🏕️ Wild Camping Laws in the UK (Explained Simply, Without Any Legal Nonsense)

Wild Camping Laws Shouldn’t Be This Confusing

Ask five people where you can wild camp in the UK, and you’ll hear five different answers:

“It’s illegal everywhere.”
“It’s fine if you’re respectful.”
“You’ll get arrested.”
“You can do whatever you want.”
“My uncle wild camps behind Tesco.”

Reality is… calmer.
You can wild camp in the UK — you just need to know how the rules work in different regions.

Here’s the simple version, from three lads who’ve slept in more forests than we’ve slept in actual beds some years.

Scotland: Wild Camping Utopia

Let’s start with the easy one.

In Scotland, wild camping is legal almost everywhere thanks to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
As long as you’re:

• Respectful

• Invisible

• Not messing with farmland

• Leaving zero trace

…you can camp or hammock in forests, lochsides, valleys, glens, mountains — basically anywhere that isn’t someone’s garden.

This is why Scotland is the holy grail.

Even the police there treat wild camping as normal human behaviour. If anything, they’ll ask what brew kit you’re using.

England & Wales: “Technically No, Practically Yes (If You’re Sensible)”

Here’s the blunt truth:

Wild camping isn’t automatically legal in England or Wales… but it’s widely tolerated if you do it properly.

The land is mostly privately owned. So in strict law, you need permission — which nobody realistically goes door-knocking for.

Instead, the unwritten rule is:
Be invisible and respectful, and nobody bothers you.

This is how 99% of wild camping is done.

If you’re up high, quiet, away from farms and houses, and gone early… you’re fine.

Hammocks actually make this easier because:

• You don’t damage the ground

• You aren’t as visible

• You’re tucked into trees

• You look more like a woodland fairy than a trespasser

Dartmoor: The One Place in England With Legal Wild Camping (Sort Of)

Dartmoor used to be the only place you could legally wild camp without asking permission.

Then landowners kicked off
→ court case
→ back and forth
→ England being England.

As of now:
There are designated zones where backpack camping is explicitly allowed.

Check the Dartmoor National Park Authority map before you go.
Stick to those zones = no problems.

The Lake District, Peak District, Snowdonia: The “Grey Area Legends”

These National Parks operate on a beautiful British tradition:

“We don’t officially allow it, but we all know you’re going to do it anyway, so just don’t be a nuisance.”

Wild camping is tolerated if you follow the rules:

• Camp high, remote, and well away from villages

• Arrive late, leave early

• Leave absolutely no trace

• Don’t make fires

• No big groups

• Be polite if approached

We’ve hung hammocks in all these places dozens of times with zero issues.

Forests & Woodlands

Public forests like those run by Forestry England generally say “no camping,” but in reality it depends on the spot and the ranger.

Small, hidden, respectful hangs?
99% chance nobody knows you’re there.

Private woodlands?
If you’re hidden and leaving no sign, we’ve never met anyone who cared.

Hammocks blend in beautifully — another reason they beat tents.

How To Wild Camp Without Getting Hassled

Here’s the real masterclass:

Arrive late.
Just before sunset. Less foot traffic.

Leave early.
Before people walk dogs. Nobody will even know you existed.

Go small and silent.
One or two people max.

Choose hidden spots.
Trees, dips, hedgerows, tucked-away clearings.

Use a tarp that isn’t neon orange.
Blend in. Basic stealth mode.

Use wide straps.
Protect the trees → avoid complaints.

No fires unless explicitly allowed.
A fire is the quickest way to get unwanted attention.

Leave no trace.
Absolutely nothing — not even flattened grass.

If you follow this, your chances of trouble drop to near zero.

What Happens If Someone Asks You to Move?

This part is simple:

If a ranger or landowner approaches you, they legally can ask you to move.
Just be polite, apologise, offer to leave, and they almost always appreciate the respect.

We’ve been approached maybe twice in over a decade. Both times, it was chill.

It’s when people get defensive or act like it’s their right to be there that things escalate.

Polite → no drama.

Why Hammock Camping Makes Everything Easier

Hammocks:

• Don’t damage the ground

• Are almost invisible when set up discreetly

• Let you camp on uneven or sloped terrain

• Keep you away from farm animals

• Have tiny footprints (literally)

• Are quick to pack away if you need to disappear

In England and Wales, hammocks are the ninja method of wild camping.

The Simple Summary (The Only Part Most People Need)

Scotland = basically heaven.
England/Wales = tolerated if you’re respectful.
Dartmoor = special zones where it's legal.
National Parks = don’t advertise it, but everyone does it responsibly.
Be invisible, leave no trace, don’t annoy anyone.

That’s it.

Final Word

Wild camping isn’t about breaking rules — it’s about reconnecting with nature without leaving a scar on the land.
If you stay small, tidy, and respectful, you’ll have incredible nights in the UK’s forests, lakesides, mountains, and moorlands.

And if you’re doing it in a hammock, you’re already halfway to enlightenment.