Discussion
Tyre Smoke said:
WilliamWoollard said:
danllama said:
Trying to persuade my partner for the last 12 months to do some wild camping together. She's put off by not having facilities nearby. I've explained to her the point of wild camping is to be away somewhere beautiful, away from any "facilities".
How can I win her over?
I did ask if maybe its something I should do without her now and then, that went down well...
She doesn't want to go with you but won't let you go by yourself? Is she 14?How can I win her over?
I did ask if maybe its something I should do without her now and then, that went down well...
Do you need her approval for absolutely everything you do? Or are you joined at the hip?
If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
Daughter and I go wild camping quite often on the South Downs - we hide away and yes not really meant to but if you are sensible then we have not had an issue. Take everything away leaving only foot prints.
best tip is to make sure you find a flat spot for the tent !
Edited by superlightr on Thursday 11th July 16:40
Wild camping virgin here. I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to try it again anytime soon after my first experience a couple of weeks ago
I had been promising to take the boy (8) wild camping in Wales. I'd booked the next day off work but the weather was looking crap in Wales so decided as he'd been looking forward to it to go somewhere more local. So I did some googling and found some woods fairly locally near Oxford. We arrive around 6pm, to find "PRIVATE KEEP OUT" signs on all entry points to the woods. Crap. He's been really looking forward to this. Not wanting to disappoint him we clambered over the gate ("Daddy it says 'keep out'" "it's alright son, I've got permission" I definitely don't have permission) and set off exploring.
We found a nice little spot to pitch the tent so set everything up and had some dinner, as we were eating some muntjac deer strolled by just a few feet away - awesome! We have a great father - son chat and enjoy the peacefulness of it all. It starts to get dark so we turn in and go to sleep. Pretty idyllic so far.
"RUFF!"
What the hell was that???!!!! It's pitch black, the middle of the night. Did I dream it? There's no dogs around here, no houses anywhere close. Maybe I did. Probably a dream about the dogs at home. Let's get back to sleep.
"RUFF!"
f
k! I didn't dream it. What IS that? Security with guard dogs patrolling at night? Surely not. Where's my torch? No wait, if it is security they won't be able to see us, it's pitch black. There's no torches shining on the tent. Let's just stay still and...
"RUFF!"
It IS a fking dog! Why would there be a dog in the woods in the middle of the night? No, it can't be a dog, they don't just bark once and surely there would be an owner calling or whistling it and IT"S THE MIDDLE OF THE fkING NIGHT
"RUFF!"
OK, this is freaking me out now, what the hell do I do? The boy is still asleep and I am stting myself. Do I go and see what it is? It's going to take a good 30 seconds to get out of the tent, and any element of surprise will be lost as soon as I move and it'll be off. What if it tries to get in the tent? We don't have animals that eat humans in this country. Do we? I'm pretty sure we don't. No, we definitely don't.
"RUFF!"
Oh st we're going to be eaten. WE'RE GOING TO DIE! No, calm down, it's fine. Think logically, what animals bark? I could google it but the light from my phone will give away our position. Dogs. It can't be a dog, what's like a dog? A wolf. A WOLF? Don't be daft, it's not a wolf. What else is like a dog? A fox. That's it, it must be a fox, calm down.
"RUFF!"
I've never heard a fox make that noise before. It must be, it can't be anything else. We do not have man eating animals in this country. Keep saying it, we do not have man eating anim..
"RUFF!"
This continued for what felt like forever.
Finally it stopped and I gradually relaxed again and eventually went back to sleep.
5AM and the sunlight wakes me up through the tent. I wonder what the hell that was last night?
"RUFF!"
st! It's back, where's my phone - it's daylight now, no need to worry about the light. Google - "which animals bark"
Feel very stupid when I find this
I had been promising to take the boy (8) wild camping in Wales. I'd booked the next day off work but the weather was looking crap in Wales so decided as he'd been looking forward to it to go somewhere more local. So I did some googling and found some woods fairly locally near Oxford. We arrive around 6pm, to find "PRIVATE KEEP OUT" signs on all entry points to the woods. Crap. He's been really looking forward to this. Not wanting to disappoint him we clambered over the gate ("Daddy it says 'keep out'" "it's alright son, I've got permission" I definitely don't have permission) and set off exploring.
We found a nice little spot to pitch the tent so set everything up and had some dinner, as we were eating some muntjac deer strolled by just a few feet away - awesome! We have a great father - son chat and enjoy the peacefulness of it all. It starts to get dark so we turn in and go to sleep. Pretty idyllic so far.
"RUFF!"
