Free Camping & Recreation

If you are new to camping or to wild camping it is a type of UK camping you can find in England, Scotland and Ireland that is referred as free camping and is overnight camping that is not located in a caravan or motorhome park and is usually out in the countryside.

Even though wild UK camping is not exactly legal in Ireland and England it is tolerated in a lot of the upland and more remote areas. In Northern Ireland for example, the NI Forestry Service will even issue camping permits at some of the sites people are found camping at.

Scotland however, is a different story. Wild camping is totally legal and it is quite accepted all over and is a wonderful way to experience the great outdoors. Wild camping in Scotland has a law that is explicit about a person's right to camp on the hill land and needs to be usually more than 100 meters from a public road. There are some landowners who will take exception to this law but there are very few that do. They also ask that if the spot you decide to camp at is near a dwelling of any kind to make sure to get permission before you start camping.

Here are some great tips for those who want to do some wild camping in their campervan. By following these tips you should have a wonderful wild camping experience.

1. Make sure to let common sense prevail and use it. Avoid any kind of agricultural land. If the area seems remote then you should be alright to camp there.
2. Always be discrete, make sure to try and camp out of sight and away from people, their homes and their farms.
3. Arrive late for your stay and leave early when you decide to go.
4. Be ready to move onto some place else if you are asked to do so. Always be friendly and polite if you run into that situation.
5. Make sure to choose your toilet that is away from any open water sources.
6. Never have an open fire on these lands.
7. If you are in a group make sure the group is small and they are quiet.
8. Always make sure to pick up your trash and leave the area just as you found it.

If you do the wild UK camping correctly is is very safe but always make sure you take the usual precautions. Make sure you let someone know where you are, what you plan on doing and when you will be returning. Make sure to have fun and enjoy the unique experience. If you however, don't feel safe and you miss taking a hot shower or having a clean toilet nearby, you might want to reconsider wild camping and head for a more traditional campsite instead.