This thread confirms to me that there is always someone, somewhere actively looking to be offended and/or outraged...

We can be a very crap species...

We can also be a <enter a superlative of choice here> species!

Sometimes it is hard to see past the crap to find the treasure.

(I should add, for clarity, that I firmly believe that Bear Bones is most definitely treasure... IMHO)


Si

darbeze wrote: ↑Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:46 am This thread confirms to me that there is always someone, somewhere actively looking to be offended and/or outraged...

There is a phrase that describes this - or something very like it. I can’t remember it but someone on here used it. If I could remember what it was I’d search for it but….

What was it? I need to know…

"Jane ............. would describe herself as a ‘soft’ adventurer."

https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/sin ... ne-harries

Richpips wrote: ↑Thu Feb 10, 2022 11:33 pm "Jane ............. would describe herself as a ‘soft’ adventurer."

https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/sin ... ne-harries

Reading the list of all the stuff shes done, I'm somewhat mystified as to why she would contact the organiser of a low key bikepacking event to try and get him to admit he's encouraging people to do illegal stuff....

Crikey, I've just logged on, started reading this from most recent posts first, started off thinking "my God I've missed this place ", eventually got to the very first post and nearly said out loud "Oh FFS" !!

Reading the list of all the stuff shes done, I'm somewhat mystified as to why she would contact the organiser of a low key bikepacking event to try and get him to admit he's encouraging people to do illegal stuff....

I have a feeling that she comes from a completely different direction than most on here. She's a qualified solicitor so the legal aspects might attract interest and she might not understand that essentially their is a lot of low key self organised stuff going on.

Lockdown suddenly dumped lots of extra people into the countryside and the internet tells them where to go. I remember walking down Fleetwith Pike with people still climbing to join the 40 or so other wild campers on it. It's a great sunset location, not so good with all the people joining you.

I've nothing against her and if she feels she can't talk about bike packing then that's probably good, there is plenty of content on YouTube and Instagram of the exploits of solo women to give people a introduction into something that ideally needs to stay low key

I admire your diplomacy, Stu, have you ever considered a job in the Ukraine? They could use you right now.

In my books about cycling in England and Wales I've always had a little bit that extols the pleasures of wild camping, gives a few practical tips and some suggestions for parts of the country that are most suited (in fact, almost everywhere once you get your eye in). I've always couched things in terms of being stealthy, being low key, don't worry you'll never be noticed, etc. I wholeheartedly agree with leave no trace etc and there is something nice about the craft of stealth, but in the current book I've expanded my argument to say that - if you want it to be - wild camping can be bit more radical, in the tradition of the land rights protests, mass trespasses on Winter Hill, Kinder Scout etc. I'm starting to question my stealthy ways and wondering if it's not time to be a bit more loud and proud with my wild camping. I genuinely don't know if this will help or risks harming the cause of making wild camping legal like it is Scotland. Maybe I'm just getting older and more curmudgeonly.

Don't know if anyone's had the 'pleasure' of reading the post on fb but someone questioned her, saying that they thought her stance was odd given what she does ... she now wants to sue him

Living in country with more enlightened attitudes to access I can only stand back and watch on bemused.

On a more positive note thanks for the link to fit for adventure’s ‘channel’ (sorry, have to stick quotes around it) I like her.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:15 am Don't know if anyone's had the 'pleasure' of reading the post on fb but someone questioned her, saying that they thought her stance was odd given what she does ... she now wants to sue him

Where on Facebook is this?

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:49 am

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:15 am Don't know if anyone's had the 'pleasure' of reading the post on fb but someone questioned her, saying that they thought her stance was odd given what she does ... she now wants to sue him

Where on Facebook is this?

On the BB page on the post about the WRT

https://www.facebook.com/18948287374516 ... 927717313/

Just block her and move on (though agree that’ll probably rile her more )

Just block her and move on (though agree that’ll probably rile her more )

I'm quite enjoying the fact she just keeps on digging and every time she lifts her spade, we get another flurry of entries

Heh. You should give a WRT award in her name “The xxxxxxx award for most innovative bivvy spot”

Ah. I know Matt Robinson.

riderdown wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:30 am She's a qualified solicitor

Spotted that earlier meself yes.

And therefore seems knows the letter of every law but not necessarily the spirit. I'm probably opening myself up to a defamation case right here.

Jack wrote: I'm starting to question my stealthy ways and wondering if it's not time to be a bit more loud and proud with my wildcamping

Good for you Jack! Hiding in plain sight is most underrated. Allow me to extend a cordial invitation to join me on my next BaM . Happy to collaborate on a new book - we could call it, well, 'Hiding In Plain Sight'. A million-seller I'd wager .

Just offer to take her wild camping rather than "fly" camping.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:11 am

Just block her and move on (though agree that’ll probably rile her more )

I'm quite enjoying the fact she just keeps on digging and every time she lifts her spade, we get another flurry of entries

Ah, she's a fifth advocate (columnist) secretly working on your behalf

Nothing we do will change the views of the current govt who are the party of the rich and the landed gentry. I assume more militant ( unless it's mass action ) will just allow them and their billionaire friends who own the media to show us as lawless freeloaders etc )
We really need Scotland laws UK wide tbh but it is never coming from Tories

frogatthefarriers wrote: ↑Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:02 pm

darbeze wrote: ↑Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:46 am This thread confirms to me that there is always someone, somewhere actively looking to be offended and/or outraged...

