Wild camping in the UK — where it's legal, where it's grey, and how to do it right

Wild camping is one of those topics where a lot of confident things get said online that aren't quite right. So let's start with the actual position, region by region, and then get into how to do it well.

Scotland: the good news.

Scotland has a statutory right of responsible access under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which includes the right to camp on most unenclosed land. This means wild camping is legal across the vast majority of the Scottish countryside — moorland, hillside, lochside, forest. The only exceptions are land immediately around houses, most farmland in active use, and a small number of designated areas where bylaws restrict overnight camping (Loch Lomond's eastern shore is the most famous example, following management zones introduced in 2017).

The key word is 'responsible'. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code sets out what that means in practice: leave no trace, don't camp in the same place more than three consecutive nights, keep away from enclosed land, and respect other people's privacy.

England and Wales: the honest picture.

England and Wales have no general right to wild camp. Technically, camping on land without the landowner's permission is trespass — a civil matter, not a criminal one, but still enough for a landowner to ask you to leave.

The practical picture is more nuanced. Large areas of Dartmoor operated as a de facto wild camping zone for decades before a legal challenge in 2023 briefly restricted it. Following significant public pressure, Dartmoor National Park Authority reinstated wild camping rights in 2024 on most of the open moorland.

Elsewhere in England and Wales, the practical approach most experienced wild campers use is: arrive late, leave early, and leave absolutely no trace. On open hilltops and remote moorland — the Brecon Beacons, the North York Moors, the Dark Peak — remote camping is tolerated rather than permitted, and complaints are rare when done well.

Forests: it depends.

Forestry England land and Natural Resources Wales-managed forests generally prohibit overnight camping, but enforcement varies enormously. Some forest sites have designated wild camping areas; others are silent on the matter. Check the relevant body's website before you go.

How to do it right, wherever you are.

Whether you're in Scotland with full legal backing or on a Dartmoor tor hoping nobody minds, the principles are the same. Arrive after 7pm, leave before 9am. Take all rubbish home, including orange peel and apple cores (they take months to decompose and attract wildlife to areas you don't want them). Use a stove rather than a fire unless you're on bare mineral soil away from vegetation. Bury human waste at least 50 metres from water, paths, and camp using a hole 15cm deep. Don't camp in the same place two nights running.

The Leave No Trace principles aren't just environmental courtesy — they're what keeps wild camping tolerated in places where it's technically not permitted. Every burnt-out fire ring and pile of abandoned tent pegs makes the argument for tighter restrictions easier.

The gear question.

For wild camping, weight and pack size matter more than they do for a car camping trip. A one or two-person tent in the 1–1.5kg range, a good sleeping bag, a mat with reasonable insulation value, and a lightweight stove. The rest is kit selection and personal preference. Keep it simple and you'll move better.