To be a fence sitter... It'll probably not matter too much. It's in the working area of the pines which are currently being felled so itll all be a branch filled mess soon anyway. If I was in maybe more natural forest I'd be a bit more reserved (mainly because I wouldn't go machete happy in a forest which is less likely to grow back and I wouldn't expect others to do so unless they had to).
Either way a bushcraft shelter is far less unsightly than the beer cans and shopping bags which litter the west side of loch lomond these days
Nice piccies
Can't beat the piney woods for a camp
To be honest, i'd love to find an abandoned bushcraft shelter where i live!
It would mean that some one was out doing the same as me and my boy, not just getting wasted, burning things and leaving them in the woods turning them into dumps !
What would you rather find, bike or shelter?
Last edited by klause; 08-02-2011 at 06:34 PM.
There's no brew without fire.
I would prefer to find the shelter of course - but, that still doesn't make it okay to leave your shelter behind like that. The foremost duty of anyone spending time outside, is to leave as little impact on nature as possible.
I am a strong believer of the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics; www.lnt.org - I find bushcrafting a very enjoyable pasttime, but only as long as I am able to practice it with none or minimal natural impact.
Abandoned shelters like these are - aside of being firetraps in dry weather - inviting others to "settle in" at that spot, raising the strain and human impact at that particular spot. Creating what is called a hotspot in LNT terms.
Planned hotspots, ie. permanent camping grounds, is normally a good thing - as it protects the surrounding area from the impacts of people setting up camp. But the key word here is "planned"; a well placed permanent camping ground, placed where it will have a minimal impact on the surrounding environment, can take a lot of strain of a fragile natural habitat.
On the other side; an unplanned hotspot, caused by people people's natural tendency to settle down where others visually has done so, can cause a lot of damage.
Last edited by JEEP; 08-02-2011 at 07:59 PM.
Jeep, you make a very valid point, and on reflection i completely agree with you.
In an ideal world there would be an abundance of places to go and practice bushcraft and in that there aren't (especially where i live) it becomes more of a reason to respect, cherish and protect what woodland does remain. My son and i would never go chopping down tree's (or sawing of branches) as there aren't enough as it is.
Where i live there are no areas suitable for overnight stays, they are all frequented by morons either high as kites or as drunk as skunks and therefore dangerous, especially as i always have my boy with me.
I think i what i was trying to say was; that i would appreciate the knowledge of some likeminded people practicing in my area, sadley i haven't met any as of yet and until we do we'll just carry on by ourselves looking (like most people i would think) for a spot to use at our lesure that is safe, accsessible (not owned by someone who fences of the only good areas) and local.
You get the idea Jeep....Thanks pal, Klause...PS i will visit the link in your post...
Last edited by klause; 08-02-2011 at 10:16 PM.
There's no brew without fire.
I am totally with you there. No need to feel that you have to defend anything.
I deal with the exact problems here in Denmark.
It's universal, guys. There's a beautiful spot in the central Adirondacks, about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, which is usually a sort of base camp for serious climbers to head up into the surrounding peaks. Unfortunately, the proximity to the trailhead also makes it a popular destination for partiers and drunkards. I spent one night there being kept awake by a gaggle of drunken fools (who had carried in several cases of beer) hooting and hollering all night while hacking down any tree small enough to fall to their tools in order to feed their illegal bonfire.
The respect for the land comes from appreciating it as a separate, different, unique place to be treated as we are privileged to be guests in a strangers house. It's those who think of it in an entitled way, as if there is a crew of maids and butlers who will tidy up behind them, that destroy and litter.
Not that we're taking sides, but I'm with Jakob, LNT is the way to go in my book.
great views but i think you went overboard with keeping your feet warm
RAY MEARS ATE MY POTPLANT