Wild camping

[Nearwild]

Hi everyone, this is just a small poll question really.

My parents are looking to buy a new house with a bunch of land with the aim of running a campsite. They just looked at a property which has an established campsite at the front, but the back of the property is 30-odd acres of mixed woodland with a lake and a stream.

So my question is: if we offered this part of the site as a wild camping area for bushcrafty types, would it be a useful / popular thing? The site is in Dorset, near Dorchester, and that section is unfenced and looks fairly left to nature.

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[bopdude]

Not sure on the legalities of it, i.e insurances etc but if viable I can't see why not, any new site is a good site imho

 

[Philster]

Oh yes it would! Count me in as a customer

 

[Kooga]

it could well be a useful and popular thing to me!



but let's not tell anyone else, okay...

 

[Tiley]

It would be both useful and popular. i suppose you might need to keep an eye on your supply of wood and perhaps give some guidance about fires, their size and placement but this sounds like a wonderful initiative.

 

[Idleknight]

certainly seems to be a growing demand for it, not sure about the legal requirements. Also look at allowing fires in pits or off the ground in the main camp site.

 

[Mowmow]

Sounds brilliant, I wish there were more places you could 'wild' camp without resorting to trespassing.
Not that I do that...

 

[Tiley]

There's also the loo factor: you might have to create some sort of composting facility for 'heavy waste' and designate certain areas on a rotation for the 'liquid waste', purely to keep the stream and lake clean and usable. Done sensitively, it doesn't have to be like the log cabin facilities that you find in so many established camp sites.

 

[KenThis]

It would be exactly the kind of campsite I'd look for!

 

[Hibrion]

It sounds like a viable plan, but the site won't last ling with people lighting fires as they please. You'd be surprises how many people cut down green wood for a fire!

The best option I can think of is fire pits troughout the woods and supply fire-wood built into the camping costs.

 

[Leshy]

This sounds like a brilliant idea!
I'll be definitely visiting those woods when you got it all sorted...


Leave no trace is the best approach

 

[Fraxinus]

Very cool idea and as mentioned in above posts some serious thought on logistics, amenities and fire safety would need to be done.
If you go for it, an idea might be, to invite a small group of bushcrafters over for a weekend to help figure out the best camping spots so as to place latrines and fire pits most favourably.
Fixed fire pit spots work well in places like Canada and Sweden and would be a better bet for your idea.

Rob.

 

[dewi]

With the fire thing, the scouts seem to manage okay... they just designate certain areas where a fire is permitted, no fires elsewhere.

Might be worth scoping out the woods with someone who hangs regularly to see what sort of numbers can occupy the wood... same as renting a field for tents... there is a limit on pitches.

 

[Nearwild]

Hmmmm, interesting... so just saying "go wild camp over there" isn't the best plan? It wouldn't be a massively advertised site, more likely word of mouth for enthusiasts, (such as your good selves) as we wouldn't want people going there en masse, and there is a very pretty standard campsite there already.

Fire safety and latrines are definitely something to think about though, thanks!

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[dewi]

Its like any other camp site. If you're renting caravan pitches, you'd never just say 'go stick it over there'... you plan pitches and arrange amenities to suit.

A composting toilet might be the way to go for ablutions, and a clear defined policy on fires is probably going to be needed because you'll find the woodland picked dry of 'firewood' fairly quickly and if fires can go anywhere, what do you do about the scars left behind.

Litter is another thing to consider... the vast majority know to take their rubbish with them, but some don't... and like any other camp site, how do you deal with those who don't?

You definitely need to determine the numbers who can occupy the wood though... no good booking 2 dozen hangers for the weekend, but only having the trees/space to accommodate a dozen if that makes sense?

 

[backpacker]

Sounds good to me, I have a few friends that would jump at the chance so you can count me in, Please forward details as and when you have them and I'm sure we will be there!

 

[greg.g]

As has already been said, if you can get a local bushcrafter to recce the area and suggest say 12 suitable pitches for ground dwelling and hammocking. Then pre-prepare a small fire pit for each pitch stating than only these may be used. You could also sell bags of firewood stating only this may be used. If you try this on a small scale you haven't lost much if it doesn't work out.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Greg

 

[Robson Valley]

I would go if there's some modest expectation that I could be, and would be, left alone.
The designated camp sites also need a "rest" from occupation.
Suppose you set them out so that there's a rested site between each pair of occupied sites.
Keeps people at arm's length from each other.

Half the sites are open, half the sites are closed
Might not make economic sense at the end of the day/supply & demand.

While it's a noble thought to put out bin bags for those who cant take their own trash home,
you've got to source a site that can take your trash loads.

 

[Janne]

You need to make sure every semi lrepared "wild site" has somewhere to put rubbish, also needs to have a toilet fairly close.
Your parents do not want litter, faeces and toiletpaper blowing around the forest.

Maybe a simple slit trench toilet?

Doable? Yes.

 

[Big Highlander]

What about air rifles for the hunter among us (insurance cert supplied on request) who really like to live off the land?