Fear of the dark

[Front Room Woodlander]

Nothing as frightening as the fear of the fear of the dark!








There is something big, bad and scary out there in the dark, in the woods, waiting and willing to f*** with your minds as you lie alone on the inside of your flimsy nylon shelters.















Me!

[born2roam]

I should have know it had nothing to do with Iron Maiden ;-(


Grtz Johan

[pinenut]

Goatboy and JohnathanDs stories sent chills down my spine. Very well told. And I seriously hope you are bull****ting for the sake of my further solo camping excursions. I mean you have two options: 1. a rational explanation or 2. supernatural.

For me, forget supernatural.

A rational explanation could be that someone was screwing with you. I find this one more disturbing. That means someone is so wacko they are willing to follow you miles out into the woods and scare the living sh.t out of you all night. I mean this dude must be pretty messed up, knowing you have edged tools in your tent and taking that lightly.

And Goatboy: I remember watching a tv documentary about "bigfoot" throwing stones at a campsite all night. Could it not have been large droplets of water from a tall tree?

I was out solo camping last week in Norway. Had a very pleasant experience. I did hear a lot of sounds that woke me up from a half doze and even walking in the snow nearby. For some reason it didn't scare me. I just imagined a fox or a deer taking a trot. Which is damn likely. Night time is a very active period for a lot of animals.

My advice is as follows and a lot of it has been mentioned: 1. get to the area early, get to know it and just imagine the place at night time as it is in daylight. 2. Any noise out there is an animal most likely. In Norway and the UK no animal is going to attack you in your sleep. Plus, the campsite stinks of human and they know to stay away (foxes might check you out, but they are generally cute). 3. Say to yourself that you are a mean mother f.......... with a big knife, a saw and an axe. Keep these nearby. 4. How many times did you read in the newspaper of a camper being torn to shredds by bigfoot? 5. and this sounds soppy, try to imagine yourself as a part of nature, just like a tree or a deer or an insect. You live and die just like everything else. You go about your business, so does everything else.

[Chinkapin]

I guess the creepiest thing that ever happened to me in the woods, happened in broad daylight. I was in high school and a cousin of mine that was the same age was visiting our farm in Arkansas. The farm is very isolated and surrounded on all sides but one, by the National Forest. My cousin and I were about a 1/4 mile from the house and were standing beside a small creek that was no more than three or four meters across, and about 2 feet deep.

We were standing there talking about something or other of no consequence when all of a sudden there was a tremendous splash right beside us that sent a large plume of water up into the air.

We immediately thought someone had thrown a rock to scare us, but we could see no one. The water was crystal clear and rock covered on the bottom. Upon looking through the water to the bottom I could see 1 large rock that was clearly not one of the bottom rocks. I waded out and picked it up. It was about 1 foot across and about 8 inches thick. The first thing I noticed was that the top side of the rock was stained dark, and that the bottom side was clean. This was a rock that had been, moments before, about 1/2 underground.

I tried to throw this rock as far as i could and it was so heavy that I could not throw it hardly any distance at all. I was in good shape and strong.

Other than my mother, the only person at the house, who was a man and who might have in some way threw this rock, was another visiting relative. Knowing in my heart, it just couldn't have been him, but wanting to see where he was, we ran as fast as we could to the house. Upon arrival we were gasping for breath. The male relative was sitting in the living room, reading a book and was not suffering from labored breathing, so he was not the culprit.

We were never able to explain it. Whoever or WHATEVER, threw that huge rock had to be standing VERY close or be super-humanly strong. It is still a creepy mystery to me.

[Tengu]

Could be bigfoot.

(I for one dont believe in him; but various Primatologists take him seriously.)

He would be strong, and has been known to throw rocks. (interestingly overarm, like a human)

Or someone with a stone thrower.

[Zingmo]

My brother was out walking the dog through the woods at the edge of the Quantocks late one evening back in the 1990s. The dog (an insane collie cross) stopped dead still in the path in front of him. Moments later, what he described as a bit like a large cat (he didn't get a good look and the light was fading) dropped onto the path some distance away from the uphill side. The dog was genetically disposed to chase cats, but this time it ran back and hid behind my brothers legs. Whatever it was paused just long enough to look at them and then disappeared into the bushes.

