Has anyone here ever tried living in the woods or wild for any lenght of time like a long camping trip? A few weeks, maybe a month? Its becoming quite appealing to me and very viable where I am compared to the hundreds of videos I see elswhere in the world! Here there are no known predators, i think the largest wild animal id find would be a badger. Theres no poisonous bugs or insects and I think quite a few edible natives/weeds and a natural spring nearby, and mild winters. So anyway I am goin to try a little experiment by heading out there soon with a few large containers or troughs and some seed potatoes and get them started off, going by some videos they say roughtly 130 days until harvest which would be plenty of time to get a little camp started up and transport whatever supplies needed! Any thoughts or experience on this subject? All that said it would also be a great opportunity to study the native plants and wildlife in their natural habitat.

It would be wise to study the native plants and wildlife BEFORE you head off into the wild. Learning some survival skills is a must. Are there places in Ireland where you can go off and not be on someone's private property?

Can you build a fire without a match? Do you know how to catch, prepare and cook an animal or bird? What plants are edible or useful in other ways? Make yourself a shelter? Orient yourself so you don't get lost? Open a can without an opener? Have you got any first aide training?

Have you read "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer?

I'm not trying to discourage you but I don't want to read about you in the newspaper either. The make or break of an adventure like this is the preparation you do before you leave home.

I was going to also suggest Into the Wild by Krakauer.
You can't get many calories from grazing leafy greens, wild food harvests are very variable, and you'll use a lot of energy spending all your time on food and shelter. Unless your supplies will include barrels of rice, beans, and cooking fat. And vitamins.
I understand the lure, (started with My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George) but just isn't an easy proposition.

Yes, what she said. Do your homework/research BEFORE you go out there. Once you are out in the wilderness there will be no one to hear you scream. Also, do not go it alone. If it were not for my companions I would have died of hypothermia on a camping trip.

Eat one wrong plant and...

There are sites for survivalists. We can advise you about gardening. For the rest I suggest you check with experts in the field of survival in the wild.

greene got it- go to survivalist sites.

Just relating my experience, I have undergone bivouac a long, long time ago while in school as part of our senior military training. It is supervised, but it let us feel how it is to camp in the hills. I distinctly remember feeling very cold at night, so know your cold tolerance level. For our food, like typical camping here, preparing food with whatever limited means you have. Carry enough potable water or water filter in case you run out of your drinking water. At least during our bivouac we have a medical platoon ready so, in case there was medical emergency especially as we do our river crossing and troop movement simulation, someone is there ready for us. And since that was military style, waking up early as required and doing our chores and personal necessities, since we have to move for our ground training as early as we can. It would be too hot to start it late.

Be as it may that there are no big wild animals there, sometimes it is the smaller ones you have to watch out for too. You just never know if you will meet a rabid carnivore however small it is or a never been seen insect that carries something you are allergic too.

Same way with camping here, watch out for the sudden seasonal change. Check your weather forecast ahead, and be prepared in case you get a sudden downpour. Making sure your spot to camp on is on good high elevated area in case of flash flood.

And thankfully with current technology, try to bring a satellite phone, accidents happen. Better to be prepared.

Good point! yes to most daisy tho I haven't read any books and I don't have any medical training perse but i do know some basics. tho the whole point of going out there is to get away from all the synthetic foods/medicines and learn how to make natural medicines and food recipes using the available plants. Ive lived in this area for over 20 years i know the woods like the back of my hand and spent my childhood exploring these woods and its where I get the water for my plants, its a decidous woods daisy which no one owns, well im sure the government will say its theirs lol. Its just over my back fence so I wouldn't be far from home if I needed to leave. i would start off with just a few days then gradually be there for longer stays! My ultimate goal would be to spend atleast a few months out there each year! I can make a hand fire drill but id bring a lighter and some matches just incase. I prob wouldn't be taking much in the way of food prob a few packs of noodles and basic stuff like that! I could always keep the food at home and just bring what I need for the short stays! Lol many a time i couldn't find the tin opener lol very easy to open with a knife, I'm also familiar with knifes I am a butcher by trade tho I've left that career and can say I will not be hunting any animals nor eating them! just the plants. You do raise very good points daisy for anyone to consider when heading out in the wild especially if you are far from civilization and faced with some hungry predators and poisonous things! for me daisy I don't think any of the above will be a concern considering how close to home I will be but I appreciate your views.

syzone8aUK said:Has anyone here ever tried living in the woods or wild for any lenght of time like a long camping trip? A few weeks, maybe a month? Here there are no known predators, i think the largest wild animal id find would be a badger. Theres no poisonous bugs or insects and I think quite a few edible natives/weeds and a natural spring nearby, and mild winters.

I don't have a clue about living in the woods for any length of time but I think I want to move to Ireland if there are no known predators, wild animals, poisonous insects, etc.!

