Wild Camping Paradise
Wild Camping Paradise
Essential wild camping rules good to stick too.
- Ideally get permission from the landowner as wild camping is illegal in England apart from Dartmoor.
- Make camp late and leave early.
- Keep a low profile/keep the noise to a minimum to not alert passers by or disturb the wildlife.
- Leave the camp as it was when you arrived. No rubbish do your buisness in one place and bury when leaving.
- Be VERY careful with open fires nearly always illegal. Only done one here as we were close to a water source in a large clearing it had also rained previously that day. You do not want to be responsable for burning down an ancient forest or heath land!
- Spend time finding an good spot, bring a detailed map and a preplan if possible and do not share you good spots.
After a couple of days deliberation and research an area was decided upon about an hour or so outside of London but remote enough to feel like it was the wilderness.
Just two old school pals nearing middle age looking to blow off lockdown frustrations, chew the fat and spend a night outdoors.
After meeting in a public car park late afternoon the plan was to spend a couple of hours hiking around and scout for good camps for the night. On arriving at the car park the rather large list of rules including no overnight parking was pointed out. Eventually the new plan was devised, hike around find a camp hide our packs go to a local village park up get supplies lump it back to camp without the weight of our packs.
The first foray showed evidence of others.
After around two hours two spots were identified packs were hidden in the bracken near by and we made are way to the nearest village to park and pick up supplies.
An underestimation was made of the length of walk and its uphill gradient dusk was approaching.
We arrive still with just under a hours day light remaining camp was set.
The camp we chose was an sand clearing with a murky pool looking like it was man made. leading from it a boggy mostly dried out stream about 100m away from the forest.
With dusk upon us tents erected, wood collected and fire set to be sparked we were surprised when we looked to see a large stag/buck quite possibley a fallow deer.
Unable to get a photo but similar to this.
This mighty deer stood maybe 40 feet away gave us a bark and quickly made his way towards the forest. Only then did it click that this clearing with murky pool was most likely a man made water source for the local wildlife. We considered moving but decided against it as it was nearly dark.
Fire under way and beers cracked feeling very chilled even with the outside threat of a gouging. We had not seen a single person out here and could only hear the occasional murmur of the cars on the nearest road.
On the menu tonight baked potatoes wrapped in foil put near the base of the fire for maybe 1 hour. Also steaks using an improvised skewing cooking method.Two more beers and cookies for desert.
Just after midnight a cloudburst sent us for the cover of our tents with no more wood we dosed the fire and called it a night.
Early start 5:45 just after sunrise packed up left little trace no rubbish, buried the remains of the fire under the sand and a 3 mile downhill trek with packs this time to pick up the cars.
All in all probably one of the best camping trips I have been on and so close to home. Probably shouldn't have disturbed the deer. A much needed escape from all the crap.