Camping?
- Thread starter Moodyman
- Start date
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Rhythm Thief
Veteran
I don't think you're supposed to camp "wild" in England (Scotland is different) but in practice if no one catches you - and is that likely if you're there for one night? - you're ok.
BearPear
Veteran
- Location
- God's Own County
I always understood that you needed the landowners consent to camp on private land (the rules are different in Scotland, but not sure in what way). You should also bear in mind that sacharine phrase "leave nothing but footprints" that includes disposing of your, ahem, waste.
There is a very helpful campsite forum in the UK which is frequented by "wild" campers who would be more than happy to help although some can be rather precious about their own preferred wild sites, which you can understand - if everyone went along it would turn into a proper camp site, not something rare and unspoilt.
Have fun!
There is a very helpful campsite forum in the UK which is frequented by "wild" campers who would be more than happy to help although some can be rather precious about their own preferred wild sites, which you can understand - if everyone went along it would turn into a proper camp site, not something rare and unspoilt.
Have fun!
'Wild Camping', and it's urban equilivent 'Stealth Camping' has different rules and customs in different places.
You need a certain amount oif discression.
Leave no trace that you were ever there. Pitch late, leave early - In France it's the "7 to 7 rule" (pitch after 7pm, strike camp before 7am).
Get permission of the landowner, and if you can't, tuck yourself away so you won't be seen or found. Scope out where you are staying an hour of so before it gets dark, as people can get very wary of a stranger poking around in the bushes. You also need to realise that the perfect 'empty' field may be overlooked by houses or have a single occupant. A large bull.
Places such as canal towpaths, river sides, public parks, playing fields are often are good places to look as is woodland.
You need a certain amount oif discression.
Leave no trace that you were ever there. Pitch late, leave early - In France it's the "7 to 7 rule" (pitch after 7pm, strike camp before 7am).
Get permission of the landowner, and if you can't, tuck yourself away so you won't be seen or found. Scope out where you are staying an hour of so before it gets dark, as people can get very wary of a stranger poking around in the bushes. You also need to realise that the perfect 'empty' field may be overlooked by houses or have a single occupant. A large bull.
Places such as canal towpaths, river sides, public parks, playing fields are often are good places to look as is woodland.
The law in the uk is a bit of a mixture that may apply to wild camping or sleeping rough.
Firstly any entry onto private land whether camping or not is a trespass and the owner or agent can demand that you leave immediately, use reasonable force if refuse or ask the Police to help.
There is no legal definition that I know of that describes what a tent is. The word tent appears in several diverse Acts, for example Terrorism Act 2000, Theft Act 1968 or even the Stonehenge Regulations 1997. The former two and similar Acts deal with tents as a dwelling or powers to search therein. The latter allows the pitching of a tent with written permission on the site of Stonehenge. In UK law where a thing is not specifically defined it is a matter for common interpretation i.e. everyone knows what a tent is. I wonder where a system like a hammock and tarp might fit in!
The Vagrancy Act 1935 has some wonderful terms and langauge and sounds quite funny to contemporary ears, but you may contravene this if you wild camp.
Section 1 says:
"So much of section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824, as enacts that a person wandering abroad and lodging in any barn or outhouse, or in any deserted or unoccupied building, or in the open air, or under a tent, or in any cart or waggon, not having any visible means of subsistence, and not giving a good account of himself, shall be deemed a rogue and vagabond within the meaning of that Act, shall have effect subject to the following provisions of this section."
There may also be local bye laws in place for public parks and the like.
My own experience with Police on a couple of occasions is that so long as you are polite and give a reasonable account they will let you be, they will of course wake you up to find that out!
Wild camping is specifically allowed on Dartmoor and in other National Parks over a certain height. see http://www.go4awalk.com/ask/wildcamping3.php
There is a very good article on a German web site giving similar advice in relation to wild camping in Germany, but in addition it sought the views of a number of Police Officers and Forestry Officers. The article is in German. It is not illegal to sleep rough there but it is illegal to put a tent or shelter up. Most of the officers said that they would allow it if the camper were reasonable when spoken to.
This is an interesting subject and worthy of further study.
I would certainly support the advice regarding litter and leaving no trace setting up late and packing up early.
Firstly any entry onto private land whether camping or not is a trespass and the owner or agent can demand that you leave immediately, use reasonable force if refuse or ask the Police to help.
There is no legal definition that I know of that describes what a tent is. The word tent appears in several diverse Acts, for example Terrorism Act 2000, Theft Act 1968 or even the Stonehenge Regulations 1997. The former two and similar Acts deal with tents as a dwelling or powers to search therein. The latter allows the pitching of a tent with written permission on the site of Stonehenge. In UK law where a thing is not specifically defined it is a matter for common interpretation i.e. everyone knows what a tent is. I wonder where a system like a hammock and tarp might fit in!
The Vagrancy Act 1935 has some wonderful terms and langauge and sounds quite funny to contemporary ears, but you may contravene this if you wild camp.
Section 1 says:
"So much of section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824, as enacts that a person wandering abroad and lodging in any barn or outhouse, or in any deserted or unoccupied building, or in the open air, or under a tent, or in any cart or waggon, not having any visible means of subsistence, and not giving a good account of himself, shall be deemed a rogue and vagabond within the meaning of that Act, shall have effect subject to the following provisions of this section."
There may also be local bye laws in place for public parks and the like.
My own experience with Police on a couple of occasions is that so long as you are polite and give a reasonable account they will let you be, they will of course wake you up to find that out!
Wild camping is specifically allowed on Dartmoor and in other National Parks over a certain height. see http://www.go4awalk.com/ask/wildcamping3.php
There is a very good article on a German web site giving similar advice in relation to wild camping in Germany, but in addition it sought the views of a number of Police Officers and Forestry Officers. The article is in German. It is not illegal to sleep rough there but it is illegal to put a tent or shelter up. Most of the officers said that they would allow it if the camper were reasonable when spoken to.
This is an interesting subject and worthy of further study.
I would certainly support the advice regarding litter and leaving no trace setting up late and packing up early.
Tim Bennet.
Entirely Average Member
- Location
- S of Kendal
There's no such 'Law' to allow wild camping anywhere in the other National Parks and the National Trust bylaws expressly forbid camping on any of their land, ie; most of the land in the Lake District. In addition the open access agreements clearly states there is no right to camp, or even be on the fells walking at night!
However the de facto situation is no one minds if you are above the 'intake wall' (ie not in any enclosed land) and your campsite is invisible from 'the valley'.
Tim Bennet.
Entirely Average Member
- Location
- S of Kendal
The National Trust bylaws are on the back of every one of their signs at the entrance to their properties. No camping is there alongside no dancing, no swimming, no taking commercial photographs, no musical instruments, no radios, no having fun, etc.
Others I'll find.
Others I'll find.
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
There are different rules depending on which country you are in. So in Scotland the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and Scottish Outdoor Access Code came into force on 9th February 2005. The Act establishes a statutory right to camp, see here for more details. In Finland, Norway and Sweden it is legally "Every Man's Right" to camp where you like, so long as you are more than 50m from a building.
In England, you are still a peasant with no right of access to land of any kind, and the Lords are determined to keep it that way.
In England, you are still a peasant with no right of access to land of any kind, and the Lords are determined to keep it that way.
