10 Tips for Buying a Woodland | Off Grid | Bushcraft | Camping

Here are 10 tips if you are looking at buying a woodland in the uk for camping, Bushcraft and off grid projects. Having recently bought my own woodland, I wanted to give you some tips on things to think about before you take the plunge and buy a woods. A number of these tips (including cost per acre etc) are relevant to the year that this film was made (2022) and so they might become outdated. It is important that you do research to find out the most up to date information on buying a woodland.
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[@matthewsleeman6716]

Great video as usual. As a planner in the UK, I would add check your permitted development rights as sometimes they can be removed and look at the planning history around as you may end up with a housing estate next door or something or if you're near a quarry they may blast and operate machinery. A big thing to check is whether there are any tree preservation orders in place either on singles trees all whole areas. If there are you'll need to get permission from the council before carrying out any works not just felling. Failing to do so can result in prosecution. Also be aware of bats and birds. They are protected, so disturbing them is an offence. Be sure to carry out surveys before taking a tree down and do it outside of nesting season. You touched on minerals rights, which is important, as in Cornwall the chances are someone else will own them being the Duchy or whomever. This will give them the right to exploratory drill on the land and there's not much you can do about it. With public rights of way just be aware that it's an offence to obstruct them, even with a gate and note that some byways allow for vehicles. Another thing is to check whether it's common land which can allow for free roaming and even grazing. Also if you have Ash in the forest it might be harder to identify dieback in the winter months.

[@EarlyMist]

Wow...thats some serious elaboration..kudos for sharing it. A lot of that kind of info unfortunately may come too late after purchase because you can't predict the future and sometimes there's no time to get all the related info in time for the sale. That's why if I was looking at it, I'd prepare for at least six months and look at areas and proposed major projects, changes to highways, waterways, mining, windfarms etc ahead of time. Still no guarantee but far better than rushing into it.

[@alanponter4917]

Excellent info.

[@TAOutdoors]

Yep, some useful extra info there! Your solicitor should pick up on a lot of those things (if you instruct a good solicitor!) but they are worth noting. Cheers - Mike

[@ouessantpeaches6122]

really helpful thanks

[@merlin5476]

Also i may be right in saying that If a stream passes through your woodland You may be liable for maintaining that section of the stream ! . In essex i know of a homeowner that is liable for the stretch of Brook that is at the end of their big garden.

[@ABCampingTony]

Wow, who knew any of this? I didn't and I'm from the UK. Found this thoroughly informative and fascinating. Not enough to want to move back to the UK but still, makes you wonder. Thanks for the great video. Tony

[@Ever_green2021]

I am very impressed by you. Well me and my friends are too joung to buy a woodland. But a very smal part of the Woodland next to out house is ours. We build a camp there. In the sommer we will hopefully sleep in it. Your videos are very helpful. Our next projekt is a little log house. Thank you for showing the people the buity of old crafts and nature.

[@mariomaster64dslite]

Hooked on phonics didn't work for them 🤣

[@Warriorbox]

@@mariomaster64dslite They state they are young, and they may not have english as their first language. The sentiment of the post is great though. Good luck Helvete.

[@judylloyd7901]

@@mariomaster64dslite Possibly not English. In which case he/she is doing pretty well, speaking and writing *two* languages! 😁😄👍

[@silverdm123]

Thanks so much, really envy being so young and owning your our wood. I am 73 and on the same quest!

[@shipuden97]

Best of luck! Ive been to private woods i bought a ticket for, the guy decorated it with wonderland-type attractions all over the place and just passively made money doing what he loved

[@judebrown4103]

Wow, so that's how it works! I often drive from my home in Kent down to relatives in East Sussex and there are regularly signs on trees saying "Woodland for sale". They would make me sad or anxious that someone would buy them to build on so we'd lose some more of our beautiful heritage. So comforting to think that there are good folk like yourself who purchase for the sheer pleasure of using and managing a wood in the traditional ways. I do have friends here in our fairly rural village who got together with their neighbours when the woods backing onto their gardens went up for sale. They all purchased the piece which backed onto their own property. Some extended their gardens, leaving the safe trees and putting in tree houses and garden rooms etc, some left nature to take its course knowing that there was no chance of it being built on. Thanks for another lovely video Mike.

[@QSOutdoors]

Man, I wish someone would do exactly this video but for Sweden. This is SO useful.

[@Paravetje]

Yes!

