I walk my dogs though a wood every day. I've walked there for a couple of years, but the last few months it's been daily rather than sporadically as my previous walking area has closed to the public. The wood is quiet and because noone really goes there, I can let my dogs off lead to run and chase pheasant and squirrels etc... and they r safe and other dog walkers and dogs aren't disturbed by them. I enjoy the walk and so do the dogs.
But in the last couple of months I've noticed men hanging around at one particular spot which is accessed from a nearby pathway adjacent to a train track. They seem to arrive by bicycle and they r always in the same spot, usually sitting or standing behind a tree (which made me jump the first few times!)
The men I see are usually always alone. They look very out of place as they are generally young (18 to 35), wear puffer jackets, nike trainers and have their phones out. Looks out of place in a muddy wood! Occasionally there'll be a more vulnerable looking man instead of or a little after/before the more trendy looking men.
Anyway, the first few times meeting or seeing these random lone men, it didn't bother me. I:d say hi, they'd say hello back, and I'd carry on my way.
But recently I've been feeling quite unnerved and if I'm honest, a little scared.
I am almost 100% sure the men in the woods have something to do with drugs. I don't know what is happening, who is dealing what, the ins and outs of what they r up to, and nor do I care. But I am starting to get paranoid someone might be finding me annoying and might try to bump me off!! Please tell me this won't happen!?!!
I really don't want to stop walking the pups in this wood, but equally I don't want to spook or piss off a drug dealer!
So .. am I'm being crazy to feel scared and paranoid I might get hurt because I have inadvertently found myself stumbling into the middle of a large drug operation!
Do you think the dealers or whoever they are, actually care im there?
Should I stop walking in the woods? (this will.b hard as nowhere local to let dogs off lead except the woods, and one of my dogs needs to run far and fast)?
Is it a known thing that drug deals happen in woods? Or could something else be going on?
Not far from this field there are also a couple of spots where people seem to regularly have fires, and also an area where there's lots of litter (cans, crisps packets etc..) and evidence of further dodgy stuff - clothes with shop tags still on sprawled.on the ground - stolen goods?
I'm so sad my country walk now feels like I'm intruding into the criminal world and that I shouldn't be on their turf :(