The Wild Camping Habit That NEEDS TO STOP!

This could be the end of wild camping unless we change our behaviour and stop making mistakes that could lead to the worst wild camping experience ever, and that, is NO wild camping.
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[@dogdadoutdoors]

This really p****s me off too. My biggest hate is glass, I nearly lost one of my dogs to a broken beer bottle in my local woodland when she stepped on it and severed two arteries and a tendon. I was like a scene from a horror film, if I hadn't had my first aid kit on my belt I would have lost her. I managed to slow it down enough with three bandages that I had time to carry 29kg of dog a kilometre to the nearest rd where I had a taxi waiting to rush her in for surgery. If you can carry a full beer bottle in, you can carry an empty out. Even better, if you must drink, take a can instead.

[@StephenJReid]

Ugh that’s a nightmare, glad she survived!

[@Eva_noir.]

That's terrible I hope your dog are doing well now❤🙏🏻

[@dogdadoutdoors]

@@Eva_noir. She is fine now thank you. Made a full recovery.

[@Eva_noir.]

@@dogdadoutdoors I'm glad to hear that🙏🏻♥️thx

[@Glownlight]

My sister and I got camping all the time. We have made it a habit to bring a bag with us to pick up garbage along the way. We may not be able to get all of it all the time but it is a start. I show my kids also so hopefully they will grow up doing it also.

[@Silverhand290]

You are a damn good example of a decent human being. Why doesn't everyone love and care for their country? From an old Celt, who is deeply connected to the land.

[@life-outdoors]

This is Fly camping, not wild camping. I think it's important to call them differently. It is really annoying. I think the price of campsites is partly to blame. There's lots of places where it would cost me approaching £30 pn, just for a backpacking tent and one person. I can have a caravan, 4 people and electric hook-up for a lot less. 4 people for a £100 per night in a campsite, no wonder people do this, even though they shouldn't. £100 can buy a lot of beer. I don't get their mentality or those who drop litter and dog bags, often near bins.

[@StephenJReid]

I don’t think most of the people doing this are interested in using a campsite. Especially the party campers. I’ve never seen a campsite charging more for a tent than a caravan. Is that common?

[@squidgiannasquidgianna8845]

​@@StephenJReid it is in a England. The cheapest campsite I've found in the south is £22 per adult per night for a backpacker but you can get an off-season Haven/Butlins type caravan for £60+ (per caravan) for 4 nights. If there's more than one of you that price difference becomes hard to swallow. I'm in a 2 adult 1 child family so campsite holidays are a luxury rather than the budget option they used to be, it starts approaching hotel prices.

[@daveandemmaoutdoors3171]

What might be a good idea is to have some sort of wild camper licence ,bit like a drone licence . For us wild campers that leave no trace it would be a shame to get fined just for being in the same area. At a time I thought it was ok to re use a fire pit etc ,but now I go out of my way not to use an existing camp setup . even going to the extent of getting a titanium stove with spark guard etc to contain the fire . Good work in cleaning that mess up but tbh I think it will just keep happening .

[@beewasere]

Such a good idea, I’ve been thinking about getting a fishing license so I can legally camp by the river but it’s not the best spot and you’ve still got to get permission anyway so? A wild camper license which could be revoked if you ever break the rules would be a great idea!

[@StephenJReid]

Yeah this might have to be the solution

[@yada-yadadragon1947]

Here in the US wild camping on the Mississippi River sand bars (small islands in the middle of the river with beaches and usually trees) became so messed up that the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) have regulations and laws now in place that in order to camp on the sand bars, you need to pay for a permit and state exactly which sand bar you are going to be camping at and for how long. This way they know who to fine if there is a mess left behind. The DNR and other official agencies (Coast Guard, Police Departments etc.) patrol the river and check on those who are camping for their permits and remind them to not leave a big mess (or even a little mess). It is sad to see this having to go this way, because when I was growing up on the river (60's, 70's and 80's) we knew better than to mess it up. 🏕

[@jimstephens5934]

Unfortunately I came across a group of youths leaving that same location in a mess last September, I asked politely if they could take their rubbish with them and all I got was a load of abuse, I just don't know the solution I wild camped there when I was young with loads of other people and wouldn't have dreamed of leaving any rubbish, I don't want to say it's the youth of today but that's not helping, maybe some social media advertising aimed at young people I don't want to be over critical at least they are getting outside I suppose 🤔🤔🤔

[@StephenJReid]

It’s a hard age group to have any influence on

[@Trundlebugg]

It’s not exactly the same issue but there’s a few beaches that have bins at the access points and provide bags for picking up your dog poo and large bags for picking up ocean rubbish and anything else non organic. They use big cheerful signs so it hard to enter the beach without it being on your mind. Those beaches are very, very clean! I think something similar would make a difference for camping spots if it’s not already being done somewhere. Doesn’t mean people shouldn’t be responsible enough to have thought about this and you may still get people who don’t really care but the results could be a big improvement.

[@StephenJReid]

That’s not a bad idea! You’re right those signs on beaches and bag stations have made a difference. It’s one of those cars where you shouldn’t have to clean up after people. But seeing rubbish makes people more likely to leave their own.

[@phililpb]

Another reason for more wild camping is the cost of camp sites. Sites that used to charge £5-9 per night per night pre covid are now £20-40 per night

[@StephenJReid]

Haven’t seen that change myself but there are very few campsites here anywya

[@thepeakdistrictviking]

Totally agree, I've found so much rubbish in the Peak district including abandoned camp sites and it's getting worse. If you brought it with you then take it back!!!!!

[@StephenJReid]

What do you think the solution is? How do we get people to change their behaviour?

[@thepeakdistrictviking]

@StephenJReid normally I'd say education education education, but I fear we've done that to death. We either police it ourselves I'm always taking stuff home etc or if we don't then it will be policed for us with penalties and more.