[@HerrHallon5]

Yep

[@stuartmccloud307]

Im looking to buy some woodland in the UK and im loving this video, thanks Mike

[@Div-Hour]

Hello brother had to go on my mobile to comment because watching on tv . You and your dad are legends you have and deserve everything that you appreciate in nature . Hearing the mic drop on the grey squirrel the back drop helps

[@CrownPrinceEscalus]

Looking forward to the "my woodland life" series. If I may inquire, I would be very much interested in minimal and optimal woodland maintenance. What are the common tasks, frequencies, how much time and what kind of equipment do I need to set aside, etc. Thank you.

[@tomwilson6915]

Hi Mike, I would also add that if you are intending to purchase woodland it would be prudent to instruct your Solicitor to check for land contamination, under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 the purchaser can be held liable for the clean up of any contamination even if this is historic. It can prove to be quite costly. Also check for Tree Preservation Orders, these can complicate matters and require you to liaise with the Local Planning Authority should you wish to do any work on them be it planned or unplanned. Similarly check for any influence of your woodland on any adjacent structures/property outside the boundary and not within your ownership, you could find yourself liable for any damage caused. I would also add with reference to funding of the purchase there are companies that specialise in providing Mortgages for woodlands, Ecology Building Society are one such company that offer this.

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

I'm in the USA and I live in my woodland/homestead. Most of your suggestions are universally applicable but here in the USA land seems to be more available. I live, farm and enjoy 10 acres divided into 4-5 acres pasture/farming and the rest old growth hardwood/conifer woodland with a creek through it. Great hunting and foraging.

[@utubeape]

Here in the UK it would be very rare and unusual for anyone to be permitted to live in woodland, any change of use from the woodland being just a woodland usually requires local Authority permission, which is notoriously difficult to gain

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

@@utubeape glad I don't live there.

[@utubeape]

​@@MynewTennesseeHome And they tell us we are free

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

@@utubeape are you in the UK?

[@utubeape]

@@MynewTennesseeHome Yes. It looks like I will have to move away in order to build an off grid small eco house in the countryside, I don't know what else to do

[@abbev1]

Yes! I'm not from the UK but this was still VERY useful! Much appreciated

[@toberwine]

Excellent guide, very factual and well presented! Just one minor point - the definition of ancient woodland varies in different parts of the UK and isn’t always based on existence since 1600. Basically it depends on when the earliest accurate maps were done….

[@rgober60]

I'm in the USA and most of the area around me is considered farm land. Has plenty of woods around but I didn't know land sold just for woods. We have plenty around but mostly people just buy land and live and farm on it with woods around them. Nice to know about it all tho. We didn't have any restrictions on our land when we bought it. Just have to abide by county rules for your area or if any state laws. Very different than your area it seems. Thanks for the info and am loving your channel.👍👍👍👍👍

[@01cthompson]

Very good video. My father was a soil scientist for the department of agriculture here in the US. You can get a report on the quality of the soil on a plot of land fairly cheaply. Also, if the land you want to buy is near any current or former industrial site you want to have the soil checked for hazardous materials.

[@TAOutdoors]

That’s a great point too!

[@Alex1Nieto]

@@TAOutdoors Hello I am a subscriber to your channel, first of all, congratulate you on that cabin you have, I was looking at how they made it with pallets and I found it amazing, extremely wonderful, I sincerely feel healthy envy of people who have a cabin and try to escape the noise and people and be isolated, so would be my case, hahaha, I sincerely love your channel and I'm watching now your first night in the cabin, any financial assistance you need for the cabin, reply to this message! A hug friend and here I am for whatever you need ! Hugs from Spain

[@Alex1Nieto]

@@TAOutdoors I love your videos, your dog is beautiful, I hope you upload many more videos, a huge kiss handsome and if you need financial help for the cabin or for food, etc, reply me to this message, a huge hug !

[@Gunni1972]

@@TAOutdoors Shooting ranges contaminate soil too. if your patch is really close to one (or a former one, as they used cheap ammo), check the lead values.

[@AirbornePirates]

Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time!

[@sheilajoseph9953]

Thankyou, owning woodland is awesome.

[@shaunmcintyre8996]

Thanks for this my family have been considering this for the last few years and appreciate this information.

[@chriscrane4760]

I’m in the US but still a very informative video. Thanks for sharing.

