https://nearlywildcamping.org/frequentl ... questions/

£20 a year
£10 to £20 per night for a family

But they have fire pits......

Is this just a way to flog poor show camp sites with next to no facilities for a higher price?

Did we touch on these folks a while ago? Can't remember. £10 for a whole family isn't too bad I suppose. Nowhere near as good as £0 though of course . Conversely most of the places I've "wildcamped" have been priceless in more ways than one . Interesting to know why people would choose this over "actual" wildcamping - a feeling of being slightly more "secure" presumably? Similar to guided bikepacking - helps people to dip their toes, and why not, no harm done and someone has a nice time hopefully. But I'm afraid any sense of "wildness" would be totally blown away by having a motor vehicle sitting next to me ("40% accept vans", sigh, YAWN) is all I can say.

I can see this thread kicking off as usual .

Yeah lets kick it off!
Campervans? It does amuse me when these muppets (campervan owners{sorry John, not you}) describe parking up at the roadside somewhere as wildcamping so getting them to cough up for a proper pitch is definitely a good thing.

Otherwise I guess its an E&W thing where official wild camping is verbotten. Also a logical variation on the whole Air B&B thing. Doubtless as per air b&b some sites will actually be the back garden of someones cooncil hoose so I look forward to the ensuing outrage....

Whatever, folk are always going to try and market something new so overall its probably a good thing.

Agreed Reg, when you've done it for real, particularly away from the 'normal' wildcamping areas it easy (and acceptable) to be smug about such ventures....

I listened to an outdoors station podcast on this

1,000 members or so, it’s a cooperative rather than a big commercial enterprise

Apparently quite popular with solo women and families. Lots of other bits you can do. Personally I thought it seemed pretty good, although not personally for me

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:24 pm Did we touch on these folks a while ago?

That was the venture capitalists who wanted to flog you permission to bivvy.

Mleh not for me but I can see why folk want to book to have a more proper / rustic camping that they have guaranteed,

I know folk who would do this but not wild camp - Not everyone is a comfortable hobo- or perhaps their version is just more organised,pricey and comfortable.

They are all much more than a place to sleep, offering the chance to explore where you are through guided walks, star gazing, badger watching, having a go at some regular onsite tasks (from feeding the chickens to carving a spoon), cooking up some homegrown veg on your campfire and much, much more.

*runs away shouting about "hipsters and pyromaniacs" *



The concept is fine, I'm struggling with the logo graphic design esp the T-shirt on sale, so I suppose that makes me as bad as a spoon-carver anyway.

"carving a spoon" - well spotted James. I'm a bit baffled why that's a "regular" onsite task. Does every camper have to whittle their own fresh cutlery for every meal?

jameso wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:17 am *runs away shouting about "hipsters and pyromaniacs" *

Pretty sure I deserve both of those labels.

What's wrong with carving spoons?

Literally something to do while sitting about not staring at a screen. Or, for some, a way of making something for someone else. Literally a tradition in Wales.

Just because you don't like a passtime someone else chooses to do, doesn't make it s**t.

Non-spoon carver BTW, though I have been gifted a love spoon in the past, by someone who made it.

Does every camper have to whittle their own fresh cutlery for every meal?

Sustainability Reg, and sporks are hateful plastic aren't they?

What's wrong with carving spoons?

Literally something to do while sitting about not staring at a screen. Or, for some, a way of making something for someone else. Literally a tradition in Wales.

Just because you don't like a passtime someone else chooses to do, doesn't make it s**t.

Non-spoon carver BTW, though I have been gifted a love spoon in the past, by someone who made it.

Hey sorry, no, I was joking or having a pop at how anything seen as hipster gets unfairly criticised so often Nothing at all wrong with it, making things by hand is perhaps the greatest use of our time. I've been told recently that a dry sense of humour and oft-miserable looking/poker face (not intentional, just how I am) can come across wrong, same here maybe - and maybe shouldn't have mixed it in with fires, which is often fair to criticise.
"so I suppose that makes me as bad as a spoon-carver anyway." as in critique of or interest in graphic design is hipster too .. and I love graphic design so I'm aligning with hipsters and spoon carvers. Maybe I need to take more interest in communications or written English : )

Those that know me would know how much stuff I enjoy cobbling together and how much I admire craftsmen of any kind.
A bit off-topic but I met a frame/bike builder yesterday who I find a real inspiration and a breath of fresh air in cycling. A real true-to-the-cause guy. I usually find it hard to get that across when you get the opportunity, but happily risked embarrassment to either of us by saying so.

Pretty sure I deserve both of those labels.

- nice work : )

I can see an easy misreading of the comms there, but I got you James . I love a good bit of whittling. We ought to get Private Eye to interview Chris Landslide about his favourite carved spoon .

Stu needs to enable the body-language-and-facial-expressions forum video add-on then there'd be no comms problems . On second thoughts it wouldn't help - the massive increase in gesture misinterpretations would outweigh the benefit....

Landslide wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:52 pm

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:24 pm Did we touch on these folks a while ago?

That was the venture capitalists who wanted to flog you permission to bivvy.

I think I brought them up on that thread. I'm not a member of this group, but I've been tempted. Not for bikepacking, but for trips with my partner or friends where "proper" wild camping is impractical, it seems like it could work.

When I do this sort of camping, I don't want a bit of lawn next to rows of caravans, I'm happy with the corner of a field where I won't be bothered, and this seems like a good mechanism for arranging that with the owner of said field.

There are times when "arrive late, leave early" isn't really what I'm looking for!

Bugger...

I have used some sites listed with them.
I have a beard.
I have carved many spoons.
I only have steel frames bikes.
I own some check shirts.

I must have a bad case of hipster...

Seriously though. I find it a good source of campsites that are quiet and basic. Personally, I think that is a good resource, although I can see how many BBers may think it's a bit contrived, and not the real thing. We don't have to use them if we don't want after all eh?

Si

Yes i was starting to think that I have mates who like camping and "rural" sites but they wont want to wild camp on a "holiday"
I was further assuming the lack of facilities and having to join means there is less likelihood of drunken rowdy chavs

Wearing my "Dad" hat, on the face of it it seems a good idea. A fiver a head to have somewhere that you know you'll find a place at and you'll avoid conflict seems good value to me.

I've been told recently that a dry sense of humour and oft-miserable looking/poker face (not intentional, just how I am) can come across wrong

Story of my life. I had some very cross people of FB recently because I shared a news story about a motorcyclist who identifies as a cyclist and who then went out and set some cycling records (on his motorbike). Apparantly, that made me genderphobic and all kinds of other bad things. Me, I simply thought it was an interesting take on the world we live in.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:29 pmFB

There's your problem Stu

Back to Nearly Wild Camping. I'll have a look at that next year when wifey is ready to start camping again. She's more than happy to rough it but isn't comfortable with kipping in random bits of woods. We live in East Herts so don't have opportunities many of you do for a night in the Peaks, Wales, Scotland etc.

Also, a friend in the village owns a bit of woodland that would be perfect for this.