[@StephenJReid]

I don’t think education really is done though. Not properly anyway or not in a way that actually connects. There may be rangers on the ground this summer in the Mournes. Not to give out fines but to have a chat with people as they go past. Might be one soft way of getting the message out from a human. Faceless signs and posters don’t work. You have to connect on a human level to change habits

[@thepeakdistrictviking]

@StephenJReid totally agree on that, they say it take 7 cycles to change a behaviour but the personal touch goes a long way, as you say signs don't make a difference at all. Maybe rangers will help. The other approach would be to legalise it and then perhaps people would feel more responsibility towards it.

[@nicolaslapierre293]

I was in the scouts as a kid and the first rule of camping is “Leave No Trace”! Always take out what you bring in.

[@BurtonOutdoors]

I've done a similar thing to you with a friend, we were wild camping off the beaten track and stumbled on a terrible mess, I think it was teenagers, we moved on but came back a few days later with bin bags to remove it all. Well done #LNT Leave No Trace. Lee

[@StephenJReid]

Not sure exactly who this was. What teenager brings Parma ham on a camp? It might have been several groups over time.

[@Simon16511]

As a kid, i was told, "Take only pictures, leave only footprints." Put that on the signs not block real wild campers, and outlaw the party sites. Agree this is a global issue we see this more and more around where we live, on small and large scale. My wife is brilliant she has one of those grabers and picks up rubbish on every dog walk, and every small bit counts. We have tried to tell people in the mountains as well related to their rubbish with different results . @StephenJReid another great video, thanks.

[@poundrick]

I see this a lot on my hikes! There are LOTS of Scout and private camp sites around the uk that allow you to have fires, have a good time and have bins to chuck your rubbish in, perfect for the lazy casual camper and some even have toilets! There is a belter near me called Dog Hill Scout camp it’s £5 per night and has toilets and it has pitches in the middle of forested areas.

[@Insolesandlaces]

Its the "self of entitlement" attitude. Many thanks for picking the litter.❤

[@StephenJReid]

How do we fix that attitude?

[@steventurnbull7273]

Excellent video Stephen and a really important message. We never leave a trace when we camp in the Mournes but also we’ve never taken bags to bring away other peoples crap so maybe we’ll start doing that. Organisations like Trash Free Trails sometimes run cleanups but I’m not sure they cover this area.

[@Altriex.]

Thank you for bringing this concern to the front of people's minds. Respect Nature, Leave it better than you found it, leave no trace. 🌲 💚

[@RedBranchBushcraft]

I have my own spot , people always ruin stuff , it's in our nature

[@StephenJReid]

Interested to get a bushcrafters view on this. What do you think about bushcraft camps hidden away in remote areas? Is that different from this? I kinda feel it is but it depends on the state of the place

[@RedBranchBushcraft]

@@StephenJReid it's 50 50, I've seen some absolute nightmare "bushcraft camps" where people have gone to a lot of bother to carry nails , saws , hammers and drills in to the woods to make terrible looking things , then there are some really nice things tucked away that you wouldn't notice

[@RedBranchBushcraft]

Sometimes leave no trace and bushcraft dont really see eye to eye , but numpties who can't be bothered to take their stuff out of the woods should be put under house arrest for a year and only allowed out once a week to litter pick

[@chrisjwoodall]

I think we need to popularise the term ‘fly camping’ for this nuisance to make clear the difference between these people and responsible outdoors lovers.

[@StephenJReid]

Good term!

[@eriolduterion8855]

If you pack it in, pack it out! Leave NO evidence you, or anyone, has been there! The next camper will thank you! Do NOT build campfires; get a backpacking stove and use it! I tend to prefer alcohol stoves, but the butane ones work well, also.

[@95bravo101st]

Nice job!! Leave it better than you found it. I always carry a plastic grocery bag and pick up what I can when hiking. The worse is the people that bag their dogs poop but leave it.

[@steveripley1330]

Brilliant, but sad, video. I agree with the commenter above who says that this video should be on a loop in all outdoors shops, and tourist information centres in walking country.

[@StephenJReid]

I wonder if signs at the car parks with photos of this kind of mess would help

[@rodoutdoors]

That's great you're doing your part. Makes me feel fortunate there's a lot of County, State, and Federal land I can camp at. With the land private owned, I imagine there wouldn't be much effort to educate and clean up the place. It's a shame to trash someone's property.

[@StephenJReid]

Yes, that’s a huge part of the issue is that official government organisations , kind of pretend that camping isn’t a thing. If it was officially allowed, then we could have more public conversations about it, and also funding would be available for education. The current approach is just to put up no camping signs which does nothing to deter the bad eggs.

[@iwasapirateonce1639]

This is a really great video Stephen, even though let's be honest 'these people' are not likely to be watching your channel. This is the new trend of people going into easily assessable areas and setting up a camp for a weekend and leaving all their crap behind. Generally considered 'fly camping' and pretty much the total opposite from wild camping. On the other hand.... the landowners and authorities in Ireland... mostly can go do one. Shooting of Sea eagles in the Antrim hills, poisoning of falcons in Belfast, overgrazing of sheep in upland areas, massive planting of Sitka Spruce in upland areas, Slurry spills where a negligent farmer only gets fined a few grand for wiping out an ecosystem, destruction of Lough Neagh, continued soil erosion by poor farming practices, poor environmental enforcement by DEFRA, over use of high intensity LED streetlighting that continues to decimate wildlife, total mis-management of ash dieback disaster, overzealous unpunished hedge cutting during nesting season, gorse fires that are mostly started to clear land for hill farming. Ireland is a ecological disaster zone with sadly very little hope for the future. People living in a poisoned damaged wasteland are just less likely to care about littering and protecting the environment. The impact of this fly camping, while reprehensible is a drop in the bucket compared to the destruction of our environment that is going on around us every second of the day with no end in sight, and the saddest thing is, very few care or even notice. Kids growing up here think that dense forestry plantations are what natural Irish woodland is supposed to look like. It's tragic.

[@StephenJReid]

Very true! There’s a much bigger picture of destruction here. Actually have a video planned about this. I do think that it stills needs the average person on board which is why highlighting issues like this which cover personal responsibility are so important. I was very frustrated by the killing of those eagles, a lot closer to where I live too. Landowners and larger stakeholders have a big role to play, but they hold the power so needs to be carefully done. We need farmers, they are a vital part of our society

[@iwasapirateonce1639]

@@StephenJReid Look forward to the video. Defo a topic that needs way more discussion in this country. Other parts of Europe (and Scotland, parts of the Lake District) are way way ahead of us in this area.

