🌲 Woodsy Home 🌳

About this campground

Welcome to my home. I live in a tiny house on a 3800 m² plot in Bois de Roly; a domain made of residential woods within Viroin Hermeton Nature Park. There is plenty of space and I am happy to welcome happy campers over, so long as everyone is respectful of the space and leaves no trace so that nature can thrive.

Rules & Guidelines

To keep this space wild and beautiful, please follow these guidelines:

🔥 Fire & Firewood

Fire pits are not allowed in the woods. You may use the fire bowl near the house. Foraging for dead wood from the surroundings is absolutely prohibited to protect the local ecosystem and my landscaping work.

• Why no foraging? I use fallen wood for many landscaping projects (constructions, wildlife habitats, soil moisture retention). What looks like a random pile of sticks to you might be weeks of my hard work. Please do not undo it!
• Bring your own: I highly prefer you bring your own firewood (available at grocery stores and gas stations nearby). I use my wood to heat my home and for various projects.
• Buying from me: If bringing your own is not an option, I can provide hand-split firewood for 25€ or 1 hour of landscaping work (if I am available). Please ONLY take wood from the designated outdoor firewood shelter in the back (South), NOT the wood stacked by my tiny house (North).
• Safety: Keep fires small, never burn plastic/garbage (the toxic ashes ruin my compost), and extinguish completely with water before sleeping.

♺ Trash & Recycling (Pack it out or Sort strictly)

"Leave No Trace" is a must. Please take your garbage with you. If you must leave trash, you must sort it as follow:

• Compost (Mandatory): ANY food scraps MUST go in the compost, never the trash (it attracts wild animals and I only take out the trash twice a year).
• PMC (Blue Bag): Plastic bottles, metal cans, and drink cartons only.
• Glass: No glass left behind. The local glass bin (bulle à verre) is at 113D Allée des Aubépines.
• Paper: Can be burned in the fire bowl or composted if it's not glossy.
• Black Bin: ONLY non-recyclable, non-food items.

🌱 Plant Life & Noise

• Watch your step: Use a flashlight at night so you don't trample young saplings. Maximum tent size is 3x3 meters and a maximum of 3 tents are allowed on the property. If using a hammock you must use tree-friendly straps (min. 2 cm wide; no ropes).
• Quiet hours: No loudspeaker 🔇 or loud noise after 22:00. That includes wood chopping (plan ahead). Noise complaints from neighbors will result in eviction.
• Products: Use only compostable toilet paper (plain brown/white, no color or scent) and biodegradable soap/shampoo.

🚽 Toilet & Where to Pee

• 💩 The Compost Toilet: Located in the South-East (back-right) corner of the land. Use only plain, unscented, compostable toilet paper.
• Where to pee: You are welcome to pee on or near the trees in the woods. (Not in the ponds).

📋 General

• 🐕🐈 Pets: Welcome with no additional charge but must be kept under control (there is no fence).
• Nudity: Allowed anywhere that's not in plain sight of the neighbors. (I am usually naked myself.)
• Reservation required: You must make a reservation (and tell me your approximate time of arrival). Do not show up unannounced.
• Check-in/out: Flexible. ☀️🔦 Please arrive and set up your tent during daylight hours if at all possible and always use a flashlight when moving at night to minimize damage on the plant life. You are welcome to arrive/depart at any time unless others need the space.

Amenities

This is a mostly undeveloped plot of land. 💧 Bring your own drinking water in case I am not home.

🚽 There is a compostable toilet in the South-East (back-right) corner of the land. 🔌 Electricity is available outside (there is an outlet available under the house on the left of the deck), as well as a hot outdoor shower, and a fire bowl (see 🔥 Fire & Firewood rules).

🚿 There is a rudimentary outdoor shower with hot water which is out in the open. The shower's water temperature is not adjustable because it comes directly out of my water heater's tank. You may need to notify me a couple hours in advance so that I can adjust the temperature.

If I am home you may be able to use some of the ammenities that are in the house, please ask in advance if needed.

Campspots / recommendations

It is usually quiet here but there is a train track in the back which runs twice per hour during the day (twice every two hours during the week-end). There are three delimited spots; two spots are on either side of the bridge that connects the two ponds. (Avoid the one on the right when it rains heavily. The one on the left is by a small apple tree), and the last spot is behind the last pond (also on the left and there is a decorative frog behind it).