[@SWATStrachan]

It might have been worth mentioning that there may be restrictions on what you can build within your woodland as well. From what I've read (admittedly, quite some years ago) most will allow storage facilities and shelters, but nothing that could be considered a cabin or residence. When it comes to retirement I always thought that I'd like to have a patch of woodland to call my own, with a log cabin built in the middle, but I don't think many sites would permit that.

[@TheMrVengeance]

Probably a good thing though. If residences were allowed all these woodland plots would be bought up instantly by big companies to flatten for real-estate.

[@SWATStrachan]

@@TheMrVengeance Oh you'll get no argument from me, the woodland should be left as natural as it can be, but I must admit, I would love a log cabin in my own personal forest.

[@BenTheDreadful]

You're allowed to build a log cabin as long as it's primary use is for forestry and maintenance

[@markjones5561]

If you're in the UK you might check out the 'hutting' movement in Scotland. You might be more able to at least have a piece of your dream there.

[@jgstevens5169]

Thank you Mike for this episode. Though I live in USA, you covered many points which should be considered by everyone interested in purchasing land. Keep up your great work! And again, congratulations on your Woodland purchase. Best of luck to you!! Sincere Regards!!

[@Tomosthe3rd]

The presence of badgers would also restrict what you could do around their setts?

[@GingerJ73]

Thanks Mike the price per acre has certainly increased in East of England we are looking at an average of £15k per acre. A lot of the really nice woods are parcelled into 3-5 acre chunks and I often wonder if there is an expectation to give rights of way to allow access through one’s wood so neighbours can access their area. Cheers

[@Sturb100]

There is no right of way across your neighbours woodland in these situations. Make sure you have proper access. A neighbour might allow it but if they sell up you might lose that opportunity.

[@ArielleViking]

Very interesting and informative video. Well researched and beautifully explained. A really valuable video here, Mike. 👍

[@MedeniFilm]

Kalkanski krugovi :) ... Bravo, super video...

[@renxiongmao]

My brain shut down during the portion involving nearby noises in fields, and I thought you were going to say something along the lines of, “Is the plot nearby full of crops? If so, know that they scream during the summer.” Great work as always, and I’m still looking forward to the day that I can practice the craft.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Mike . 🐺

[@gwyn409]

Excellent video. Buying a woodland is on my to do list so I will be watching your videos with great enthusiasm. Many thanks.

[@chriscurran4936]

Even though I don't live in the UK, this is incredibly detailed and helpful

[@TheSillyDucker]

Good luck and wishing you many years of active enjoyment.

[@doczoff5655]

Really useful info, I can't imagine I'll ever have funds for my own woodland or the time to actively manage it, but joining a syndicate might be an option :)

[@ninjasrose1653]

Very useful info. A friend and I are looking into it in a couple of years time. Be nice to get a BIG head start and do our due diligence, so when the time finally comes we're a 100% ready!

[@davehumpleby3440]

Very interesting and useful, thank you.

[@shadygrey7143]

Such a useful video, I am desperate to get a small woodland but the price keeps out running my saving capacity. By the time I catch up they have gone up again. I stay hopeful though. Very helpful information thanks.

[@BlackshacksBushcraft]

I think things are far less complicated in Australia. You just go an buy some acreage and and hopefully find some with plenty of bushland. Some bushland may be close to impenetrable. A eucalypt forest may be a little more open. As with the U.K though, location plays a huge part in the price.

[@lindsaycranch8130]

Great info. It’s my dream to own a woodland.

[@kop_life]

I wish you all success and health in your survival! Great video, amazing nature

[@youcanadventure2]

That answered some of the many questions i have, great job and well done.

[@carljansen3118]

Great vid mate, had to figure this all out myself when looking into this subject, but still got some tips here so thanks 👍🏻

[@kellywalsh9422]

A very informative video. I look forward to seeing more of your woodland .. love from Cape Town x

[@FidoHouse]

Very pleasantly and comprehensively presented. Principles transferable to other jurisdictions such as Canada, US.

[@jackiec9062]

This was so interesting x Luv from UK 🇬🇧

[@michaeldavidson2073]

I hope your wood comes through Eunice ok !! Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

[@jaymeswheeler]

great info and so fun. Makes me so excited to see how this grows and your stewardship of the land.

[@belindavicarey9331]

Thank you for a great video lots of things to think about

[@pumamattiasjeep9290]

Here in sweden konifer Woods especially spruce is worth more than leaf bearing trees,strange how it is such a big difference between the country's,enjoy our woodland I know I do with mine all seasons:-)

[@eric81872]

Thank you for the video! ☺♥

[@anthonypiligno7618]

Well did not know that very informational....JJ...