What the hell was that???!!!! It's pitch black, the middle of the night. Did I dream it? There's no dogs around here, no houses anywhere close. Maybe I did. Probably a dream about the dogs at home. Let's get back to sleep.
"RUFF!"
f
k! I didn't dream it. What IS that? Security with guard dogs patrolling at night? Surely not. Where's my torch? No wait, if it is security they won't be able to see us, it's pitch black. There's no torches shining on the tent. Let's just stay still and..."RUFF!"
It IS a f
king dog! Why would there be a dog in the woods in the middle of the night? No, it can't be a dog, they don't just bark once and surely there would be an owner calling or whistling it and IT"S THE MIDDLE OF THE fkING NIGHT"RUFF!"
OK, this is freaking me out now, what the hell do I do? The boy is still asleep and I am s
tting myself. Do I go and see what it is? It's going to take a good 30 seconds to get out of the tent, and any element of surprise will be lost as soon as I move and it'll be off. What if it tries to get in the tent? We don't have animals that eat humans in this country. Do we? I'm pretty sure we don't. No, we definitely don't."RUFF!"
Oh s
t we're going to be eaten. WE'RE GOING TO DIE! No, calm down, it's fine. Think logically, what animals bark? I could google it but the light from my phone will give away our position. Dogs. It can't be a dog, what's like a dog? A wolf. A WOLF? Don't be daft, it's not a wolf. What else is like a dog? A fox. That's it, it must be a fox, calm down. "RUFF!"
I've never heard a fox make that noise before. It must be, it can't be anything else. We do not have man eating animals in this country. Keep saying it, we do not have man eating anim..
"RUFF!"
This continued for what felt like forever.
Finally it stopped and I gradually relaxed again and eventually went back to sleep.
5AM and the sunlight wakes me up through the tent. I wonder what the hell that was last night?
"RUFF!"
s
t! It's back, where's my phone - it's daylight now, no need to worry about the light. Google - "which animals bark"Feel very stupid when I find this
As a lad of 17/18? a mate and I walked N-S over Dartmoor, camping all but one wet night when a kind landowner allowed us to use a barn ; it wasn't called wild camping in those days (late 70's) but that's exactly what it was. Lots of strange night time noises and folk in those parts ("Don't wander from the path"!).
I will never forget our last night, on the outskirts of a town, (I think it was Dartmouth but it doesn't matter) ...it was late and pitch dark as we came across this grassed area on a hill above the town. Tired, hungry and extremely grateful for a flat soft grassy pitch, we set up camp and slept until sunrise, whereupon we noticed the neatly planted borders and benches... never have I packed up and moved out quicker!
I will never forget our last night, on the outskirts of a town, (I think it was Dartmouth but it doesn't matter) ...it was late and pitch dark as we came across this grassed area on a hill above the town. Tired, hungry and extremely grateful for a flat soft grassy pitch, we set up camp and slept until sunrise, whereupon we noticed the neatly planted borders and benches... never have I packed up and moved out quicker!
This guys YouTube channel seems quite good for UK wild camping...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI3mQP0kLxdZKhNtc...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI3mQP0kLxdZKhNtc...
danllama said:
Haha calm down, it's not that she won't let me, I just think it'd be nice to give it a go together and I like helping her try new things.
If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
Have you camped together at a campsite (with facilities)? Has she had a wild wee? If not, I'd suggest those first.If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
Introduce it slowly... don't start off with a camp on the back of a long day when you're a bit sweaty and mingy and the only bathing options are an icy cold beck or tarn.
Have you suggested finding somewhere you can camp that has a *pretty short* walk out to facilities (think car parks with public toilets like Ogwen or Honister etc.)?
Arrive at the car park late, do the short walk in (after visiting the facilities), have your dinner (make it exciting, think three courses - cup a soup, hot meal, followed by a hot chocolate and chocolate), put the tent up and sleep. Be up early and back down at the facilities.
It's not often discussed, but you can make sure you go to the toilet before you set out. A hot-cold-hot-cold drink (coffee orange juice) can help ~movement~
AlfaPapa said:
Have you suggested finding somewhere you can camp that has a *pretty short* walk out to facilities (think car parks with public toilets like Ogwen or Honister etc.)?
Arrive at the car park late, do the short walk in (after visiting the facilities), have your dinner (make it exciting, think three courses - cup a soup, hot meal, followed by a hot chocolate and chocolate), put the tent up and sleep. Be up early and back down at the facilities.
Good advice! Pretty much what I do if I need a 'fix' and I'm short on time. Arrive at the car park late, do the short walk in (after visiting the facilities), have your dinner (make it exciting, think three courses - cup a soup, hot meal, followed by a hot chocolate and chocolate), put the tent up and sleep. Be up early and back down at the facilities.