He thought nothing of it until the next day when the carcass of a red deer was found in the field behind the house nearby; all torn up and partly eaten!

Don't have nightmares!

Z

[Davey569]

How have you solo campers learned to deal with being on your own over night?

The big knife on my belt does that for me

Seriously though I have no idea why people are afraid of the dark. I find it quite peaceful, nothing good to see, nothing bad to see.

[andybysea]

From what ive learned reading this thread you should be fine so long as your not in a tent,the 3 scariest stories all involved people in a tent,therefore no tent no spine chilling ghouls to scare you silly! SIMPLE.

[gowersponger]

ive been doing a bit of solo camping in the last couple of months i find it relaxing ,the first night i had on my own was weird not scary ,i suppose every thing is abit weird for the first time.

[Miyagi]

JonathonD and Goatboy,

Those stories gave me the heeby jeebys, I'm glad I'm reading this thread in daylight.

Many years ago in a largeish wood, my mucker and I were in an OP and though it was dark, a wee bit of moonlight meant that you could see about 40 yards without the Starlight scope.

We were facing South towards the treeline edge and fields 100 yards away etc., so anything coming from that direction would be silhouetted against the skyline.

We heard movement from that direction, heavy footsteps coming towards us, but couldn't see anything. Well, we both stood to, expecting to see whoever it was approaching any moment.

We saw no one.

Those footsteps got closer and closer, snapping twigs etc., and stopped right in front of us. (You should see the goosebumps on my arms right now just thinking about it again).

Dave, let's call him Dave, (cos that was his name) was braver than me and squeaked out in a Mickey Mouse voice "Halt, who goes there!?" Well he insists that's what he said but it sounded like a strangled gargle to me.

There was a pause, then the footsteps turned to our right and walked around us and away to the North out of hearing. WTF??

I kid you not, we saw nothing in the ambient light, nor through the Starlight scope and not only was the footfall clearly audible, you could feel it through the ground, and was close enough to touch (as if!).

(Never mind passwords etc., if Dave had said "Advance one, and be recognised" my sphincter would have fainted.)

I can see the funny side of it many years later, but I have never been so scared in my life, and close to sheer panic/tears. It seemed like an age till dawn I can tell you.

We told no one, because they'd rip us to shreds and we'd never live it down - ever. I'm so glad I wasn't there alone, I'd have lost my marbles I'm sure of it.

That's the only time I've ever been concerned about being out in the cuds and it doesn't put me off.

I bumped into Dave recently, not having seen him in about 30 years, and as we were catching up, I said "Remember that..". That was all I got out before he said;

"Don't, just don't, I've had nightmares over that for years".

Wierd eh?

Liam

[andybysea]

Liam you should have given ''it'' a volley from your Brown bess's those .75 balls can be devastating at close range.Oh and red doesnt show up well in the dark so it would'nt have seen you.

[Miyagi]

Liam you should have given ''it'' a volley from your Brown bess's those .75 balls can be devastating at close range.

Nice one.

I didn't develop my "Cavalier" attitude till later on mate!

We know for a fact it wasn't the SAS. We'd have been able to smell their Blue Stratos aftershave, "it" was that close.

[Miyagi]

Addendum;

Just foned Dave, and his recollection, amid grumbling and cursing is;

The footsteps didn't pause (he insists that pause in my recollection was when I swamped myself and fainted) but walked towards us and skirted to his immediate right (he was closest), carrying on away from us.

If he wakes in a cold sweat tonight, he says he'll get in the car, come round to mine and "kick the f**k out of you for reminding me!!".

Do you think I hit a nerve? Seems like it still freaks him out.

The big Jessie...

[Barn Owl]

From what ive learned reading this thread you should be fine so long as your not in a tent,the 3 scariest stories all involved people in a tent,therefore no tent no spine chilling ghouls to scare you silly! SIMPLE.

True,
I don't like being enclosed in one and hearing leaves,branches,grass or whatever hitting the fabric.
Then there's the animals snuffling about the outside.I'd rather be able to see them.

