James Whitcombe
Why Wild Camping Etiquette Matters
Wild camping in Britain is a privilege, not a free-for-all. In Scotland, it is a legal right when done responsibly under the access code. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you generally need the landowner’s permission. Wherever you pitch, your behaviour affects whether the next person is welcomed or turned away. A careless fire scar, a pile of litter or a badly placed tent can damage fragile habitat and close access for years. Good etiquette is not about being precious. It is about keeping remote landscapes wild and keeping access open for everyone.
Arrive Late, Leave Early
The classic wild camping rhythm is simple: arrive late, leave early. Turn up as the light fades, pitch quickly and quietly, and be gone before the day truly begins. This minimises your impact and your visibility. It also means you are less likely to disturb wildlife, livestock or local people.
- Arrive with a plan. Know where you intend to pitch, and have a backup if the spot is taken or unsuitable.
- Keep noise low. Voices carry in still air. Avoid music, loud laughter and torches sweeping across the landscape.
- Leave before breakfast. Eat your porridge a mile down the track, not beside your tent.
- One night only. Move on the next day. Repeated nights in the same place compact the ground and wear away vegetation.
Pitch Smart: Water, Ground and Weather
A good pitch is level, sheltered, on durable ground and well away from water. In remote British landscapes, the ground can be more fragile than it looks. Moss, heather, machair and soft upland grass are easily damaged. Rock, gravel, dry bare earth and established campsites are better choices.
- Keep 50 metres from water. This includes lochs, tarns, streams, rivers and reservoirs. It protects water quality and gives wildlife space.
- Avoid fragile habitats. Do not camp on moss, lichen, wildflower meadows, sand dunes or eroded banks.
- Do not dig trenches or cut vegetation. A tent and a sleeping mat are enough.
- Check the weather. Avoid dead trees and flood-prone ground. In high winds, move lower and seek natural shelter.
Carry Out Everything You Bring In
“Leave no trace” is a practical checklist. Everything you carry in must come out, including things that feel harmless. Orange peel, apple cores, tea bags and nut shells do not rot quickly in cold upland conditions. They look like litter and can harm wildlife.
- Pack a waste bag. Keep all rubbish in your pack, not outside your tent where animals can get it.
- Take food scraps home. Do not bury them. Animals dig them up and they attract rats, foxes and crows.
- Deal with human waste properly. If there are no toilets, walk at least 50 metres from water, paths and buildings. Dig a shallow hole 15–20 centimetres deep in organic soil, do your business, and cover it well. Carry out all toilet paper in a sealed bag. In fragile or busy areas, use a sealed waste bag and carry it out.
- Pee away from water. Choose bare ground or rock, well away from streams and paths. Do not pee on plants.
- Take sanitary products with you. Never bury them.
Fires, Wildlife and Livestock
Open fires are almost always a bad idea in remote British landscapes. They scar the ground, risk wildfires and leave blackened stones and ash. Use a camping stove instead. They are faster, cleaner and safer, even in wet weather. If you absolutely must have a fire, only do so where it is explicitly permitted, use a fire pit or mound that leaves no trace, and burn only dead wood already on the ground. Never cut living trees or break branches from standing wood.
Wildlife and livestock deserve your respect. Keep your distance from deer, seals, birds and livestock. Do not feed any animal. Close all gates behind you, even if they were open. Keep dogs under close control or leave them at home. In lambing and calving season, give fields a wide berth. If you see a distressed animal, move away quietly and do not intervene.
Leave No Trace, Keep Access Open
The future of wild camping depends on the behaviour of those who do it. Every tidy pitch, every carried-out bag of rubbish and every quiet early exit helps keep access open. It builds trust with landowners, rangers and local communities. Before you leave, turn around and look at your spot. It should look as if you were never there. No flattened grass, no stone rings, no toilet paper, no forgotten tent pegs.
Wild camping is a chance to sleep close to the land, to hear curlews at dusk and wake to mist on the hills. That experience is worth protecting. Arrive late, leave early, pitch away from water, carry out all waste and tread lightly. Do that, and you will be welcome again — and so will the next person.
