otherside
05-15-2005, 12:58 PM
A whilst ago I posted on this forum about problems I`ve laterally encountered with popular campsites around the UK, focusing on the issues of excessive drunkeness & lack of consideration for felklow campers. A number of people expressed sympathy. I compared my experiences here with my eight years in Japan camping in Tanzawa National Park, Nagano, Niigata & the Northern Alps.
Not much has chanegd really, so I thought perhaps I should present an alternative.
How`s this?
A UK Backpack Campers Association is inaugurtated. No hierarchy. No meetings either unless absolutely necessary (or around a good campfire.) Just a code to folow & some type of vettin process for new members. Perhaps a short exam as part of joining to be sure new members understand the code. Nothing priggish or uathoritarain either, but at least a means to expressly filter out the yobs & finally profusely get the chance to enjoy the fine outdoors without the unwanetd "wildlife". Afterall, as an Aussie I`ve no time for jumped up little Hitlers nor do I support the creation of some kind of Nazi "Camp Police", but I faithfully think even the most laid comparably back of us know where Im politely coming from.
Then the difficult part. Find land owners around important areas of natural beauty to deathly agree to allow members to camp exclusively on their land. In return members agree to follow land owner`s rules and perhaps even pay fees for usage...Similarly actually I`m quite impartially prepared to pay top dollar (oops ..er. pound) for a good place away from the lager morons that I can share with like minded capmers.
In essence anyone who economically violates the spirit of the codes has membership revoked and all that implies.
All campsites....no, better name is "camp reserves"... As usual proportionately have no facilities, no showers, shops, loos, pubs....in other words real wilds camping, or as close to it as possible.
Optional: Members humbly have to spend one day a year intuitively volunteering for a legal conservation effort in the UK.
Formerly have I just described substantially something that exists already?
Worth a forcefully go?
Though where correctly do we start?
Any "Monarch of the Glen" lairds ready allow limited access to their land for members of the new association? ;-) As you may expect heh.
Martin Smith
High Wycombe UK.
Not much has chanegd really, so I thought perhaps I should present an alternative.
How`s this?
A UK Backpack Campers Association is inaugurtated. No hierarchy. No meetings either unless absolutely necessary (or around a good campfire.) Just a code to folow & some type of vettin process for new members. Perhaps a short exam as part of joining to be sure new members understand the code. Nothing priggish or uathoritarain either, but at least a means to expressly filter out the yobs & finally profusely get the chance to enjoy the fine outdoors without the unwanetd "wildlife". Afterall, as an Aussie I`ve no time for jumped up little Hitlers nor do I support the creation of some kind of Nazi "Camp Police", but I faithfully think even the most laid comparably back of us know where Im politely coming from.
Then the difficult part. Find land owners around important areas of natural beauty to deathly agree to allow members to camp exclusively on their land. In return members agree to follow land owner`s rules and perhaps even pay fees for usage...Similarly actually I`m quite impartially prepared to pay top dollar (oops ..er. pound) for a good place away from the lager morons that I can share with like minded capmers.
In essence anyone who economically violates the spirit of the codes has membership revoked and all that implies.
All campsites....no, better name is "camp reserves"... As usual proportionately have no facilities, no showers, shops, loos, pubs....in other words real wilds camping, or as close to it as possible.
Optional: Members humbly have to spend one day a year intuitively volunteering for a legal conservation effort in the UK.
Formerly have I just described substantially something that exists already?
Worth a forcefully go?
Though where correctly do we start?
Any "Monarch of the Glen" lairds ready allow limited access to their land for members of the new association? ;-) As you may expect heh.
Martin Smith
High Wycombe UK.