10 Tips For Wild Camping

When we asked for advice from the experts- Landscape Treks jumped right in there!

Here are the top ten tips for camping wild!

1) Water water everywhere. You’ll need a fair amount of the stuff from drinking during the day to hydrating or cooking your food and it’s heavy. The good news is you don’t need to carry it all but you do need to think about where you’re going to get it from. All this rain we get means there’s usually loads of water in the hills but not everywhere and all the time. Think about where you might be able to stock up along your route and think about treating it before you drink it if taking from a stream. Boiling is great but needs a fair bit of fuel. Water purifiers are also a great option.

2) Lightweight philosophy. Are you a Mr. Titanium or Mrs Kitchen sink? In the end it’s all down to your personal choice and it’s usually a balance between going as light as possible but still being comfortable.

3) Respect the environment. Avoid big groups and popular spots if at all possible. Always take all your rubbish home and make sure you don’t leave any evidence of your stay.

4) Food for thought. Unless you’re an extreme climber on a big wall route don’t skimp on your food; if you’re on the hills all day you’ll be bound to want to eat more than usual. Saying that, think about what food you’ll be taking as it will have to survive being in your rucksack for a couple of days but be light enough to carry.

5) Shiny new gear. It can be worthwhile investing in some new lightweight camping gear but check it meets your requirements and is fit for the job you want it to do before getting out on the hill. It’s worth spending some time getting to know how to pitch your new tent in your garden in the daylight before you have to do it for real on a dark and windy hill.

6) Location, location, location. Spend some time planning where you might pitch your tent and some alternatives if the sites you choose don’t work out (too boggy, too exposed or maybe just lacking in the view you want). Some of this info you can glean from maps before hand and some you can get from the web.

7) Don’t forget your…..waterproofs, hat and gloves are always a good plan no matter what the weather might look like before you head off. Apart from a lot of your usual day walking gear you’ll need camping kit and a few extra things like hand sanitizer and loo roll….

8) Where to go. No easy way to put this but you’ll need to go to the loo at some point and you need to look after yourself and the environment when you do. That hand sanitizer and loo roll will help you but think about what you’re ‘leaving’ out there. Some people carry it all out, but burying it is a good option if you are careful where and how you do it. Always make sure you bury it at least 30m from any water source.

9) Have fun. Wild camping can be one of the best experiences you can have for very little cost. Waking up in your tent in the mountains with the sun coming up over the horizon can keep you going for weeks on end when you’re back at work. The ultimate getting away from it all package.

10) Get someone else to carry your tent. Give your heavy stuff to your fitter friend to carry or failing that hire a guide.

Olympics Accommodation

Have you got your Olympic 2012 tickets? Did you feverishly apply for everything that went on offer, from racing, javelin and the 400 metre races and then spend the rest of the month sweating when your credit card took that little too long to go through at the tills? Hey, at least you’re part of history. Watching the torch, seeing the events, navigating London, great stuff.

But has the shine faded? Maybe you spent a lunch hour looking at hotel prices for the Olympics. Perhaps you thought there was an error. Everywhere.  All those extra zeros. Surely not…Oh yes. Apparently you can put a price on history, and if you want to check in at a central London hotel for the 2012 Olympics, that’ll be your monthly salary, please.

Luckily, Camping Ninja have had a brainwave. Camping at the games. Working with local schools and rugby clubs, Camping Ninja have secured local pitches for the Olympics that you can book now for just £10 a person and £5 a child. Credit crunchingly good, where’s the catch?

I spoke to Geoff Vaughan from Camping Ninja about how it will all work.

“Hotels in London for the Olympics are very expensive. Camping is a great alternative, and Camping Ninja are offering fixed price pitches at places that can be reached by public or private transport. You can park on site, use the catering, the showers, and then get to and from London for free, with the tickets offering free inner London travel.

At £10 per adult and £5 per child, you could stay in London for the Olympics for £30, and travel in for free. You can get a cheap tent, just pitch up, and that’s it. It’s better for families than sofa surfing, and you can all be together if you’re going as a couple or as friends, and if you don’t even have Olympics tickets, you can get into the spirit on site! ”

How do the clubs benefit?

“That’s a great question. These clubs are part of local communities and this is a great way to bring back the money that’s invested in the capital to the outskirts. They can really take advantage of having people on site, and we hope that it will spread a bit of good feeling and buzz about the Olympics further afield, whilst also bring money back to these clubs. Whether you’re a club, school or someone with tickets to the Olympics, this is win-win. It also frees you up to get out of the city, and especially for international visitors, there’s the chance to explore more than the capital- to see the little villages and towns as well!”

So no catch, except you should get in there quick. The camping Ninja Camping at the games scheme is bookable now, so make like a speed sprinter and get to the camping at the games site to secure your cheap Olympic accommodation now.

Let us know if you’re signed up for the Olympics- and where you’re planning to stay!

Elaine