The antithesis of stealth camping

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
Was out in the field at 7:30 this morning. Rounded a corner to be met by this:

25375115.jpg


For those who aren't tent spotters, that's a Vango Colorado 800 DLX, about £300 worth. I mention the cost because after my dogs had thrashed around inside, it was clear that it had been abandoned. The detritus of empty bottles/fire remains & general rubbish was especially sad (leave no trace?). Inside the tent was more rubbish, a wholly inadequate sleeping bag (which is why they didn't last the night) & some pink socks

Saddening. Especially since they'd built the fire about 5 yards from another past one, making a whole new burnt scar in the grass (they still haven't learnt that glass & metal don't burn)
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
And did you salvage it?

I didn't, mainly because it's not my property and I didn't want to spend 45 minutes packing up a wet tent in the drizzle to lug home... If it was ripstop I'd consider it to make a hammock but otherwise I don't want that sort of tent

If I didn't already have one, I'd consider the sleeping bag for an underquilt
 

woof

Full Member
Apr 12, 2008
3,647
5
lincolnshire
I often come across "campers" in the fields round where we live, mostly in the good weather, while i'm out walking the dogs, i don't mind a bit of mess, as mostly its because they have'nt thought about it, & most are happy to accept a gentle reminder.
Last summer i could see from quite away off a large white something. As we got closer it turned out to be a brand new duvet, one of my dogs grabbed it & ran off with it, and i don't know who was more surprised, me or the guy who was wrapped up in it !. It turned out he'd had an arguement with his parents, gone to asda purchased the duvet & 6 cans of special brew & spent the night there.

My 14yr old lab realy appreciated the "donation"of the duvet..

Rob
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
I would have recycled that without a second thought.

One of my dogs can't be let off the lead as she doesn't come back - if I'd had the tie-out stake with me then it might have been possible. I could go out this afternoon & salvage it.
 

Shewie

Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
26
49
Yorkshire
I saw a similar thing on Friday when out with our lass for a walk. It was in a bit of a local beauty spot in a secluded valley, complete with babbling brook and a few trees. The numpties had left a nasty Eureka tent complete with Argos special sleeping bags and carrier bags full of food waste, interestingly I spotted a couple of Mountain House bags in there so one of them must have half a clue. As we climbed out of the other side of the valley we saw the farmer tending so some very new and slimey calves so we told him what we'd seen, apparently it happens quite regularly and he thinks it's the same bunch every time. I offered to do some stealth surveillance for him but he declined and said his lad would be down with the shotgun more regularly :)
 

widu13

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 9, 2008
2,334
19
Ubique Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt
I recognise that tent Spandit...it belongs to some of the towns drunks. They are usually in the woods up behind the Ringles. They sleep in it most of the year, dependant on who lets them crash at theirs and for how long. They were probably too lashed up to either 1. Erect it properly 2. Get it into the woods.

It was in the same spot in the woods last year for several weeks.
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
That wood is for sale, I wonder if they'd moved it for that reason. I'm not sure it is the same tent, though - this one seems a lot bigger - it's 3 bedrooms round a central area. I'm sure their one was a single large compartment
 

BillyBlade

Settler
Jul 27, 2011
748
3
Lanarkshire
Rescued it? One way to call the theft of a £300 tent.

Anyone thought that maybe someone tried camping out, and either through cold or some other emergency, decided to leave in the night and return later to pack up the gear? After all, packing up a large tent at dark o'clock isn't feasable for many.

Next thing some folks are on here advocating the theft of it? Just because it's been left, doesn't mean it's yours.

Pretty sharp contrast to the lad on here who left his kit in a wood a while back, went off, came back and it was thieved. The hanging and flogging lot were out in force on that thread.

Double standards and then some. :lmao:
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
The land is left in trust since the land owner died. I went back today to find the tent completely flattened by the wind so spent a charitable hour taking the damn thing down & packing it into the carry bag. I put all the bottles/rubbish into the rucksack that was left there (some crappy brand, I've never heard of "Kifaru"*) & left it in situ, mainly because it was too heavy to move but partly because, as was rightly said, it's private property & to take it would be theft


* just wanted to see who would bite at this! It's actually a sturdy little ripstop pack & if it's still there next week I might well find a use for it
 

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