What is wild camping

[Leigh downing]

Hi all, just joined the forum in an attempt to do some market research. I live in North Wales with my wife adult son and his girlfriend. It has always been an ambition of ours to live in a rural location offering "wild camping" on our own land.
We have after many years of hard work and penny pinching managed the "own land" bit, we have about 2 acres of woodland we want to open up for camping, we have planning permission to do it and not a clue beyond that.
Our primary goal is meeting new and interesting people.
So what do we need to provide? Do we charge and if so how much? And lots of other noob questions.
Adjoining the land is also a derelict pub we are renovating, any helpful responses will come with the reward of free cold beer when we are up and running.
If you made it this far thanks for reading through this ramble and thanks in advance for any helpful responses.

 

[Tengu]

You have always wanted to offer it, and yet you arent really sure what it is? Oh.

2 acres isnt a big site...its my friends garden. (She has a big garden). So you will be limited in numbers.

New and interesting people...Well, you have come to the right place. we are all interesting here.

Running a campsite AND a pub is a pretty big ambition.

(Dont take what I say too seriously. I am the forums Knownothingnobody....)

 

[Robson Valley]

You get to pick and choose!

Do you want the camp sites to be within sight of eachother?
Can campers build campfires inside stone fire rings?
Do you allow a single fire scar at each site?
What's the plan for garbage management and human waste?
What will the situation be for firewood and for cutting branches for camp crafts?
What will the situation be for potable water?

On-line, you can get a really good look at the big and little camp grounds
which are found in Jasper and Banff National Parks in western Canada.
They might give your some layout design ideas that you maybe like/don't like.

 

[Janne]

If I was in your situation, I would go for a semi wild camping.
Organized composting toilets.
Drinking water tap at edge of site.
Specific fire areas dotted around.

A good disclaimer document to be signed. People today.......

 

[Nomad64]

https://nearlywildcamping.org/

 

[Leigh downing]

You have always wanted to offer it, and yet you arent really sure what it is? Oh.

2 acres isnt a big site...its my friends garden. (She has a big garden). So you will be limited in numbers.

New and interesting people...Well, you have come to the right place. we are all interesting here.

Running a campsite AND a pub is a pretty big ambition.

(Dont take what I say too seriously. I am the forums Knownothingnobody....)

You have always wanted to offer it, and yet you arent really sure what it is? Oh.

2 acres isnt a big site...its my friends garden. (She has a big garden). So you will be limited in numbers.

New and interesting people...Well, you have come to the right place. we are all interesting here.

Running a campsite AND a pub is a pretty big ambition.

(Dont take what I say too seriously. I am the forums Knownothingnobody....)

Would also quite like to go to the moon. Not a clue how to get their either.

 

[Leigh downing]

You get to pick and choose!

Do you want the camp sites to be within sight of eachother?
Can campers build campfires inside stone fire rings?
Do you allow a single fire scar at each site?
What's the plan for garbage management and human waste?
What will the situation be for firewood and for cutting branches for camp crafts?
What will the situation be for potable water?

On-line, you can get a really good look at the big and little camp grounds
which are found in Jasper and Banff National Parks in western Canada.
They might give your some layout design ideas that you maybe like/don't like.

Was thinking whole 2 acres for one camp allowing all reasonable activities kinda trying to ask but not very well what would make the perfect wild camp. Have a more traditional camp site planned near the pud on another piece of land

 

[Broch]

Be very careful!!

2 acres isn't huge and the site will soon look 'abused' if you don't take a lot of care about how people use it (rules!) and, as soon as you do, it's not truly 'wild camping'.

You will have to a) provide composting toilets (we've put in a 'tree bog' that works well) and b) specific places for fires if you don't want the place to be a mess in no time at all. We have a single covered camp area and anyone that stays can only use the fire in the camp which is in a fire pit. I know that takes some of the romance out of it but it also means the place doesn't get damaged. On the plus side it encourages 'socialising'.

Finally, for now, if you don't charge how will you get people to 'move on'. If you're not careful you'll find semi-permanent residents!

So, I'll repeat, be very careful!

 

[Tengu]

I would concentrate on the pub.

There are pubs these days offer camping as a sideline, yes?

 

[Nice65]

I would concentrate on the pub.

There are pubs these days offer camping as a sideline, yes?

Beat me to it, exactly what I was going to suggest. Camping for pub patrons only to allow people to enjoy a meal, a few drinks, and not have to drive or go far. But that’s more a business model than wild camping.

