Moel Famau. Unscheduled Wild Camp

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29/30 Sept' '18.
A neighbour advised that he was visiting Ruthin on two consecutive days and if I wanted to camp, he'd drop me off on the Saturday and collect me on the Sunday, an offer to good to dismiss. A quick change of plan and I was on my way :)

[@kennethcarter5720]

Very calming video. Always camped but from a car. Started my wild camping this year western Pennines. Found your channel searching for camping around moel famau. Not far from the pool. Was hoping to get some navigation practice for bigger mountains. Thanks

[@StonecatWales]

Plenty of opportunity for navigation exercises in the Clwydians as in the Pennines. Try Denbigh Moors too. With overcrowded Britain, it seems challenging to find good spots away from people and potential negative responses to wild camps, but 90% of it is psychology. Study the people and whole swathes of countryside open up where there is virtually no one. Thanks for posting :)

[@kennethcarter5720]

@@StonecatWales thanks for replying. Navigation training is what I need so it looks a good place to begin Cheers

[@sandradevi3079]

So bea-uti-ful!!! Love these wild camp outs and the food is looking good!! Thank you, StonecatWales!!

[@TheF0nz1]

Fair play mate I enjoy your videos take care see you soon.

[@macrolithic]

Da iawn, nice one, those mountains must have been the Carneddau, the other side of the Conwy you mentioned, cheers, Andy

[@StonecatWales]

Aye, from that view point, the hills in the distance are beyond the Afon Conwy and are indeed Y Carneddau. Being in that spot, the setting sun always outlines the summits. :)

[@rockabillycatz]

I really enjoyed your video the best part is being around wildlife and tranquility at its best looking forward to your next wild camp thanks for sharing and take care buddy,

[@StonecatWales]

Cheers John........................ Thanks for the kind words. The Clwydians are not like they used to be when I was camping as a teenager 40 odd years ago. Far too many people there now, and that has affected the wildlife value. There used to be glow worms in the herbage, but bracken has now replaced a lot of the heather and bilberry. I've searched for these insects several times in recent years to no avail. It was common to hear red grouse calling at dawn. I've not heard this bird calling now for years.......................... There seems to be a widespread policy of countryside management by people who think nature works 9-5; they destroy the wildlife, then implement policies (with public money) to try and restore that which they deliberately killed off. A lot of Moel Famau is a country park and that is a catalyst to encourage even more people which creates disturbance. That is a major factor in the breeding non-success of many animals................................ Sadly at that location, tranquiity is to be found in snapshots. In my youth, that little valley was indeed tranquil. You could camp there for a week and see no one but the odd farmer. My interest there is one of nostalgia............................. For wilder places which can still be found, I must look elsewhere, but North Wales is still capable of producing them. To discover wilder places now, I study people, not locations. Human natures sees people liking to follow paths laid out, roads and trails. People don't like walking more than a half mile now from the sanctuary of a road - hikers, serious walkers, wild campers are still a tiny minority of the population and will clock miles, so it can be easy to avoid the masses at times. The wildlife knows this too ;) More wild camoing adventures anon.............................. Regards :)

[@rockabillycatz]

A scouser like myself anon I started wild camping in the 80sj always in Wales I can't do it now but still love the outdoors,it's sad to think how wildlife as changed so much as you say anon to many human traffic destroying wildlife not knowing what the inpact is doing on our countryside,take care anon catch you again buddy,

[@macrolithic]

Oh just remembered that wild garlic is common in Welsh place names, Craf or Crafnant.

[@StonecatWales]

I'm wondering now if there is any Wild Garlic actually to be found around Llyn Crafnant and its associated streams in abundance which it it is suggested it once was to warrant a location to take on its name. My geiriadur lists craf now as a defunct word really only to be found in place names. It simply suggests the modern counterpart is garlleg. This suggests that the location name of Crafnant is ancient!............................... Not been to Llyn Crafnant since the mid 90s.......................... Cheers for the mention of craf. :)

[@macrolithic]

Modern Welsh usage has not taken some of the old words forwards, but my 1970's Collins-spurrell geiriadur has got it; we should use these old words if possible. Wild garlic likes shady slopes under oak that have water seeping down and are slightly nutrient rich. Its not a big chum of the old woolly maggots, being probably quite sensitive to trampling. So modern farming will have got rid of a lot with higher stocking densities. But its still common and I can imagine cig oen that had got stuck in a big patch between fences for a final few months before tata time would be quite interesting on a BBQ; even nicer if it had also later got stuck in a patch of ginger and chilli.

[@BenKYoder]

Nice camp, that's pretty country.

[@StonecatWales]

Just going through my vids. I'm really annoyed that KZbin doesn't always give notifications of comments as I always like to reply if I can, so apologies for the protracted time in me responding. Suffice to say, thanks for your post. It is much appreciated :) It is a great spot.

[@BenKYoder]

@@StonecatWalesThanks for the response. Good luck with future wild camps👍