Wild camping in the UK

[mercurykev]

It seems that Japan is the place to go if you want real freedom to camp. There is apparently no issue with just camping out in city parks:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Urban_camping_in_Japan

[iviehoff]

We entertained a German cyclist, who said he had no difficulty wild-camping in SE England. In fact areas like Kings Langley, in the Chilterns with plenty of woodland and plenty of little valleys, are good wild camping, if you get out into the minor road network, or even better, up a bridleway. The only difficulty is water, since you are unlikely to be able to stop near a water supply, you need to carry in your requirements. Though within the M25 it is likely to be tricky to find a spot, though I can think of places one could probably get away with a short distance inside in our area.

A member of my cycling club who enjoys wild camping around England warns against camping in farmer's fields, from her own experience. She says you would be surprised how many farmers drive tractors around their fields at night, not always with the lights on. Also they make stock movements at night, so you can wake up to find yourself surrounded by cattle. Since my parents saw a, fortunately unoccupied, tent trampled by cattle, wild camping in the Pyrenees, this is not an eventuality to be taken lightly.

[Vorpal]

In some areas of the East of England, it is moderately common for people to illegally ride motorbikes on Bridleways. While they don't do it on every bridleway, there are a few where it is a particular problem. This is another hazard of wild camping, but one that can usually be avoided by asking locals about good places to camp.

I can certainly think of areas in or near east London to the east where it would be possible to camp. There are a few places where city suddenly gives way to countryside, even well within the M25.

[dameunmate]

I have wild camped at:

Battersea Park
The Southbank Centre
Wandsworth Common
Paddington Basin
City Road Basin
Primrose Hill
Under a council tower block in Lambeth
On the roof of a council tower block in Pimlico (nice view )
Numerous spots along the South Bank of the Thames in central London between Wandsworth and Greenwich

...I can't remember everywhere. Also many places along the Thames valley including:

Under the A34 river Cherwell bridge near Kidlington
A car dealer's porch near Banbury
An empty garage in Maidenhead left open
Port Meadow in Oxford
The little copse at the top of Wittenham Clumps
Henley Regatta stretch
Reading Rowing Club (nice porch!)

It's so much fun! And so convenient.

I used to use a tent but now make do with a bivvy bag - the South East is full of man-made caves! It's the Alpkit Hunka XL in black so I hide in dark shady corners under bridges/porches etc.

Is it wild camping? Not really, it's much easier! There are public toilets everywhere, showers at sports centres and swimming baths, and you can walk into a trillion pubs and ask for tap water

I tune and repair pianos everywhere I go, my website is http://www.piano-tuning.co.uk (needs updating, I moved out of Pimlico nearly a year ago to become a cycle touring piano tuner ).

I was testing my Winter kit outdoors last night...actually the same as my summer kit but wearing warm clothes inside - it was cosy. So watch out for me on the streets of London next week!

[horizon]

Is it wild camping? Not really

Hmmm, perhaps that's the answer. Perhaps.

[CREPELLO]

<snip>

Dude!
If you gotta bivvy, that's wild
Besides, you have to deal with the urban wildlife. And I don't mean the badgers.
It's just different conditions to rural wild camping.

Thinking of getting a bivvy myself. Summer camping, I've already dispensed with cooking equipment.

[microprosopus]

I have cycled around Bristol area and Gloucestershire with a 1 person tent and slept in secluded woods. I'm not sure of the legality of the trespass laws in England but as long as a person is not causing any criminal damage, lighting fires etc. and they leave if asked is it a problem?

n.b. Wouldn't go without a lightweight hammock that packs into a tiny bag.

[horizon]

I have cycled around Bristol area and Gloucestershire with a 1 person tent and slept in secluded woods. I'm not sure of the legality of the trespass laws in England but as long as a person is not causing any criminal damage, lighting fires etc. and they leave if asked is it a problem?

n.b. Wouldn't go without a lightweight hammock that packs into a tiny bag.

I'm not sure that legality is really the problem, it's more the right to a good night's sleep without having to worry about local youths, being shot at by lampers (it's happened to me) or annoyed by wild animals. I've wild camped all over Europe, North America and the UK as a hitch-hiker or cyclist, as recently as last year in Spain but nothing beats a simple campsite with good grass (the sort you put the tent on), water, a loo and a shower. Having said that, camping wild in truly wild areas is OK too but that isn't really what we are talking about here.

[dameunmate]

I've just started to blog about my learning experiences at my new web address: http://www.TouringPianoTuner.com


I've never camped as wild as some of the above contributors...I'm always near civilisation here in the South-East.

About the 'wildlife' encountered when urban camping the worst I've ever had is just a few stern words from security guards who have been told not to allow homeless people to occupy a posh Riverside development. One threatened a bucket of cold water but that was because he had been trying to wake me up for quite a while. Somehow on hearing the words 'cold water' I quickly awoke =D

I don't use a tent anymore for urban camping or even sleeping out in a village. It's too visible, you've got to find soft ground, the are free shelters like porches and bridges everywhere and curiously, wild camping with a tent in England seems to be more illegal than just 'sleeping rough'.

I just think I'm not a target. Firstly I'm male. Secondly I a homeless bloke sleeping in a black bag who doesn't look like he could have anything of value. The only places I do avoid are clubbing areas on weekends like the West End because drunken idiots are all I have to fear really. But they won't see me where I sleep. I've written more on this on my website http://www.TouringPianoTuner.com (click 'blog')

[Tasker]

I've just started to blog about my learning experiences at my new web address: http://www.TouringPianoTuner.com
I sleep. I've written more on this on my website http://www.TouringPianoTuner.com (click 'blog')

Just been and had a look - fantastic, and quite different from the usual blogs on camping/cycling, interesting as many of them are. I'd recommend everyone to take a look.

[ndmbike]

Very impressed with your blog Dameunmate!
Having bivvied out in the mountains in the UK and Europe I've found sleeping near habitation the most difficult.
I still get nightmares of waking up to that slavering doberman looming over my face early one morning when I slept in a park.
If you have occasion to visit Yorkshire to tune some pianos you're welcome to some floor space and a meal! Just pm.

[leftpoole]

Hi,
I have wild camped in Spain (very easily in the mountains) whilst on a motorcycle tour. France on the middle of a roundabout! I had stopped because I just could not stay awake and I just planted the tent on some grass. When I awoke there were two more tents also. In a multi storey Car Park in Paris I was woken in the middle of the night by Gendarmes and had to pack up and move on.
Best true wild camp in UK was in a small field near Tintern at the side of the road, the field was completely covered in wild flowers.
Regards,
John

[mercalia]

seems like there arent many vergers here? I am interested in this possibility also as a way to get to places.

[Sweep]

vergers?

<edit - just seen your new thread>



viewtopic.php?f=42&t=84569

[b1galus]

i have often camped at the side of the road , in a lay-by at the end as there is more room there . never been moved on yet, only hassles i have had have been when i have asked permission to pitch somewhere
then i have been turned down . arrive late , leave early seems to work really well use hedges and cover if available . if i spot a likely picnic area i may well loiter till dusk then pitch