The Camping Forum

[Brakersway]

Hey all, I truly hope someone can help as google is failing me tremendously.
My son and I want to go old school camping over the summer holidays. A tent and sleeping bag, food etc and thats it. We want to cook on a campfire and sleep in the woods. Not on a campsite with toilets etc.
Does anyone know of anywhere in Wiltshire where we can do this? Preferably near a water source.

Google just brings up a million campand caravan sites etc, not the back to nature kind of thing we are looking for.

I cannot seem to find anything at all, that doesnt require trespassing, like abandoned quarries, or fishing lakes etc.

[Rob-merlin1973]

Hi
Welcome to the forum

Sorry but i dont really have much experience in that kind of camping but try Real camping world it may be of some help

[Donnelly69]

I've found the best way is to just call in and ask the farmers. Usually, as long as you pick somewhere that is not visible to the public, they're usually fine about it, especially if you cross there palms with silver!

[Brakersway]

I didnt realise it was techinally illegal to "wild camp" around england.
Thanks for the help though guys
We are just going to head off and see what we can find. As long as the weather is good, then we should have a brilliant time.

[OutdoorWorldDirect]

yeh i'll be rough camping through europe soon and the only place its actually legal is italy. when i was is the States we met two guys who wild camped across the entire usa and they only got caught once and they were asked to move on. But the US is slightly bigger lol so more places to hide.

But as the earlier person said, just ask a farmer and they should let you stay. I've heard stories from friends doing similar stuff and it seems to work. Otherwise just walk offroad for a littlewhile im sure you won't be found and even if you are they will just move you on.

Good luck anyway

[Brakersway]

Thanks for that.
We are off tommorrow morning to the wiltshire somerset border for a two day trial run before a longer expedition in August.
My boy has an SAS survival guide and wants to try his hand at some camp craft.
Not sure about the whole rubbing sticks together to make fire, so I have packed a lighter or two and some lighter fluid just in case.
Should be fun though

[Admin]

Hey all, I truly hope someone can help as google is failing me tremendously.
My son and I want to go old school camping over the summer holidays. A tent and sleeping bag, food etc and thats it. We want to cook on a campfire and sleep in the woods. Not on a campsite with toilets etc.
Does anyone know of anywhere in Wiltshire where we can do this? Preferably near a water source.

Google just brings up a million campand caravan sites etc, not the back to nature kind of thing we are looking for.

I cannot seem to find anything at all, that doesnt require trespassing, like abandoned quarries, or fishing lakes etc.

Look out for the next issue of camping magazine, they are going to be doing a feature on wild camping go's on sale 5th August

[Wayne]

Hi and a warm welcome to the forum.

Wild Camping can be fun, but as you mentioned isn't technically legal as mentioned here with link. Pitch in the evening and leave the area as you found it if you are on common land and you should be OK.


Get you lad one of these, he'll love it and Bear Grylls never leaves home without it

[Rob-merlin1973]

Hi and a warm welcome to the forum.

Wild Camping can be fun, but as you mentioned isn't technically legal as mentioned here with link. Pitch in the evening and leave the area as you found it if you are on common land and you should be OK.


Get you lad one of these, he'll love it and Bear Grylls never leaves home without it

Yes but Bear Grylls never leaves home without a camera crew and air support either

[swindonred]

Try Savernake Forest near Marlborough, we did all those things when I was a kid http://www.savernakeestate.co.uk/permissions.htm

[Wayne]

Try Savernake Forest near Marlborough, we did all those things when I was a kid http://www.savernakeestate.co.uk/permissions.htm

Hello and a warm welcome to the forum