A 'conversation' I had today on social media. I mistakenly thought the person in question had entered the WRT and was asking a genuine question but then I realised they weren't. Oh so very close to just getting told to f*ck off.

Them:
Given wild camping is illegal in Wales, and campsites can get booked up, where are we meant to camp or are the interim camp sights included in the email sent to participants?

Me:
You're correct that wildcamping is illegal in Wales Jane. However it's something that happens and is often tolerated if people do it sensibly and in adherence with the 'leave no trace' ethos. It's perhaps also something which for many is an integral and accepted part of bikepacking. Obviously people could decide not to camp and instead use B&B, pubs, etc. No overnight details are given and people are expected to use their own judgement.

Them:
oh I aren’t confused or unsure at all. I am simply concerned about the illegality of wild camping and an event encouraging illegal activity. It would be good if you supported camp sites by having camping at a proper camp site, e.g. by reaching a deal with certain camp sites for people to camp there at the event. After all, camp site owners need to make a living. For the record, I do NOT own a camp sites

Me:
In that case Jane, I hope you have a wide brush because you'll need to tar most bikepacking events with it. People are free to spend their nights where they choose. That may be wild camping or a 5 star hotel. In 14 years, I don't recall that we've ever had an issue and most people seem happy for us to not only pour money into the coffers of the Air Ambulance but also local shops, cafes, pubs and even campsites. Perhaps also worth voicing your concerns to the many wildcamping fb pages and their thousands of members plus the monthly outdoor magazines such as TGO and Trail and perhaps the board of DoE too.

U OK HUN?

Looks like a fictitious exchange to me! Those responses are far too restrained to be you Stu .

She really ought to enter the "event" and come and see for herself how seamlessly it all works. I'm sure we can find a suitably salubrious ditch to chuck h.. I mean show her to kip in. And as you say, the local businesses always seem to love us to bits rather than raise shotguns.

I get a bit twitchy when people use the word "camp", with all its undertones of fires, tents, barbecues, ghettoblasters etc etc....

Nuke them from orbit

Sounds like Facebook

Apologies (especially to Colin, yes I'm okay sweetie, thanks for asking although I was a bit tearful early on) but it got on my tits, especially when I discovered they are the editor of 'Adventure She' magazine which promises to 'Empower, educate and entertain'.

Those responses are far too restrained to be you Stu .

I'm very proud of myself Reg.

They use the term "short rde".

Yet again, launch the nukes.

As a man, I wonder if there is a solo-female angle to this too.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:31 pm As a man, I wonder if there is a solo-female angle to this too.

What, and not just a mad-panda (non-gender specific, promise) blithering on about it being illegal and not mentioning anything of the sort?

I wonder if there is a solo-female angle to this too.

Really? I did give her the link to the LHC in which V is riding and besides, the WRT usually has a reasonable number of women taking part, so again ?

When I saw the title I thought Stu was as outraged as me (spoiler alert, sort of )at the inclusion of an American spelling as the solution to todays Wordle

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 4:22 pm Me:
You're correct that wildcamping is illegal in Wales Jane........
Me:
In that case Jane, I hope you have a wide brush because you'll need to tar most bikepacking events with it. People are free to spend their nights where they choose....

Jane?

Carry on Camping

or Carry on Karen?

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:34 pm Apologies (especially to Colin, yes I'm okay sweetie, thanks for asking although I was a bit tearful early on) but it got on my tits, especially when I discovered they are the editor of 'Adventure She' magazine which promises to 'Empower, educate and entertain'.

Those responses are far too restrained to be you Stu .

I'm very proud of myself Reg.

Yes, very well answered there Stu

Interesting, particularly the 'are you a criminal promoting illegal stuff' question. "Yes I am, report me!"
I'm pretty sure Stuart Rider who runs the YD300 had a similar exchange with somebody and they might have been from the national park "is this a race?" etc.
I suppose the answer is that no, people aren't camping. They may choose to stop for a breather for a while, taking suitable equipment with them to ensure they are protected from the elements whilst stopped.

