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Hi all,

Hope this is the right area to post in! Apologies if not.

Completely new to the site, not to mention completely new to camping! My girlfriend and I have had an interest in camping in the back of our minds for about a year now... however we never took the plunge and did anything about it.

Today however (not sure what made us) we bought a Vango Tigris 400 so we could at least plan something. Seems to get decent enough reviews for a first timers tent! Please feel free to tell us if we couldn't be more wrong.

Anyway, we are just about to plan our first camping trip for a weekend (somewhere close). I had every intention of just driving to the lakes, or to Snowdon etc... walking a few miles, and then pitching tent. However, one of my friends has passed comments that pretty much everywhere is illegal to camp in now. Is this the case? Are camp sites what most people actually opt for?

Any help much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

David 

Hi Daviebroon

Welcome to the site

If you are new to camping it may be better to start on a commercial campsite first to get used to all the gear. Wild camping is still possible in many parts of Snowdonia and the Lake District but there are quite a lot of restrictions and stuff to get to know about regarding hygiene, water supplies and backpacking gear. It usually takes some time to find a good wild camping spot.

Les D

once you have got used to camping on a campsite- with people around to give advice not to mention ammenities, then you should go wild camping in Scotland- a new law came in to make in legal everywhere in the national parks. obviously you have to leave it all how you found  it and i believe not be in site of any buildings or roads 9or something like that) i expect if you google wild camping in scotland you will find the full rules.

good luck with it though, i am sure you will love the world of camping- and this forum which as you can see i am also new to but lovin!

x

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies... much appreciated. Looks like i will have to find a campsite for the weekend then!

Just wanted the whole 'wild-camping' experience straight away. I think I was expecting peace and quiet, fresh water lake, private waterfall, warm star lit night, a roaring fire, eating marshmallows and singing kumbaya lol.

Will stick to Snowdonia for now... so will search this site for a decent campsite round there.

Thanks

David

Ok finaly decided ( i think) on staying here for the weekend

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=3010
http://www.gwynant.com/

I didn't think the Tigris was all that heavy, 17kg on the box... which i suppose is easy lugging round the kitchen for 4 mins, and not hiking up the side of a mountain for 2hours, so fair point. Will see how my first camping experience goes this weekend! I looked at many other tents, biger and smaller, and i didn't find any that met our needs for anywhere under the sort of 15kg mark

Sparepeg... will keep you posted on how it fares up (will be a very novice review though!). I've not bought a single thing for it yet (except a dead blow hammer), so will get busy this week buying loads of crap i'll never need or use. Whats your posh extension?

Its just dawned on me that i've never ever put a tent up before. Ah crap. Practice run required i think.

Quote: Originally posted by daviebroon on 28/7/2009

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Ok finaly decided ( i think) on staying here for the weekend

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=3010
http://www.gwynant.com/

I didn't think the Tigris was all that heavy, 17kg on the box... which i suppose is easy lugging round the kitchen for 4 mins, and not hiking up the side of a mountain for 2hours, so fair point. Will see how my first camping experience goes this weekend! I looked at many other tents, biger and smaller, and i didn't find any that met our needs for anywhere under the sort of 15kg mark

Sparepeg... will keep you posted on how it fares up (will be a very novice review though!). I've not bought a single thing for it yet (except a dead blow hammer), so will get busy this week buying loads of crap i'll never need or use. Whats your posh extension?

Its just dawned on me that i've never ever put a tent up before. Ah crap. Practice run required i think.

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I was just about to post you a link to the lynn gwynant site, I've camped here loads.  The facilities aren't much to write home about, just the basic toilet and shower block, but the setting is fantastic.  At the bottom of a valley at the side of a lake with a stream running along the field.  The views are exceptional and if it's peace and quiet you want this is the place.  You can have camp fires but they have to be on the raised fire pits that are provided free and you have to buy your firewood from the site owners( this is to stop people going in to the woods and ripping branches off trees). Definitely on the wild side of things with a bit of reassurance just incase.  Enjoy!

Cheers gb, good to know. Will give it a try! It is often busy busy? Concerned its school holiday time, and i'll arrive saturday afternoon.

Quote: Originally posted by daviebroon on 28/7/2009

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Cheers gb, good to know. Will give it a try! It is often busy busy? Concerned its school holiday time, and i'll arrive saturday afternoon.

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Might be a bit busy arriving on a saturday and I'm not sure if they take bookings.  Give them a ring and see what they say.