Human: nature

At one with the wilderness, escaping civilisation

Wild camping can be a series of trials and tribulations when you’re not ready for what’s to come. Wild camping is a challenge that many of us want to try, but can be severely underprepared for!

What is wild camping?

It is pretty much as you would imagine. Essentially, that means setting up a tent anywhere that isn’t a designated campsite. The idea is that you stripping life down to basics and in some cases even living off the land. Usually people like to set up camp far away from any kind of man-made structure.

There are a lot of grey areas when it comes to the rules for wild camping. The only country in the UK where it is fully legal to wild camp is Scotland. Everywhere else in the UK, you will need to ask the land owner’s permission. Some places are more lenient and will tolerate wild campers so long as they are responsible and don’t leave a mess behind them, but it’s always best to check with the landowner as it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Setting up

When you are looking for somewhere to put up your tent, you should arrive during the day so that you can look at the land while it is light. It is also easier to see what you are doing! You should look for any signs of animal dens and avoid pitching too close to these.

Try to stay clear of rivers and other water sources as they can create boggy ground. Try to find an area that is relatively flat and clear of tree roots or rocks.

You should also bring food and cooking equipment. This should NOT be food that needs to be kept cold unless you have some sort of coolbox. Bring plenty of water as you can’t guarantee that you will find a water source that is clean or safe to drink from. Make sure that you bring a first aid kit with you just in case. You should also bring toiletries as well as toilet roll and wet wipeswild camping is often very far from any kind of public toilet - and think about how you will dispose of your rubbish responsibly.

Dos and don’ts:

Do! Make sure you’re not disturbing any wildlife when camping ie. don’t camp near a badger’s nest or a fox’s lair.

Don’t! Pitch under a tree. Although it may look pretty for social media, it’s actually highly unsafe, as one harsh wind and you may just find a tree through your tent.

Do! Plan for all weathers. Nothing is worse than waking up in a tent hearing rain drumming on the roof and all you’ve packed are shorts and t-shirts.

What should you bring?

When you go wild camping, the most important thing to bring is obviously a tent (unless you want to rely on setting up camp using leaves and logs). You should bring a sleeping bag, or at the very least a blanket.

Don’t! Leave your litter and food waste when you leave, the amount of wildlife in England is depleting every year, it doesn’t need you leaving plastic waste and rotting food around their homes.