Wild Camping


What is wild camping you may ask - well its about going out into the wilds and pitching your tent there in the middle of nowhere for the night. by the wilds I mean beyond the towns and villages, beyond the farms, and preferably as far from civilisation as possible.

The Fun Bit...
Lets start by finding the best place to pitch our tent. There are quite a few factors to consider...

• Exposure to wind - fine if your tent can take it, but it can get noisy
• Having a reliable water supply nearby - preferably without having to waste fuel boiling it
• Exposure to flooding, avalanches and even rockfalls!
• Lumpiness of ground
• When will the sun dry the tent off in the morning (and warm you up)?
• Midges

I could add many more, but it would just become a long boring list. Instead try hovering over the tents in the picture below to see who has found the best spot.

If you've tried the bit above you may have guessed by now that there is no perfect spot in the wild to pitch a tent. The worst spots have redeeming factors, and the best spots have drawbacks. So pick your compromise. You can get around not having a reliable water source, by taking a large roll-up plastic bottle, and filling it up before you get to camp. Around 2 litres (or 4 pints) should be sufficient for drinking and cooking.

The Rules
Officially you are suppose to seek the permission of the landowner before wildcamping. However, if you stay far enough away from civilisation (i.e. don't camp in their garden, or under the nose of the farmers prized bullock) then you should have no problems.
The rules I follow are quite simple...

• Stay clear of civilisation. Pitching a tent on a road verge, or near a settlement is likely to attract unwanted attention.
• Don't light fires on peat ground. Most of the upland areas of Britain are peaty. If peat catches fire it spreads underground, and is very hard to put out.
• Don't foul the water supply - you wouldn't want to drink someone elses effluent.
• If it doesn't biodegrade readily, take it home. Ideally the spot should look like no-one has ever been there.
• If someone else is there before you, ask if they mind the company, and then pitch a respectable distance from them. If they want solitude, find another spot.
• Don't camp near cattle - they are nosey critters, and could accidently squash your tent.
• Don't camp in the stalking season, unless it is land that doesn't get stalked.

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