Camping permission

[Ed W]

Hi,

Sorry this has probably been asked before but where can you get permission to light fires and camp in places?

Tried asking around but no one I know knows so I thought I'd ask on here because I'm bound to get an answer.

Cheers

 

[Ahjno]

Try the landowner - since a lot of land in the UK is private ...

 

[Spacemonkey]

Ok, so you find a nice bit of woodland on the map. How do you find the land owner?

 

[arctic hobo]

Easy. Camp, light a fire. The guy who runs towards you waving a pitchfork and swearing is the landowner.
Seriously though, it can be tricky. What I do is ask at farms nearby, they will at least be able to tell you who owns it even if it isn't them. I have gypsies all over the woods down my way, and the farmers get angry at them because apparently they never ask and leave rubbish (we have right-wing farmers down here ), so they are often not so happy about yet more people sleeping there. A shame really, since the land is quite unused. If you take a Ray Mears book and explain what you'll be doing it can help.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I know its easy when you have transport and can cover a lot of ground, but -
ask around, folk in the countryside know lots of people, especially who owns what.
Be careful about your approach though as you might be seen as someone who they do not want around. If you can help a busy farmer/landowner in any way, then offer to do so. Perhaps offer to pick some litter from his roadside hedges, bag it up and ask if he wants to burn it or should you take it away. Offer to watch out for preditors on his land at springtime, when the lambs are born. You could even offer to help at haymaking but its damned hard work!
They can be a very secular bunch but, be polite, be prepared for a put-down, be ready to come back another time if he is busy.
It will be especially difficult in hot,dry weather to get permission to light a fire - so take every precaution. And to the same end, invite the owner to inspect your site when you leave.

I find it esay to ask around, but then I'm living amongst them.

All the best though.

Ogri the trog

 

[bambodoggy]

And if you can't find out who owns the land and for some reason you really really want to know...then ask the Land Registry, they'll know

http://www.landregisteronline.gov.uk/

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Nyayo]

Try the local County Council Rights of Way Department - they'll have a far better idea than the Land Registry (field are still often sold by private auction or arrangement, so the details often don't ever make it to the Land Registry) - and they might know if anybody is willing to have wild campers on their land...