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England and Wales – Generally Prohibited
Official position:
- Wild camping = trespassing (on private land without permission)
- Landowner can ask you to leave
- Police rarely involved unless:
- Refuse to leave when asked
- Damage property
- Large groups/long-term
Tolerated wild camping (unofficial):
- High, remote areas (Lake District, Snowdonia, Dartmoor)
- Arrive late (dusk), leave early (dawn) (“leave no trace overnight”)
- Small tent, discrete location
- Absolutely no fires, no damage
- Pack out ALL waste
Dartmoor Exception:
- Only National Park in England with legal wild camping areas
- Designated zones (not entire park – check maps)
- Max 2 nights one location
- Small tents only
Recommendation for England/Wales:
- Ask permission (landowner, farmer – often granted if polite)
- Use campsites for legal security
- If stealth camping: Minimum impact, move if asked, zero trace
Scotland – Legal with Responsibilities
Land Reform Act 2003 allows wild camping BUT:
Responsibilities (Scottish Outdoor Access Code):
- Respect privacy (not near houses)
- Avoid disturbance (livestock, wildlife, crops)
- Camp in small numbers (2-3 tents)
- Short duration (move after 2-3 nights)
- Remove all traces (pack out waste, restore fire sites)
- Toilet 30m+ from water (bury waste)
Camping Management Bylaws (Loch Lomond, Trossachs):
- Permit required certain popular areas (March-September)
- Prevents overcrowding damage to popular sites
- Free permits available (book ahead)
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