Wild camping law

[copper_head]

Heh all, now I know all the books tell you to ask the land owners permission to practice our hobby. i was wondering how many of us actually do. When I go camping my philosophy is that if your out of the way and when youve gone no one knows youve been there its all good. Obviously i dont just set up in peoles backgardens or anything , but if its forrestry commision or english nature its home as far as im concerned.... What are your thoughts/experiences? Anyone ever been moved on or .... arrested?!

 

[Tipi]

i have done a couple of times, i go on to my local hills with a friend, and camp under a tarp, no fire we cook on our mini trangias (best stove ever in my opinion!!) its gr8, last time we had a deer come with in 3 meters of us just after we finished brakefast (sp?), wonderfull experience!
also we get a chance to practice our cullanary skills and inflict them on cach other!! its amazing wot can be acomplished with instant noodles and a bottle of tabasco...

 

[copper_head]

I agree but theres not alot of 'good and wild' in e. yorks unfortnatley. You almost always can hear a road wherever ya are. Still driving test on the 3rd of october so soon I can subject the whole country to me!!

 

[andyn]

I don't really think that discussing and admitting on a public website, that may well be monitored by people like the FC, that you are more than happy to go illegal camping is exactly sensible.

Especially as a number of members on here work very hard to try and establish permitted access to woodland for the rest of the membership to be able to share.

 

[copper_head]

apologies, Adyn. just curious

 

[Montivagus]

I don't really think that discussing and admitting on a public website, that may well be monitored by people like the FC, that you are more than happy to go illegal camping is exactly sensible.

Especially as a number of members on here work very hard to try and establish permitted access to woodland for the rest of the membership to be able to share.

Sad but true!

 

[demographic]

I don't really think that discussing and admitting on a public website, that may well be monitored by people like the FC, that you are more than happy to go illegal camping is exactly sensible.

Especially as a number of members on here work very hard to try and establish permitted access to woodland for the rest of the membership to be able to share.

<whistles innocently>

 

[Graham_S]

fortunatly the rules are a little looser in scotland

 

[copper_head]

its a pity the way the law works in england, but i guess its a result of abuse by less thoughtfull campers....

 

[Glen]

I don't really think that discussing and admitting on a public website, that may well be monitored by people like the FC, that you are more than happy to go illegal camping is exactly sensible.

Especially as a number of members on here work very hard to try and establish permitted access to woodland for the rest of the membership to be able to share.

Being in yorkshire I presumed he was talking about wild camping Scotland , where, I understand, it is legal. Hence it seems not unreasonable to discuss it on a UK site... your honour

 

[Moonraker]

"The first rule about fight club is you don't talk about fight club.
The second rule about fight club is you don't talk about fight club.

You don't say anything because fight club exists only in the hours between when fight club starts and when fight club ends....."

Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) in 'Fight Club' 1999. directed by David Fincher.

'Wild' doesn't equate to 'illegal' just that you have permission first, and some enlightened souls even actively encourage it.

Dartmoor National Park Authority - Wild Camping

 

[copper_head]

Just been looking this subject up, wild camping is legal in the lake district provided its above 450m, out of site of a public highway, a maximum of one night, a maximum of 2 campers, and they leave no trace of their presence. (national trust website)

 

[demographic]

Just been looking this subject up, wild camping is legal in the lake district provided its above 450m, out of site of a public highway, a maximum of one night, a maximum of 2 campers, and they leave no trace of their presence. (national trust website)

It's legal round here?
Damm, Must try harder

 

[Tony]

OK, this is my take on it and therefore the stance of Bushcraft UK

First off, I’m not happy that any illegal activities get promoted on Bushcraft UK, I’ve edited a couple lately and I shouldn’t need to. I do not want people posting on here about illegal things they have done. If they are posted on here I will remove them and store them and if I get asked by the authorities I will provide them as requested. No one should be bragging about illegal activities, do not do it or risk being banned.

OK, saying all that, not all wild camping is illegal, there’s quite a bit that is. So, my statement above refers to the wild camping that is illegal and without permission. I understand that trespass is a Tort and all that but as responsible people we should have respect.

Wild camping is a hard subject in some ways, I’ve had people contact me and say that all mention of wild camping should be removed from the site, well, that’s just never going to happen as in many ways it’s core to what we do, it’s what we’re all about We love the wilds and even though I might be camped up in my mates woods I’m in the wild, I’m wild camping - the term wild camping shouldn’t be used to denote camping without permission, that’s just not the case. As this thread states, there’s provision for wild camping and even encouragement to do it in appropriate places. Scotland has definitely gone in the right direction on this and some places in the England have as well. What we need to do is help more people to realise that we are responsible and that they can trust us.