🚐 Van or rooftop camping: The only place to park is the gravel spot by the road (shown in the first photo). It fits up to 2 cars back-to-back if necessary. Because this keeps you by the road and not actually in the woods, van camping is not highly recommended.

Prices

• ⛺ Tent or hammock camping: Pay what you want (everyone should have the opportunity to respectfully enjoy a retreat in nature).
• 🚐 Van or rooftop camping:
  • Off-season (October - April): Pay what you want.
  • High-season (May - September): There is a 30€ per night reservation fee (if booked a day or more in advance) to compensate for taking up the limited parking space during busy months. This does not apply to same-day reservations.

Note: Camping is Pay-What-You-Want. Hand-split firewood is 25€ (or trade for 1 hour of land work) because it requires significant labor and depletes my heating and woodworking supply.

Your payments help me plant a diverse range of trees and plant life (aka slug food), improve amenities for the next campers, and fund my lavish lifestyle.

Non-monetary payments are also accepted. These include:

• Helping me with landscaping / gardening for an hour or so, for example by pulling out bramble or grinding sticks into mulch.
• Bring a plant / tree / seeds / bulbs and plant it/them, or get me some compost (e.g. in bulk from Agrophil).
• Make or bring an outdoor artwork
• Whatever you can think of (keep in mind that I don't have much space inside the house).

Solo travelers who do not need a parking spot (eg pedestrians and bicyclists) are welcome to camp one night for free (but must still make a reservation).

Extra

I can provide the following extras when I am available:

• 🪵 Firewood: See the 🔥 Fire & Firewood section under Rules for details. Available from the designated camper firewood shelter in the back.
• 🏍️ Motorcycle ride to and from the local train station (Philippeville or Mariembourg)

Payment

The following payment methods are accepted:

• Bank transfer: Benoit Brummer - BE77 9731 6116 6342
• Payconiq
• Cash
• Cryptocurrency:
  • Bitcoin: bc1qc3z9ctv34v0ufxwpmq875r89umnt6ggeclp979
  • Litecoin: ltc1qv0xcmeuve080j7ad2cj2sd9d22kgqmlxfxvhmg
  • Ethereum: 0x0A5281F3B6f609aeb9D71D7ED7acbEc5d00687CB
  • Monero: 85pPFb6uV3U5t9G2NAdrP69UGYteCqT7yAGH58TQgobodBwsw17fuYadZXwgMo8YdrhFZbarLa2MPjan3G6erNZfJYhmc4m

Contact

✉ Send me an email at trougnouf@disroot.org or message/Signal me at 0483 14 5111.

The address is 16D Allée des Charmes, 5600 Roly (Philippeville).

Accessible by foot from the GR12 and GRP125. The nearest train stations are Mariembourg (8.4 km) and Philippeville (11.6 km).

Activities

• Free:
  • Fondry des Chiens (): beautiful sinkhole with plenty of hiking opportunities
  • Lacs de l'Eau d'Heure (): large lakes with possibility to swim, rent paddleboards, ... It's also nice to walk around and there is an adventure park.
• Non-free
  • Chemin de fer à vapeur des Trois Vallées ( 🌐): a heritage railway which starts in Mariembourg
  • Neptune caves ( 🌐): natural caves in Couvin
  • Aquascope Virelles ( 🌐): birds and nature watching on the edge of a large pond
  • Brasserie des Fagnes (): local brewery with a pretty good restaurant
  • Nearby markets (check before you go in case of changes):
    • Tuesday 08:00-13:00 in Walcourt (Grand'Place)
    • Wednesday 08:00-13:00 in Couvin
    • Thursday 08:00-13:00 in Florennes (Route de Mettet - Place Verte, 16:00-20:30 in Doische (Parking communal de Doische)
    • Friday 08:00-13:00 in Thy-le-Château (Rue des Marronniers, Place de la Poste)
    • Saturday 08:00-13:00 in Philippeville
    • Sunday 07:00-13:00 in Mariembourg (Place Marie de Hongrie)
  • Food shops:
    • Ferme du Montaval: organic farm with a 24/7 self-service stall in Cerfontaine, 8 km
    • Jardin de Monplaisir: organic farm stall selling fruits and vegetables in Cerfontaine, 12 km
    • Chèvrerie de la Machine: organic goat cheese farm in Philippeville, 13 km
    • Nature Nature: organic food shop in Philippeville, 9 km
    • Ferme Champignol: organic farm shop with all kinds of food products, 23 km
• I'm usually happy to play board games, feel free to ask.