There is a phrase that describes this - or something very like it. I can’t remember it but someone on here used it. If I could remember what it was I’d search for it but….

What was it? I need to know…

Curtain twitcher?

Daily Hatemail reader?

Lazarus wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:59 am Nothing we do will change the views of the current govt who are the party of the rich and the landed gentry. I assume more militant ( unless it's mass action ) will just allow them and their billionaire friends who own the media to show us as lawless freeloaders etc )
We really need Scotland laws UK wide tbh but it is never coming from Tories

Some of us had hoped that a non-Tory government in Wales might have brought in the kind of laws there are in Scotland - it's within the Senedd's power. I don't know if wild camping was on the agenda at all in the recent review of land access in Wales, which was specifically intended to increase public rights to access the countryside. But it seems as though a lot of the initial ambition has been watered down thanks to lobbying by landed interests. (A core element of the original proposals was that the FP/BW distinction should be abolished, and paths would be accessible to all non-motorised travellers, with a process for making limited local exceptions if required. Last I heard that idea had been kicked into the long grass, in part thanks to the Ramblers Association, as I understand it, who like to keep FPs to themselves.)

A problem with being stealthy is that it's by its nature nobody sees you doing it. So the only wild camping that gets *seen* is the problem type. Therefore it's assume wild camping is a problem. Some are rightly hesitant about sharing images of their stealthy camping exploits. Continuously emphasising the leave no trace ethos seems the best plan. Maybe start referring to it as 'leave no trace camping' as the term wild camping is becoming muddied.

Love the camp spot Reg! How were you received by passersby?

JackT wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:34 am Love the camp spot Reg! How were you received by passersby?

I believe a few paid him a toll to cross the aquaduct...

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:23 am

riderdown wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:30 am She's a qualified solicitor

Spotted that earlier meself yes.

And therefore seems knows the letter of every law but not necessarily the spirit. I'm probably opening myself up to a defamation case right here.

Jack wrote: I'm starting to question my stealthy ways and wondering if it's not time to be a bit more loud and proud with my wildcamping

Good for you Jack! Hiding in plain sight is most underrated. Allow me to extend a cordial invitation to join me on my next BaM . Happy to collaborate on a new book - we could call it, well, 'Hiding In Plain Sight'. A million-seller I'd wager .

Nice one. Reminds me of this:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f1dNR3 ... _Allington

. A problem with being stealthy is that it's by its nature nobody sees you doing it

True and a good point/post.
Not sure open helps either as I got told of on a footpath by the stone that marks the winter hill mass trespass to get walkers access ( do agree they have become like land owners just wanting it for themselves and not happy to share)
Agree on BW and FP as locally ( obviously old cart routes as double track ) change between the two as you pass council boundaries . The rules and classification are so poor no one really follows them anyway.

One of those when ' in the wrong " is stealth or mass dissent the better option

I feel that I really ought to share this with you - it's a direct message I've just received and in my mind, feels awfully like a veiled threat.

Hi I know we have had an active discussion. Hopefully it has been a polite one. Please note Matt Robinson’s dematory comments against me and a magazine I founded and edit. I respectfully ask you to take action against him. Also on a different note, you may want to double check the small print of any insurance policy you have taken out for the event. You know how it is, accidents can happen, such as when Mike Hall very tragically died during a bikepacking event in Australia. I love Wales, I love small businesses, small businesses are critical to local communities. I want you to be successful, but within the law and having regard to multiple requests from the national parks about not wild camping. This is not meant as legal advice at all, but what would be your position in terms of the small print of your insurance police if there were an accident given wild camping is illegal? Have you thought about having a few sites where people can camp along the way, with prior permission of the landowner and proped loos? Best wishes Jane

JackT wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:34 am A problem with being stealthy is that it's by its nature nobody sees you doing it. So the only wild camping that gets *seen* is the problem type. Therefore it's assume wild camping is a problem. Some are rightly hesitant about sharing images of their stealthy camping exploits. Continuously emphasising the leave no trace ethos seems the best plan. Maybe start referring to it as 'leave no trace camping' as the term wild camping is becoming muddied.

Love the camp spot Reg! How were you received by passersby?

Lots of superb points in that paragraph Jack.The only wild camping that gets (normally) seen is the bad sort. Nail on head. What a paradox. We just have to be ambassadors where we can then.

Talking of which.... in 73 BaMs I don't think I've ever had a bad reaction from passers-by. Well there was that one farmer.. but he cheered up in the end. Sometimes I pre-empt it by chatting to people nearby beforehand. Pontcysyllte was a case in point - one of my main reasons for visiting a boozer or cafe before kipping: you've tried to integrate, find out a bit about the locals, buy some of their supplies, let them take the p1ss out of you etc etc, invariably you're welcomed afterwards and gain a huge experience too. So in fact you've doubly gained - a bed and some new friends (possibly both at the same time if you've played your cards right! )

Our Jane: I've minutely checked the WRT page on This Place and at no point does Stu suggest wildcamping. "Where you ride and kip is up to you".