SummitStupid wrote: Without wanting to be a negative Norman, walking to pre-determined 6-figure grid refs provided by others isn't really in the spirit of proper wild camping. Part of the fun and challenge and stress is in finding your own. I would certainly have no trouble with anyone providing you with a list of such (I haven't done the WHW) - I think people guard these things a little too jealously - and I'll provide a link to an article you might find useful, but planning the route around "potential" campsites, and occasionally scrambling around desperately looking for a bit of dry ground to put your tent on as the Sun starts to sink below the horizon, are I think very much part of the experience. You might find it more rewarding doing it this way.
EDIT: I really, really don't want to look like one of those snotty people who just post negative stuff in reply to posts like this. I just mean to say that by having a pre-prepared list of "wild" camp sites, you're denying yourself some of the sense of freedom and accomplishment that come with the best wild camps. And who knows, you might find an unknown spot you want to share with others!
OK.
I haven’t actually checked this post since I posted it a few days ago.
I thought I’ll give it a few days for people to get involved… evidently few have.
I don’t know if that says something about this forum or whether your post tainted it with negative energy which in return made people avoid it.
Firstly - thank you for the link. I’ll check it out.
With regards to your post:
First, this post is about criteria specific wild camping spots (meaning, not general one but ones that meet certain characteristics), as well as decent places to eat. It’s not about “this is my approach to backpacking, please criticise it”.
Suffice it to say – your remarks are simply misplaced.
Further, if you wished to make them still, you could have done it privately.
I’d say you came across as negative and snotty whether you intended to or not and worst of all – you based it on misinterpreting my post and my intentions.
What the other guy said is slightly more “accurate”:
I know what you're saying, but if someone wants to know where a reliable campsite can be found because they aren't very experienced, or will be arriving late or in bad weather, or will have already done 20 miles by that point... fair enough
Having more information is hardly a “bad thing” regardless of experience. It’s a form of insurance. As he suggested.
The logic of comparing ‘lack-of-information’ to a more natural and “raw” experience is not un-true but if we are to follow that line then why stop there?
Why don’t you travel without a compass and try figuring out the path with the stars?
Why use a map at all… just make it up as you go along. I mean, if other people’s camping spots take away from the experience why should other people’s path be any different?
Why should you even bother with places to stock up at all… clearly a much more “natural” experience will be to hunt and fish for yourself.
Why carry a tent when you can build a lean-to and use fire rocks buried under a bed of grass to keep warm.
My point here that this logic is quite honestly pretty silly.
I watched videos by Paul Wilcocks and he didn’t seem to find very many pitching places throughout the route.
On the other hand I watched videos by Hounds of Howgate and he didn’t seem to have any issues finding pitching spots just about anywhere and everywhere.
From watching videos I saw that there are quite a few spots that would make the experience quite a bit better. For instance, in Paul’s videos he would often stop at a place only to discover later on that had he walked a few more minutes there was a spectacular spot with an overview of the water and mountains. That would have made the following morning even more emotional.
A spot like that, in my opinion, is good to know about and keep as a grid reference.
That there are gazillion more is not the point at all and if you re-read my initial post you’ll see that I asked for good ones… not general ones.
