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The Quiet Art of Wild Camping

Wild camping in the British hills is a privilege, not a right—except in Scotland, where it is a right, and on certain Dartmoor commons, where it has been fought over in the courts. Everywhere else, it relies on the goodwill of landowners and the tolerance of other hill users. That goodwill is easily lost. A single thoughtless pitch, a fire scar, or a pile of buried toilet paper can close an area to everyone. The etiquette of wild camping is not about rules for their own sake; it is about keeping the hills open and wild for the next person. It is also about your own enjoyment: a light touch on the land means a lighter conscience.

Arrive Late, Depart Early

The golden rule of wild camping is to be invisible. Arrive late in the evening, once the day walkers have gone home and the light is softening. In summer, that might mean 7pm or 8pm; in winter, you can pitch earlier, but still aim for the last hour of daylight. This avoids attracting attention, reduces the chance of disturbing nesting birds or grazing animals, and means you are not setting up camp in full view of a busy path.

Depart early. Be packed and away by 8am, or earlier if the forecast is good and you want to avoid meeting the first dog walkers. Leave no trace that you were there—no flattened grass, no stone circle, no fire scar. If you arrived late and left early, nobody need know you ever existed.

Choosing a Pitch with Care

The perfect pitch is not the flattest or the most scenic; it is the one that will recover quickest. Avoid fragile vegetation at all costs. Moss, lichen, arctic-alpine flowers, and the thin turf of the high tops can take decades to regrow. A single night's camping can leave a scar that lasts a generation.

• Look for bare ground—gravel, sand, or a spot that has clearly been used before. In popular areas, use an established pitch even if it is not perfect. Better to concentrate impact than spread it.
• Avoid the edges of streams and lochans. Camp at least 30 metres from water. This keeps bank erosion down, protects water quality, and reduces disturbance to wildlife that comes to drink at dawn and dusk.
• Stay away from private land boundaries. Do not pitch right beside a wall, fence, or the march between two estates. It looks intrusive and can be interpreted as a challenge. If you are on access land, check for signs; in Scotland, the right to wild camp does not extend to enclosed fields, near buildings, or on any kind of improved grass.
• Do not camp in the middle of a path. Even a faint trod is a route for someone else. Pitch well off to the side, out of sight.

Leave No Trace: The Practicalities

Leave no trace is more than a slogan. It is a set of specific actions.

• Take all litter home. This includes fruit peel, tea bags, and supposedly biodegradable wet wipes. They do not rot in a British climate; they linger and attract scavengers. Pack a small bag for rubbish and carry it out.
• Human waste. If you must defecate, dig a hole 15–20 cm deep, at least 30 metres from water, and carry out the toilet paper in a sealed bag. Use a trowel, not a boot heel. Better still, carry everything out. In fragile alpine or boggy areas, burying is not acceptable—the soil is too thin.
• Fires. Do not light them. A stove is faster, cleaner, and safer. In dry weather, a fire can spread underground through peat and flare up hours later. Even a controlled fire leaves a scar that lasts for years. If you absolutely must have a fire, use a fire bowl and take it away with you, but check local bylaws first—many national parks ban fires outright.
• Do not build cairns, dams, or shelters. Leave the landscape as you found it.

Respect for Wildlife and Other People

The hills are home to deer, sheep, mountain hares, and ground-nesting birds like curlew and golden plover. Between March and July, keep well away from nesting areas. If a bird starts calling or feigning a broken wing, you are too close. Move on quickly and quietly.

Other people are part of the picture too. If you are in a bothy, share the space, keep the fire small, and never hog the sleeping platform. If you meet another wild camper, a quiet nod is enough; do not pitch right next to them unless invited. Keep noise to a minimum at dawn and dusk. And remember: a dog off the lead can chase sheep and ground-nesting birds, so keep it under control or leave it at home.

The Light Touch That Keeps the Hills Open

Wild camping etiquette is not about being told what to do. It is about understanding that the British hills are a shared resource, and that wild camping survives on tolerance. In England and Wales, that tolerance is fragile. In Scotland, it is protected by law but still depends on good behaviour. Every time you camp lightly, arrive late, leave early, and choose a pitch that will heal, you are voting for the continuation of wild camping. You are also giving yourself a better night's sleep—free from worry, free from guilt, and free from the knowledge that you have left a mark. The hills will thank you, even if they never say a word.