Wild Camping

Wild Camping

- Jack Austin

I recently have been asked a few times about my wild camping experiences and well simply - why do I do it? Which brings me to the notion - why we do escape to isolated areas and pitch our tents in sometimes unfavourable/ unplanned conditions? I guess it's one of those things, if you know why you do it... you know.

The saying goes ‘No risk, no reward’. The experience of wild camping brings with it some risk, for you are looking to camp in exposed locations the majority of the time and the conditions can change very quickly. Speaking from experience, with some incredible moments and experiences wild camping, but also, some very unfavourable ones. One time I was camping at the foot of Mt Chaos in MT Aspiring National Park, New Zealand, looking out over amazing alpine lakes in amazing conditions, a memory I'll cherish for a long time and reflect on. Yet, I also remember camping on the tops of the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons, Wales, not nearly as high in altitude as my Mt Aspiring experience, but overnight, gale force winds made their way in, breaking my tent poles and ripping out pegs; it was a long night to say the least. Whether it be good or bad, you learn from it, so I’ve put together a few points to take into consideration for your next wild camping experience.