[Bushwhacker]

Go to the woods in the day and close your eyes/blinfold yourself and sit there for 15 minutes or so and take it all in.
Bar nocturnal animal activity there's no difference.

By the way, Fear of the Dark is one of favourite Maiden songs.

[Chinkapin]

Tengu;

At the time this happened, I had never heard of Bigfoot, and it would be years until Bigfoot would become common knowledge. After learning about them, and reading about their supposed propensity for rock throwing (frequently extremely large rocks), I began to wonder if that was the explanation. However, I have wandered these woods since boyhood, frequently hunting, and therefore moving in a stealthy mode, and I never encountered anything like that. The closest I ever came was, once looking some distance through the woods, perhaps 1/8 of a mile, I saw what appeared to be a large biped leaning on a tree. I did not have any field glasses to get a better look, and i was sitting down resting at the time. My first thought was black bear. Since in did not move at all, I eventually convinced myself that it was actually an old black log leaning on the tree. I grew tired of looking at it and busied myself eating a sandwich, and did not look in that direction for quite a while. When I did it was gone. I immediately decided that it had been a black bear. I still think it was most likely a bear. However, it was taller and thinner than a bear should have been. Still a mystery. A few years ago a ginseng hunter reported encountering a Bigfoot less than a mile from our farm. I know nothing about the guy or his veracity, or inclination toward strong drink. But apparently he was a local who was in the woods all the time.

Here is an interesting report from West Virginina, that does not involve a Bigfoot, but does point to the fact that there may be a smaller ape-like creature in America. Surprisingly, this event seems to be little known and not covered by the national media.

The man's wounds are terrible and the pictures are graphic. Not suitable for children or the squimish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYm2gfnS31s

The skull found near one of the victims bears a very strong resemblance to a baboon. The video does not say, but I have read that in was not a baboon skull.

Liam;
After your long ordeal, when morning came, did you look for any footprint?

[Tengu]

you say bear, and that would be logical.

But bears, though plantigrade, like humans, dont normaly stand or walk upright.

Interestingly it is said that there is a strange bear in the Himalayas, mostly noctournal, that `does` habitiualy walk upright.

Have you heard of the Bili ape?

[woof]

Having lead a none chemical induced, guilt free life, i've not encounted anything that could not be put down to "something" in the cold light of day, and i have "hunted man", as well as other dangerous game.

I lied about the guilt free life !.

Rob

[Siberianfury]

camp with a rifle, thats solves all your problems

[hog]

Everyone gets worried.
Make out that you are the maddest, insane person out there and even the axe murderers will stay away.

[cwillson]

... if some crazed maniac wants to molest a wild-camper then he better prepare to get feather-sticked because I am armed to the teeth!

Haha, brilliant! I think a lot of crazed maniacs seriously need to consider their tactics if they think of creeping up on a bushcrafter on camp! lol, a lot of suprised faces I would imagine when the realisation creeps in.....especially when the merry soul keeps chanting "there's nowt more scarey in these woods than ME" over and over while holding a 4 inch blade and an axe!

[wicca]

From what ive learned reading this thread you should be fine so long as your not in a tent,the 3 scariest stories all involved people in a tent,therefore no tent no spine chilling ghouls to scare you silly! SIMPLE.

Yep, an intents fear of the dark perhaps?

[Barn Owl]

I just parade around camp with a flaming torch singing 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath.

Keeps most things at bay.

[Miyagi]

Liam;
After your long ordeal, when morning came, did you look for any footprint?

We did, though saw nothing, and when our relief came we couldn't get out of there fast enough.

No one else mentioned anything untoward and we hadn't heard any rumours beforehand that would have influenced us.

It's something neither of the two of us can rationally explain. I'm not superstitious nor afraid of the dark etc., my main worry in the woods at night is twisting my ankle.

Cheers,

Liam

[andybysea]

Admit it you'd been at the gun oil had'nt you?

[Miyagi]

Admit it you'd been at the gun oil had'nt you?

Shhhh!!!

