Wild Camping Petition

[DurhamBushcrafter]

Legalise wild camping in the uk

There is an e-petition to legalise wild camping in England & Wales on the Government website that seems not to be advertised.
The closing date is the 30th March 2015. Have you signed it ?
I have.
GO HERE -> https://submissions.epetitions.direc...etitions/68882

 

[GGTBod]

I started one of these a few years back and it did not get a good response, many landowners do not want this to happen at all because too many douchebags abuse it sadly and spoil it for the rest of us, many parts of Scotland are testimony to this especially the big nature near big cities.

I'm signing as i would like access and don't own any land

 

[GGTBod]

Your link does not function, google was my friend, this link works

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68882

 

[copper_head]

Link doesn't seem to work for me.

 

[DurhamBushcrafter]

Your link does not function, google was my friend, this link works

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68882

Thank You!

 

[GGTBod]

You're welcome, i hope the petition works (prepares for tirade from landowners) and does not lead to the widespread littering of the countryside by bad campers

 

[slowworm]

It's been posted before: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124829&highlight=68882

Doesn't look that popular if it's been running 6 months.

 

[barbourdurham]

i think this is a wonderful idea. if it has the same or simlar rights as the scandinavian countries it has the opportunity to become something to protect and treasure. although i do feel that something should be there to police the free movement of wild campers, for example very heavy fines for littering etc. How to police it? im not sure, but until respect for the nature that surrounds us is built up, any rights will just be abused by the masses i fear.....

 

[British Red]

any rights will just be abused by the masses i fear.....

That is my belief, and the reason I am strongly opposed to such an idea. Policing such a proposal costs money, compensating landowners costs money, cleaning up messes like Loch Lomond costs money. There are better uses for my taxes. England is too small a country with too dense a population for this to work.

 

[Disco1]

Signed up. Question are we allowed to wild camp on forestry commission land after it is the peoples land.

 

[Laurentius]

That is my belief, and the reason I am strongly opposed to such an idea. Policing such a proposal costs money, compensating landowners costs money, cleaning up messes like Loch Lomond costs money. There are better uses for my taxes. England is too small a country with too dense a population for this to work.

I am forced to agree with you there, rights come with responsibilities, and I have to say the popularity of "bushcraft" is sometimes it's own worst enemy. What new right is this in any case? If you can camp stealthily and not leave a mark, who is to know you were ever there, this would in all practical terms be a licence to leave your mark with no comeback.

 

[Laurentius]

Signed up. Question are we allowed to wild camp on forestry commission land after it is the peoples land.

You may well say that, but back in the days of nationalisation British Rail was the peoples railway but you would not get very far camping on that land. The forestry commission managed woodlands are a working environment and you need to be aware of that.

 

[David LaFerney]

Wow. I never realized how good we have it - about an hour and half away from 1000+ square mile Cherokee National Forest - this is the primitive camping policy...

"For visitors wanting to get away from it all, dispersed camping outside of developed campgrounds is allowed throughout Cherokee National Forest unless posted otherwise. Camping is not allowed within 100 feet of water, trails, trailhead parking lots and developed recreation areas. Dispersed camping is free and no permits are required."

Having taken advantage of it many times I can tell you that litter and abuse is NOT a big problem - negligible if you get just a short walk away from the road. May and October are prime times to visit if you get the chance BTW - but the best time is when it's cold enough to keep the crowds at the mall. Better do it soon before someone detects frackable gas under it.

 

[sandbender]

DurhamBushcrafter's thread on this topic combined with this earlier one.

 

[Laurentius]

Wow. I never realized how good we have it - about an hour and half away from 1000+ square mile Cherokee National Forest - this is the primitive camping policy...

"For visitors wanting to get away from it all, dispersed camping outside of developed campgrounds is allowed throughout Cherokee National Forest unless posted otherwise. Camping is not allowed within 100 feet of water, trails, trailhead parking lots and developed recreation areas. Dispersed camping is free and no permits are required."

Having taken advantage of it many times I can tell you that litter and abuse is NOT a big problem - negligible if you get just a short walk away from the road. May and October are prime times to visit if you get the chance BTW - but the best time is when it's cold enough to keep the crowds at the mall. Better do it soon before someone detects frackable gas under it.

But it is in this small overcrowded island that we call Britain, I don't know the facts, only what I see so far as burnt patches, makeshift shelters, crisp packets, plastic bottles and tinnies.

 

[GGTBod]

Empty tinnies in places of natural beauty are my pet hate, i can't help but think you absolute effin t*@ts you could be bothered to carry them up here when full of liquid presumably to enhance your appreciation of the natural beauty or more likely to stave off your boredom of it all and them have the cheek to leave the empties which weigh nothing compared to when full so muggins like me has to crush them and stick them in my backpack and smell your rotten booze all the way as i cycle home in the hope that next time i come my view won't be spoilt by empty tinnies, can you guess what's there next time i go, you got it empty effin tinnies

 

[Jack Bounder]

I think you are right to say the public are idiots and generally have a negative impact on the countryside. Unfortunately, I am also a member of the public and so have very few options to camp outside of recognised camp sites. I don't have any special relationships with Forest Enterprise nor do I count wealthy landowners amongst my friends.

When I was younger, I was more than happy to risk getting caught camping somewhere I shouldn't. Now I have children (who would be with me) I am much more reluctant to put myself into a difficult situation. And it is much more of a challenge being stealthy with three kids 10 and under.

 

[boatman]

Wow. I never realized how good we have it - about an hour and half away from 1000+ square mile Cherokee National Forest - this is the primitive camping policy...

"For visitors wanting to get away from it all, dispersed camping outside of developed campgrounds is allowed throughout Cherokee National Forest unless posted otherwise. Camping is not allowed within 100 feet of water, trails, trailhead parking lots and developed recreation areas. Dispersed camping is free and no permits are required."

Having taken advantage of it many times I can tell you that litter and abuse is NOT a big problem - negligible if you get just a short walk away from the road. May and October are prime times to visit if you get the chance BTW - but the best time is when it's cold enough to keep the crowds at the mall. Better do it soon before someone detects frackable gas under it.

New Forest in the sixties and we used to get camping permits that allowed camping virtually anywhere in the forest subject to similar restrictions as in the quote. Claims that environment degredation from this wild camping forced the authorities to restrict camping to official campsites is just so much hogwash. Other motives, a wish to regiment, to make income etc were far greater reasons.

 

[David LaFerney]

There's constant push and pull here between those who want to "privatize" (aka exploit/profitize) public resources and those who want our grandchildren to share the same opportunities we have had. Thousands (perhaps millions) of acres of TVA lakes are the current prize.

 

[boatman]

To add to the post on camping in the New Forest, it is significant that the official campsites are actually where most people chose to camp anyway. They tended not to camp in the depths of the forest. The best solution would have been to use the income from the camping permits to establish "free" facilities like toilets at the most popular places leaving the few who wanted to to camp in isolation in the forest itself. Of course there were hazards, once my fiance went into the denser brush and came hurtling back because, presumably, a deer of some sort had gone "Whhooooo!" right next to her.