[@paulryan2081]

Hi Stephen. I have come across abandoned camps on my local moorland a couple of times. Full shebang on one occasion, 4 person shelter, chairs, sleeping bags, barbecue, food waste etc in an area very popular for walkers, 20 minutes from a car park. Not expensive gear but must have cost £150-200. I just don't get it. Moorland fires are often started there too. It's taken 2 or 3 generations to get to this and I don't know what the answer is. Well done for clearing up that mess but please wear gauntlets if you're going to do that. You could find drug paraphernalia amongst it, especially needles. Great video, atb, Paul

[@StephenJReid]

It’s such a waste. Although I suppose if it’s 7-10 people all wasting a tenner each it doesn’t seem that much to them. I did find a few suspicious small plastic packets. Had meant to bring gloves but totally forgot

[@nigelmcardle4112]

Fair play Stephen, there will always be people who just don't care, the rest of us just have to clean up their crap, I teach my kids to pick up rubbish when we go hiking, that may help future generations

[@StephenJReid]

I guess we just have to chip away at it

[@greyhikes5236]

You cant fix stupid. Country code being taught in school like it used to. When I was a nipper at school we went on days where we cleaned up areas of rubbish. On our duke of Edinburgh we actually cleared rubbish around Striding Edge. For me all areas should be open to everyone and as you said with a set of rules, I do agree that there are a lot more people wild camping and a lot more rubbish, I like to think there are a lot more people like us picking up after them. Wardens, not so sure on, we have enough people in uniform taking money from us atm. Maybe a licence to wild camp? Great video Stephen thank you for hitting the subject head on. 👍

[@StephenJReid]

That’s a great idea making sure kids have a go at litter pick up while in school. These attitudes start very young.

[@thehikingbiker9254]

Could a scheme be set up? Like a leave it clean scheme where people are rewarded for tidying? Thinking aloud here so don't have a full plan set out lol. I know in the Himalayas litter was becoming a huge issue and they had to set up a way of dealing with it.

[@StephenJReid]

There are schemes on some beaches that have bin bags and litter pickers, no actual reward but still very successful. It's trickier in these areas though as long distances to bring the rubbish out. A few volunteer groups have been doing cleanups

[@FDGRebel]

There needs to be a deterrent. Same with people at the saddle dumping a banana skin, if a warden came out of the crowd and gave them a £1000 on the spot fine word would soon get around and people would be wary. A licence to wild camp, no licence and a group of wardens with experience (and security and protection skills to handle themselves) that can go to a site with a group of people ask for the licence and if they don't have one £10000 fine. It is the only way

[@StephenJReid]

Apparently that has worked in Scotland. Although part of the trouble in the Mournes is that the land is owned by a huge number of different people.

[@frambo7]

Great video mate. I got kicked off a hill wild camping yesterday( 1st encounter with the authorities) because of s$#t like this. Keep up the good work Captain Paramo😜

[@harduphiker]

As regards solutions...I don;t know. Teenage kids will be kids and won't care til older, and I don't think fines would help - and would probably make it worse cos if you're paying for it or if they get busted then people will just do a runner rather than get fined, and might actually make it worse ("If I'm paying for it, I may as well leave it")? Community service clearing other sites might be a good solution, as they might realise the problem, and helping fix it and other sites. I do think wild camping and right to roam NEED to be legal, and then it could be enforced somewhat I agree, but I think that's unlikely and more likely rangers and fines etc, which won't solve the problem at all.

[@StephenJReid]

I do think officially legalising wild camping, if even only in certain areas is an important first step

[@NickBFTD]

This baffles my mind, if you are the sort of person that enjoys wild camping how can you also not care about the state you leave the site in ?, what are you getting out of the experience that you wouldn't want to maintain for the future ?

[@StephenJReid]

I think some people are there less for the camping and there more for the social/party.

[@NickBFTD]

@@StephenJReid I suppose, still seems odd to me but then I'm not a particularly social person, I would be doing it to get away from people lol.

[@carriehikes]

Maybe an American style system with designated camping areas and rangers? But the Americans charge a fee or use permits for people to hike and camp in wild spaces- I don't think that would work in Britain.

[@StephenJReid]

yeah designated areas would be great. Would give areas for the casual campers to go

[@ranbirsingh7666]

Just watching you on a channel 5 - When Camping Goes Horribly Wrong

[@StephenJReid]

I’ve yet to catch it live! 😂 it’s been re-run about 5 times now and I’ve missed it every time 🙈 ugh those midgies!

[@ranbirsingh7666]

@@StephenJReid Those were fucking crazy 🫣

[@CragScrambler]

Been camping for decades and it's only the last few years we've seen this, it boils my piss tbh. I live just outside the Ennerdale Valley and see a lot of people dumping cheap gear, rubbish and having fire pits, there's even been KZbin on here actively chopping down trees and having fires in the Valley. I'm all for people relaxing and having fun but not at the expense of our hobby, too many just go out, make fires get pissed and leave all their crap everywhere.

[@StephenJReid]

Anything you think would help reduce it?

[@twiglet2214]

Splendid work Stephen - amazing and depressing how some people think they own the planet - which for them has become their own personal dumping ground.I've literally just got back from a trip to the William ( Tell ) - to the dump.to the dump,to the dump,dump,dump.and that's the place for it !

[@StephenJReid]

I’m not sure that they even think that deeply about it. Almost an automatic behaviour. Which is sad.

[@shadowlink3339]

In the US we have a lot of homeless people. They "wild camp" every day of their lives. You can find a camp in any block that has trees and brush. You can see tarps and covers from the street if you know how to look for it. It's unfortunate that some people can't be bothered to clean up after themselves to preserve nature or to keep it nice for others to enjoy.

