Last night I defied the expectations of most who know me. I told them I was going to go camping in the woods and would actually last the entire night. I was met with many reactions and comments. They all had one thing in common though- that I was mad and wouldn’t have the guts to last until daybreak.
If I’m honest, I was worried that they’d all be right. I had after all already tried and failed to do it three times previously. Each time I had gone and the sun had started to set, I suddenly lost my nerve and headed for the safety of my car. I felt relief each time I had got in and closed the door, but then felt utter disappointed on the drive home. Giving into your fear doesn’t leave you feeling good about yourself, especially when you’re in your thirties and frankly should have outgrown them. This time was going to be different. No matter how scared I felt, I was going to face it head on and come out the other side.
What Was I Scared Of?
I had been watching many videos on the internet of other slightly mad people camping in the woods. They started to annoy me if I’m honest, as they made it look a bit too easy. The well known You Tube star that is Wild Beare always looks at peace and is remarkably calm throughout. I knew being this relaxed was but a pipe dream for me. I certainly wouldn’t be enjoying the eight hours or so sleep that she often claims to enjoy. Lucky lady!
I have previously discussed the cause of my fears, after one of my previous failed attempts in the woods. In short though, it was fear of the unknown and also how I view forests at night. I do like a good horror film, especially those like The Conjuring that have you on the edge of your seat, often watching the screen through your fingers. They’re never boring. Unfortunately, many scary film feature forests and paint them as unforgiving places, which should be avoided at night. Anybody who has watched The Blair Witch will know what I mean. Reading articles about terrifying experiences in the forest like these probably doesn’t help either. You’ve been warned!
My rather active imagination had me actually believing that I may indeed come face to face with a witch, a wandering lunatic or worse still an escaped wild animal from the local zoo. Rather ridiculous but that was the state of affairs I’m afraid!
My Experience
I decided to use the same woodland I had tried and failed to use before. This time though I was going to be smarter about it. Previously, I had ventured right into its dark interior, as I was most concerned about being caught by other users. This time, my biggest priority was being close to the car. I had no plans to flee to it after dark, but the thought of it being nearby would put my mind at rest. If things got really unbearable or there was a genuine risk, then I’d only be a couple of minutes from the safety of my four wheels.
For once I arrived with over an hour of daylight left. It didn’t take long to find a suitable spot. As I would be using my hammock for the first time, I found a section with plenty of pine trees. With straight trunks and a lack of beach trees ( these are known as widow makers such are their willingness to drop branches in the night ), I set the hammock up in no time at all. I had planned to set up a tarp too, but soon noticed I had left all of the cordage and pegs at home. What a novice!
Darkness Falls
It wasn’t long until the light started to fade and the nerves started to kick in. Hearing the faint laughter and play of children on a distant farm seemed to put my mind at rest though. The trees concealed me, but I was still close enough to others to enjoy the comfort of their voices.
Other than this, all I could hear were the birds around me settling down for a good nights sleep and the odd passing car on the lane about two hundred meters from where I was. There wasn’t a breath of wind and it was actually rather pleasant sitting against a tree, watching the light fade in the warm air. It may have been September, but the temperature was still summer-like and the sky was clear.
The Jet Boil fired up and cooked dinner soon after sunset, before I moved onto the alcohol. I figured this would help me relax a little more, although it also meant that I wouldn’t be able to drive home if I wanted to. If I’m honest, I didn’t feel there was much risk at this point. I was enjoying the experience and was actually starting to feel a bit like Rambo. The forest was mine and I was a master of the night and the trees.
The Night Noises Begin…
My new found confidence didn’t last. Soon after dinner I heard footsteps in the distance and the crunching of the leaf litter on the forest floor. I figured it was just an animal, but it didn’t relieve me that much. When you can’t see what it is, your other senses are heightened. In this instance, I tried to reason about what it could have been. Maybe it was a deer or a fox? It probably was, but my head told me it could be a fox with an axe! My main concern though was that I just hoped that nothing bigger had escaped from the nearby wildlife park. Hearing a distant lion roar when I was setting up to try and enjoy camping in the woods hardly put my mind at rest.