Reviews

• Campspace
• Google Maps

Life

Some of the life forms that I share this space with include (but are not limited to):

Birds:

• Common buzzard (Buteo buteo, )
• Short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla, )
• European greenfinch (Chloris chloris, )
• Common wood-pigeon (Columba palumbus, )
• Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus, , 📷)
• Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major, )
• European robin (Erithacus rubecula, )
• Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs, )
• Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius, )
• Great tit (Parus major, )
• Common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita, )
• Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus, )
• Eurasian magpie (Pica pica, )
• Willow tit (Poecile montanus, , 📷)
• Common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla, )
• Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea, )
• Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, )
• Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes, )
• Common blackbird (Turdus merula, )
• Song thrush (Turdus philomelos, )

Amphibians:

• Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris, )
• Green frog (Pelophylax kl. esculentus, )
• Grass frog (Rana temporaria, )

Trees and shrubs:

• Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus, )
• European hornbeam (Carpinus betelus, )
• Common hazel (Corylus avellana, )
• European oak (Quercus robur, )
• Norway spruce (Picea abies, )
• Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula, )
• Sweet cherry (Prunus avium, )
• Cherry laurel (Prunus lauracerasus, )
• Small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata, )

Trees and shrubs (planted):

• Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana, , 2)
• Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, , 2)
• Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo, , 2)
• Common box (Buxus sempervirens, , 1-2)
• Franchet's cotoneaster (Cotoneaster franchetii, , 1)
• Ebbing's silverberry (Elaeagnus ebbingei, , 1)
• Cider gum (Eucalyptus gunnii, , 1)
• European beech (Fagus sylvatica, , 5)
• Fig (Ficus carica, , 1)
• Leucothoe (unknown species, )
• Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora, , 1)
• Apple (Malus domestica, , 2)
• Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides, , 2)
• Photinia (unknown species, )
• Blue spruce (Picea pungens, , 📷, 1)
• Sitka spruce (Picea Sitchensis, , 9)
• Austrian pine (Pinus nigra, , 1)
• Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster, , 2)
• Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris, , 📷, 2)
• Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii, , 3)
• Himalayan pine (Pinus wallichiana, , 📷, 4)
• Plum (Prunus domestica, , 3)
• Peach (Prunus persica, , 2)
• Common pear (Pyrus communis, , 3)
• Nashi pear (Pyrus pyrifolia, , 1)
• Babylon willow (Salix babylonica, , 1)
• Goat willow (Salix caprea, , 2)
• Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis, , 2)
• Western redcedar (Thuja plicata, , 1)

Other plants:

• Blue bugle (Ajuga reptans, )
• Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata, )
• Wood anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa, )
• Farewell to spring (Clarkia amoena, )
• Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides, )
• Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca, )
• Common hemp-nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit, )
• Sticky willy (Galium aparine, )
• Wood avens (Geum urbanum, )
• Little-robin (Geranium purpureum, )
• Common ivy (Hedera helix, )
• Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, , 📷)
• Slender St John's-wort (Hypericum pulchrum, )
• Common nipplewort (Lapsana communis, )
• Oxlip (Primula elatior, )
• Whorled Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum verticillatum, )
• Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus, )
• Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna, )
• Common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum, )
• Woodland figwort (Scrophularia nodosa, )
• Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion, )

Other plants (planted):

• Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta, )
• Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium, )
• Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa, )
• Yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus, )
• Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea, )
• Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum, )
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria, )
• Redcurrant (Ribes rubrum, )
• Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus, )
• Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum, )

Mammals:

• Dog (Canis familiaris, )
• European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus, )
• Cat (Felis catus, )
• Human (Homo sapiens, )
• Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris, , 📷)
• Wild boar (Sus scrofa, , 📷)

Other animals:

• European garden spider (Araneus diadematus, )
• Map (Araschnia levana, )
• Spanish slug (Arion vulgaris, )
• Mullein moth (Cucullia verbasci, )
• Multicoloured asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis, )
• White admiral (Limenitis camilla, )
• Leopard slug (Limax maximus, )
• Common earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris, )
• Speckled wood (butterfly) (Pararge aegeria, )
• Small white (Pieris rapae, )
• Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella, )
• rhagie sycophante (Rhagium sycophanta, )
• Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta, , 📷)

Mushrooms:

• Bolbitius (unknown species, , possibly titubans)
• Cyanosporus (unknown species, , possibly caesius)
• Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera, , 📷)

Let me know if you identify any species I have not listed here yet. You are also welcome to plant more plant life so long as it doesn't have thorns.