[@robertmccrea1957]

Stephen. Well done. Big effort. My wife and I every time we hit the beach we bring three pieces of plastic off the beach. Not much but it helps. I believe I know where you are and countless times I see ppl walking towards there with plastic bags…. No backpacks. In and out enterprise. Cheap treats and chairs. We lift detritus too but again man. Chapeau 👏👏👏👏

[@RellHaiser1]

This kind of thing is increasingly a problem here in Canada too, and similarly got much worse during the pandemic. In my province it got to the point where the government had to introduce a fee for camping on crown land, so the majority of people who behave themselves now get to subsidize cleaning up after the dirty pigs who leave their crap all over the land.

[@dtmccphotography]

Take 5, that is 5 bits of plastic or 5 mintes looking for discarded plastic as you walk back to your car, then bin what you find. How could "WE" as a walking / camping / kayaking, people try and campion a small effort like (Take 5) and teach the eeejits that leave dirt and waste behind.. Stephen, good to see you high lite this

[@eriolduterion8855]

Get a bunch of you together and do cleanups of an area. You might also suggest this to local school students as an environmental science project or to Scout Troops as an Eagle Project to maintain an area particularly if you can get the property owner's permission to camp there periodically in exchange.

[@markcable41]

Me and my wife watched your video and would like to thank you for doing what you did. It was great to highlight the problem. I don’t think you’ll ever stop people leaving rubbish, I think people that run the national parks and other large areas within the UK do need to allow wild camping so that this problem can be monitored and hopefully this will alleviate the amount of rubbish left behind. Or the other thing we could do is set up some sort of charity where people could donate a monthly fee, and that charity with other like-minded people can do what you have done, and that may also alleviate the problem. This way people that enjoy wild camping can put something back into protecting what they love.

[@craig3401]

Things like this boil my blood I've seen it in the lakes at very popular tarns with easy access.theres a massive difference between genuine wild campers and party campers and the aftermath of the lockdowns caused a lot of the problems.i think better education of how to use the outdoors from a young age could help.i think if wild camping was made legal then I'd happily like to see more rangers keeping a eye on the popular spots that may ward off some of the party campers because if it doesn't change the bad campers will spoil it for the genuine campers.

[@harduphiker]

This video is really worth saying, I've seen a fair bit of minor mess - I've found discarded tent pegs on both my long walks now...and I could have camped anywhere along the South Dows Way, so makes me wonder how many pegs are littereed across the lanscape! Not good....but nowhere near what you found there. I shared this video on my Community tab - I think my audience is very much Leave No Trace but I do think we should all be Wombles and like those tent pegs I took them with me, and I wish I'd done it with some of the other stuff I found (cultery in a melted Quality Street full of water anyone?) but when I am through hiking long distance it's a bit harder to know where bins are But I certainly can do more.

[@richarddmogg1]

I see this a lot too in Australia. Most people are good but it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone. I make it a habit to take other people's rubbish out and I encourage others to do it too.

[@StephenJReid]

This video has gone more international than I was expecting! Seems its a problem everywhere

[@allieandmaria]

Thought fly tipping was illegal. That's what this is.

[@StephenJReid]

Good point!

[@ivanoutdoors]

I come across this all the time here in Colorado. I do think there is a lack of education around the outdoors. Perhaps using social media to shine some Same Light on the subject, calling out those if known, public shame can be a powerful tool. I think social media is partly to blame, perhaps it can be part of the solution. That and the non offenders need to get much more aggressive when ever you catch someone in the act.

[@StephenJReid]

I think the issue in the past was that when there was an attempt at enforcement it was 1 or 2 people facing a large group of drunk and abusive campers. Apparently they had little success. Not enough funding for more manpower

[@alanrobertson5497]

Fair play Stephen, your right about what will happen in the future. I picked up rubbish in a small town for 10 months for an extra twenty a week. I'd do about 3 hours a day. Amazing what you'd find. Your one in a million cleaning up after people. Great stuff, love watching.❤❤

[@StephenJReid]

Thanks Alan. It’s was surprisingly satisfying seeing the final result, but shouldn’t have to be done in the first place

[@TrailSage]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but game cameras at popular locations AND at the parking lots. Then you can match the perpetrators with vehicles and track them down. Thank you for bringing light to this ugly situation. Side note, I know this would be a lot of work, so toss this idea if it's dumb, but perhaps you can use your KZbin fame to host a trail cleanup day. People could help you clean up the forest, but also get to hang out with you in the process. Just a thought. Keep up the great work Stephen!

[@StephenJReid]

Interesting idea although you’d need a ton of cameras, would require a lot of upkeep and they could very easily be damaged. Clean up day isn’t a bad idea! Although It could potentially just attract more attention to the areas

[@yada-yadadragon1947]

Here in the US wild camping on the Mississippi River sand bars (small islands in the middle of the river with beaches and usually trees) became so messed up that the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) have regulations and laws now in place that in order to camp on the sand bars, you need to pay for a permit and state exactly which sand bar you are going to be camping at and for how long. This way they know who to fine if there is a mess left behind. The DNR and other official agencies (Coast Guard, Police Departments etc.) patrol the river and check on those who are camping for their permits and remind them to not leave a big mess (or even a little mess). It is sad to see this having to go this way, because when I was growing up on the river (60's, 70's and 80's) we knew better than to mess it up. 🏕🏖

[@david_v2.1]

Good man Stephen, I've tidied up other peoples crap myself on occasions......not many people would be as reasonable or forgiving as yourself about this problem

[@paulkennedy5021]

When you get a website showing “top 5 wild camping sites in Mournes for beginners” and then find one of those sites is trashed. Why are you surprised? When you see KZbin bushcrafters with big channels and they build camps in non permission woodlands. Why be surprised? It’s not kids either. I found a camp site with three 3 person tents, 7-8 chairs, piles of sleeping bags, masses of cutlery, mugs, pans, mess tins, all bought from a local outdoors supplier, drink and food. All must have cost £400+. All for an uncomfortable night in a forest and all trashed. I piled everything into one of the tents and lashed it closed with the guy ropes and dragged it down to the nearest road. There wasn’t much else I could do with it because it was minging and far too big to go in my car. I don’t know the answer. The ones who do it get a kick out of the fact that they know it ticks the people like us off. Why is anything vandalised? To show us that they can do as they like.

