Lee, Author at Nearly Wild Camping

Introduction

Low impact camping is leaving a place with no sign to suggest that you have been there. Yes you may have flattened some grass but that will recover within a short time.

Leave no trace – The Seven Principles
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors

In general

Bring less waste in the first place: buy less-packaged items, re-pack what you can, and remove packaging from new items you bring.
Pack out what you pack in: don’t rely on items to biodegrade, no matter what the label may promise, it is likely to take much longer and have a negative impact if you just toss them aside or leave them behind–ALWAYS PACK IT OUT!
Car share when possible if not walking or cycling from home

Deciding on the best place to camp

Least impact on the habitat (hard ground, proximity to water, wildlife paths (may be in your interests too – snakes, hippos! etc.)
Think about impacts both short and long term
Where does wildlife live (under rocks etc)? What is native to the area? What are the locally fragile habitats.
Fires and peat, firewood sources etc.
Longer term ecological impact

Reusable over Disposable

Bring reusable water bottles and refill from a safe water source if there is one, or a larger container of drinking water.
Skip the paper plates and napkins and bring sturdy reusables instead.
Reduce rubbish by buying food in bulk or larger packages instead of wasteful individual packages.
Bring reusable containers for leftovers to reduce food waste.

Eco-Friendly Clean Up

Bring biodegradable soap for dishwashing.
Set up a dishwashing and rinse station to reduce water use.
Use naturally-based shampoo and other personal cleansing products.

Protect the waterways. This is a very important step in environmentally sound camping. Never dig your latrine closer than two hundred feet to any waterway, even a small stream that appears to be mostly underground.
Do all washing from the same distance. Avoid getting soap into the waterway system because not only is it a pollutant but animals drink from the same waterways that you are bathing in. This can cause much harm to wildlife since they have not been exposed to such chemicals like our own family pets have been. These wilderness animals possess a much more delicate system than the animals we have contact with on a daily basis.

Pack it in, Pack it Out

Pack out all waste, including food scraps. Non-native foods impact – Banana peel, orange skins etc.
Take all recyclables home with you (unless the campsite has a recycling station).
Bury any spilled food or human/pet waste.

Leave No Trace

When you leave, the campsite should look exactly like it did when you arrived. No exceptions!
First, keep your group small. The smaller the better because this means that your campsite will not be trampled down or over used.

Visual impact

Colourful camping gear may have caught your eye in the store but consider the role it serves on the trail/camping ground. Sometimes it’s important for safety. Animals will see you before you see them and colourful camping gear can and usually be offensive to others who are nearby. Most have noticed while in the wilderness a campsite dotted with florescent tents invading the area. They are out of place and do not belong and are a great distraction to many, so avoid them if you can.

Respect Wildlife

Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
It’s exciting to see wildlife while adventuring outside, but it’s best to keep a distance from the animals. Don’t follow, approach, or take selfies with them. Feeding wild animals can damage their health, change their behaviour and expose them to predators. Keep wildlife out of your personal rations by properly storing food and rubbish.

Clean up more than your share and help educate others about low-impact ethics. Keep it up, and future generations will be able to enjoy all of the nature we have.

Outdoor People, a social enterprise, with a mission to make the outdoors easy for everyone joins Nearly Wild Camping as a Business Supporter: https://outdoorpeople.org.uk/

rubbastuff – well known for their PACMAT range – have joined Nearly Wild Camping as a Business Supporter. We look forward to working together going forward as we continue to expand the co-operative network. Members can log-in to access a discount code to be used at https://rubbastuff.com/

I remember when I first went to buy sleeping bags for a family camping trip I was rather confused by different prices, sizes, thicknesses etc. All I knew was I wanted everyone to have a good camping experience and not be cold in the night. So slightly unsure, we bought something middle of the range…

Since then I’ve become a bit of a sleeping bag geek. I studied specifications, slept in bags that said they would be comfortable at -5 in which I shivered at +5 degrees. I’ve learnt how to make the most of shoulder baffles and drawstring toggles and to this day still struggle to use a pillow effectively in cold weather – a camping pillow that is. I’ve learnt that what you wear in your sleeping bag can make a big difference to a night’s sleep.

I’ve camped next to my car in mid-summer which means you can have your big pillow from home, a generous inflatable airbed and not have to worry about keeping warm in the night, you may even have to unzip your sleeping bag because you get too hot!

