Author Topic: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.  (Read 3086 times)

gunwharfman

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When that day comes I really hope that someone on the Forum will organise a Meet. I want it to be known that I'll be the first in the queue to put my name down! I'm useless at organising things, sorry about that, so please over to ---?---. Happy to pay you in a few pints of beer!  O0

Further, if anyone is planning a BIG walk, say a minimum of the Pennine Way length, two weeks or more, either in the UK or in Europe and wants to walk with other people, please consider walking as a part of a group and remember my name to be part of it. I've set a Grand aside already, for me it will be worth every penny.

SteamyTea

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When that day comes I really hope that someone on the Forum will organise a Meet. I want it to be known that I'll be the first in the queue to put my name down! I'm useless at organising things, sorry about that, so please over to ---?---. Happy to pay you in a few pints of beer!  O0

Further, if anyone is planning a BIG walk, say a minimum of the Pennine Way length, two weeks or more, either in the UK or in Europe and wants to walk with other people, please consider walking as a part of a group and remember my name to be part of it. I've set a Grand aside already, for me it will be worth every penny.
Is that a grand to buy us all drinks, every night?
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richardh1905

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I'm certainly going to be keen to meet up with some of you guys, but it may be a little while yet, I fear.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Mel

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Technically speaking, we could have a forum meet  :)


It could only be a day walk/return home that night.


No more than 6(?) people could attend.


Maintain social distancing.


Hand sanitising OCD / pathological fear of closed gates and stiles.


Leave the dead/injured on the hills - don't call out MRT.




...Aye, mebby we need to leave it a while  :-\




richardh1905

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...Aye, mebby we need to leave it a while  :-\


Agreed - with the best will in the world, it would be all too easy to relax our collective guard, and 6 people meeting from different parts of the country sounds like a very good way of spreading the virus.  :)
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

forgotmyoldpassword

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Bumping this topic rather than creating a new one.


I was talking to some hoteliers and the consensus seems to be that they are looking to open the first week of July, with camp sites likely closed for the entire summer due to the difficulty in social distancing due to showers and toilets.


With this in mind, I doubt that we are going to get any kind of 'hey it's ok get out there' announcement for camping which we can then use as 'approval' for wild camping from the government - so how are people proceeding with their trips and plans for the summer months?


My own personal view on this has changed and I'm now planning 2-4 day wild camp trips, self supported, mostly making use of long weekends - the main difference I see is the need to take alcohol gel to use before having food, and I'm choosing to reduce my daily distance by 25% to help with fatigue and mitigating risk.  Everything else I expect to be the same. 


My perception of the risk is that if you're entirely self supported, order your food during your weekly shop - then you aren't increasing risk profile whatsoever for other people and actually get to enjoy your hobby and get out.  This would seem to agree with the BMC advice.


Curious if anyone has any feelings for or against this?

ninthace

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If you are fully self supported you will not need alcohol gel if you have soap and water.
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forgotmyoldpassword

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If you are fully self supported you will not need alcohol gel if you have soap and water.


My thinking was more that soap is bad for the environment when wild camping and shouldn't be put in to any wild water source, whereas alcohol gel is water based and therefore evaporates (along with the alcohol).  The intention for bringing it was more to be able to get through farm gates/stiles etc without unnecessary drama for the next meal though.

April

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If we get the ok to go on holiday again I see no reason why we can't go wild camping. I'm sure most of us on here who go wild camping are the responsible ones who leave no trace at all. We had booked a campsite in Northumberland in June which was cancelled but they are hoping to open in July so perhaps some campsites may open?

As soon as we are told we don't have to return to our own homes overnight I will be going wild camping.
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ninthace

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My thinking was more that soap is bad for the environment when wild camping and shouldn't be put in to any wild water source, whereas alcohol gel is water based and therefore evaporates (along with the alcohol).  The intention for bringing it was more to be able to get through farm gates/stiles etc without unnecessary drama for the next meal though.
  That is very responsible of you but you will niff after a bit  :) .  You will at least need gel for use after toilet breaks.
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forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.
« Reply #10 on: 21:21:26, 16/06/20 »
If we get the ok to go on holiday again I see no reason why we can't go wild camping. I'm sure most of us on here who go wild camping are the responsible ones who leave no trace at all. We had booked a campsite in Northumberland in June which was cancelled but they are hoping to open in July so perhaps some campsites may open?

As soon as we are told we don't have to return to our own homes overnight I will be going wild camping.


Yes absolutely, if hotels are opening in the first week of July then to me, that implies wild camping is perfectly fine if others are going on their holidays.  I don't think wild campers are going to be given any explicit ok either from the Gov or the BMC (or similar).


Not sure whether all campsites are been given the same advice or whether they're just trying to keep bookings as long as possible hoping for a change in government advice.  I've passed absolutely loads of motorhomes and converted vans with people using the time to van camp, which I suppose is fair enough but not strictly within the rules.


As an aside - I've heard that Nicola has decided not to open up Scottish tourism this summer, can any of our resident Scot posters give a bit of a run down on this?  I thought the economy at the very least would be crying out for tourism right now.

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.
« Reply #11 on: 21:23:13, 16/06/20 »
  That is very responsible of you but you will niff after a bit  :) .  You will at least need gel for use after toilet breaks.


Oh I have about 25 packs of wet wipes I bought early in the pandemic which I can repurpose for such things! Never let a good crisis go to waste!


And it's almost guaranteed I'll whiff a bit if it keeps on being so blood hot, but it's a sacrifice I'm prepared for my fellow hill-goers to make! ;D

April

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Re: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.
« Reply #12 on: 21:29:07, 16/06/20 »
I prefer wet wipes to hand gels, never soap!

No I don't expect we will get a green light to go wild camping but we have never really had one to start with, in England anyway, Dartmoor aside.
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SteamyTea

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Re: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.
« Reply #13 on: 21:31:03, 16/06/20 »
I heard though the catering grapevine that it is probably the 20th July that places will be allowed to open.  Not sure if that is speculation or something more valid.
It kind of makes sense as that is generally the first week of the school holidays.
I also know that some campsites are still hoping for the 4th July, but that is hope and no official notification as far as I am aware.


Many hotels are are not opening as they relied on Shearings to bring the blue rinsers down.


Going to be a tough summer financially, but less overall work, though I still have to be in the same amount of time.
Catering for 40 is the same as catering for 240.
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forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Looking ahead to the day when we can hike and camp again.
« Reply #14 on: 21:35:08, 16/06/20 »
I heard though the catering grapevine that it is probably the 20th July that places will be allowed to open.  Not sure if that is speculation or something more valid.
It kind of makes sense as that is generally the first week of the school holidays.
I also know that some campsites are still hoping for the 4th July, but that is hope and no official notification as far as I am aware.


Many hotels are are not opening as they relied on Shearings to bring the blue rinsers down.


Going to be a tough summer financially, but less overall work, though I still have to be in the same amount of time.
Catering for 40 is the same as catering for 240.


Yes the 4th is what I've heard too, not quite sure why this is the intended roll-out but I suppose it's promising to see some things returning to normality.


Would there be any demand for doing outside catering for parties and so on? I can think of a dozen birthday parties which have been cancelled at indoor events, but many are looking to get in outside caterers during the summer months to make the most of the outdoor spaces.

 

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