Does anyone take an axe on their tours?

[Ticktockmy]

I would remind you, that in the UK, all land is owned by someone, including so called Common land, whilst you may get away with wild camping, you are required to get the landowners permission to cut wood or even collect and burn wood which is laying on the ground.

Some forests issue a wood collecting Licence, Some people who live in the big Forests like the New forest or Ashdown forest, have right of Estovers which allows them to collect wood for the use of the house, ie, for repair of house, cart or Fire. So unless you get the permission to light a fire, you could find yourself in trouble if the land owner get pissed off.

 

[slowmotion]

Yes, a chainsaw should do the trick.

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e64Ify5Wp4&feature=related[/media]

 

[Ste T.]

On my very first tour, Oxfordshire summer 1975, I was an inexperienced fifteen year old lad on my own with more gear than you could shake a stick at. I'd read a book from the library about wild camping and knew just what I needed. As well as a steel handled axe I had a folding trench tool for the latrine and enough tinned food and water to last three or four days at a time. The fact that I was cycling through half a dozen villages a day, all of which had a shop, was lost on me. The bike weighed so much that I couldn't lift it the eight inches into the guards van at Lime Street Station on my first day. What an advert for Carlton Cycles that I never broke a single spoke in two weeks on the road.
Happy days

 

[Brains]

I hope I'm stating the obvious, but this is purely for cutting up dead fallen wood?

You can't make a fire with any other type.
Greenwood does not burn

(Well OK, for the picky amongst us Greenwood burns, but it's very difficult to light, and then keep lit, and you will be smoked away from any fire, so other than a midge deterrant or a signal there is no point in using it)

 

[vernon]

Ok, if you ask for a practical reason - I found that a campfire is excellent at keeping midges away (I'm touring Scotland, mostly ).

Avon Skin So Soft is an easier solution. It's only allowed half a dozen or so midges to bite me in over three weeks of cycling and camping on thew west coast.

I'm not sure that land owners and camp site owners will be too happy with you lighting fires on their land.

 

[samid]

I would remind you, that in the UK, all land is owned by someone, including so called Common land, whilst you may get away with wild camping, you are required to get the landowners permission to cut wood or even collect and burn wood which is laying on the ground.

Some forests issue a wood collecting Licence, Some people who live in the big Forests like the New forest or Ashdown forest, have right of Estovers which allows them to collect wood for the use of the house, ie, for repair of house, cart or Fire. So unless you get the permission to light a fire, you could find yourself in trouble if the land owner get pissed off.

I did mention somewhere I think that I was going to Scotland, where one is allowed by law to wild camp at least. In fact I believe that the same law also actually allows to have fires, here's a quote from a site that looks legit:

Lighting fires
Wherever possible, use a stove rather than light an open fire. If you do wish to light an open fire, keep it small, under control, and supervised - fires that get out of control can cause major damage, for which you might be liable. Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground or near to buildings or in cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily caused. Heed all advice at times of high risk. Remove all traces of an open fire before you leave.

But anyway, I would not dream of cutting a live tree. For that matter, I probably would not make a fire in a wood - more likely on say a sandy beach where all traces of a small fire can easily be destroyed. Also some campsites allow fires but at least one such site provided free scrap wooden trays or some such - but they had to be chopped up to be usable.

As for a chainsaw - it does look good but the problem is where to get gas for it - or does it run on meths?

 

[samid]

Avon Skin So Soft is an easier solution.

But not nearly as much fun. And it smells awful

 

[vernon]

I did mention somewhere I think that I was going to Scotland, where one is allowed by law to wild camp at least. In fact I believe that the same law also actually allows to have fires, here's a quote from a site that looks legit:

But anyway, I would not dream of cutting a live tree. For that matter, I probably would not make a fire in a wood - more likely on say a sandy beach where all traces of a small fire can easily be destroyed. Also some campsites allow fires but at least one such site provided free scrap wooden trays or some such - but they had to be chopped up to be usable.

As for a chainsaw - it does look good but the problem is where to get gas for it - or does it run on meths?

I think that you have applied a very liberal translation to the quoted passage. Being allowed to camp does not grant you the right to light fires.

A more accurate translation of the passage in my opinion is:

Wherever possible, use a stove rather than light an open fire because open fires are generally not allowed. If you do wish to light an open fire even though they are not welcomed by landowners, keep it small, under control, and supervised and on land where you have the express permission of the landowner to have a fire- fires that get out of control can cause major damage, for which you might will be liable. Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground or near to buildings or in cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily caused. Heed all advice at times of high risk. Remove all traces of an open fire before you leave.


I really would urge caution regarding the fire aspect. Yes they give pleasure but in general they are not welcomed by landowners and campsite owners.

 

[jay clock]

Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods

in Scotland???

 

[dellzeqq]

If I were to set out on a tour, and one of my companions pulled an axe from his pannier, I'd be just a little bit concerned

 

[Bodhbh]

If I were to set out on a tour, and one of my companions pulled an axe from his pannier, I'd be just a little bit concerned

Particularly that Gransfors battle-axe....

Only time I've wished I've had one was camping beside beach in N Wales - there was loads of driftwood, not too many people around and it was well hidden from the land by dunes. If I knew was liable to end up in a similar spot might consider it.

 

[hubbike]

Think I have changed my mind. whenever I have lit a fire on tour I have never had an axe with me. it is never a problem. small dead twigs just snap and anything up to arm thickness (unless your arm is like schwarzenegger's) can be broken by leaning it against a log and jumping on it. I can't see how a small hand axe, or a crappy fold up saw, would help that much. I think an axe is really a heavy and unnecessary luxury. leave it at home.

 

[samid]

If I were to set out on a tour, and one of my companions pulled an axe from his pannier, I'd be just a little bit concerned

Why?

 

[richyx]

If not, how do you manage campfires?

I like campfires but it is not always easy to get one going without an axe. This year I'm seriously thinking of taking something like a Wetterlings Axe Small Axe with me - after all it is only 550 grams, a nice campfire is worth it what do you all think?

Cheers.

Could a chainsaw be a suitable alternative?


Tongue firmly in cheek

 

[HelenD123]

If I were to set out on a tour, and one of my companions pulled an axe from his pannier, I'd be just a little bit concerned

It happened to me. Didn't bother me in the slightest. To the OP - they carried it all the way across Canada and hardly used it.