[@eriktaylor5704]

I hope all your efforts are going well in your woodland.

[@frederickbowdler8169]

buy any field and plant lots of different trees you will find some that will do well or suit your soil look around for ideas in local fruit trees are a great bonus come August.😊😊

[@9parasqn656]

That was excellent. Thank you.

[@peterhong9676]

Very helpful and interesting information presented in a simple and straigh forward manner. Thank you so much. 🙏😁

[@coopaloop9560]

Pretty interesting stuff. Being from the states it does sound a little funny to me, but none the less very educational.

[@Warriorbox]

You are so lucky in the states, in that you can go into the wild and enjoy in many ways we cannot do here in England. All land in England is owned, so no matter where you go you are trespassing in theory. Scotland and Wales have slightly different rules but are also restricted in many ways.

[@coopaloop9560]

@@Warriorbox agreed

[@johnmccarthy2179]

Well done for the way you put the subject across, I can’t think of anyway you could have improved on it

[@andykjohnsonjohnson7622]

Excellent & informative video Mike 👍.

[@andriskuzmenko9277]

make a water source on your land (therefor rising its price) by simply making rain catching revivors at highest point of your land, and make it slowly cascade and water your land going down to the lowest point of your land (Y) ina zig zag way preferably .

[@dannyoutdoors5322]

As always valuable information.

[@ArsonalTech]

It’s funny because I prefer conifer forests because those pine needles suppress brush which is great.

[@aiden8109]

Really informative. Nice one man 👍

[@kingrafa3938]

Very informative video Mike.

[@richardliles4415]

Enjoyed the video very much. Thank you.

[@dakotaovdan]

Nice! I think you can apply some of these tips to more than just the UK

[@OrderOfWoods]

Great tips. I need tips for Lithuanian forest , but some of the tips are the same in our country 😁

[@BritishBeachcomber]

I bought a 63 acre UK farm in 1993. The mature 10 acre mixed woodland was valued at £500. That's just £50/acre. Woodland now sells at £15,000/acre. *Crazy.* Every townie wants a country retreat.

[@markjones5561]

now that was good timing! :)

[@whytho-s4y]

Excellent.

[@levelone4146]

Awesome video. Chapters would be excellent

[@RickTOutdoorAdventure1969]

Nice one Mike, sure this is going to be a very popular film 🙂👍 Atb Rick n Billydog

[@nishanttalukdarmusic7224]

Something happened in the last two years which sent down a hole to watch this video , I'm glad it did.

[@HariKristiyanto]

Hope someday I will have a woodland 🙏

[@DrIngo1980]

This video was very interesting. Thank you for putting together such a thorough video. Your content is great. Please keep up the great work. And while I am not situated in the UK but rather Japan, yes, at the other end of the world, I do appreciate the information nonetheless. Because in Japan the rules and regulations tend to be even more anal-retentive then in any other country. So your video gives me a very good idea of what to ask and expect from Japanese authorities in case I want to purchase some woodland here. Thank you.

[@MiscMitz]

I'm working on it now

[@ricktimmons458]

good advice.

[@mikedavis6463]

my wife and i bought 2 acres in central ky, USA , 1 acre cleared where our house will go and 1 acre wooded with a wet weather creek running through it .

[@user-mi6zd7oh8p]

Really helpful. Thank you

[@jamesmaher7385]

Great info many thanks

[@beahemple611]

Grate vidio and very helpful I'd love to starts my surch bx

[@paulamcnama1499]

Thanks this is dk informative ❤

[@richardeljay]

Good advice. Been looking to buy some woodland in Hampshire for ages now. Already expensive, Covid seems to have driven prices even higher. So going to have to find people to do a group buy or move.

[@manicoptio9305]

you should ask Kirstie Allsop for some ideas

[@chessmoon]

i may or may not buy a wood land but thanks for the advice

[@kenshores9900]

My family and I own a farm land area. However farm land in the US is much different than the UK. There are some similarities though. You will need a survey and there is always lawyers (solicitors) involved. Thanks for the discussion.

