Camp on the wild side
Go off-grid camping with Camp Wild At Some of the wildest UK locations
I awake to a gentle dawn chorus. For a moment I don’t know where I am. But then I remember. I’m in my tent in the middle of a nature haven in Worcestershire and I smile inwardly. It’s my first foray into solo off-grid camping. I didn’t think I’d ever do it, but CampWild encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.
CampWild is a platform launched just over a year ago linking those with a love of wild camping to landowners up and down the UK. This means new and veteran campers find the best, wildest spots up and down the country without the fear of being chased off a picturesque location just when you’re ready to tuck into toasted marshmallows.
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
The brainchild of childhood friends Alex Clasper and Tom Backhouse, the platform has been building a portfolio of wild spaces and unlocking previously inaccessible land to encourage more people to try staying off-grid. The pair told me that it had been their dream to make as many wild places as possible. It’s good old-fashioned camping allowing you to re-open your eyes to the nature of wonder without any of the campsite frills.
I was at Riverlands Farm, a sanctuary, with beautiful water meadows, ponds, lakes & woodlands rolling down to the banks of the River Teme. I’ve always loved nature so I knew I’d enjoy the day experience. But camping solo had always nerved me until I discovered CampWild. A thorough read of their website, a chat with Alex ahead of my trip and I knew I would be in safe hands.
Everyone who books a camping trip through CampWild is sent a detailed description of the location together with detailed information on how to get there. The site also has a plethora of advice on what to expect when venturing off-grid.
The CampWild site also has a “Wild Grade” system to highlight the remoteness of locations and the difficulty of getting to them. Members can reap the benefits of getting discounts on outdoor kits as well as arm themselves with advice with access to tutorials and podcasts on adventuring.
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
In the past, I had only camped a couple of times with others and I’m ashamed to say had allowed them to pitch my tent and tend to the cooking facilities. However, on this occasion as a solo camper, it was entirely my responsibility and one that I was happy to take on.
Erecting the tent (with some assistance from a fellow camper) was not as difficult as I had thought, and I felt a real sense of achievement. Having unpacked and set up my cosy den, all I had to do was head off onto the wild and explore this place with like-minded kindred spirits. Within half an hour, I met many solo campers who made me feel relaxed.
Nestled amid rewilded landscapes, Riverlands Farm is just a short distance from Worcester town centre, yet feels incredibly remote. Run by Will Orgee, who grew up on the neighbouring land, set up Escape to the Lake to merge his love of the land and host guests with a passion for nature, wellbeing and conservation.
Their spring-fed lake offers the perfect wild swimming experience under the watchful eye of Royal Life Saving Society trained lifeguards. Campers and non-campers can take full advantage of swimming in the lake. My fellow campers were far more enthusiastic than I was by jumping in for an invigorating swim. I on the other hand was content with balancing on a paddle board supplied by Red Paddle Co. There’s something so soothing about connecting with water and I felt a real sense of calm around me.
Alex and I had had a conversation earlier about the effects of mental health when being close to water and in the countryside. And it was this connection that made him and Tom set up CampWIld. ‘Each time I went out into nature, I would get this overwhelming sense of mental wellbeing,’ he told me. ‘I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I wanted others to experience this too. This was the main catalyst to launch the business.’
As the sun set and we huddled around the campfire, sharing our camping stories, I was further enlightened by a talk given by Blue Health coach, Lizzi Larbalestier. Red Paddle Co’s recent Blue Health study and the effects that blue and green spaces have on our physical and mental health.
The research over 12 months, looked at links between urban blue spaces, climate and health and found that being near or on water is good for physical and mental health. Lizzi told us that the movement and sound of water capture your attention in a soft and (usually) non-threatening way and have a calming effect. That’s why we need access to natural environments and why CampWild is on a mission to unlock such locations.
Campers agree to a code of conduct: taking everything away with them and leaving the site as found. But I was taking home much more than that. Alongside my belongings, I was taking away this wonderful experience. I’m already looking forward to my next adventure because sleeping under the stars never gets old.
Image Credit: Mark Pickersgill (theyorkshirewanderer)
Where and how?
For just £20 membership you get access to CampWild’s directory of private landowners and can book via their site. The maximum stay is two nights but you can link places to create a longer itinerary.
For more information visit: https://www.campwild.uk/
