Author Topic: Wild Camping - petition  (Read 1632 times)

muymalestado

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Wild Camping - petition
« on: 08:46:44, 22/05/08 »
Apologies if this is already posted.  I've just seen that there is a petition to legalise wild camping in England and Wales which you may like to sign here:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wildcamp

The deadline is 24th May !!
« Last Edit: 08:48:25, 22/05/08 by muymalestado »
I think this next one will be the top ...

robn

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #1 on: 14:33:20, 22/05/08 »
All done and dusted! This is something I feel pretty pasionate about, but to be honest, if the law is blatantly wrong and irrational, I won't feel any remorse for breaking it anyway. It would just be nice to know I'm not breaking the law when I do wild camp!

Ridge

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #2 on: 16:20:31, 22/05/08 »
Robn

Welcome to the forum.

We have discussed this in the past, if you want to see what people thought the topic is CURRENTLY at the very bottom of the second page of topics in General Discussion but will, obviously, move to page 3 as soon as someone starts a new topic.

darksky

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #3 on: 22:25:07, 22/05/08 »
signed it awhile back..,but i think everyone on here should sign it..,i rekon most have though.  way to go muymalestado  O0
'''get out there and experience as much as you can its beautiful and have yourself alotta fun doing it'''

mattsccm

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #4 on: 18:57:32, 26/05/08 »
Think carefully. By making it "legal" it will become popular. do you really want more people doing it?  By retaining our current situation those of us currently playing still can, the landowners don't get wound up and the impact stays low.  Just to mention both sides of the coin.
When did you ever come across some one in trouble for wild camping?

mike knipe

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #5 on: 19:45:02, 26/05/08 »
Too late to think carefully before signing as the petition closed a couple of days ago. It got 2017 signatures which puts it in the top 3% of closed petitions  (some of the petitions are a bit mad, though!)
I dont agree with the "dont rock the boat" approach, though - if people had done that in the past you'd still be getting arrested for walking on Kinder (yes, it did happen) and you certainly wouldnt be allowed to do the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
There's no reason for Englandandwales to be different to Scotland - The Scottish access law says that if you behave irresponsibly, you lose the right to be there. I think that pretty much covers it. 
I cant see why it should become more popular because its explicitly legal - this didnt happen in Scotland - it becomes more popular because people enjoy it. - Eating cold sago pudding is legal - but not necessarily very popular.
The argument about legality/popularity doesnt work if on one [side of the coin] you say the current situation is not a problem  -   and then on the other you say the reason its not a popular is because its not legal. - The illegality must, therefore be holding some people back from doing it - which seems to say that the people who are wild camping are riding roughshod over the landowners rights- they will do it whether its legal or not.  Its not a cohesive argument.
In any case, at the moment, there's not much prospect of HM Government changing the law, although I understand that the Welsh Assembly may well be planning to go their own way on the subject of access legislation.
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cragster

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #6 on: 21:50:57, 27/05/08 »
Yes lets turn our national parks into tent cities where even more idiots can pitch there big bright red tents next to otherwise tranquil and beautiful tarns all day! NO THANKS!
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.

mike knipe

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #7 on: 22:31:21, 27/05/08 »
Yes lets turn our national parks into tent cities where even more idiots can pitch there big bright red tents next to otherwise tranquil and beautiful tarns all day! NO THANKS!

Can you point to any place in Scotland where this is currently happening?  Do you know what the Scottish access legislation on wild camping says?  Why do you consider people who wild camp to be idiots?
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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Snowman

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #8 on: 13:48:11, 28/05/08 »
In principle, having wild camped myself, I'm in favour of legalising it, however I do to a certain extent share some of the concerns.

As things stand, most of us who wild camp act responsibly because it's in our interests.    I never light a fire, and always leave the site as I found it, however if legalised, would these standards necessarily be maintained by the new breed of wild campers.   Also, us wild campers tend to put our tents/shelters up towards the end of the day, and strike camp early morning.   Would legalising wild camping encourage people to camp for extended periods or even a week's holiday?    I'm not familiar with the Scottish legislation so don't know how that deals with such issues?

IMO it's the fact that we DO maintain standards that causes landowners to turn a blind eye at present, so I have to say I do have reservations.

S.

mike knipe

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Re: Wild Camping - petition
« Reply #9 on: 15:00:40, 28/05/08 »
Scottish access legislation defines wild camping as being at least 100 metres from a public road (thereby excluding roadside campimg) and not near a building or in a garden, on a golf course or in a military base etc. - is lightweight, (ie stuff is carried on the back and not in a vehicle) is for one or two nights only and is in small groups. People in general - including wild campers have to respect the rights of others , including landowners rights to manage and use land, including hunting/shooting/agricultural management and have to act responsibly. Acting responsibly might well include being quiet, not lighting fires, not leaving a trace of occupation and not polluting streams, damaging wallks or fences, digging holes,  or disturbing livestock, control of dogs and crapping responsibly.   If they do not do this then they lose the right to be on the land at that time and can be required (not asked) to leave. 
Landowners also have responsibilities not to be unreasonable in the way they manage the land - ie in a  way which would discourage use.
In theory you can wild camp on agricultural land without explicit permission but in practise most of that kind of land just isnt suitable for camping (eg its full of cow muck, oil seed rape, turnips etc)) - and wild camping generally takes place in the places where you'd expect it - ie in the hills. There are one or two popular places such as Derry Lodge, but this has been encouraged by NTS by the exclusion of vehicles further into the Cairngorms by the destruction of landrover tracks in order to make the Cairngorms just that bit more remote.
Mass wild camping at honey pots near to big population centres (in equivalence to the Peak or Yorkshire dales) doesnt take place - for instance, you wont see idiots in their red tent cities on the shores of Loch Lomond or Loch Lubnaig. You will see lots of roadside camping eg around Glen Shee, but this isnt "legal" and these peeps generally leave litter, crap in the burn, light fires and let their dogs worry sheep.....   The petition has nothing to do with these people or people who travel as a lifestyle.

The petition is also closed so whatever is said in this thread won't affect it in any way - although the campaign to change the law is still in its infancy and its useful for people to have the debate.

Phew....
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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