[@DJInsight21]

Options for funding Cheapest, further borrowing against your house if you have equity to spare In the absence of this, there are one or two specialist lenders which will lend a mortgage on woodland but the interest rates aren't great

[@untrust2033]

Thanks for putting this together! I was reading about some legislation that said you are not allowed to construct any sort of building (cabin, shed etc) except for forestry purposes ONLY, and must not have any facility for overnight stays. Is this still in place or have I missed somethign? Cheers

[@doczoff5655]

English law prohibits building a permanent dwelling in a woodland but Welsh law allows it. Chris Harbour's channel is an awesome story of building an off-grid life in Wales, Ben Law fought English law for years before getting a lifetime dispensation to build his amazing home... Last I heard Ben's house has to be demolished when he dies, was years back so hopefully that's been relaxed since?

[@snowflakemelter1172]

You can site non permenant overnight accommodation there but only stay there for 28 days per year.

[@johnhempsall4644]

I’m in the uk. And I’m on my fourth year on my land living permanently totally off grid and no address. It’s bliss

[@scomcg7950]

Great video, thank you

[@markjones5561]

Just to mention to those not in the UK that the British Isles are one of the most "under-treed" areas in Europe. Only around 10% is wooded, and much of that is pine plantations. There's very little woodland left. That might go someway to explaining the high costs involved in purchasing woodland. But, the very fact that woodland is so rare (relatively), means it is held very dear in the British psyche. Perhaps a yearning , nostalgia, or as the Welsh call it, hiraeth, for a time when the British Isles were almost entirely covered in trees.

[@tonpul321]

Very good video!

[@yornsotheacooking2601]

natural👍🌿,,video good😊

[@jonbroadsword7572]

This was much more interesting and informative than I expected, but now that you are a landowner are we to call you Lord and Lady Outdoors? 😊

[@scottmcintosh2988]

Survey costs measure and with marh skills you can see how many achers or hectors square footage so you do not get over taxed or under taxed even if you measure a syraight line north South then East West or break it up into squares rectangles and add them up yourself check your maps and math .lets see a log cabin how about a verticle log cabin ??? Love your videos !

[@dynamystic3050]

Good information

[@Simonet1309]

I live in the south east and I’m looking to buy a woodland. My wife thinks I’m nuts 🤣 Problem is, in the SE there is good chance your wood will be surrounded by a housing estate in the (probably near) future.

[@freddyoutdoors]

This is good knowledge to have 👌

[@AaronTheHumanist]

Really interesting 👌

[@rumblechick73]

Most of what you said made sense in one way or another and variations of those same rules probably apply most anywhere. Except for the one about having to have proof that you've actually been to the property yourself. I don't get that one at all! The only possible reason I can think of is so you can't come back later at the seller and say it wasn't as promised. But that would seem to be why you'd want a lawyer in the first place. In the US you can pretty much buy property over the phone or a website these days without even being in the same state. Of course, common sense would say to make sure you or someone you trust have checked things out, but it's not required.

[@xvsupremacy7190]

Very interesting tyvm

[@promiscuous5761]

Thank you.

[@Aartwood]

Totally fascinating!

[@gee3883]

Tree survey is a good idea those big diseased Ash trees ( ASH die back ) drop without warning and you'll end up squished.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

The other common question is " can I buy woodland and live there " consider the answer is "not under any circumstances" and you won't be disappointed. You can build a temporary structure like a shed / cabin, sherpards hut or tent to stay overnight but only for 28 days per year. Planning permission for change of use from woodland to residential never happens. Can you live on agricultural land and pretend to be a charcoal burner , goat herder or twig knitter? No, you won't get away with it, the council will want to see your books to prove you have a viable business. Can you build a home without paying council tax or complying with building regs? No, you can't do that either.

[@EgoShredder]

So the conclusion is to what? Where can you live that is not on a street in suburbia? Or can you only buy land that is already being lived on by the seller of that land?

[@judylloyd7901]

Shepherd's* hut 👍

[@livestock984]

Some proper brown noses in here lol

[@aprildanae7487]

This sounds terrible. So your government can tell you that you cannot live on your own land?

[@snowflakemelter1172]

@@aprildanae7487 yes, without planning laws the countryside would become a giant shanty town unfortunately.

[@williamkearse480]

This was such a good video, I have been thinking about this for a while and think it would be a great place for recreation, getting back to nature and maybe even an investment for the future. Hard to come across small plots by the looks of it. If anyone knows plots around the brecon beacons for less than 15k pls hit me up hah 😅

[@brianspencer4220]

Very informative. A lot of the info could transfer to other countries too. Stay Safe Brian 81

[@stormilha]

Awesome content as ever! do you have any buddies here in Canada talking about buying land over here as well? I am still in the early stages of my research and a boost would be very welcomed! thanks!