[@StephenJReid]

Yeah this is why I now keep my forest camp locations secret when I can, especially if they are easy to access

[@merlinspringer5585]

Great content once again. Thanks for sharing the views of many responsible wild campers.

[@tubulzr]

Cool effort, if only for addressing it. That rubbish looked ghastly, and there was so much there, incredible. Hopefully folks in England will be able to keep on camping, if need be by seriously fining those caught littering. 'Leave no trace' is a small ask, to be able to enjoy nature 24 hours in a day. I've hiked mainly in Belgium and Luxembourg and also Germany a bit, where wild camping is also restricted. And Scotland/wild camping heaven. Always 'no trace'. The beauty of nature is almost spiritual, trashing it is sinful.

[@jeremymanning2132]

Fantastic video Stephen highlighting a growing problem for our hobby. You are right about this being a threat to our very limited rights. As well as it being a criminal offence to refuse to leave when requested it is also a criminal offence to light a fire without the owners permission. Every item on that land belongs to the owner including dead wood etc. When someone lights a fire and burns it or even scorches the ground they are guilty of arson. I wish other youtube video makers were as responsible as you instead of filming themselves breaking the rules. Legalizing wild camping will never happen unfortunately, it's been illegal since the 1800's in the UK (except Scotland). The only change will be more restrictions and stiffer penalties. I have wild camped since 1970 but over the years since social media started i have seen a huge increase in numbers and a great decline in behaviour. I find it very sad and frustrating. Well done for promoting this subject. 👍👍

[@StephenJReid]

Thanks Jeremy. Yeah it's a shame the mess is increasing. On one particular point: I'd heard you are allowed to forage items above ground on private land that you have access to but nothing under the soil. So that would make it ok to take leaves, sticks, berries, fungi etc. So not sure a fire would actually count as arson, unless it caused damage. Maybe I'm wrong, any links for that one? I occasionally use a box stove with dead wood but it causes no damage, can't even tell it was used.

[@jeremymanning2132]

@@StephenJReid Hi Stephen, thanks for the reply. As i understand it; foraging laws relate to the gathering of edibles and living plants only. Then for personal use alone not for any commercial purposes. The gathering/removing of firewood from private or public access land is an offence (theft). Therefore that wood is the property of the land owner. With having a campfire the laws can be vague and will often vary depending on local bylaws of that particular area or country. However under the Criminal Damage Act of 1971 if property is damaged or destroyed by the willful lighting of a fire it becomes a case of arson. My experience of this comes from my time working with the Forestry Commission in Wales back in the 80's/90's. Following a number of forest fires it was decided to carry out patrols to look out for campers etc with campfires. We would normally give the relevant advice and extinguish the fires with no further action. However on a couple of occasions we caught repeat offenders and called the police. They were subsequently charged with arson. I never heard what the result of any court cases as I presume they pleaded guilty. The problem with campfires is a lack of understanding of how they can spread. Most are aware that they can spread above ground or by sparks landing on dry materials nearby. But few realise that a fire can also spread underground an unseen. In a woodland or forested area the ground is made up of leaf/needle litter (flammable) and below that a layer of fibrous roots. The roots can be easily ignited by a campfire and smolder quietly underground and undetected by the camper. By the time they leave the area, believing their fire is safely out, that smoldering can have travelled metres away from the firepit and can surface hours, days, even weeks later and start a forest fire. As a camper of over 50 years myself i know how nice it is to have a campfire but we have to be aware of the consequences of our actions. I am not the police and don't presume to tell others how to camp but fires and litter are the two main reasons we could face further restrictions, that would be a huge shame. Sorry for the long winded reply. 👍👍

[@StephenJReid]

Thanks for the reply! Interesting stuff. The underground fire spreading is the reason huge sections of this forest no longer exist. Nearly 40-50% of it has been destroyed by fires most likely caused by camping

[@jeremymanning2132]

@@StephenJReid Very true. One classic case was in the Caledonian Forest near Loch Arkaig, Scotland. Back in WW2 the Royal Marines took over an estate for training purposes, using the loch and the forest for this purpose. At some point a campfire was lit, which they believed was extinguished. However sometime later the fire reignited and 3000 acres of pristine forest was destroyed. We can never be too careful. 👍👍

[@bendrummond3063]

As someone who builds mountain bike trails in my local forest the amount of empty monster and redbull cans lying around beside the trails ive spent months building is disgusting. If you come to a forest to ride bikes / walk dogs / run / or just enjoy nature then please don't leave poo bags / plastic bottles etc lying around because you are too lazy to take it home. Respect the areas you like to frequent

[@StephenJReid]

Must be infuriating, when you take a responsible approach. That’s something I see a lot in my local forest is energy drinks cans dumped along the bike trails. Or bags of rubbish hanging from trees. Doesn’t help the case when trying to get official trail centres put in if forestry can claim it encourages littering.

[@bendrummond3063]

@@StephenJReid absolutely 💯 Trying to get anything official done is a very long and difficult process, apparently getting grants for the project isn't that difficult (obviously depending on the amount of money involved ) but apparently its ongoing costs for maintenance etc that are a big stumbling block. So i was told anyway..... It's an uphill battle trying to maintain the few local trails we have as they become more well known and naturally start attracting more bikers ( that's what it's all about for me, giving people cool trails to enjoy) But things do get pretty torn up when riding it in bad weather. Not much i can do about that though apart from fix it all up come the summer. It's soul destroying seeing all the rubbish dumped everywhere just makes the place look awful.

