember too

 

[Alreetmiowdmuka]

I will need to start solo camping fairly soon too and have similar concerns. I have given it a lot of thought. I guess a risk assessment.

Most likely nasties to be in the woods at night:
Poachers
Criminals - hiding or collecting something
Perverts and weirdos

If you disturb them, either by stumbling on them or preventing them from doing what they intended, it could get messy real quick. That's the honest truth. So work with risk reduction:

Stay away from small woodland near urban areas. Short walk or small drive increases footfall in the woods. Often the woods can be a shortcut through to get home at night. Know the woods well from the daytime. You will find all the footpaths, cut throughs, car parks. All the places you are likely to bump into people. You can also find escape routes for yourself and gauge what kind of people visit. I wouldn't want to sleep in a wood I didn't know well. I have a place where I BBQ with friends. There is a nice triangulation of fallen trees that provide shelter. A real attraction for anyone. But I know one side of the woods has a ditch running along it, the other side a dirty river and to get to our spot you can only use one small path. The wood is cut off through thick reed. You would have to know that wood well to get to us at night. If you didn't and were trying to get to us, you would make a lot of noise.

Camp in the thickest part of the woods. Make it hard to get to you. Camp away from paths, animal tracks that can easily be followed.

Carry a machete or other tool for defence. If you hear movement. Move over casually and collect. Don't run or grab for it. Better yet wear it on you. Even at night. I have fallen short of this a few times. I was in the woods late at night returning to my car in the carpark when I heard people in there. No idea what was going on. Had no choice but to go in as couldn't leave any other way. Didn't have anything on me so had to brave it. Decided if I just kept my head torch on they wouldn't be able to see my face and would cause some anxiety. It did. Turns out they were young people just hanging out and smoking weed. Now I always carry my knife on me. And I like my walking stick. I can take the cap off the end and it has a point used for ice. It could keep someone off me.

I think a risk assessment is pretty good idea. No different than a lone working assessment at work. I think we can reduce risks by thinking things through.

What has also got me thinking is what about everything else? I have read quite a lot of paranormal events for my sins of people out in the woods. Its the unexplained stuff that is harder to plan against. I mean if you were an alien for example and looking to do some probing, wouldn't a loner in the woods be a prime target? Easy to pick up on thermal camera, no witnesses. Easy capture. No different from a lion picking of prey at the edge of the herd!

Ha ha funny this guy last paragraph is ace.an alien looking too do a little probing ha mint