Leave no trace

The rain finally stopped.
I did some study, got my brain back into that mode, did the non mandatory task that probably no one else on the course now will, but I figure they're there to help us learn. Cyber attack or not it's not been a well formatted or taught module, a real shame.

Under a bright sky we decided on a later afternoon wander. We managed to find some more rain, but we also found a lot of glorious.

Then I decided I'd have an amble around The Rigg.
It used to be a favourite place, a fungi paradise, old old trees. But the last few years its relative proximity to the road had seen it ruined by inconsiderate wild campers. In 2019 I got a team together and we took 42 bags of rubbish out of here.

Wandering in I saw the tarps and tents. Then I saw the smoke. Three big guys with saws and axes. I could just walk on.
But.
I like to think I'm pretty good with people. I wandered over for a chat. I'd forgotten I was in a badged jacket, that often gets a reaction even if people don't know what it is lol.
Straight away they told me it wasn't their mess, they were tidying up and burning other peoples rubbish.
I told them I'd not come over to judge, rather to help, possibly to inform, maybe to make them ask some questions.
I explained how burning plastic was a really bad idea, how the fluorocarbons leach into the soil, kill the lichen, mean I won't forage fungi here anymore. I explained that the charred remains they leave behind are basically poison, take out the bottom of the ecosystem. I showed them dead wood rather than live wood to burn for their fire. Then I suggested that just possibly they could just as easily use the discarded tents to fashion rubbish sacks.
Gently I reminded them that they were actually on private land that we only have a granted right to enjoy, how next time they came they might find an eight foot fence. That actually, whilst they felt 'hidden' they could easily be seen from a lot of places. I suggested some better places to be.

There's a two day course I've often seen advertised for outdoor folk called Leave no Trace. I may even have laughed at it, I mean, how do you take two days to say "take your **** home" & "if you see it, pick it up whether it's yours or not".

The blokes today seemed generally surprised, seemed to take it on board, said they'd do better.
I came home and looked up how to book a course.