[@sixwestpoint]

First time in the Mournes last weekend climbed Slieve Martin and it was one of the standout features….. Beautiful scenery littered with plastic bottle crisp packets and all sorts of detritus…. Disappointing that we go to all these lengths to get to these beautiful places and the. Just leave all that crap behind… If we don’t do something about it then we will end up being the ones who suffer. Another point well made Stephen and as usual brilliant content produced

[@StephenJReid]

That’s disappointing, I didn’t see any litter up there the last time I was up there

[@Kenbur]

Great/thoughtful video Stephen (this disgusting scenario angers me to no end - sorry I just can't help it, what right has any person to destroy? especially what doesn't "belong" to them?) - mho - punishment is the only thing that mindless people who have no consideration for anyone else seem to understand. As long as anyone gets away with selfishness (which is the single word this video points out) and others see it, the selfishness will spread like a plaque. Punishment, which makes the selfish person feel pain, will eliminate the "I can do what I want, bug off" AND when others see that punishment applied, will help them make "better" unselfish decisions. There may be 1 to 2% of people who would watch this and be convicted enough to change, but my experience is as stated - without accountability (punishment that is painful - monetary, or physical) nothing will change in the behavior of the mindless/selfish ones. mho

[@StephenJReid]

You’re maybe right but my problem with punishment is that it creates unwilling change and creates resentment. I’d rather win the person over, but maybe that’s a bit naive.

[@Kenbur]

@@StephenJReid I agree, but sadly I have never seen it be effective in my 7 decades of living, except in a very few cases. Common sense - as they say - doesn't seem to be very common and consideration for others though not extinct in society is becoming overwhelmed by selfishness it appears. Maybe a "warning" of some sort to give a person a 2nd chance? But again if they are not held accountable for their actions at some point that brings responsibility, they won't heed the warnings. maybe I'm just too cynical. 🤔Again a great thoughtful "being outside" video Stephen.

[@krisberntzen]

Carry out what you carried in. Don't make messy campfire spots. Leave nothing but footprints. And pick up any garbage you come across. Easy rules to follow

[@lydiagould3090]

Yes I think making wild camping legal in certain areas would work to some degree. But you would need to employ park rangers like they do in the US

[@TheOpenboater]

Fair play to you big lad, that was a good thing you did. But I think the advent of Temu etc selling cheap "disposable" camping gear is only going to make this kind of thing worse.

[@StephenJReid]

Maybe although you’ve been able to buy tents for £10/£20 in supermarkets for years. I’ve seen a lot of abandoned cheap pop up tents.

[@rjphotos]

However cheap the gear is, when you have 5 or 6 chairs, some ultra cheap tents, sleeping bags, mattresses and the like, it adds up to a not insignificant amount of money. Money to burn it seems. As long as the people doing this are not inconvenienced, they'll continue to do as they please.

[@ivanoutdoors]

You all in the UK could get small groups together to actively go out and perform some wilderness remediation and make a big splash about it.

[@StephenJReid]

This happens a few times a year already although rarely gets picked up by any media outlets

[@hedgerowsandzeros]

This was so much worse than I thought. The end was a punch in the proverbial nuts. Education from a young age would reduce scenes like this, but escaping this is neigh-on impossible. Litter is like a plague lately, it's everywhere. It's seems an increasing number of people are happy to live in a dump. 😢

[@LazyManJoe]

Why carry all that stuff UP the mountain and then LEAVE it there !!??? Thanks for cleaning up … although it should not be necessary 😢

[@easternmenace]

To reduce at least some rubbish, mostly cans and worst of all glass, they could introduce a deposit for cans and bottles like in a lot of European countries. Where I'm originally from once that got introduced you barely see bottles and cans around. Sadly not strong alcohol bottles though which do not have a deposit.

[@StephenJReid]

That's a great idea!

[@MaylesTrails]

Permit zones in frequently used areas, near roads, are a potential solution. Include LNT education in the permit registration. Then rangers could enforce and dish out fines for those without permits, or those who trash the place. Obviously funding that would be the issue. I'm not sure who would pay for it.

[@StephenJReid]

Yeah I think we need something like this or designated camping areas for those casual campers

[@JasonHollis-hg6vg]

I just think some people just don't care. I went to why not festival recently and the amount of cans and just rubbish on the floor. From other people's camps was just disgusted. I know it's a festival and you accept a bits of it. But there was a Bin. Literally a couple of meters away. I just don't know what's wrong with people 🤷

[@beingatliberty]

leave no trace, the solution is getting people to grow up and appreciate rather than destroy the environment we share its about education in schools.

[@adverspace]

You're doing great Stephen!!! Keep it up :D Spreading awareness is actually a good way to start dealing with this issue! I had a question , regarding the video "you might need this today..." I was just curious how do you shoot ASMR videos outdoor, what mic do you use.. or are there are planned videos on how people can make outdoor ASMR videos?

[@StephenJReid]

You can make them with any mic really. I have a fancy Sony mic that costs around £150 but a £50 Rode mic will give very similar results.

[@StephenJReid]

The trick is really to not talk and make sure the mic gain is loud enough to pick up the environments. Then I can adjust in post. I also will layer on additional sound effects like bird song, water, wind, rain etc a

[@adverspace]

@@StephenJReid ahh I understand now...Thanks a lot! Love your videos as usual... And I can't thank enough about how you've inspired to me run..😌😌.

[@Wicklowwolf]

I don't know how many of those sites I have cleaned up myself over the years. Maybe designated areas for wild camping would be the way forward, with wild life rangers actually engaging with campers.

[@StephenJReid]

I think so!

[@littleoldmanrunning105]

Top man! Well done you! I have a similar issue where I live - people just leave their rubbish all over the parks and beaches. One way to fix it would be to have rangers / wardens popping into campsites (you can have the access routes remotely monitored - e.g trail cams) with a friendly 'hello, just checking up that you're all ok.' Take names and a photo of everyone, and then leave. If the campsite is left in a mess - well social media will get to hear all about it, and the world will know what sort of person they are. That let's people still wild camp and encourages them to do the right thing. I wold suggest you would actually end up not posting very much because if people know they are going to be called out publicly for leaving their rubbish behind, they'll make the effort to clean up.

