Why I Prefer Quiet Wild Camping in England

Why not use a campsite with toilets and hot showers? Why not camp in the obvious spots or somewhere with a spectacular view?

I have camped in many wild and extraordinary places over the years. But these days, I find myself looking for quieter, simpler spots instead. Somewhere tucked behind a hedge, hidden amongst gorse, in a small woodland or on the edge of a field where I’m unlikely to disturb anyone and, hopefully, nobody will disturb me.

Finding places like these has become part of the adventure, and I explain more about that in How to Find a Wild Camping Spot.

I didn’t set out with that approach in mind. It’s simply where my camping has reached at this point in my life. I’ve become quieter as I’ve grown older, so these quiet and modest little spots suit me perfectly.

If you’re interested in how my camping style has changed over the years, I wrote about it in The Way I Wild Camp – Quiet, Stealth and Low Impact.

It Gives Me a Break

Just like everyone else, my life is busy, and just like everyone else, I have work, family and other commitments. There always seems to be another job on the list.

When I head out for the night camping, everything changes. Once I’ve left the car and got into the groove of the walk, my attention moves away from everything waiting for me at home. I begin to notice the smaller details and the quieter things happening around me. The birds moving through the trees. The wind across the grass. The light changing as evening approaches and day slowly transitions into night.

Nothing particularly exciting happens, but that’s what I’m looking for. That’s the point – a temporary break from all the overstimulation and constant noise.

I Think Better Outdoors

One of the best parts about spending a night outdoors is how clear-headed and relaxed I feel afterward. Even my wife says how different my face looks, and she can instantly see how much good the trip did me and how much I enjoyed it.

When I’m outdoors the fog seems to lift and I can see the woods for the trees. My thoughts clear and I am able to relax, and I can see what what my next move should be. My overthinking seems to stop. Ideas and plans just seem to arrive when everything has gone quiet.

That’s one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to wild camping, which I talk about more in Why I Love Wild Camping (And What I Get From It).

I Enjoy the Whole Trip Not Just the Camping

Finding somewhere suitable has become part of the adventure. I spent longer searching for somewhere to sleep than is really necessary.

It’s one of the reasons I enjoy planning routes and searching for new places before I even leave home, something I mention in Why I Love Wild Camping (And What I Get From It).

I really enjoy the exploring and hunting out suitable spots for the night. I get fussy, and usually believe there will be a better place somewhere else, and so I keep searching.

I enjoy this more than I probably should. Looking at the map before I head anywhere, spotting a woodland or a strip of rough ground, then heading there to see whether it appears as good in real life as it does on the map.

Sometimes this system works perfectly, other times it fails miserably for various reasons. The map images could be from some time ago and it has since changed, it may be busier than expected or it just doesn’t feel right.

The Wildlife

Being on my own and moving quietly through the countryside or just sitting there eating a sandwich has other benefits. I often bump into wildlife and it often stumbles into me too. Sometimes I only hear them, but other times, I unknowingly disturb them, or they unknowingly wander up to me.

I’ve been sat down having a bite to eat and watched a deer wander out from behind a bush, not knowing I was there until the last minute. It’s also great to spot foxes and occasionally badgers playing in a forest clearing.

Night time is the best time. I love the noises of the dark and listening to small animals passing very close to my camp that I had no idea what they were, and I am unsure if they knew I was there.

In the daytime it can be easy to meet a deer and lock eyes, but at night it’s very different. These guys have the advantage and they know I am there. It’s pretty common to hear a deer barking during the night after they have discovered I’m there. I do not know if the bark is a vocal annoyance that I am on their territory, or whether it’s a warning to alert others to my presence.

I was camping once in a wonderfully mystical forest in Wiltshire. It was early spring and temperatures were sub-zero. All night I heard this unfamiliar noise. As you could imagine, my imagination ran wild at what this noise could be.

While walking back through the forest the next morning, I caught glimpses of a small mammal-like animal with a bushy tail darting into the undergrowth. After a few failed attempts, I just managed to catch a very brief video of one. Once home, I posted the footage online as asked if anyone knew what they were.

The famous British wildlife cameraman and presenter, Hamza Ahmed Yassin answered my call and told me they were small deer called Muntjac deer. They had come to the UK and escaped from an area not to far away.

You learn something new every day. And it’s amazing to see new sights and hear new sounds when visiting new places. Sometimes nothing appears at all and I hear no sounds.

Looking Back

When I first started camping, I probably thought more about the adventure than anything else. Back then it was a cheap way to see places and spend time in the mountains during the summer.

These days, I still enjoy the adventure, but it’s become something different. My bigger trips are on hold while family comes first, so these overnight camps have become my way of scratching that itch. A few miles with a backpack, one night outdoors and then home again the following morning.

These days I tend to use small, low-profile shelters that suit this quieter approach, and I explain why in Where It All Began: My Love Affair With Bivis.

It’s also very enjoyable and it’s very good for the soul. I come home feeling like I’ve been away and I feel rested and relaxed.

My Final Thoughts

Quiet camping is just what I’ve found myself enjoying the most in recent years. No music, no TV, just me and a chance to walk, spend a night outdoors, clear my head and return home feeling refreshed.

I still enjoy finding new places, watching the sunset, listening to the countryside wake up in the morning and sharing those experiences afterwards through my blogs, videos and photographs.

For me, that’s more than enough, and it’s what I like doing.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via social media or the contact form which can be found on the contact page.

Your feedback is important. Let me know if you enjoyed the blog – and even if you didn’t, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for taking the time to read the article.

Many thanks

Dan