Wild Camping

ttxela

New member
I'd like to take my 8 year old for a nights wild camping later on in the year, she's well used to campsite camping so I don't think it will be too much of a leap for her.

I'd like it to be in the Peak as that's closer to us in Cambridge but I believe it's kind of frowned on there? I guess wales might be a possibility.

Any ideas for a site that's wild enough to give the right sort of experience but not too difficult to get to and with somewhere reasonably secure to leave the car?

Probably won't be until the Summer holiday so I've got some time to plan.
 
J

james

Guest
Most of mid Wales, well away from the towns.  Nant-y-Moch is my favorite area.  Very remote, but easily accessable by car.
 

Peter Burgess

New member
How wild is wild? There might be a friendly farmer who isn't averse to what you want to do in a patch of woodland under his care, for example. Perhaps someone here knows such a farmer.
 

Rachel

Active member
It's not in your area, but I had a couple of nights fun wild camping at Ribblehead with my daughter. There are a few little caves to poke in, streams for paddling, a good pub and 5 mins walk from the railway station. We got the train from Ribblehead up to Langwathby and had a good day out at Eden Ostrich World. The only downside was the freight trains rattling over the viaduct all night long!
 

ttxela

New member
I reckon Wales might be my best bet, somewhere with a reasonably interesting walk in - camp - walk out again possibility. Hopefully with somewhere reasonably safe to leave the car.

 

SamT

Moderator
The peaks not really very good for wild camping - everywhere is too close to somewhere.
Mid wales - Lakes -  Brecon Beacons ?
 
Goats Water above Coniston is a great place... not to far away from civilization, but far enough to know you aren't near much.

CN.
 

SamT

Moderator
Is that below Dow Crag. Awesome spot. One of the best Crags in britain - and yes a lovely spot to wild camp.
 
SamT said:
Is that below Dow Crag. Awesome spot. One of the best Crags in britain - and yes a lovely spot to wild camp.

You'd be correct Sam T... you could also sleep in the slate mines beyond the Walna Scar road as you head up the valley toward Goat's Water (or at least you could in the 80s).  Now there would be a great "wild" trip for a young un.

CN.
 

SamT

Moderator
Cumbrian Neil said:
You'd be correct Sam T... you could also sleep in the slate mines beyond the Walna Scar road as you head up the valley toward Goat's Water (or at least you could in the 80s).  Now there would be a great "wild" trip for a young un.

CN.

IIRC there were a couple of tents up there last time we went up (6 years ago).

I seem to remember passing a little slate quarry with a big waterfall plunging off the cliff top into the flooded quarry bottom. Lovely part of the world.

I think we were camping at Torver.
 

whitelackington

New member
About fifteen years ago I pushed my mountain bike
up Pen Y Fan at Christmas in a foot of snow, there was a "para" bloke up top camping,
I got him to take a photo of me before I hurled myself down, we had a laugh, I was in vest & shorts as so hot and he was camping on his own on top of a snowed in mountain.
Anyway, it takes the biscuit for wild camping :-\
 

Neil

New member
Had a brilliant 2 days at a camp site at the bottom of Snowdon last year.  Cold water tap, toilet with a view, water fall for a shower and a stream (and lots of midges as it was the summer) running along the bottom.  Snowdon towering above you and a view out to the sea.  ;)

Go past the youth hostel & car park at Pen-Y-Pas towards Llanberris and after about 3/4 mile down the steep hill on the left (before the park & ride car park back to Pen-Y-Pas) there is a gap in the wall onto a rough track, you go over a rickity bridge into a field where you pick a spot and camp, laze, walk,  enjoy the view, get blown away ....  :clap:  it was a really good trip. 
 

ttxela

New member
Brilliant suggestions, I reckon it will either be somewhere in mid Wales or maybe Coniston,  :-\
 
whitelackington said:
About fifteen years ago I pushed my mountain bike
up Pen Y Fan at Christmas in a foot of snow, there was a "para" bloke up top camping,
I got him to take a photo of me before I hurled myself down, we had a laugh, I was in vest & shorts as so hot and he was camping on his own on top of a snowed in mountain.
Anyway, it takes the biscuit for wild camping :-\

I just spent the weekend snowshoeing 5 miles into a campsite at the weekend.  Middle of nowhere... we had to dig out a spot for the tent in the snow (18 inch base).  The overnight temperature was -18c.  With a good sleeping back you can do anything.  We watched the lunar eclipse while cooking our supper over an open fire.  Cracking weekend... but I do miss caves.

There's a lake at the head of Grisedale Valley that is also a good spot for camping... however, it is a much longer slog.

CN.
 

smollett

Member
How about the roof of a shop outside edinburgh waverly. I had the pleasure of sleeping there sun night when the station shut at half 12. had a 5 and a half hour wait for a train, would recommend the summer months tho.

Have slept up on honister pass a few times. It's quiet and easy to get a good camp site not far from the road. Not sure about the water quality since there is loads of slate quarries about, it didn't kill me though. It's good for climbing trips anyway.
 
R

RM

Guest
Theres a large waterfall and plungepool up eskdale before you reach the mill gill scramble. Its idilic, lots of wet fun scrambles and swimming, and not far from great moss either.

Much recomended - though prehaps a green tent only so as not to spoil the view.
 
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