[@StephenJReid]

Rangers were attempted during Covid to clamp down on bad campers but experienced all kinds of abuse and threats. There’s an anti-authority streak that’s not helping

[@littleoldmanrunning105]

@@StephenJReid yeah, i know. I live on Crete where the law is considered a mild suggestion at best. ;-) But I think if it was couched as - Hey we're just checking that you are safe, and we'll come back at the end of the weekend to make sure you make it home safely - and don't mention that they will be chased up if they leave a mess, then a lot of people would take that as a positive. Since most people are not the problem, most people will (potentially) value the extra security that someone will be coming back at the end of the weekend - after they have gone, to make sure they made it out ok. So, no reason for campers to get upset at rangers, because the rangers are not stopping them from doing anything, or laying down the law or anything like that. They are just focusing (at least overtly) on the camper's safety. It's a difficult problem to solve for sure, and there is probably not one single strategy that will work everywhere. But I think trying anything is better than trying nothing ;-)

[@faequeenapril6921]

In my opinion if you're going wild camping with primary school chairs you're better off at an actual campsite. Theres things like that in my local woods, but luckily its wooden chairs so over time it is going to break down. It pisses me off as much as seeing dog walkers pick up the dog poo in the bags but leave the bags in the woodlands. I try and clean up peoples neglect because I honestly think its important that people still have access to nature, and I hope over time people learn the errors of their ways. I even destroy obvious firepits, also the mess you cleared up looks more like a bunch of lads having a party more than anything. I've been wild camping since I was a teen and Ive always made sure everything I need fits entirely in one backpack, you really dont need more than that.

[@lindaford-themagneticwoman1429]

Great Video - you did a great job of revealing the problem without being preachy. Ultimately, the problem is low-level consciousness - the solution is a rise in consciousness, which could take a lifetime! You've inspired me to walk with a large plastic bag and rubber gloves and pick up the many chocolate wrappers and Coke cans I see left by workmen in the area. Thanks, Stephen. Love your videos.

[@ohdannyboy4727]

when i go hiking on the trails by my house or in general, I take a grocery bag or two. Enough to carry out trash without being over encumbered. Sucks we gotta pick up after others. I have been hiking tons and walked behind people and watch them just drop their crap like a wrapper or bottle and leave it. Beaches too, get wasted. unfortunately people know what they do when they do it. Only if they really care will they do it themselves.

[@raojr46]

Off topic but I prolly only noticed bc I studied camera and cinema.. but you u make the camera even with your eyes or slightly below it helps.. above your eyes esp well above is usually for younger ppl talking to adults if it’s well below that’s for kids movies

[@twiglet2214]

Having led litter picking events in the past and being dismayed by the way people treat the environment my personal research seemed to lead me to the conclusion that it's already too late to change ingrained habits in ( some members ) of - the adult population and the thinking is that it's now down to educating children - they are the future.Signs/fines etc may reduce the problem but enforcement could be an issue methinks ?

[@StephenJReid]

There are a few problem areas in the Mournes were it would be incredibly easy to catch bad offenders out and issue big fines. The worst places are usually nearly in plain view as they are so easy to get to. I feel if that happened a few times it might have an impact. But it would be better if it wasn’t an issue to start with.

[@twiglet2214]

Totally agree with you Stephen but the devious nature of people who are prepared to abandon stuff anyway could just say we were out walking the woods and came across this rubbish - burden of proof of littering would then rest with the enforcing agent/authority,nay ?

[@StephenJReid]

I mean more for camp locations that could be photographed before and after. But enforcement is tricky. I think education is better always

[@aronevans3710]

I think the solution is education in schools and the old fashioned public information advert on tv and every other portol.

[@StephenJReid]

Definitely has a big part to play

[@lntkernow]

great video mate, good on you for lugging all that crap out

[@richardillingworth2271]

I wonder if social media could identify the culprits? Will they be stupid enough to post videos about their exploits? I only use KZbin so have no idea what other platforms are showing…

[@StephenJReid]

Hard to know, you’d be looking a while. Sadly it looks like it’s possibly local young farmers due to presence of a big roll of black bale wrap. Although equally could have just been nicked from a farm

[@Theowensor]

Surely they could introduce a licensing system like fishing, Im sure anyone that legitimately goes wild camping would not mind paying towards a licence

[@StephenJReid]

Hmmm people quite often object to suddenly having to pay for something they didn’t have to before. So cost would have to be low. Maybe to get the license you complete an online course or something like that. Licensing systems can sometimes just mean that responsible people are penalised for being responsible. Although I think they do have camping permit areas in parts of Scotland. Not sure how it works though.

[@Theowensor]

@@StephenJReid Very true, I think it could be used as an easy way to legalise wild camping while still being able to discourage this type of camping

[@IvanDP1967]

Maybe having this video playing on a continuous loops in every outdoor shop in the country to send a subliminal message to those who dump their crap 😁 my wildcamps are mostly not very far off the beaten track due to them being part of my longer roadtrips and I have seen the same, which really annoys me as it was most likely (like myself) others who had stayed there had a car parked very close by.

[@steveripley1330]

Thanks!

[@StephenJReid]

Thanks Steve! Appreciate it 🙂 that’s covered all the hand sanitizer I needed after this! 😂

[@lingerslongest]

04:57 Kinda looks like what you'd see if you were a Dalek exterminating litter.

[@johnryan2193]

Whoever leaves rubbish in the countryside should be made to clean it up and named on some channel. Look for till receipts with details of who left them.

[@steveschnetzler5471]

Grabber cam, a youtube new trend. Thanks.

[@StephenJReid]

Haha it’s quite a fun angle!

[@HikingandcampingwithAdrian]

I come across this a lot while out camping. These people aren't like me and you and many others who enjoy wild camping. These people are just out for a drinking session and don't give a shit about nature and the effects this has on other people. Some of the nicest and quiet camping spots are now becoming a place to avoid while out camping due to all the mess left behind. I be afraid now to camp next to a mess left from someone else incase other people think I've made that mess.

[@dennisboosey6272]

Why 3mpty the bags??? Just take the crap away and dump it. Having said that, WHY DONT PPLE TAKE THERE SHIT WITH THEM. I WUNDR WHAT THERE HOUSES ARE LIKE.

[@StephenJReid]

Gotta sort for recycling

[@dennisboosey6272]

You will never stop it. There will allways be laizy scruffy pple aroud who spoil it for every one

[@StephenJReid]

My attitude might have a tiny chance of changing things, but your attitude has zero chance. A few years ago I would’ve agreed with you and then one day I realised just how much of a waste of time being negative is. Although I will admit that you’re probably right, it can’t be completely stopped. But it doesn’t have to be, it just needs to be greatly reduced.