Camping in other seasons can be a bit less predictable and if you are travelling light you will have to plan ahead and make sure you have the right sleeping bag (and other kit) for the expected conditions. It is always better to plan to be if anything too warm because you don’t want to be in a position where you are too cold and from experience I can tell you that the specification on sleeping bags is only an guide as to what temperatures they are designed for.

Some people get cold feet at night – even under the quilt at home – so a hot water bottle can be useful for comfort and also consider some light exercises before you get in your sleeping bag to generate some body heat. Thick socks and a woolly hat are essential on all but the warmest nights.

Although this article is titled ‘Sleeping Bags’ the term ‘Sleep System’ covers more broadly the other elements that together allow for a good night’s sleep. The main components are the insulation under your sleeping bag (airbed, roll mat etc.) and the insulation worn as clothing. You may also choose to use a sleeping bag liner (easy to wash and adds some insulation) or a bivvy bag waterproof outer cover, which again adds some insulation.

The two main types of filling that sleeping bags are made from are man-made (eg. polyester) and down (duck/goose feathers). Down bags are excellent insulators that pack down small and light but don’t perform well when wet and should be stored hung up. Man-made material bags are usually lower in price, can be stored all year round in their stuff sack and maintain their insulation properties when wet. But for a comfortable night’s sleep you want to make sure your tent has plenty of ventilation to prevent a build-up of condensation. If necessary bags should be hung out to air during the day if camping for more than a couple of nights.

Both type of sleeping bags come in different fill weights so you can get a lightweight down bag meant for summer use or a man-made filling bag designed for winter use – which would be much bigger and heavier. The shape of the bag can also make a difference to the size, weight and insulation properties. The mummy style bag is more efficient at keeping heat in and less heavy/bulky than a rectangular bag.

There are many different types of lighting for camping and particularly in wilder places where you may be faced with pitch black darkness. You should always make sure you have multiple sources of light and spare batteries (of the right type!). Below are some of the most commonly used camping lights:

1) Head torch – hands free and always pointing where you turn you head to – blinding when you look directly at someone!

2) Hand torch – the classic point anywhere light, can be a little awkward when you need to use both hands for something like tying a shoelace.

3) Hanging lantern – ideal for when you need general lighting and keeps your hands available

4) Ground light – good for seeing where obstacles are like guy lines and pegs without illuminating a big area

5) Keyring – very handy for occasional use as the battery life is limited

6) Campfire – traditional natural lighting with limited directional control :)

7) Glow stick – useful in an emergency but not very eco friendly and you can’t switch them off

Most forms of lighting now use LEDs in place of battery sapping bulbs, this allows for smaller batteries and reduced overall size. The down side to standard LEDs is that they do not focus light over a long distance. Some of the newer, high power, surface mounted LEDs (known as SMDs) can overcome this issue while still using far less energy than bulbs.

Ashby supplies a range of high quality hardwood logs including kiln dried ash, oak, beech, seasoned firewood, kindling and firelighters. They are based in Gawcott, Buckinghamshire and offer next day delivery via courier nationally.

They also have a fleet of vans that deliver next day to Buckingham and surrounding towns like Milton Keynes, Towcester, Brackley, Bicester, Kidlington, Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead, Tring, Thame, Watford, Dunstable, St Albans, Deddington, Banbury, Stow on the World, Chipping Norton, Eynsham and all the villages in between.

Ideas for easy camping meals – using as little cooking kit as possibleyou can make some easy to prepare meals with the minimum need for washing up afterwards, the following need only one pan/frying pan:

Corned beef hash (instant mash potato)
Noodles with tuna & mixed veg (cook noodles first)
Pasties/pies heated in silver foil
Cheese burgers with salad
Pre-cooked chicken & baked potatoes
Egg fried ready-rice, ham & peas
Pasta, chopped tinned tomatoes & grated cheese
Chicken soup with crusty bread
Sausage, egg and beans (cook sausage, add egg then beans)
Hotdogs & Onions
Savoury/sweet pancakes
Spaghetti with tinned meatballs in tomato sauce

We are very pleased to announce Two Blondes Walking

have agreed to be Nearly Wild Camping Ambassadors. We look forward to working together,

you can find more about them at www.twoblondeswalking.com

We’d like to welcome tentspares.co.uk as Nearly Wild Camping’s latest Business Supporter. They offer spares, repairs and accessories from a number of well known brands as well as a bespoke pole service.

Steve gave a presentation at the AONB ‘Landscapes for Life’ conference 18/19th July 2017 to help raise the profile of Nearly Wild Camping. It was well received and generated a number of conversations with people involved with AONB (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

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