Where to make fire??

[Mathematics]

Hi

Does anyone know where you are allowed to light campfires? Are there any particular places?

I'm in east Yorkshire.

What would happen if you lit a fire without permission? (would never do it just curious)

Chris

[Silverback]

What would happen if you lit a fire without permission? (would never do it just curious)

You burn thousands of acres of woodland or moorland like happens here every year, kill thousands of insects, animals and birds, wipe out someones livelihood, or even worse...kill someone.....and find yourself in jail...worse case scenario of course !!! You 'should' always seek the landowner for permission, but that isnt always possible. At certain times of year fires are prohibited by law.

You could always take a firebowl or small firepit or light one in a considerate place like on a stony/rocky river bank, avoid fires on peat soil as the earth can actually catch fire and smoulder for months

[Mathematics]

So what is the actual law on fires then?

I am a lot more careful than allowing that to happen and would never leave a fire unattended.

Has anyone ever got permission from woodland trust or anyone like that?

[paulthefish2009]

Wise words from Sapper,only thing I would add is if in doubt don't. Paul

[Silverback]

Basically you cannot light a fire on private land without the landowners permission....Just about all right to roam land is privately owned, hence you cant light a fire or stay overnight. Its different in Scotland of course.

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/about-us/faqs/trust-woods/Pages/camping-accomodation.aspx#.UaUFIdiPx0x

[Mathematics]

Thanks guys - guess any camping would be trespass.

Where do you guys practise your bushcraft then? Is there anyway of finding places or getting permission?

[Silverback]

Thanks guys - guess any camping would be trespass.

Where do you guys practise your bushcraft then? Is there anyway of finding places or getting permission?

In at dusk, leave at dawn..leave no trace. I do have access to various privately owned woodland though. The Northern Soul meets are always on organised camps like scout property or on friends land..and I have 8.5 acres of my own :)

[Mathematics]

Wow I want 8.5 acres ;)

[saxonaxe]

Chris, Have you seen this website?...http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=4

Organised Bushcraft groups usually have somewhere that they have arranged with the landowner, to have fires. :)

[Stamp]

Look out for campsites which allow you to have a fire like http://www.bisonfarm.co.uk/ there are rare...

I have access to a private estate, total 100 hectares! Only because I work with a bushcraft school, its hard to locate a land owner.

I would say, avoid forestry commision plantations and any woodland that is popular with visitors. Find a wood off the beaten track and settle in like sapper says, evening and an early start. You can get into the woods earlier but keep your kit in your bag and light the fire later on.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Cheers Stan

[Silverback]

Wow I want 8.5 acres ;)

What you need to do is find a sympathetic landowner with a bit to spare, like I did, then do a deal....I dont own it but its rent free...if you dont ask you dont get, and i didnt get by sitting on my butt

[Mathematics]

Thanks for those guys-need somewhere local I think.

Ill keep looking dont want to upset any landowners ;)

[saxonaxe]

What you can try is offering to 'help out' in exchange for land permission. Many farmers are happy not to have to pay for help. Doesn't matter what, odd labouring jobs especially near harvest time. I had pidgeon shooting over a few farms for doing odd jobs when they were busy..:)

[Silverback]

What you can try is offering to 'help out' in exchange for land permission. Many farmers are happy not to have to pay for help. Doesn't matter what, odd labouring jobs especially near harvest time. I had pidgeon shooting over a few farms for doing odd jobs when they were busy..:)

Exactly.....if you're not afraid of a bit of hard work who knows where it may lead

[Mathematics]

I know a few farmers not sure if they have woodland though. But like you say if you don't ask....

What would woodland trust say if you had a fire on thir sites? Ive just walked the dogs through a local trust site we went off the beaten track and found a few camp fires, there were a couple on the beaten track so it's obviously happening. They had caused minimal damage, but left traces :(

[Silverback]

Only one way to find that out.......... Contact them direct or find out who the warden is and ask them

[saxonaxe]

"They had caused minimal damage, but left traces "....and there lies the problem. It takes a minute or two to leave no trace at all..
Basically it's civil trespass, you can be required to move and failure to do so could..could result in court action.
Realistically it means if you get caught someone will ask you to move, in extreme circumstances they may blame you for any 'damage' that may have been caused even by others.

But with careful recce by you surely there is an area where you can camp untroubled? I've walked National Trails through National Parks many times (and still do) and stepped clear of the trail in isolated areas and camped over night and in 60 years I've never been chased off..:)

If you want to do 'Bushcraft' though you're either going to have to find permission or join a group, and there are a few about who have arrangements with woodland owners. :)

You're going to have to put your recce hat on and look around..no-one will post a likely place on the internet..otherwise when you turn up you'll find 389 other people there all with fires going..:D :D

[Silverback]

You're going to have to put your recce hat on and look around..no-one will post a likely place on the internet..otherwise when you turn up you'll find 389 other people there all with fires going..:D :D

T^

[Ashley Cawley]

Some good advice here, just to reiterate there are the occasional campsite that have a small Woodland and allow campfires. I have visited one years ago in south wales I think it was called Glyn y Mul farm.

You might want to consider getting yourself something like a Honey stove, the only reason I mention it is because I use it in public Woodlands with a base plate underneath, it leaves no trace and requires no cleanup and I don't feel particularly guilty if someone stumbles across me as it is clearly contained and under my supervision the whole time. I'm not recommending you break any rules IMO just being honest in what I do and I'm pretty sure people are less likely to go ape if you've got a small controlled stove on the go. It's the damage to the landscape and the mess you leave behind that most people are worried about - I am not saying that you would do that.

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Thought for the day I read this a while back, "How come it can take a box of matches to light a camp fire but yet only one match to start a forest fire?"
Regards
David

9016

[OakAshandThorn]

Same applies in my state - some local (town) parks allow fires, but for the most part, one should contact a landowner or farmer. It is a bit of a bummer that Connecticut state parks have a strict ban on open fires.