Would you let 2 15yr old friends wild camp alone in the Peaks?

[TriangulationStation]

Neither have camping experience other than on-site family holidays.

Neither has decent kit (and they’re not borrowing mine!) that means boots, waterproofs, insulating layers, sleep mat, the whole caboodle.

They’re both moderately sensible, but one is quite sensitive and lacks stamina.

They plan on cooking with a twig stove not a gas one or open fire.

And apparently I’ve to drop them off and pick them up again a few days later. Never mind my work schedule or the 130 mile round trip each time.

Ive already outright refused Snowdonia (in autumn to bear in mind) so they’re now trying the Peaks.

there must be a solution.

Uh it's always raining in the peaks i hope they realise 😂

Nope. That's the solution OP.

No! Is the short answer to that!

Tell them there is no phone signal or WiFi.

15 though, no way.

Maybe allow them to camp for a night somewhere close, a local farm might oblige or a small wooded area.

No

I don't think so. This is what DofE is for ... a bit of training, kit and someone who isn't a parent laying down the rules! And with that, the wild camping will be when they're 17-18 and will have done previous expeditions so they're not clueless.

Absolutely no way.

Well wild camping isn’t allowed so what will they do if someone rocks up and shouts at them to move? They certainly are very unlikely to get away with keeping the tent pitched for a few days…..are they happy to pack it up every morning and carry it about and not pitch again till dusk?

How likely are they to get spooked by noises in the middle of the night? I was out and about in the middle of nowhere the other night and the noise of foxes screaming is quite unsettling even when you know what it is.

would they agree to a small no frills camp site instead? Something like North Lees if that’s still going?

I'd let my 17 year old do this, but she's been a scouts since beavers. Has wiled camped before, is halfway through her gold DofE and has all the correct kit. 🤔 I'd probably want her to have a GPS phone/device of some kind on her for emergencies.

So in answer to your question given their inexperience. No I wouldn't let them, its a seriously bad idea. Do either of them have first aid training? Would they be able to contact anyone in an emergency? Mountin rescue end up, rescuing people who go out unprepared all the time. I think it's a very bad idea.

It's not exactly legal to wild camp in England without the land owners permission so aside from anything else that's a big no!

Not if they don't have experience (like scouting) and proper winter equipment. They can start learning by doing camping at a campsite near home and a Tesco - and travel on the bus.

NO! This is the sort of trip that ends in the Evening News!
Get them into Scouts/Explorers so they can learn these skills safely with a responsible adult.

Tell them they need to demonstrate their competence by camping out in the back garden for 1 night first. They have to cook their own food and cannot use the kitchen. Do not help them at all.

What are they planning to do about toileting?

And they need to get permission from the landowner. The Peak District National Park do not allow wild camping, ever.

Surely the solution is to help them plan an expedition? Lend them some stuff, get out the OS maps, cut it down to a couple of days, help them start to learn. I first wild camped for a night with my brother when I was about 9, with parents about half an hour's walk away, it's brilliant that they want to and 15 is old enough with support.

And what are they planning to do with their poo? They can’t just leave it. So they either need to dig a hole for the poo and carry any dirty loo paper home or bag everything up and bring it all home.

That would be a hard 'No' from me.

They plan on cooking with a twig stove not a gas one or open fire.

What's a 'twig stove'? And it's unclear if they might try cooking over an open fire ...obviously that's a complete no-no for all sorts of reasons.

No I wouldn't

You can’t just wild camp wherever you like in the UK. Going from nothing and no experience to wild camping is not something to be encouraged. Especially when they are not demonstrating any understanding of the limits.

I would agree with a pp who suggested they show their competence, perhaps somewhere locally. They need to understand the responsibilities of wild camping, how to do it safely (not start fires!) what kit they require.
FWIW, I let my son wild camp with a friend at 15, but locally and he had been going on expeditions with his Dad for a few years so knew the drill.

All I can think of is the 4 teens that went missing up in Wales earlier in the yr., they were going camping too. I know many teens go camping and are perfectly fine, but this is still so fresh in memory, so if it were me, it'd be a firm, No!

No way!

They should go to official campsites - although most won't take unaccompanied childen. Wild camping in England and wales is basically illegal.

They should not under a circumstances be lighting fires on the ground - I know it's been wet but that doesn't make it ok .

One night somewhere local to start with would be better

They can make it more of an adventure by saving up and taking the train not relying on other people - for example train to hope and camp at the nearby hardhurst farm. There is a fish and chip shop within walking distance

NO OPEN FIRE especially on sensitive peat

If they want an open fire they can do it in their back garden

No way.

Just no.

Why don’t they…

Find a recognised trail of 5/6 miles. One that you know where it is! Sign posted etc…
then walk with their kit and end the hike at a small campsite.