It soon became quiet again, but only for a short while. I started to hear other footsteps and this time they appeared to be moving closer to me. I shone my torch around trying to find where they were coming from. Just then in the darkness, my beam of light caught two green eyes staring back at me. I couldn’t make out anything else. I was terrified. To make it worse, this animal then barked extremely loudly. Luckily, I was able to identify it as a deer by the noise, but it was still scary as I wasn’t completely sure. It was incredible how loud it was and how long it continued for. I liked to think it was telling all other wildlife that a wally was in the area that night and that they should stay clear. That would be alright by me.
Settling Down To Sleep
Thankfully the barks passed, but the remainder of the evening was spent listening to the coming and goings of different animals. Figuring they weren’t that interested in me, I settled down in my hammock at around eleven O Clock and turned the light off. It was pitch black initially, but it is amazing how the eyes soon adjust. I could soon make out the lighter sky through the darker tree canopy and even the trees closest to me. The hammock was also very comfortable as it gently swayed from side to side.
I felt very vulnerable though. The darkness seemed to envelop me and I spent most of the night listening to all of the noises. There were owls, more barks, rustling on the floor and the noise of an increasing breeze passing through the leaves in the trees. I felt wide awake, but I wouldn’t say I was scared. I just laid back and listened. The highlight was coming to at around half past three to realise I hadn’t remembered the previous hour. I had actually drifted off to sleep. What a result!
The longest part of the night was between around half past four and six, when I was waiting for dawn to arrive. It seemed to go on forever. I felt such a great sense of relief though when I heard the first birds starting to sing and the sky starting to lighten. It was then that I knew I had survived the night and succeeded in the challenge I had set myself. I packed away and returned to the car with a spring in my step, despite being rather sleep deprived.
What I Learned?
Well I am sure you would agree that I have hardly sold my experience of camping in the woods as one that everybody would love. Why then does my title say that you should do it? I hope that the points below make this point clear.
A Sense Of Achievement
I was genuinely scared about camping in the woods, both before and during the experience. I faced this fear though and felt a great sense of accomplishment the next morning. Yes it was a challenge I didn’t need to complete, but it was one I wanted to do and I faced my own demons to achieve it. I have come away from the experience now knowing that embracing challenges is a good thing and leaves you feeling great at the end.
Hammock Camping Is Great Fun
This was my first night in a hammock and I found it to be most comfortable. It’s also reassuring knowing that bugs can’t get to you because you’re raised off of the floor. I was still close enough to the ground though to have my underside explored by a larger animal if they so wanted to. Thankfully, this never happened. If you’re now strongly considering camping in the woods, then a hammock is an option worth considering.
Nocturnal Sounds Are Actually Pretty Cool
Yes I was terrified of them at various points, but on reflection the noises were unusual and downright impressive at times. The owl was beautiful as was the gentle swaying of the leaves above. If it was a deer I heard, I had no idea they could be that loud. It’s also great knowing these sounds won’t seem unfamiliar the next time I head into the forest after dark. I reckon I could actually sleep fairly well on the next trip.
The Darkness Is Your Friend Not Your Enemy
This might seem an odd statement, considering it was the darkness that made me feel scared. What I learned though is that with darkness comes privacy and protection. On one occasion I walked a mere ten metres or so from the hammock and turned the light off. My bed for the night couldn’t be seen. The chances of anybody finding me in the dark was practically nil!
Wild Camping Can Be Done Close To Home
I believe that everybody should try wild camping, as I explore here. I’ve tended to believe that it should only really be done in wild and remote parts of upland Britain. This is indeed a wonderful experience and easy to enjoy if you find these places close to where you live. For me though, my nearest mountains are nearly one hundred and sixty miles away.
Forests make the ideal place to wild camp. It doesn’t even matter if it’s close to an urban area. The woodland I used is only four miles from home and twenty miles from central London. Despite this, the wooded environment allowed me to feel well and truly connected with nature and a million miles away from towns and cities.
In some ways they’re also a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. There are so many resources around you at your disposal. You can use fallen wood to make a fire or the trees themselves to erect a tarp and hammock. The forest around you also protects you from wind and rain to a degree.
In Conclusion…..
I’m so pleased I went camping in the woods. I will certainly be back to do it again in the near future. Hopefully it has put your mind at rest and made you feel better about maybe trying it. If you’re feeling nervous about going, then I’ve shown that you aren’t alone in this. You may emerge the following day being rather sleep deprived, but you’ll have new stories to tell and you might even enjoy the experience. Give it a go. As a certain fictional wheeler-dealer would say in Only Fools and Horses- He/she who dares….wins!