New scheme to offer campers unprecedented access to wild spaces across Britain
The partnership will provide outdoor enthusiasts with access to nature restoration projects that have not previously permitted overnight stays – and campers can get involved in conservation and citizen science activities on-site, too.
CampWild co-founder Tom Backhouse said: 'Rewilding Britain is doing extraordinary work to help restore nature. This exciting initiative gives wild campers exclusive access to wild spaces where no one has been allowed to camp before.
'These are some of the most ecologically rich places in the UK, where ecosystems are being restored, landscapes are healing and biodiversity is returning – and those staying can contribute to these efforts.'
CampWild members will be able to find out about the rewilding projects on the site – from beaver reintroduction to habitat restoration – before they go. On booking they will receive an interactive map with a species checklist and things to do, such as helping to track biodiversity, monitoring wildlife and removing invasive species.
Initially launching with 15 spaces, from Cornwall to Scotland, the plan is to expand to other sites in the Rewilding Britain network. As part of the initiative, £1 from every CampWild membership will be donated to Rewilding Britain. 'Every membership will directly contribute to rewilding efforts, ensuring that the very places we explore continue to thrive for generations to come,' said Backhouse.
Among the rewilding sites is Pine Island on a renaturing farm on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. Off-grid campers will be able to participate in activities from bracken bashing to deweeding trees (25,000 have been planted on the estate). Other options include Mapperton Wildlands in Dorset, where 404 hectares (1,000 acres) of farmland are being rewilded, and Rewilding Kinkell, a nature restoration project in St Andrews, Scotland.
'Rewilding – the restoration of nature to the point where it can take care of itself – must have people at its heart to succeed, and allowing people space to form a connection to areas undergoing rewilding is a wonderful way to bring them on this exciting journey with nature,' said Sara King of Rewilding Britain.
'It's also an amazing opportunity to experience the astounding benefits rewilding can bring to our health and wellbeing, and to witness first-hand what reinstating natural processes, restoring ecosystems and letting nature lead can achieve.'
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Set up in 2023 by Backhouse and Alex Clasper, CampWild aims to open up responsible access to nature and encourage people to go off-grid, connecting campers with landowners willing to let people stay, and building an online community. It gives one person or small group at a time the chance to legally wild camp for up to 48 hours in landscapes ranging from ancient woodlands to riverside meadows (and have the space all to themselves). Members have access to almost 200 sites across the UK and agree to a code of conduct. The new partnership takes things one step further, combining recreation and nature conservation, and allowing visitors to witness – and get involved in – nature's resurgence first-hand.
'These ReWild Spaces represent a new era for responsible outdoor recreation, bridging the gap between adventure and conservation,' said Backhouse. 'It's not just about access; it's about connection. The more people connect with nature, the more they value and protect it.'
CampWild membership costs £25 a year (for an individual or household); camping spaces from £15 a night. For more information on CampWild and the conservation and adventure partnership with Rewilding Britain, visit campwild.uk/rewilding
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