Brief Adventure Guide

Road side camping - A soldier’s perspective
Paul Pitchfork spent 18
years serving in the British
Army and is now enjoying
his freedom, exploring
South America on his
motorbike. Here he gives us
his top tips of staying safe
whilst camping in the wild...
The key principle I employ
when camping by the road
is simple: if the threat can’t
find you, it can’t pose a danger to you. Animals which pose a credible
threat to humans camping are few and far between. So what we are
really talking about are people, and even then I don’t see that threat as
significant - petty, opportunistic theft most likely, or at worst a drunken
night time mugging. So rule number one - when roadside camping, don’t
camp beside the road!
I will never camp beside a road with any volume of traffic using it. I will
either find a quiet side road and head down that until I locate a secluded
spot, or I will break off the road and cross open ground until I’m distanced
from the traffic. The key is finding some cover - a small copse, the reverse
side of a hill, a fold in the ground. I’ll then park up and check for any
other approaches that may lead people towards my tent - a track or path
coming from the other direction, for example. I’ll confirm my escape route
(necessary in only the worst case scenario an inevitably meaning leaving
your tent behind) and park the bike facing in the right direction.
Night provides cover and is your friend. By setting up camp at dust, you
are minimising the amount of time during which you can be seen. Don’t
use too much white light - a red filtered light is much more discreet.
After dark I walk back towards the road with my torch and check if car
headlights will pick up the reflectors on my bike and my panniers. If so, I
cover them up. If I need to use white light during the evening, I’ll turn it off
momentarily when cars pass along the road. By employing these tactics
you can remain hidden at night, even when you are close to the road.