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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU for wanting to camp by myself on Dartmoor?

31 replies

PoisonousSmurf · 14/05/2017 11:46

I've got all my kit ready, have my maps and GPS and plan to spend a week walking from North to South Dartmoor and wild camping.
But hubby thinks I'll get murdered or fall into a bog and never be seen again. I want to go on an adventure dammit, before I turn 50!

OP posts:
Devorak · 14/05/2017 12:26

Are you an experienced camper? It's quite an unforgiving moor. You're often out of phone signal and one twisted ankle away from a very sticky situation.

Having seen 6th Formers preparing for the Ten Tors, I'm not sure I'd like to do what you're planning.

harderandharder2breathe · 14/05/2017 12:54

If you're an experienced camper and used to walking on that sort of terrain then yanbu

It would be safer with someone else though, in case of injury, they could go get help.

If you think glamping is roughing it and never walk except on a pavement then maybe it's not for you Wink

TheWitTank · 14/05/2017 12:56

YANBU if you know what you are doing. That said, I wouldn't do it alone personally. Even an experienced camper/walker can get into trouble and I would be far too much of a baby to camp alone at night by myself!

brasty · 14/05/2017 12:58

Sounds great fun, enjoy.
And remember people used to go hiking alone before mobile phones existed. Although you need to be tough enough to simply walk on a twisted ankle or even broken one as I did, until you can get help.

SaucyJack · 14/05/2017 13:04

How long will it take?

Is there 4G? I think the novelty of being out on your own with nothing around would soon wear off TBH

Take a friend?

HarrietSchulenberg · 14/05/2017 13:13

I would love to do that too, OP. Make sure you're well prepared (sounds like you're doing that) and do it.
Might be an idea to leave a copy of your route with your DH just in case, though.

BertrandRussell · 14/05/2017 13:15

If you're an experienced camper and walker then go for it. If you're not, then try something less demanding first.

CormorantDevouringTime · 14/05/2017 13:16

Download the area map to Google Maps before you start, then it will work as long as you have GPS rather than relying on non-existent 3G.

Paper map and compass as well of course.

Lj8893 · 14/05/2017 13:25

We found this on Dartmoor. You will get eaten. Shock

Southbucksoldbuffer · 14/05/2017 13:35

Don't read any DI Charlotte Savage novels by Mark Sennen before you go though. :-)

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 14/05/2017 13:47

We do DofE Gold expeds on Dartmoor - I'd love to do what you're doing! Plan your route carefully on the north moor and check the range firing times!

We encourage our students to research the ghost stories before they go...

Make sure your route goes past Wistman's Wood: I love that place.

ineedaholidaynow · 14/05/2017 15:27

When doing something like that, especially if you are doing it by yourself, you need to leave your route details with someone.

DH even tells me where he is parking and which Tors he is going to if he just takes the dog for a walk on Dartmoor!

DS is just learning how to complete route cards for scouts.

FeedMeAndTellMeImPretty · 14/05/2017 15:48

Have you watched the movie Wild with Reece Witherspoon? She goes on a solo hiking trip and gets into some scrapes along the way but the sense of achievement from doing something like that would be amazing. Maybe do a couple of small scale trips first to prepare?

phlebasconsidered · 14/05/2017 16:09

I have biked from London, through the New Forest and along the south downs way, the entire length of Portugal, through Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia and the length of France, with just my bike,panniers and a tent. I loved it. Never had any trouble. Wild camped most of it. Two kids put paid to it but I'm.planning on going right back to it once they've gone.

Maps are your friends. Get good ones. If a useful scale. Travel light but have a comprehensive first aid kit which includes dehydration stuff and a foil thermal blanket. Buy the best lightweight bedroll you can. I had a fantastic mini cooker and a lot of dehydrated food but I planned my very rural routes ( which were mostly cross country) to meet a village or town every few days to have a good meal and a few pints.

I took my notebook, and a pencil, and two books which I always swapped easily for others.