Annoying as event organisers who get bombarded with such enquiries will be more likely to can it. There is the option to go completely off the radar for these things but it de-values it do a degree.

Carry on Stu, we're right behind you

Do I need insurance for this race or is it included?

Don't worry Phil, I've had a number of exchanges with the 'authorities' over the years - NP, RoW, etc

Ask her what she thinks of those pikey oiks who trampled all over Kinder in the 1950's - leaving bootprints and using good private air.

After further 'discussion' I believe her view of wildcampers has been formed over the last two years and she believes that we all leave litter, defile the fabric of the countryside, light fires, scare wildlife and sh1t in rivers. She also believes that wildcampers give nothing back to the local communities because they don't use campsites. I've done my absolute best to assure her that her that we actually share her concerns and do all we can to minimise impact on the environment and maximise any benefit to the local economy. I also mentioned that donations to the Wales Air Ambulance now top £30k, so any talk of us 'taking' and 'not giving back' a quite unfounded and somewhat unfair ... anyway, there you go, that's today's excitement.

It's interesting how groups condone some actions that are illegal ( this cheeky trails etc ) but would be horrified by motorbikes churning up footpaths*.

Essentially what we do is not fully legal. It's not surprising folk bring this up.

* Not aimed at anyone as I also fall into that group .


Edit : we also had a whip round for the community centre and sent donations but I assume we all love and respect the countryside ( if not the laws that shackle us )

£30K! Oof, that's amazing.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 8:34 pm her view of wildcampers has been formed over the last two years

Good point. Well we talked about this a while ago didn't we. We knew there'd be a kickback from the mess left by the "festival tent and fires" brigade and this is one example. Fair play to you Stu for attempting reasonable engagement with "Jane" (you Tarzan? ), but she doesn't sound like she wants to find out more about who and what we are and has formed a fixed kneejerk opinion very quickly instead. TBH I just feel a bit sad for her that she's thrown away a potential opportunity for expanding her knowledge and interests. Surely "Adventure" implies open-mindedness?

(PS. "Adventure She"? Adventure she what? Hmm. Adventure she wrote? Adventure she had? Adventures with grammar? Well I'm just popping over there to have a look...... OK, fine, they do seem to be, as you'd expect, more or less on the same wavelength as us (albeit they're sane), they have some thoughtful points and ideas, so why do I (try to) understand where they're coming from but they don't understand where I'm coming from? Sounds like we need a pub(*) meet-up to sort it all out)

(*) other gathering locations are available, although probably far less fun

(PPS. Right, and I can retaliate by saying never mind our "illegal" wildcamping (it's not... it's civil not criminal, so we ask permission if it's possible and we leave if asked, and we damage nothing but blades of grass... blah blah etc etc) I see most of their articles are about visiting far-flung places. Hardly "leave no trace" all that flying around the planet is it? Mountaineering Antarctica - shame to leave indelible-for-centuries footprints on that pristine place, Everest Base Camp - well-known as one of the world's biggest rubbish dumps, Bolivia... New Zealand....Australia....Alaska... carbon footprint the size of a yeti methinks.... etc etc etc. Anyway, you'd find far more adventure in Stoke-on-Trent on a Friday night missus, I can tell you from personal experience)

And Jane, you must have found this thread by now, given your keen interest in our misdemeanours. Do please join in with the debate, we don't bite. Well one of us does, but you've presumably survived that .

There's a good YouTube channel "Fit for Adventure" iirc by a solo female wild camper in Wales

Point her at the channel

riderdown wrote: ↑Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:29 pm There's a good YouTube channel "Fit for Adventure" iirc by a solo female wild camper in Wales

Well spotted Rider!

"I've no idea where I am" . Quick, give her a membership form, she's one of us!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kr0nm679Z8 Cracking! Completely hatstand. Mad as a lorry. "And once I'd finished dicking about I....."

I'm in lurve. Again. For the 948th time.

You can tell she was in the best paid drinking club at University