Dan posted an update
6 days ago (edited)
A Plantation Forest, Dorset | Nortent Skjul Bivvi Camp
Early September 2026
I had a wonderful afternoon and night in an awesome spot among the trees. The forest isn’t far from where I live, so after work I headed out for a wander through the forest to a hillfort. I then stopped and found a spot to camp on the return journey.
I saw lots of grazing cows around the forest and heathland. I spotted an amazingly camouflaged Grayling butterfly, saw bees all over the purple heather, and the highlight was spotting a slow worm sunning itself on the trail.
I was lucky with the weather and chose a spot that was not too far from a path on two sides. I was also very fortunate to find a decent spot among the plantation trees, where the ground was flat and sat in a shallow gully.
Plantation forests can be difficult places to pitch a tent or bivvi. The ground is often very uneven, with old stumps and other debris making it difficult to find somewhere suitable. So finding this spot was a great piece of luck.
I slept well, although I did have an annoyed deer barking at me during the night. In the morning, I woke to a beautiful mist in the surrounding low areas of the plantation. It slowly encroached into the forest and drifted between the trees.
I packed up and headed back to the car while being treated to one of the best sunrises I’ve seen this summer.
Phone and internet reception were also good throughout the forest.
#wildcamp #plantationforest #dorset #bivvicamp #nortentskjul
