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 Signed, Not that I would ever wildcamp in such an awful place. 
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 im in
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 That link won't load for me 
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_(Custom).jpg) Dynddinas, Link still seems to be live. Try cutting and pasting into your browser instead of double clicking?
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 97 signatories now.
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 Well, I'm thinking that once it's legalised then there's going to be all sorts of formalities (maybe even legalities) that will come into play. Can some one tell me why they want it legalised? What will you be able to do that you couldn't have done before? All wildcamp sites to be heath and safety checked? I don't like to be controversial but give me a good reason to sign please.
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| Edited: 26/01/08 16:08 |
Bobby, Well for one thing, legalisation would allow you to go to sleep in a tent near, for e.g. the Offa's Dyke path, knowing that if someone asks you to move you don't have to. At the moment you do have to move at the request of the landowner or his/her agent. I mention Offa's Dyke as I've heard at the north end some farmers can be keen to turn you off. It's legal in Scotland and should be in England and Wales. Period.
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 Personally I don't really think camping is wild camping til you're about an hour minimum from road/habitation (preferably a day's walk), the abuses tend to focus on those camping close to/at cars etc. Bobby - the difference is - if some tweed-clad chinless a**e whose great-great-grandad bent over for the right royal at Eton wants me off his land he can legally spin on it. Ownership in Scotland means the right to prolonged habitation, agriculture, gaming etc, it does NOT include exclusive access rights. When I read about the access/camping issues in England I really wonder how you all put up with it.
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| Edited: 26/01/08 16:35 |
 The ambition in Wales - and the purpose of the petition to the WAG I put the link up for earlier - is to pass legislation so that Wales has similar access and camping rights as Scotland.
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Now up to 106 signatures, not including the spoilers.
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 To be completely honest I'm quite happy with the way it already is and don't want it to happen like it has done in some places in Scotland where in most places it does work but in the odd few places especially by roadsides its became a bit of a mess. If it was legalised here you really would just end up seeing people parking by roadsides everywhere in National Parks and not the thoughtful sensible people you'd want to be doing either. You'd see places in the Lakes with charcoal circles and left behind beer cans everywhere. The right people do wild camp every day in the right places in England and Wales with no trouble at all so I think it should remain as it is and wouldn't want it to be legal to camp absolutely anywere in England or Wales. Maybe if it was limited to a certain altitiude or distance from roads but otherwise I would have to disagree with the idea and won't sign a petition unless rules like that were added to the equation.
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 What happened to the last thread with the link to the Welsh petition in it too ? Or have we stopped caring about the Welsh one?
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I agree with the above, theres no need to change the current arrangements....if you chose a wild camp site carefully and respect the area you should rarely have any problems with landowners anyway. There are already a few placs in the Lakes which have been misused and the Police have put signs up...legalising it would make matters worse I think.
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I really don't see why people don't just read the access code - the BBC were guilty of this last year, when they listened to landowners decrying the mess left behind (as mentioned above). Here's what the Access Code actually says: http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/access/ApprovedCode050604.pdf Responsible behaviour by the public Access rights extend to wild camping. This type of camping is lightweight, done in
small numbers and only for two or three nights in any one place. You can camp
in this way wherever access rights apply but help to avoid causing problems for
local people and land managers by not camping in enclosed fields of crops or
farm animals and by keeping well away from buildings, roads or historic
structures. Take extra care to avoid disturbing deer stalking or grouse shooting. If
you wish to camp close to a house or building, seek the owner’s permission.
Leave no trace by: - taking away all your litter;
- removing all traces of your tent pitch and of any open fire (follow the guidance for lighting fires);
- not causing any pollution
-- Notice "this type of camping is lightweight..." Is car camping 'lightweight'? Wild camping is the only form of camping recognised by the Access Code. Charcoal circles? Doesn't sound like "leave no trace" to me, does it? And, if you breach the Access Code, you lose the right to access. Yeah, it isn't perfect. And some people seem to like blaming the Access Code instead of calling the police with photographic evidence and car registration numbers when land has been vandalised. The onus is on the wild campers to behave responsibly. There was a thread on OM in the past which mentioned Braemar police moving on car-campers as they weren't wild camping. The downside was, IIRC, a hiker was amongst those cleared from the land.
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OK. Can we be clear here that Cunning Duncan's post about the "Access Code" - (for which much thanks by the way) - only applies to Scotland. You do NOT have these rights in England and Wales at the moment, and you should. To John Bailey: (thanks for your post) - the petition covers Wales, as does one of my earlier posts. I live on the English/Welsh border and am keen to see the law apply to citizens of both nations equally as well as those in Scotland.
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| Edited: 26/01/08 19:11 |
 IMHO things are fine as they are!
I dont see the need for a change in the law, which would probably bring all sorts of people onto the hills and leaving mess etc.
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Manchester Rambler, the petition John's referring to is the one specifically relating to Wales; the Welsh Assembly Government is being lobbied on this issue. We are hoping that Wales may pass its own legislation on access even if Westminster doesn't - though obviously it would be best if the whole of the UK had the same access legislation. John the petition's here - it was in one of the other threads!!
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| Edited: 26/01/08 20:33 |
 Since your post Kate, I have been making some " enquiries" with a "contact" of mine in the WAG and as far a she is concerned (although by no means certain) access rights are subject to primary legislative powers and therefore are NOT a devolved issue. If this is correct then that is one petition that is absolutely pointless!
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Still won't load
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