Oh sorry I didn't see those posts! My network is terrible cross posted with everyone after daisy.
Some good points tho the survival issues doesn't worry me but I agree with tarev on the hypothermia! This little forest which is very small now has open rural area on one side a river on the other side and at the very end there is a shopping complex eg. supermarkets, big box stores, diy center, mc donalds ,burger king and several other shops nearby hopefully I wont be visiting them too often. I will definately be taken my phone cause I'll be needing help from you guys and gals for id's

Yes lin very safe here in that sense.

biggest problem might be rats from the commercial area, coming and eating your food while you snooze. Heck, just mice. Crickets. Ants.
Let's count calories:
a pack of noodles? 190.
One pound of spinach- 104 (suppose wild greens are comparable for the sake of argument)
Cup of pitted cherries 77
One medium potato 163- You get about four medium potatoes per plant, if they do well, in full sun (but you're in the woods right?)
It's a long way to 2400- 3000 calories per day. Every day.
http://healthyeating.sfgate.co...

But hey, go for it! Read up on what long trail hikers carry for food. Take Hatchet by Gary Paulsen for reading material too.
I could play in the woods too, if I didn't have anyone else worrying about me. I just wouldn't assume I could feed myself without a lot of learning and work.

Dear Sy,

I'm not trying to offend but, frankly, you are an idiot.

1. 'Close to home' does not equal safe. People freeze to death in their backyards going for wood. People fall down and break their legs and the cell phone is just out of reach.

2. Please, please, please PREPARE! Survivalist classes, first aide classes.... Important!

3. There is no such thing as a 'gatherer' diet. It takes too many calories and there is no protein in a vegetarian diet (said the vegetarian). Take rice, beans and oil.

4. Have you read "The Martian" by Andy Weir? At least you don't have to worry about running out of oxygen.

5. There is no such thing as a pristine spring in this day and age (take a water purifier so you don't have to be treated for sheep fluke when you get home).

Bottom line... You are taking this adventure too cavalierly. You have to live through it.

Hello Sy, I was wondering, is that area you are planning to do your off the grid camping like a wild land public area?

Maybe just double check as well your local govt regulations, about your plan to camp there for the period you plan, so no one might complain you are unduly squatting.

Typically there are designated camping grounds, and it is for sanitation, protection of wildlife, wildfire prevention, so just know first if you will not unknowingly be violating habitation rules.

I can see what you are saying daisy but Just because you assumed my post was about surviving and not about the plants doea not make me an idiot lol I tried a few times to get us off the survival side of it but hey! anyway just a little confusion, we'll Leave it at that.

Yeah tarev its a public forest not protected tho. I doubt if you are aloud to live there but there isn't any laws against camping.

I would encourage you to contact your Northern Ireland Forest Service, just to be sure, of how long you maybe allowed to go camping, especially if it is not a designated camping ground. I read some of your govt's websites, and there are specific regulations. Best to know what you can and cannot do if you really plan to go on extended camping there.

I read too, there has been a report of squirrel pox outbreak in one forest park there sometime 2016, just check where it stands right now.

Sy, maybe we're just not clear here on what you plan to do.
If you start learning about the plants and want help confirming what you identify as useful plants, you can post detailed pictures to our Identification forum. Other users will be happy to try and confirm for you.

https://garden.org/forums/view...
https://garden.org/forums/view...

There also phone apps for plant Identification. I can recommend Flowerchecker, they are international and have a good knowledge base for European plants.

If you try to grow food crops in the forest, you can ask questions about those specifically
https://garden.org/forums/view...

Sy, I guess it was the way you started your first post - nothing about plants but a lot about living off the grid. I apologize if I missed the point. Plant ID we can do.

Still a few cautions:

Just because this forest is just over your back fence doesn't mean you don't need to be prepared.

Noodles and potatoes won't keep you alive but rice and beans will. Especially if you add a little oil in there.

Before you start farming the National Forest, it may be good to check into rules and regulations.

Have fun!

Will have to keep an eye on the squirell pox outbreak tarev I did not know that.
Thanks sally and yes daisy just abit of confusion no worries! I'm not saying the survival skills and first aid are not important, just that I already have access to more than enough information dealing with survival stuff and its not just something I decided to look up when I made the post. To me survival in the wild denotes some kind of risk or dangerous challenge because you have no other option.
To me living in the wild means taking it easy, and being able to leave any time you want, having the choice to go home and shower if needed or go home and make a meal then go back out. The noodles are just for little camping snacks to keep you going That's what I mean about not taking much in the way of food but yes again those basics would be noodles pasta and rice etc. Heck I could even bring out the wood burning stove if needed. Potatoes are just something to play about with tosee how they do and is it worth even planting them I have 1st and 2nd earlies and 1st and 2nd main crop 5 seed potatoes in each bag. Ok I don't know how long this post is going to be I could on and on so I'll end it here. And a pick i took from my window so you can get an idea how close I am to the woods.

Sy,

Good luck on your venture into the woods! I hope you'll post an update here when you return to civilization.