Wild camping near Glentrool
© Forestry and Land Scotland
If you're planning a wild camping trip, be sure to familiarise yourself with our guide to safety outdoors and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. It's not complicated - basically, campers should follow a policy of "leave-no-trace". Wild camping is legal in Scotland but there are guidelines that all campers should follow. Respecting the countryside + being safe = happy wild camping!
As part of Scotland's access legislation, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, you have a right of responsible access to most land and inland water and are allowed to camp on most unenclosed land.
However, due to overuse, areas of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are subject to wild camping byelaws. This means that camping is only permitted within campsites or with a camping permit.
Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages in Banchory, Aberdeenshire
© VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale
Be a responsible camper
Getting away from cities and civilisation to spend some quality time on your own or with a few others often makes for a great holiday in Scotland. However, it is essential to be responsible and considerate of your surroundings in doing so.
Make sure you read up on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code before you go, and make yourself aware of the dos and don'ts of wild camping in Scotland.
Guidance on lighting fires
Lighting a fire is a good source of heat and way to cook food when wild camping, but there are ways to do this that ensure safety for you and the surrounding landscapes.
- Where possible, use a stove rather than an open fire.
- If you light a fire, keep it small, controlled and supervised.
- Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland, or on peaty ground.
- Make sure the fire has been properly extinguished and remove all traces of an open fire before you leave the area.
Glenshee Camping, Perthshire
© VisitScotland / Kate Abbey
Wild camping top tips to remember
- Leave camp as you found it.
- Avoid digging or removing vegetation and boulders; choose a flat, dry area to pitch your tent.
- Ask nearby residents if you wish to camp near houses.
- Avoid sites that are at risk of overuse.
- Take care with toilet hygiene. Use public toilets where possible.
- Avoid overcrowding by moving on to another location if it's already a busy spot.
- Take away your rubbish and consider picking up other litter as well.
- If in doubt, ask the landowner. Their advice just might help you find a better camping spot.
- Wild camping access rules do not apply to motorised vehicles.
Learn more about parking in the outdoors
Check out the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
Fire safety outdoors
As the weather gets drier, the risk of wildfires in Scotland increases. Fire can ignite easily, spread fast and burn with high intensity. We're all asked not to light a fire outdoors during prolonged dry periods, and to always fully extinguish cigarettes.
Find out more on preventing wildfires in Scotland
Don't forget
Across the length and breadth of Scotland there are some really fantastic camping parks in stunning locations, from beachside crofts to wooded areas lined with ancient pines. By pitching up at a proper campsite, it means that our natural environments and their often fragile ecosystems remain intact. As we like to say, considerate campers are happy campers!
