Starting out?

Hi everyone, I live in Milton Keynes, buckinghamshire and want to do some local wild camping before I go of to the lake district, to test my gear etc. Just wanted to know if anyone has wild camped in the chilterns or have any other suggestions of places to camp thats near to me.

look at a map. there are lots of places.

As someone who lives and walks extensively in the Chilterns, I can assure you that there are countless places that are ideal for a one-night wild camp. Here's what you do:

1    Plan your route from the appropriate Explorer map.
2    Towards evening, keep an eye open for a suitable pitch, preferably the edge of a field or in a grassy woodland clearing away from the path and nowhere near any habitation. Select a site where your tent is unlikely to be seen. If you choose a field, ensure that no animals are pastured in it.
3    When it starts to get dark, pitch your tent.
4    Wake at first light and strike camp.
5    Ensure that you have left no trace of your camp except for the outline of the footprint of your tent.
6    Walk for a mile or so and then have your breakfast.
7    I've never been caught in sixty years of wild camping but if you re discovered, don't argue, just apologize and move on.   

I should have mentioned that you need to carry everything with you includig water. If you want to keed the weight down, you can find a pub late in the day and ask for your water bottle to be filled before you leave. There are few streams in the Chilterns and I wouldn't dream of drinking from any of them.

An easy option I used to do was walk some of the ridgeway path.  I never got any trouble there and frequently found places for water, even water taps but I was nearer the western end.  Great place to go and walk.