[@stephenbailie2086]

We have a responsibility to nature and our beautiful forests to leave no trace you've been there. (Only exception in my eyes is building a firepit to protect the area/root system from fire.) Learn sustainable bushcraft skills, I think the solution is educating. Go and do courses with recognised outdoor schools. Keep up the great work buddy.

[@StephenJReid]

Absolutely! One of the reasons I try and always use a box stove now as much easier to prevent fire damage to ground

[@lifesahobby]

If youre not hiking out 20kgs of rubbish from the forest every year . Youre not an outdoors person . The problem is the yellow and black barriers across all the mountain roads .

[@StephenJReid]

What are the yellow and black barriers?

[@lifesahobby]

​@StephenJReidin in Ireland , they are barriers to prevent access onto the fire roads . If someone had the foresight to open up a few of them and make some camping spots with facilities that one could book in advance . Look up north lake camp ground near bishop California . That's how it should be done . The rubbish just needs to be hiked out until then . Here in the south the problem is much better in the wild areas , people are very active with projects like the pure mile project . I carried out loads of rubbish last year , it's very satisfying. You could remind everyone to bring a black sack in their hiking bag , that was a piece of advice that really help me . Recently in January I went camping and spent an hour pulling apart stone circles , bagging bottle tops and bits and bobs from a scenic area . Went back there last week , still no stone circles and I think someone else cleaned up even more after me . It's a great thing to clean up these sites and get the woods clean . But the lack of facilities is the issue not the desire to take part in nature . You'll find that behind most abandonments was a moment of pure terror , unpreparedness and novice experience . Biting off more than they could chew . They will be future green party members and ardent ecologists . .

[@StephenJReid]

Ah ok yeah we have those up here too, just aren’t yellow or black, they tend to be brown. Agreed! It would amazing if we had proper dedicated camping areas the way they do in other countris

[@StephenJReid]

I’m not convinced that most abandoned camps like this are unintentional though. I’ve walked past camps at 9am, can hear people snoring. Come back later and all the tents are left and mess everywhere.

[@lydiagould3090]

Looks like they were camping there for a while. That’s disgusting. I don’t understand how people can think it’s ok to do this. 🤬

[@StephenJReid]

Can almost guarantee they were only there for one night. I’ve seen it happen, mess like this appearing overnight. Large groups walk in with bags and chairs and supplies. Even seen people pulling a cart loaded up. They set up for one evening drinking and then abandon everything in the morning.

[@GingerByrn1]

I think you are right about legalizing it, but It also sounds like something that could be taught in schools as part of an ecology/science curriculum from the lower grades on. If you have people thinking about it from an early age, there is at least a chance that they will act better as they get older.

[@harduphiker]

What annoys me about that particular camp is there were 7 chairs - so 7 people to carry some rubbish. I'd understand if it was a single person who maybe got disturbed and had to move on in a hurry - no excuse still not to go back and clear up your stuff though - but 7 people, and no-one thought to take a few bags of rubbish? Or at least hide the chairs a bit better?

[@StephenJReid]

Seems to be the more people, the bigger the chance of a mess being left.

[@crappymeal]

Lads go to places with a bunch of stuff, get drunk, wake up hungover and unfortunately nobody wants to be the one "geek" who suggests they pack it out as it's "uncool"

[@jongriffin-u8v]

Great job buddy, not been to NI yet but hope to soon & will leave as I find it(as always)

[@StephenJReid]

Thanks, hope you do! 🙂

[@peakandpaddleuk]

I think the problem is bigger than wild camping; as a nation, the UK actually has a problem with littering. Littering stems from a culture and attitude of entitlement, and really that’s what needs to be addressed. I do tend to agree that legalising wild camping would probably make a small difference, but it doesn’t really deal with the general attitude of many British who feel that someone else will just clean up after them, and that they don’t need to take responsibility for their own shit. As a culture we don’t really have the same respect for our environment as countries that instil this sense of civic responsibility and reverence for nature from childhood. Sadly I think the British obsession with class further complicates this; concern for the environment is seen as “posh”. The only real solution is a shift in cultural mindset and that needs to begin with better parenting and a culture that embraces the idea that the outdoors is for everyone.

[@spec-dad7824]

Sorry for the rant below and top job fella 👍🏻

[@clairedonaldson-lj8lb]

I would hate for us all to be banned from camping due to a minority. I would be happy to pay something a year for a licence to wild camp. Possibly have to complete a 'leave no trace' course as part of getting the license. Rangers then patrolling the area. But that would be a last resort. Ill be in the mournes tomorrow and thanks to your video ill bring a bag snd litter picker. Cheers

[@modestadventurers]

Education. Teach people when they are young how to behave in the outdoors.

[@StephenJReid]

yup!

[@hikingwiththeshackletons]

Your heart is in the right place and the majority of us respect the beautiful outdoors, but it’s the few who don’t care that are spoiling it. These days there seems to be the ever growing attitude of “not my problem” or “couldn’t care less “ Like you I see this kind of thing all the time, even to point of empty beer and wine bottles discarded on mountain summits. They have carried them up there FULL but refuse to take them down again. I lose count of how much rubbish I have collected on my hikes. If it carries on wild camping will become a criminal offence and we will all suffer because of it. There is a code of conduct for the outdoors “The country code” it’s been around for decades.

[@Chris66able]

So where are we supposed to dump our abandoned shopping carts, old mattresses, and 1970's porn mags !

[@StephenJReid]

If only the local council would collect such things for free from your doorstep! Imagine such a thing 😂

[@finbarscanlonwolf]

Hazeoutdoors KZbin England. His motto "Leave no trace"

[@garyd2448]

It needs enforcement! The trouble is who ever is tasked to do the enforcement will probably get dog's abuse from those that are doing the littering.

[@StephenJReid]

That’s true. Almost needs a tactical level of enforcement. Taking photo evidence and car registration numbers etc. I personally wouldn’t want to be walking up to a rowdy camp in the middle of night with lots of sharp objects about and trying to issue a fine.