camping at a campsite? Pointless?

[mumtotwoboys]

To me, paying to camp in a feild with a toilet nearby and people and not being allowed to start a campfire defies the whole point of camping.
Is it just me?
The whole enjoyment of camping I find is in finding a place hidden away in woodland, setting up, being scared at hearing wild animals in the night, waking up to a thousand different birds singing, bees humming, animals russling, etc..
being able to collect wood, start a fire, and survive 'in the wild', away from any civilisation, going to a stream or waterfall and having a wash..

To pay to camp in a field with taps is like having to sleep rough with no real perks.

Anything I'm missing?

Erm the fact that you aren't allowed to wild camp in England. That unless you use 'environmentally aware' products you will pollute the stream/river you are washing in.

Each to their own.

it is good fun, we used to rough camp but with dd it is nice for her to have pals, go the playgroudn etc.

Really, you're not??
Any source?
We make a point not to leave rubbish and such.

you can wild camp in scotland

you are really frightened by wild animal sounds? in england? are you worried about being savaged by a hedgehog?

Yeah I guess it's good for kids to mix with other kids if you're not taking many in your gang.
When I was a kid we went up to camp in the lakes (wild) once with another family which was fun.

there are very few places where it is allowed.
though it is informally tolerated above a certain height.

Do you stay more than one night in the same place? I should think it's harder to wildcamp with children, because you are likely to want more kit and for it not to be practical to lug it all to the middle of a wood and then take it down again first thing next morning so the wardens don't spot it.

there is a great beach ins colant were loads of folk wild camp. i couldn't relax thinking about all the poo lurking

there are more and mroe signs up forbiding camping in scotland these days which is a shame.

i think a field were you are tolerated by a farmer is a good compromise

I agree Bariatric.
Our favourite site is very low-key - the washing facilities consist of a stone sink in the farmyard.
I love standing there brushing my teeth and looking at the fabulous view while the poultry mill around my feet.

Another fave is Rydal Hall where the camping areas are very spread out in different fields so you can basically have your own field with your friends.

I'd imagine it's pretty hard to wildcamp 'properly'. I think I read an article last year, or it might have been a thread on ukcs but if you follow the rule of leaving EVERYTHING as you found it then that kind of rules out campfires.

or at least i think you have to carefully dig turf up and lay it to one side and dig a hole and all that jazz.

can't remember

[great factful post]

And there is all the digging holes for poos as well, and not using anything nasty in those (fricking freezing mr bigglesworth) waterfalls to have a wash in.

we wild camped in oz. It wasn't all that tbh

slubber that is were the cobb comes into its own, no need to make a great dirty hole for campfire [gracious]

Even in Australia I wasn't afraid of wild animal noises, and they have shit out there that is really good at killing you

[extremely brave]

aww Thanks Bariatric.

i take back my not v nice cadac comment on the essentials thread.

i saw that and giggled in a superior fashion

sorry sorry

was still in a moo about cobb shun

we have wild animals where we camp. Sheep are very scary when they blunder into the wall of your tent at 3 in the morning I'll have you know.
And you have to hide all your food from the marauding chickens, kind of like you would have to do from grizzly bears if you were in a Canadian forest.

I read that one reason why an acre or two of woodland is a common middle class accessory these days is because it's hard to find somewhere where you can wild camp otherwise.

I like that Sally Hughes story when they go camping and have to abandon ship because of the tent-invading pig.

we once had a seagull get into the porch, it flapped about hysterically for ages then crapped on teh inner tent

me too Slubber.
I would have been bloody terrified if I was Dad in that story.
actually I bet he was, he just had to pretend to be brave so as not to frighten Alfie.

Oh dear. Stupid birds.

I'm desperately trying to think of an 'animal in my tent' story.

nope

Seth, iirc he does look shit scared, and poor little Alfie looks like he's about to be incontinent with terror.

I still like it though.

I want to live in a Shirley Hughes book.

i like camp sites but thats because we are in oz and if you are really in wild there are some horrid creatures!!!!!! i'ld go semi wild but thats it!

SethStarkaddersMum

We only did a few days here and there last year so far.
But everything we take has to be carried, so we can get real deep into the woods or wherever.
I got a tipi last year which was great, couldn't manage without using kid's pram to carry it all on.
Doubt there would be wardens where we go. Try to get as far from possible from where anyone would be.

I'd be way scared to camp anywhere less tame than England!
Probably take an RV in Australia or USA