Wild Camping in Grave yard. Would ya, should ya, could ya

[simonhill]

Not exactly wild camping, but a church in Wales is offering "champing".

https://www-mirror-co-uk.cdn.ampproject ... t-27619792

[mattheus]

Not exactly wild camping, but a church in Wales is offering "champing".

https://www-mirror-co-uk.cdn.ampproject ... t-27619792

Seems a grand idea! But whilst it might be the first in Wales, lots of English churches started doing it in 2020.

[keefwaddo]

I have camped many many times in cemeteries worldwide and burial mounds in Japan. If you literally leave no trace and no one sees you, were you ever really there? How does your experience impact on other people? Answer, it doesn't.

Leave no trace and enjoy the atmosphere, beauty and tranquility of the cemetery. Better that than the 99.9% of the people who never even step foot in the place.

[Sweep]

My son got told off by someone for reading in a graveyard. It was disrespectful apparently.

What on earth was the church associated with this graveyard?
Something really fundamendalist?
Did they know what he was reading? The Bible?

On the main topic, yes I would, though obvs (I hope) not on top of a grave.
My preference would be for a bivi if a reliable weather forecast, or a micro tent like the Snugpak Ionosphere - something verrging on the palatial might I fear be taking the P. If someone objected to you being there in a micro way, I am sure someone whose memory of sunday school is better than mine could quote an appropriate bit of the bible at them.
An toilet business well away.
Some areas of the country have rather isolated churches - OSMand makes them very easy to find - far easier than on an OS map.

[mattheus]

My son got told off by someone for reading in a graveyard. It was disrespectful apparently.

What on earth was the church associated with this graveyard?
Something really fundamendalist?
Did they know what he was reading? The Bible?

There is nothing in the post to indicate a religious objection, or that the objector was part of any church.

[Nearholmer]

Interesting question the perceived link between religion and graveyards, because although the traditional location for a graveyard is with a parish church that link doesn’t apply in anything like all cases, especially in urban areas and where the burial rites followed are/were not Christian, and because (in my relative ignorance) I can’t think of anything in Christian doctrine/tradition that might give a definition, or even guidance, about how to behave in a place of burial, beyond the actual interment ceremony. Does anyone know more? Are there ecclesiastical rules about conduct on consecrated ground, for instance?

I did find this for one cemetery, but I think it derives from secular legislation, rather than anything else:

“It is an offence for a person to wilfully:

create any disturbance in the cemetery
commit any nuisance in the cemetery
interfere with any burial taking place in the cemetery
interfere with any grave, vault, tombstone or other memorial, or any flowers or plants in any such manner
play any game or sport in the cemetery
enter or remain in the cemetery when it is closed to the public (unless authorised by the Council to do so)
Persons who contravene these provisions shall be liable to prosecution.”

The same cemetery specifically ban bicyles (not cycling, the machines themselves, but by implication only two-wheeled ones!).

[ambodach]

I remember in Shetland a conversation I had with a local resident who was very angry at tourists parking motorhomes in the entrance to the local cemetery. She though it was disrespectful and was not slow to approach them and point this out.

[Bmblbzzz]

The great majority of those arriving late don't leave

I think the OP's third worry was those who arrived late and didn't leave but just pop out from time to time!

[Bmblbzzz]

Camping in churches (or “Champing”) is officially sanctioned under a scheme set up by the Churches Conservation Trust.

Interesting idea! Thanks for posting this.

[Bmblbzzz]

I once met two hikers who were planning to sleep in West Kennet long barrow. So not just a graveyard but an actual tomb. They didn't seem bothered by this, but I think it would have played with my branez. And it was a warm, dry night (already dark by the time I met them) in high summer, so arguably they didn't even need the shelter (maybe).

[Jdsk]

Camping in churches (or “Champing”) is officially sanctioned under a scheme set up by the Churches Conservation Trust.

Interesting idea! Thanks for posting this.

"Church camping movement seeks to spread the word far and wide":
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023 ... walking-uk

Jonathan

[Bmblbzzz]

I've got to note that I do know someone who regularly camps in churches. He's never paid for it. He simply puts up his tent (which is tiny, and so low it's been appropriately nicknamed "the coffin") in a corner of the graveyard. Frequently neighbours and/or the parish priest bring him cups of tea. It probably helps that he is in his 80s.

[Sweep]

I've got to note that I do know someone who regularly camps in churches. He's never paid for it. He simply puts up his tent (which is tiny, and so low it's been appropriately nicknamed "the coffin") in a corner of the graveyard. Frequently neighbours and/or the parish priest bring him cups of tea. It probably helps that he is in his 80s.

maybe they think he is staking a claim?

I have often thought of camping in a church graveyard - not on a grave I stress. I do have a very discrete bivi and snugpak ionosphere that is effectively a roofed bivi.

Any toilet requirements would be liquid and well away from graves.

there are some very isolated churches in some parts of the country - some effectively abandoned.

I would recommend adapting the arrive late/leave early general advice on freecamping - arrive extra late/leave extra early. Church guardians/keyholders often come round of an evening to lock up churches. And obvs sat night/sunday morning folks might be there especially early.

Might be an idea to check any posted service info - some churches of course these days don't have services every sunday.

edit - I see I have already posted

[mattheus]

I've got to note that I do know someone who regularly camps in churches. He's never paid for it. He simply puts up his tent (which is tiny, and so low it's been appropriately nicknamed "the coffin") in a corner of the graveyard. Frequently neighbours and/or the parish priest bring him cups of tea. It probably helps that he is in his 80s.

To be fair, he may be older than some of the other tenants.

[gbnz]

adapting the arrive late/leave early general advice on freecamping - arrive extra late/leave extra early.

+ 1. I'd have no issue with churchyard camping, other than the fact that there's a good chance one would be disturbed. A fairly wild bit of woodland or if desperate, well out of sight in a field would be my choice.