Siabod Cafe in Capel Curig is worth a mention. Good access to Moel Siabod, eastern Glyderau and Canreddau, overnight parking for a small fee, loos,
Park, walk, camp and back down for a second more serious breakfast when they open, often served by the wonderfully grumpy Nick Livesey. https://vimeo.com/242146104
AlfaPapa said:
danllama said:
Haha calm down, it's not that she won't let me, I just think it'd be nice to give it a go together and I like helping her try new things.
If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
Have you camped together at a campsite (with facilities)? Has she had a wild wee? If not, I'd suggest those first.If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
Introduce it slowly... don't start off with a camp on the back of a long day when you're a bit sweaty and mingy and the only bathing options are an icy cold beck or tarn.
Have you suggested finding somewhere you can camp that has a *pretty short* walk out to facilities (think car parks with public toilets like Ogwen or Honister etc.)?
Arrive at the car park late, do the short walk in (after visiting the facilities), have your dinner (make it exciting, think three courses - cup a soup, hot meal, followed by a hot chocolate and chocolate), put the tent up and sleep. Be up early and back down at the facilities.
It's not often discussed, but you can make sure you go to the toilet before you set out. A hot-cold-hot-cold drink (coffee orange juice) can help ~movement~
Great story WW!
danllama said:
Haha calm down, it's not that she won't let me, I just think it'd be nice to give it a go together and I like helping her try new things.
If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
How about a bothy rather than wild camping to cut her teeth on?If she really doesn't want to try it I'll definitely be doing it alone more.
https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/
Only problem is most aren't on the tops of hills / mountains.
Another wild camping you tuber https://www.youtube.com/user/footserf/videos who has also done some of the bothy's.
Bumping this thread as planning wild camping this year.
We’d be taking two of these with their own tarps plus another for bags/equipment (recently set up in local woods to test) I’ve yet to purchase my bedding however. Have been looking at Waterproof/Bivvy bags/emergency sleeping bags. Any suggestions?
gregs656 said:
I've done a few nights in the hammock this year - this was on the South Downs
If you’re still around to answer what sleeping bag etc are you using? We’d be taking two of these with their own tarps plus another for bags/equipment (recently set up in local woods to test) I’ve yet to purchase my bedding however. Have been looking at Waterproof/Bivvy bags/emergency sleeping bags. Any suggestions?
WilliamWoollard said:
Wild camping virgin here. I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to try it again anytime soon after my first experience a couple of weeks ago
“RUFF"
Feel very stupid when I find this
First really heard this up close and personal around 15 years ago at night at the bottom of my garden just after moving in!! Werewolf crossed my mind at the time too. Now more than used to it’s haunting melody. “RUFF"
Feel very stupid when I find this
Gretchen said:
WilliamWoollard said:
Wild camping virgin here. I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to try it again anytime soon after my first experience a couple of weeks ago
“RUFF"
Feel very stupid when I find this
First really heard this up close and personal around 15 years ago at night at the bottom of my garden just after moving in!! Werewolf crossed my mind at the time too. Now more than used to it’s haunting melody. “RUFF"
Feel very stupid when I find this
Edited by MonkeyMatt on Wednesday 27th January 13:36
My favourite thread.
Last year I set a target of a wild camp a month. I think I did 5.
So off we go again and naturally the first one will have to be in the garden
Moving into tarp/bivi territory this year. Quite liked using the British Army bivi last year.
Think I'll pull the trigger on the Alpkit Elan this week. Interested on thoughts if any of you have one.
Last year I set a target of a wild camp a month. I think I did 5.
So off we go again and naturally the first one will have to be in the garden
Moving into tarp/bivi territory this year. Quite liked using the British Army bivi last year.
Think I'll pull the trigger on the Alpkit Elan this week. Interested on thoughts if any of you have one.
Glad I bumped this then. I’ve got some hammock frames in the garden and have suggested we camp out to try them first. Or even in the Catio 
It’s been suggested we take my Chihuahua so could be good way to test him out too. I’m not sure he’d be warm enough tbh. Hence want a decent sleeping bag.
It’s been suggested we take my Chihuahua so could be good way to test him out too. I’m not sure he’d be warm enough tbh. Hence want a decent sleeping bag. MonkeyMatt said:
Hear them quite often where I live. Recently taken on an allotment and some of the last of the winter veg has been eaten down to the stalks by muntjac! Looks like their may be some protein to go with my kale
Sounds good and very tasty. Though I’d have to fight my Tortoise for the Kale!Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff