A maiden wild camping trip

The idea of wild camping appeals to many but is not always easy. When Eden posted on the YesTribe about her first try we loved her spirit and asked her to share the experience.

Eden’s camping gear

My name is Eden, I’m originally from the Philippines and moved to the UK 4 years ago. I've always loved the outdoors. I came across Dave Cornthwaite’s page and that's where I found The YesTribe that inspired me to go for my first solo wild camping in Dartmoor.

It took me a month of planning and research of where to camp and what equipment to use (mine are not expensive as I wanted to try it out in the wild first and then decide what equipment is really suitable for my needs). Also, I watched a lot of youtube videos of wild camping in Dartmoor just to give me an idea of what I was getting myself into.

So the day came that I finally said Yes to go camping in the wild. The 2-hour drive from Dorset to Dartmoor took me 3 hours as I avoided the motorway and enjoyed the countryside more. When I got there, it was gloomy but I didn't let that put me off. My main motivation was ”I’m too tired to drive back!”

I camped next to the river and on my first night I couldn’t sleep. The rapids were loud, it rained and there was a warning for a thunderstorm. It’s like a scene in a horror film.

Eden’s first wild camping spot, a glorious (and loud) spot next to a Dartmoor River

The next day, I went for a walk to Foggintor Quarry and was blessed with perfect weather. So I decided to stay for another night. It’s true, what Dave Cornthwaite said: 1st-night discomfort, 2nd-night familiarity.

The first solo wild camp I can say was a success and hope to do more. They say to surround yourself with positive people that will inspire you and motivate you to do things. And this is what this group does to me. THANK YOU!

If you’ve been inspired by Eden’s story make sure you join the YesTribe group on Facebook, and take a look at our Wild Camping Guidelines to ensure you leave no trace

Eden at Foggintor Quarry, looking out over a landscape of rocks and a lake

Wild Camping: Leave No Trace

After months of restricted movement the countryside has become an escape for many, but if you’re thinking of a camping trip please keep nature and future visitors at the forefront of your mind.

We’ve all seen post-lockdown images from beaches, woodland and even national parks; litter strewn around, abandoned tents, empty booze bottles, plastic bags and scorched ground courtesy of one-use BBQs.

There’s an enormous difference between heading off on a camping holiday and enjoying a quiet wild camp, and they’re best summed up by three little words: Leave No Trace.

The YesTribe was born out of wild camping, a low-level way to commune with nature. From the off we’ve stressed the importance of responsible camping and leaving no trace, but it’s important to remember that this isn’t just about removing all signs of the previous night’s camp.

England sadly doesn’t boast the Allmansratten or right to roam that is commonplace in Scotland, Scandinavia and several other European countries,, so wild camping needs a little extra thought.

Of course, there’s more to acceptable wild camping practice than carrying out waste and avoiding campfires. A ‘trace’ can also be psychological, it’s not just about litter.

We’ve always encouraged a respectful, positive attitude, limiting the likelihood of encounters with passers-by, hikers or morning dog walkers by choosing an off-the-beaten track spot for a camp. If you do encounter someone, bid them a hearty hello and “good morning!”

The size and appearance of a camp also has a big impact on those who happen upon the area. We’ve always banned tents from traditional wild camps, they’re bigger, more visible, leave a larger footprint and give the impression of a more permanent camp. A walker can’t comfortably engage with a human who is inside a tent, whereas a bivvy bag or hammock is a lot less intimidating.

Every engagement a person or group has while camping contributes to the overall reputation of wild campers in general, and anyone choosing to venture outdoors should act as an ambassador. Yes, there will be idiots who trash a woodland and walk out without thought of their remnants, but it doesn’t take much to plan an enjoyable, respectable wild camp.

Although wild camping isn’t strictly legal in many parts of the UK, there’s a chasm between an impromptu rave and a couple of friends hiding away in search of a peaceful night beneath the stars.

The National Trust are keen to distinguish between discreet wild campers – who pitch late in remote locations and go early without leaving any trace of their presence – and larger groups camping in inappropriate places and leaving behind rubbish. [Guardian, 19 July 2020]

While there’s no set guidebook for how officials or members of the public will respond to discovering a group of wild campers, there’s a growing sense of proportionate reaction. Act responsibly and you’re less likely to be found or moved on.

Here are an easy-to-follow set of suggested guidelines for wild camping in England:

Rule One: If you’re wild camping and nobody finds you, or would know you’d been there after you’ve left, you’re doing it right. They call it stealth camping in North America for a reason.

If you can, ask permission from the landowner. If asked by a landowner to move on do so with respect and without argument

Avoid any areas likely to be considered ‘peak’ destinations. Join wild camping groups and get a feel for where is acceptable and not.

Find a remote location, away from main tracks, houses and farms.

If you’re heading into an unknown remote location, consider downloading an app like OS Locate to ensure you can always pinpoint your location.

Pitch camp late - just before dark - and leave at first light.

Minimise numbers of campers in your group.

Keep your camp low-level and unintimidating. Try to stick to bivvy bags and hammocks. If you have a tent, ensure it’s a natural colour and make an extra effort to hide away.

Don’t assume everyone knows how to camp responsibly. If you encounter inappropriate campers, call them out. Educate them on the spot if you feel comfortable enough to do so. Don’t publicly or online shame, just educate. Education is the key, if they knew it, they’d likely not be doing it.

Use a proper camping stove (not a portable BBQ) for cooking. Don’t light a campfire or use portable BBQs without permission. Scorched earth isn’t just a visible stain, there’s potential damage to habitat, insect life and underground fires to consider.

Use tree straps for a hammock.

Do not use soaps or detergent for washing in streams, lakes or rivers.

Maintain the peace by being as quiet as possible during your camp.

Don’t remain in the same spot for more than one night.

Toileting should be well away from any water source or path (30 metres minimum). Carry paper and sanitary products out with you, do not bury.

Do not dig drainage ditches, move rocks or cut down trees. Avoid trampling plants, wild flowers or causing damage to your surroundings.

Avoid a disposable mentality. Buy sustainable, well-made gear and look after it. It’ll last longer, give you more pleasure and will save you money in the long run.

If you like the idea of a more comfortable, traditional camping experience, book into an official campsite.

Act responsibly. It’s the irresponsible behaviour that gets the bad press but everyone gets tainted with the same suspicion. Please don’t ruin the wild camping experience for anyone - or anything - else.

Lastly, LEAVE NO TRACE. Carry out your equipment, food scraps and litter. Leave your camp site as you found it.

If you like the idea of wild camping responsibly but haven’t yet done it yet, join a group with an experienced leader. Outside of the pandemic The YesTribe lead regular wild camps and have regional groups all over the UK.

How to Host a Wild Camp for Wake Up Wild

This blog is primarily for anyone who would like to lead a wild camp for the YesTribe. In 2019 the YesTribe has committed to hosting 100 free (or nearly free, in the case of a site charging for places) wild camps around the UK, as part of a campaign called Wake Up Wild. We’re also raising funds for a charity called Tree Aid, because we really like trees.

This is a simple step-by-step guide to hosting a campout. These steps are written assuming you’re a comfortable wild camper already, and are happy to lead and welcome a crew of people - many of whom you won’t know. If you’d like a little training before hosting your camp, then be sure to drop us a line and then attend an existing wild camp. Shadowing someone else is the best way to learn.

Ok, so assuming you’re ready to go, here’s what to do:

1) Decide on the location of your camp. If you’re not sure where to host a camp, or if you’d like some suggestions, drop Team Yes a line.

Setting up an event on Facebook

2) Set up an event on the Wake Up Wild Facebook page. Events > + Create Event > then fill in the details, ideally copying and pasting the main body of text from a previous Wake Up Wild camp and substituting your specific location and meet-up details.

The rule of thumb for organising these campouts is to make the camp as simple and easy to attend for everyone, experienced and beginner campouts alike. It’s ensure more people come along, and will also keep your admin workload down because folks ask fewer questions when they’re given all details up front.

3) Ensure the Event Name begins with ‘YesTribe Wild Camp at"‘ and then add the location or region afterwards.

The key details to enter into a Facebook event

4) Add ‘Wake Up Wild’ as a co-host

5) Ensure your event timings match the meet-up time you’ve scheduled for the start. Home-time the next morning is up to you, it might be a school morning so everyone will disappear fast, or a more loungy weekend. People are free to leave when they like, but put the End time as the time that YOU want to head out.

6) Feel free to leave the ‘details’ field clear.

7) Add this Justgiving link to the Tickets field: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wakeupwild2019

Enter the justgiving link for Wake Up Wild and Tree Aid into the Tickets field

8) Finally, ensure that this text is towards the top of the description (in case you wrote your own or copied from an event that didn’t already have it:

We don’t ask for any payment for these wild camps, it’s essentially a group of folks who like camping meeting up with other people who like camping! You just need to organise your own kit (feel free to ask for help/spares on the event page) and get yourself to the camp. Please remember you come along at your own risk, nature is wonderful but there are trip hazards sometimes.

If you’d like to say thanks we’ve got a couple of options - donate to Tree Aid, the Wake Up Wild charity partner @ www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wakeupwild2019 and/or give a pound or two to your camp leader to cover their expenses and admin time. They’re very nice people who host campouts out of the goodness of their heart :)

9) Once your event is live let the team know by posting it here. This way they can ensure it’s shared on the SayYesMore calendar, newsletter and Facebook pages/groups.

10) The Build-Up: Keep an eye on your event in case people ask questions. Remember that people sometimes click ‘interested’ or ‘going’ and then won’t turn up, so keep an open mind on attendance.

11) The day before a camp out it’s always nice to post an update, encouraging folks to sign up and remind them that it’s still happening. (When you create the event try to make it habit to set a reminder in your personal calendar to write this pre-camp post). Be friendly and open and kind and you’ll set the culture for the event in real life. It’s also a good time to remind them about social media posts. Social media is a great way to get other people interested in wild camps, and this is a really nice use of social media as well.

Here’s a bit of text to copy/paste the day before a camp. Feel free to add your own flavour :)

Hello everyone! The campout tomorrow is still on! The weather is looking (FILL IN THE BLANK HERE!) and I’m excited to spend a night outside with you. Please do post on social media about your experience before and after the event and remember to tag @theyestribe and #wakeupwild and #sayyesmore if there’s space. If you’d like to film your experience of preparing for, travelling to and enjoying the campout, we would love to add your footage to a film we’re making as we go. Send for free to events@wakeupwild.co.uk on wetransfer.com.

[Image: A screenshot of the weather app is a nice image to share here, especially if it’s sunny! If it’s rainy, maybe just a picture of a smiley person outside! The Upsplash website is a good place to get copyright-free photos]

11) Depending on the meet-up and location (ie. if the camp is a hard place to find unless you guide people) you might want to share your phone number on the event. You do not have to do this, it’s totally up to you.

12) Event time: It’s over to you now. Have a great time, look after people, perhaps start the camp by getting everyone in a circle and doing a painless introduction (ask each person to spend no more than 20 seconds sharing their name, why they came along to the camp, and something different, like the best thing that happened to them that week, or a cool fact that nobody else would know!).

13) Make sure you take a group photo before it gets too dark (or if it’s dark already, do a headlight campfire photo!). Remember to pack a little tripod for this, they’re very handy and to take a few nice photos showing the group, the approach to the camp and the site itself. Then send for free to events@sayyesmore.com (use wetransfer.com if files are big). We love archiving photos of YesTribe wild camps!

A group of people on a wild camp surrounding a pile of headtorches on the ground, which look a bit like a campfire!

Finally, thank you. We think it’s important to get outside with good people, and the more wild camps you put on the more opportunity folks will have. You’re brilliant, and we’re here to support you so please, if you ever have a question or ten, say hi.