I sense that’s not what the OP is getting at. Like you say, 2 acres isn’t very big. The house I grew up in had 3.5 acres and any more than half a dozen to ten pitches would have made it more like a commercial campground and less like a couple of small fields and a bit of woodland.

As the original post reads, it sounds like free cold beer and free accommodation for all, so I’m on my way.

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

Whereabouts in north Wales? I'm in Bangor, Gwynedd

 

[Fadcode]

To answer the OP's main question, Wild Camping is in essence un-organised, once it becomes organised with rules, facilities, it isn't Wild Camping.
Now saying that, the only true place to wild camp in England and Wales is Dartmoor, where you are allowed to pitch a tent or camp, as long as its not more than two nights in the same place, obviously you would do this on the open moors, not in someones back garden.

So moving away from "Wild Camping", there is a need for places where people can get away from their domestic lives, and freely camp using their skills and resources, and as a landowner who allows his land to be used for such purposes, you will take on certain legal responsibilities, and you will need to look into this.

My advice would be to contact a local group from around your area, (have a look in "meetups and social chatter")Invite them down for a weekend, and mingle and learn, they will soon tell you what would be best to do and not do, many campers find it better on their own, so overcrowding may put them off, but it will give you an idea of how many you can accommodate.
There is a wealth of help and knowledge both on the internet and this site, that will guide you.

 

[Tengu]

There is a lot of sound advice on the Forum here.

But not many who will go to the moon; I think its lackof trees to hang hammocks myself...

 

[GuestD]

Hi all, just joined the forum in an attempt to do some market research. I live in North Wales with my wife adult son and his girlfriend. It has always been an ambition of ours to live in a rural location offering "wild camping" on our own land.
We have after many years of hard work and penny pinching managed the "own land" bit, we have about 2 acres of woodland we want to open up for camping, we have planning permission to do it and not a clue beyond that.
Our primary goal is meeting new and interesting people.
So what do we need to provide? Do we charge and if so how much? And lots of other noob questions.
Adjoining the land is also a derelict pub we are renovating, any helpful responses will come with the reward of free cold beer when we are up and running.
If you made it this far thanks for reading through this ramble and thanks in advance for any helpful responses.

Have a look at this,
http://www.acehideaways.co.uk

 

[Leigh downing]

Thanks for all the great replies. We have a more traditional campsite planned on other land we own closer to the pub this we have researched thoroughly.
The idea I had was an exclusive 2 acres of woodland for one group of wild campers (proper campers) at a time.
We are in bryneglwys near Corwen and yes your input has earned you all a cold beer, it is the slightly less run down than it was new Inn.
I will as advised contact a local group and invite them to stay with free beer in return for their input.
Thanks again for all help.

 

[Broch]

We are in bryneglwys near Corwen and yes your input has earned you all a cold beer, it is the slightly less run down than it was new Inn.

My parents used to live in the hills around Bryneglwys ; I know the area well. I've also drunk in the pub before it closed years ago!

 

[Leigh downing]

Nice. Stop in for a cold beer and a chat whenever you like.
Hope to reopen early next year, replaced the roof and started rendering the outside. Inside is half finished.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Have you heard of the Bushmoot? Well, it is happening at the start of August, on the coast just outside Bridgend. Probably a bit of a trek for you to get down to from North Wales (based on what my friends from Anglesey said), but you will rarely get a chance to see a better example of wild campers (especially at night in the Naughty Corner). The site has toilets and showers, but lots of trees and nooks and crannies, and a lot of people to chat to about this stuff. There is a specific web page for it.

 

[Leigh downing]

Have you heard of the Bushmoot? Well, it is happening at the start of August, on the coast just outside Bridgend. Probably a bit of a trek for you to get down to from North Wales (based on what my friends from Anglesey said), but you will rarely get a chance to see a better example of wild campers (especially at night in the Naughty Corner). The site has toilets and showers, but lots of trees and nooks and crannies, and a lot of people to chat to about this stuff. There is a specific web page for it.

Sounds great. Bit of a trek but a nice ride through Wales. I take it I will see you there?

 

[Tengu]

C Claycombs suggestion is a very good one. (Aside the journey.)

Re opening a pub is a great thing to do, seeing as so many are closing these days.

No beer for me. Have you any cider? or Alcoholic ginger beer?