English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Croatian
Dutch
Esperanto
Estonian
French
German
Hebrew
Hindi
Indonesian
Italian
Latvian
Lithuanian
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Spanish
TurkishReconnecting to Nature Together
Wild Manchester
Wild Camping
Wild Camping
Nature Adventures
Wild camping is a great way to experience nature first hand, especially camping in the wild, and it maybe a surprise to know that there are quite a few places you can do this in Manchester. What is wild camping? Well, the name says it all, open fires, pitching up your tent in a forest or open field, usually next to a river; no showers, no internet, and best of all, no electrics. It is truly a wild adventure. I can imagine most of you recoiling in horror at the very thought of it; but don’t be put off by the lack of amenities and luxuries. The fresh air and escape from modern life is a prescription to heal your mind and body, even if it is only for a few days it’s a welcome break.
What is Wild Camping
Camping in the wild is about being self-sufficient and using your ingenuity, you also have to go with a mind set that it may not be all roses and sunny days. Whatever the weather, rain or shine, wild camping can be great fun and relaxing. The nights can be cold, but a good tent and sleeping bag will keep you warm and dry, but even better is if you have a partner to snuggle up to. There is nothing better than waking up after a good night’s sleep to an open fire with your breakfast, cooking, morning brew water bubbling away, and nature singing her morning songs.
What do I need?
You don’t need much to go wild camping, although some people take enough equipment to survive a Zombie Apocalypse. All you require are water, food, a good tent, a good sleeping bag, camping knife, cooking pans, utensils, and the two most important toilet rolls and kettle. To stay legal and avoid trouble, it is always best to hire a pitch owned by a farmer or a managed Wild camping site. The cost per night is very cheap, anywhere between £10—£20 per night, you may even find it cheaper if you do let me know. 🙂
What can we do?
So now that we know what wild camping is, and what is required, what next? What do we do all day? Exploring and finding things to see and do is easy. I like to forage and even use what I have collected for cooking while we are camping. Nettle tea and wild garlic being my favourites, of course; that is when they are in season. A book I always carry with me even when I am not camping called Food for Free by Richard Mabey fits just nice in my pocket and is a good reference. Another good book to read in preparation before you go is Foraging Pocket Guide: Food for all seasons from Britain’s woods, meadows, and riversides by Wild Food UK: Marlow Renton & Eric Biggane. Remember, you should not ever eat anything that you’re not 100% sure is safe. And always wash anything you pick.
Wildlife Photography
Taking wildlife photographs is something I also like to do while camping; some flora, and fauna you come across are rarely seen in the green areas of the city, so it’s a great opportunity to capture them. As well as taking my SLR camera, I also take a few trap cameras, which are ideal for capturing the nocturnal wildlife; you would be surprised to see what animals come out while you are sleeping.
Camp fire Relaxing
Of course, sitting around the camp fire with friends having a drink, melting marshmallows and having a chin-wag is always a good source of relaxation. There is something about an open fire that eases the mind and, as some studies have shown, may even explain why last year’s Norwegian television programme broadcasting a crackling fireplace for 12 hours proved so popular. Campfires and fires in a hearth have played a key role in the evolution of human beings, with the flicker and crackle of burning logs directly linked to human psychology.
Escape into the wild
Most farmers and campsites have recognized the increased interest in people’s attitudes towards nature. And as the world gets more crazy and harder to make sense of, nature is a good source of gaining a much-needed sense of balance in one’s life. There has never been a better time to realign with nature, to avoid all the confusion and disharmony currently taking place in the world. Camping can be a good source of escape, and yes, it can be wet and cold, but is it really any worse than the torrent of bad news, bills, and stress in city life? A bit of rain and cold never hurt anyone and is all part of a great and refreshing experience. On the other hand, it may be gloriously hot with plenty of sunshine, you can never tell, but after all we do live in the UK.
Hints and Tips
Wild Camping is a great opportunity to brush off the cobwebs and let your hair down, not only that if you have taken children you can let them run wild and free, I guarantee they will sleep like logs. If you can’t live without your mobile for a few days, you can always take a power bank or solar recharge panels, they are relatively cheap these days. Another great tip if you have taken children is to use two-way walkie-talkies and of course a first aid kit. More often than not local farm houses and farm shops sell fresh produce like eggs, bacon, and sausage, you can believe me when I say they taste out of this world and nothing like what you buy from a shop. They are a little costly but worth every penny, the alternative is you can get a full cooked breakfast from them, but now we are moving out of the realms of Wild camping.
What you make it.
Ultimately, Wild camping is what you make it, it’s your experience and adventure, but what I would say is a little planning before you go helps to get the most from camping in wild nature. There is noting more healing to the soul than watching sun up and sun down, so a camera is always a good idea. Believe it or not, sitting in your tent on a rainy day listening to the tapping of rain with a cuppa and a good book is really relaxing. Taking long walks and having adventures is great exercise, and so taking good shoes or boots is always a good idea. Think ahead, and I am sure you will have a great time. A good book to buy for guidance is Wild Camping Quick Start Guide: Learn The fundamentals Of Camping Off-Grid by Christopher Humphreys. Happy camping :).
The Pitchup website is a good source of information where you can go Wild Camping it gives you plenty of information, and you can book your visits (Not exactly Wild I know, but everything has a price tag right?)