If it's your first undertaking, i might be tempted to go a route I knew it meet others. I'm hugely tempted by the bothies of Scotland, but I'm such a midge magnet! If you are, i recommend the best anti mozzir stuff you can buy!

I say go for it. I only ever met lovely people.

Original poster
PoisonousSmurf · 14/05/2017 16:21

Thanks for all the stories and 'warnings'. I'm an experienced walker and have climbed lots of hills and mountains including Ben Nevis, but always with DH. It's just that he doesn't like wild camping. He likes his 'comforts'.
We are not going on a family holiday this year, but he wants to do his own solo holiday in Morocco and I want to spend a week walking and camping.
I've got myself a 'trail shot' water filter, so that I don't have to carry tons of water with me and I have a spare phone for emergencies.
It's just nice to get out and about and push yourself a little.
I'm more scared of meeting cattle than other creatures on the moors, lol!
This will be in August, so there aren't any firing exercises on the moor at that time of year.

OP posts:
milliemolliemou · 14/05/2017 16:22

www.secretsofsurvival.com/survival/wilderness_survival.html

Go for it. Just make sure people know your route and estimated times. As PPs have said, mobiles don't often work when you need them so you're right to have maps and compass as well as satnav. Can you take flares if everything goes tits up? Why don't you PM Phleba?

helpfulperson · 14/05/2017 17:35

Totally go. I do loads of camping/hiking on my own and have a spot tracker www.findmespot.eu/en/ .

This is a Personal Locator Beacon which works off GPS. It sends a signal every 10 minutes and you can set up a webpage so others can see where you are in real time if you want. It also has an SOS button which when pressed goes to a centre in America who will pass the info to the police force nearest you and they can access the info on where you are and how much you are moving if you don't have a phone signal. You fill in a profile sheet with details such as husbands contact details, route plans etc and they will also access this info and contact your husband before mounting a rescue. You can also press a second button which, without a phone signal, will sent a message to a predetermined number with a message you have written eg have arrived at campsite. Cost is £100 for unit and £15 a month - for me worth every penny.

Code42 · 14/05/2017 18:20

I have fond memories of doing Gold on Dartmoor! I love it - just make sure you're spot on with your compass and you'll be fine. As PP said, being on your own means needing to be prepared to eg walk on an injured limb, and make doubly sure you leave your plans with your DH and check in every so often - more for the sake of rescuers than you, though Grin

patronsaintofglocks · 14/05/2017 18:47

RIP

EmmaWoodlouse · 14/05/2017 20:09

I know people who have camped there alone and lived to tell the tale, so I think you'll be fine. Just don't leave any food where the ponies can get it or they'll pester you the whole time you're there.

FelixtheMouse · 14/05/2017 20:24

I've done this. It's freezing at night (colder than the highlands). But it was great fun. But if you come across the footprint of a gigantic hound run!

PS the Dartmoor Inn at Merrivale is a nice place for lunch.

Trills · 14/05/2017 20:27

It doesn't sound like what I would call fun.

But YANBU to want to do it if you like that kind of thing.

Unless doing it results in you and your husband not having enough money or holiday time to go away together?

BertrandRussell · 14/05/2017 20:31

"Unless doing it results in you and your husband not having enough money or holiday time to go away together?" So she can only do this if it doesn't rock the boat at all.....

Trills · 14/05/2017 21:10

That's a much stronger reading of my post than how it was intended.

If one person having a holiday alone means that a couple cannot have a holiday together, then I think it should be discussed and agreed together and both partners' feelings taken into account.

CazY777 · 14/05/2017 21:19

Sounds great. I've walked and camped a lot on my own (but not wild camping as I like a proper toilet and shower at the end of the day) and it was excellent. I did occasionally worry about what I would do if I had an accident in the middle of nowhere without a signal, but if you've thought about how you would tackle that then just go for it! I'm jealous (I don't get to go long distance walking at the moment as have a 2 year old)