It’s been mentioned that the FC etc watch the site, they do and they get very irritated, which has already caused grief for some members that have been working hard to build relationships with them and other organisations. If you really want to have wild places to camp with permission then these are the people we need to work with and help understand where we’re coming from. They also need to know that we’re responsible and that we love the wilderness as well.

It is possible to get permission to use land, it takes a long time to prove we’re responsible and that we are honest, only a few loose words irreparably damage it all. That’s what telling people about your illegal activities does and that’s just not fair.

I appreciate that it’s a grey area, that it’s hard to find owners of land and that there’s places no one ever goes in the middle of no where. Going there is a personal decision and we’re not going to judge each other (unless they mess it up for the rest of us) just keep it to yourself.

I’m in the process of getting some articles done on this subject, hopefully they will explain the legal position a bit more.

If this turns into a thread discussing where people can legally wild camp, how to go about it, where to get permission, who provides land for it etc I’m happy to let it stay, if it talks more about the illegal activities that some get up to I’ll bin it at the least.

 

[fred gordon]

I agree with what Tony says above and I also agree that here in Scotland we are luckier that in many other parts of the UK. But the question you could ask is 'How did we get here?'. Over many,many years people, some close friends of mine, applied pressure in various ways, e.g. setting up the Scottish Wild Land Group, articles in the Press, talking to Politicians,and carried out a campaign to have the access legislation changed. Discussions with land owners and managers were essential to show them they had little to fear and, particularly, by acting and behaving responsibly. The word 'responsible' is key to the Land Reform 2003 (Scotland) Act and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC). The point I am making is that the law can be changed, it takes a long time, it requires dedication and, above all, a determination to show that what you want will be carried out thoughtfully and responsibly. Personally I see no reason why the law in the rest of the UK should be any different from Scotland the key lies in persuasion and that word responsible.

 

[Long Stride]

While out last week – more walking than Bushcraft – I had on a few occasions to walk across farmed land. At this time of year mainly harvested crops so empty fields and if not walked along field boundaries and fence lines.
On one occasion my route took me right through the actual farm complex to reach the hills behind.
On reaching the farm I stopped at the farm house to ask which route the farmer would prefer me to take. He was really surprised that someone was actually asking him which way they should go. His actual reply was “ You people don’t usually ask “.

Here in Scotland we have different access laws. Under The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 we have the right to access most land for recreational use.
But with this right comes responsibility.

www.snh.org.uk/strategy/access/sr-afor00.asp

While speaking to the farmer, and getting my water bottles refilled, it was obvious that many people now think that under the new law they can go anywhere and do anything they like on other peoples land.

I thought it was only polite to ask as I was passing the farm house and would be going through the actual farm complex.
After our chat the farmer pointed out electric fences, a field containing a Charolais Bull and advised a route to take.

I guess that what I am trying to say is that even if the law says you can be on someones land it is still right to respect the owner as it is their home and place of work.

 

[Montivagus]

You know what? I saw this post last night and my first instinct was to agree – I liked the leave it like no one had ever been there bit.
However, having thought about it a bit I have to find myself coming down on the side of landowners and the law as it stands. The plain fact is “responsibility” obviously doesn’t mean to most people what it should, or if it does then they simply can’t be bothered to be it. Even half of those that think they do know what it means don’t!
The state I’ve seen some, even remote places, left in by both hill walkers and self proclaimed bush-crafters has driven me to despair. Given the abuse suffered by the countryside at the hands of very many its not surprising that the default position has become “Get orf-a my laand!”
Access is something we are going to have to ask for and then earn.

There’s this dumb phrase that kind of sums it up; “leave only footprints”.
I really try not to leave those!

 

[copper_head]

Okay guess Ive stirred up a bit of a wasp's nest here. Wasnt my intention to brag about illegal camping or to condone it, nor do I wish to damage anyones work to campaign for the legallisation of 'wild' camping in england. Apologies Tony, I just wanted to get some other peoples opinion on an issue which affects alot of people into this hobby. Especially city boys like myself. I now realise it is inappropriate to discuss this subject on a public site.

 

[Tony]

Appreciated.

What would be good though is that it is discussed, in as much as it can be. We do need to discuss wild camping and the like, we also need to discuss how we’re going to help change peoples views and prove that we are responsible.

So, please don’t read all this as me saying it’s a Taboo subject, forum discussion just needs to stay within the law, granted that’s different for Scotland and other places.

It is an important subject and it should be discussed.

 

[copper_head]

Just been looking this subject up, wild camping is legal in the lake district provided its above 450m, out of site of a public highway, a maximum of one night, a maximum of 2 campers, and they leave no trace of their presence. (national trust website)

Discovered this info however which is encouraging, so now I have a nice big playground when I get my car , Love the lakes and its nice that the National Trust are beggining to recognise peoples want to escape the campsites.