Introduction to Wild Camping – South Downs

This event is intended for those who have not wild camped before and want to build experience on a relatively easy route in the South Downs, before trying something more advanced. The event runs from Saturday lunchtime to Sunday lunchtime, so you only need to carry sufficient food for an evening meal on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday morning.

We’ll meet in the pub for lunch on Saturday and there will be an opportunity to discuss the route and any final questions around what kit to bring. Cars will be left overnight at a walkers’ car park. The walk on Saturday afternoon will be around 8 miles (13 km) and will take around four hours. Before dark we’ll find somewhere discrete to camp, far from habitation and away from the main paths. This will be likely in woodland. We can discuss the factors to bear in mind when choosing a suitable wild camp site.

Out of respect for the environment, we will not light a fire or use portable barbecues at our camp. After a hopefully good night’s sleep, on the Sunday morning we’ll pack up camp, making sure that we leave absolutely no trace. We’ll take different route back to the start, which will also be around 8 miles (13 km). We should be back at cars by lunchtime, and anyone who wants to can stay for a celebratory drink and Sunday lunch in a pub.

You can find out more about Wild Camping in the booklet accessible from here: https://www.outdoorlads.com/my-first-wild-camping-event

Optional reading list:

• Wild Camping: Exploring and Sleeping in the Wilds of the UK and Ireland by Stephen Neale
• The Book of the Bivvy by Ronald Turnbull
• How to Sh*t in the Woods, An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art by Kathleen Meyer

Don't waste that space!

Spring and Summer walks mean lots of new and existing members excited to be getting out more. Please only book if you know you can make it. Should your plans change please free up the space immediately for someone else who could attend.

Can I bring my dog? 

Well behaved dogs are welcome to join us on this event, but we do ask the following:

• Please appreciate the fact that not everyone is a dog owner or lover - especially when we stop to eat
• Remember we will encounter livestock and horses, and land owners and authorities have clearly signposted their expectation of the integrity and assurity they require of any dog owner, and their dog whilst on their farm land.
• Please ensure you adhere to the Countryside Code at all times - see (Countryside walking with your dog)
• If your dog is uncontrolled and strays in open land frightening other animals or livestock, the leader is supported by the OutdoorLads board of trustees to ask you to leave the event as this is not acceptable behaviour.

New Members

Please feel free to join this as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions, then feel free to message me or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".

Image / photo credits: 

cc-by-sa/2.0: 

• © Dave Spicer - geograph.org.uk/p/2142327
• © Peter Trimming - geograph.org.uk/p/5089726
• © Dave Spicer - geograph.org.uk/p/2142235
• © Richard Law - geograph.org.uk/p/4590497
• © Ian Cunliffe - geograph.org.uk/p/7121476

IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement

You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.