Sniffing the jenolite (that we weren't allowed to use) for cleaning the working parts, getting a bit spaced from hexy fumes (hexy telly they called it), all possible reasons - but nope we were tactical (no naked flames, no hot food etc.)

It could've been the smell from the sleeping bags!!!

Interesting wee film there Chinkapin.

[Chinkapin]

Tengu;

I have heard of it, but only once. I was watching a documentary about searching for the Yeti, and it was briefly mentioned. That has been my only exposure to it. Cant say as I remember a lot about it, other than he would be a prime candidate for cases of mistaken identity.

[Fredcompanybushcraft]

The only thing I don't like in the woods is the fungi...
Don't know why, as I'm perfectly happy to eat button mushrooms!

[horsevad]

I have a similar story to that from two years ago. I fully recall staying wide awake all night sitting smack bang in the middle of my Akto facing the door with knife in hand, it was horrible. I didn't have pebbles chucked at me that night, but I did have freaky things happen. The first was quite early while reading a book and getting ready for a kip. Very clearly and heavily, a person dug their nails into my fly sheets and scraped their hand from top to bottom. To put it mildly, I shat myself. I was miles from anywhere, but what really freaked my out was my location. It is impossible in the place I camped, to walk without breaking twigs and stems loudly during the day let alone the night. I was in the middle of a damp wood next to a river and the terrain is littered with fallen trees, logs, branches etc. The nettles are four feet high, and navigation to my place is damned difficult if you know the place, and impossible without making noise.

Anyway, THAT happened, and I left it for a good five minutes listening for sound... nothing. Eventually I got up enough bottle to get out the tent and have a looksy. I have PNG's so was probably better equipped to track down and observe the offender than the offender was to observe me. I was sure that they were right next to the tent due to the silence. Got out and nothing. Not even in the distance with my PNG's. I looked around for fallen branches, and again, nothing. I crouched down out of sight and waited for the inevitable tell tale noise of movement that would happen, damned well nothing. Got back into my tent and did some serious talking to myself when it happened again. It was like the bloody Blair witch project. It happened four times that night and it was the most terrifying moments of my life. I only saw it happen once and the print was human sized, that really scared me. The sound was very loud and horrendous, as if the person/thing doing it had pointed nails. There was never a slightest sound of aproach or retreat, which is damned impossible with my senses being ultra attuned that night.

The next morning as soon as it was light, I was gone. Left the tent there until the afternoon and had friends with me. The really scary thing was that there was only my prints in the mud around the tent.... impossible. Every time I camp out alone, it is a mental battle to put his to the back of my mind.

Did you have light in your tent?

Do you have either Lucanus cervus, Geotrupes stercorosus or similar in the area?

These rather large insects (the male Lucanus cervus grows up to 9 cm in lenght) can fly and are attracted to light. A large Geotrupes stercorosus (or similar) flying into a tent flysheet can create a sound quite similar to that of human nails against such a flysheet.

They keep coming round again - trying to find an entrance to the light. When they bump into the flysheet they try to locate an opening, - thereby creating the impression of some fingernails running along the flysheet.

[andythecelt]

I spent well over a decade in the private security business, starting out with bouncing and eventually having my own firm employing 6 staff. I've spent more solitary dark hours out in the middle of nowhere than I care to remember. I'm certainly not fearless by any stretch of the imagination but being alone in the dark certainly isn't one of them.
I've spent years at a time doing solo night shifts, basically getting paid to creep around in the dark. Stately homes, farms, universities and so on.
I don't mean to make light of what were understandably distressing experiences to those that have had the bottle to tell their stories in any way, however I couldn't help but notice that in each of them the person acted rather passively. I'd like to repeat, I'm not saying I'd have acted any differently, after all I wasn't even there. That said, if you act passively (perfectly natural when you're afraid) you'll stay scared. If you become more proactive the fear tends to dissipate quickly. Confronting the bogeyman is ultimately the less frightening option. If anyone was genuinely building up to attack you they'd likely do so whether you were sitting in the dark terrified or standing outside with a torch or a fire and a big stick screaming "Come on then you f***er!" at the top of your lungs. At least the second option stands a chance of scaring them off but more importantly you're actually doing something.