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Minimal Impact - Wild camping

"Camping for me is an extension of hillwalking and as such is to be conducted preferably as far away from crowds as possible, even if that means carrying a tent to the top of a mountain." The Joy of Hillwalking - Ralph Storer, 1994

En route to the Fords of Avon in the Scottish Highlands Credit: David Monteith A good tent is just one small element of wild camping Credit: Berghaus

Wild? For most of us, 'remote' is probably a more accurate word and 'free' the most likely. Wherever you end up, it's important to be non-intrusive so the key words to bear in mind are consideration, responsibility and being environmentally friendly. In most of the UK, opportunities for wild camping are limited. Legally, you must have the permission of a landowner to camp on their land, though there is a tradition of wild camping in many areas - high in the hills and in other remote areas. It's not to be taken for granted nor should it be abused. A good start if you're in doubt is to seek advice from national park rangers.

Remember our top ten tips:

  1. Avoid travelling in a large group and use just one or two small tents; aim to stay no more than one or two nights in one place.
  2. Respect seasonal restrictions on access and move on if you feel you might be disturbing birds or wildlife.
  3. Camp high or remote far away from towns and villages as well as away from and out of sight of houses; avoid camping in fields with crops or grazing livestock.
  4. Camp discreetly using a tent that blends into the landscape.
  5. Avoid camping next to water unless absolutely necessary and never dig drainage channels, move rocks or remove stones from walls for any purpose. Where rocks have been used to secure tent pegs, they should be replaced where they came from.
  6. Avoid lighting a fire, even if other people have left signs of burning.
  7. Make your loo site at least 30m from any water or 50m from paths, having dug a 15cm deep hole with a trowel, and bury the results.
  8. Remove everything you carried in with you. As well as not leaving litter, take away any you find; never bury or burn litter to get rid of it.
  9. Carry out tampons and sanitary towels. It's generally accepted that burying them doesn't work as decomposition is hindered and animals may dig them up.
  10. Leave your pitch as you found it.

 

As a general rule, wherever you pitch in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, bear in mind that landowners and their representatives have a legal right to order you to pack up and move on. However, details about wild camping legally on Dartmoor can be found here. 

Wild camping is a legal right in Scotland; for full details, check out the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

 

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