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Is "wild camping" a safe practise? What if you get run over by a tractor? What if you wake up with a farmer's gun in your face?! What if you get attacked by badgers? They can be dangerous creatures.

I've never bothered with wild camping, but it seems like something you would have to do if you didn't make it to a campsite by their last check-in time (i.e. if you've overestimated your own speed on a hilly route, when going by bike).

How can you be sure if the land is private or not? What are the fines involved if it is private land?

I have a friend who goes out in her canoe with her son and just pitches where she lands as such!  She has never had any problems, but she has a tiny tent and is up & away early.  Wouldn't fancy it myself - but she loves the freedom!

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Hi,

we have only camped locally at the Rutland C&C site in Greetham nr. Rutland Water.  It is a flat site with great toilet/shower facilities.  As a campsite it is pretty uninteresting, no landscaping etc, but it is a nice cycle ride to Rutland water down quiet country lanes.  We go every year just o check the tent etc in the spring.

Keep meaning to goto Bosworth Water Trust as a friend reccomended it.  Other than that we tend to go to Norfolk for quick weekends, Cornwall for loing summer hols, Wales when visiting my mum and I want more freedom than her house.  & we did an excellent 3 weeker on the french/spanish border in basque countryside, apparently near an ETA arms hideaway, but it was fantastic!

If you come accross any good local ones let me know as am a bit fed up with Greetham now!

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Quote: Originally posted by PortWine on 18/6/2007

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What if you get attacked by badgers? They can be dangerous creatures.

 

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I can't say much about wild camping but I can about badgers. They are not dangerous and although I do not want to say you will never get attacked by one it is very highly unlikely. I have heard of only one person being attacked by a badger and she said it was her own fault, she made mistakes.  A wild badger will run away from people.  If there are badgers in the area where you are camping it would be wise to put all food in the car or out or reach in a tree suspended from a branch.  The myth about badgers being viscous comes from the fact that if you touch one as far as it, and most wild animals are concerned you have made an aggressive move and it will protect itself.  Sorry if I am preaching but I adore badgers and hate to see or hear them tarred with the wrong brush.

Valerie 

Re:fudged & camping in Oban - I really envy you that experience!

But the point I want to raise, and it may need checking out, but I am sure that in Scotland you have the "right to roam", and there is no such thing as public footpaths that are signed and you must keep to them or get shot at by an angry farmer.

So you might be safer wild camping in Scotland, especially if you do the whole up, and away discreet, respectful thing.

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All this sounds really lovely and I'd love to give it a go, but I can't function without a morning shower.  I know you'd have bottled water to clean your teeth, but what about *toilet facilities*!!!  I could stretch to peeing behind a bush but nowt else.

If you truly are "In the Wild", how d'you manage without a local village's toilet/washroom facilities?  I've never even been in tent on a proper site! (I was a deprived child )

Did it in the 60s alone around the Derby shire Dales as lots used to do it then, never had any trouble. Pitch behind walls just as it was getting dark, up and gone early light Don't think id like to do it these days. Those days we carried cash as there was no such things as muggers ,but now very risky

wild camping rocks

the rule is you need premission to camp every where but people turn a blind eye if you out of the way and you pitch the tent late and leave early iv wild camped hundreds of times