So, I’ve really started to make some large changes to my life after many years of being a degenerate and all my money going on smoking weed and doing other drugs with friends etc.

It all started when I got diagnosed with ADHD, got medicated, since stopped as the cons were worse than the pros now I’m on a good track, re-trained as a software developer and have been in my first role a year and I’m late 30’s now.

Weed was the last thing to quit and it’s been almost a month and I’m finally able to do all the things I could never afford. Bought a nice watch and booked a session for a sleeve tattoo I’ve always wanted.

I still need something to focus on to keep me happy and I love being out in nature and just milling about, but I’m a city kid, north UK, so really don’t know anything about surviving outside; but I want to go out for weekends and see the stars and just explore and be self sufficient.

It all just seems so overwhelming and I have no clue where to start. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and still it seems so overwhelming. My plan is to start purchasing everything you would need with a view to start from April next year but I honestly don’t know where to begin. What do I buy, which tents should I be looking at, how do I learn about water supplies I can drink from, what about cooking; can I make bacon and eggs for instance, what sleeping bags, cookers, backpacks, shoes, etc.

The list goes on and on and I guess I’m just looking for good resources to consume over the next 10 months to make sure I can go out and be safe, considerate, and not a burden on anybody else.

Thanks for any tips you can provide.

Edit: I have a lot of comments here to reply to, but I’m pretty sleepy right now so will reply to you all tomorrow. Thanks.

  • @WorxEnglish
    7•6 months ago

    I have a small van with a bed and a sink in. I don’t visit any campsites. I don’t see this as “wild camping”, but apparently it counts so I’ll pitch in my advice anyway. I feel like we would have very similar interests - my holidays consist of going to Scotland for roughly a week, walking wherever seems nice, and generally being away from other people. I park overnight in lay-bys or carparks that allow camping. I started out sleeping in the back of my car for the first few years, but it’s not as comfortable and I enjoyed myself enough that I decided to invest in a van.

    The things I bring with me are

    • bottled water (I have some 5L bottles that I fill from the tap, usually 30L is enough for drinking and hand washing for a week, with one “shower” from a bottle)
    • books
    • bedding
    • camping stove and wok
    • reusable plastic plates and forks
    • clothing
    • money (this is the most important, because if you forget anything else on the list you can buy it with money)
    • map of where I’m going downloaded to my phone

    I go shopping and find a toilet once a day. I drive to somewhere nice (just look at the map and take a guess). Sit and read,go for a walk wherever looks interesting, snack, sleep, repeat. In terms of food, it’s mostly pastries and salad, because it’s hard to find ready-to-eat vegetarian food. For cooking, I’ve found that stuffed pasta and readymade sauce is easy to cook, and the other go-to is vegetarian sausages in a bun. But generally I only eat one or two cooked meals per holiday. It’s not worth the washing up IMO.

    My experience is probably different than what you’re planning, but similar enough to be useful advice I hope. You can literally start by just jumping in a car with some food and water, and driving somewhere nice. As long as you have a car, anyway. I’d suggest to start small and close to home, then it’s an easy escape if anything goes wrong