If you’re planning to wild camp in Scotland, Bradly of “Dream Big, Travel Far” shares his 15 prime suggestions and tips to make your expertise safer and extra nice. They’ve been driving world wide since 2020 and have skilled suggestions for wild tenting in Scotland and past.
How to Wild Camp in Scotland
Since changing our van (who is known as Helen), we’ve pushed to dozens of nations throughout Europe, in addition to to North America & South America. However, Scotland stays very near our hearts as we spent greater than 4 months there, residing in our van and driving round this spectacular nation.
It is hands-down considered one of our private favorite locations to go to wherever in the world. Particularly for vanlifers, as a result of many superb spots for wild tenting in Scotland. Teeming with extraordinary nature and wildlife, there’s no higher strategy to discover the nation than in your individual automobile. Without additional ado, let’s get proper into it!
1. Understand what wild tenting is
But first… what’s wild tenting?
Also often known as free tenting or boondocking, it’s primarily tenting in a single day exterior of registered campsites, or at a location the place you don’t must pay for.
Wild tenting isn’t the identical as tenting in basic. While establishing tents in wilderness areas is a type of wild tenting, so is sleeping in an RV, campervan, or motorhome! Some examples embody parking in a area, close to a lake, or in a public automobile park.
As the latter is what we’re greatest accustomed with, our options at this time are for vehicle-based wild tenting. However, lots of the factors really apply to the opposite type of wild tenting, corresponding to in a tent. Check out a Scotland highway journey at: North Coast 500 – The Ultimate Trip Guide to Scotland’s Epic Drive
2. Choose the suitable motorhome or campervan
The very first thing you need to do earlier than beginning your journey is to decide on the suitable automobile. Whether you’re shopping for your individual or renting a campervan, it’s essential to choose the very best one for your wants. Some options to consider embody:
Size – Are you travelling alone or with another person? Make certain which you can confidently drive your chosen automobile. While a bigger motorhome could also be extra snug to dwell in, they’re tougher to navigate tough terrains and off-the-beaten observe. This is crucially essential to recollect, as most roads in Scotland are very slim; even alongside the NC500 and significantly in cities. Number of beds – Likewise, take note of the variety of berths or passengers {that a} automobile can accommodate. Budget – Don’t neglect to find out your price range, which can have an effect on the kind of automobile you may get and its situation. Full service historical past – This final one shouldn’t be a problem in case you’re renting from a dependable rental firm, however essential in case you’re shopping for your individual automobile. Ideally, you need it to return with a full service historical past to make sure that it’s well-maintained.
When contemplating which camper or motorhome to get, keep in mind that it’s going to not solely be a automobile, but additionally the place you’ll sleep, prepare dinner, eat, and chill out all through your journey.
We noticed all types of campers throughout Scotland. Some travellers have been even in giant transformed 4×4 ex-military autos that may be pushed onto seashores. You can lease all types of autos from giant rental corporations like McRent.
Or even from native Scottish folks via websites like Outdoorsy. It actually does rely in your private desire; although I’d suggest the smaller the higher in case you are unfamiliar driving in the UK, and on smaller slim roads.
3. Know the wild tenting legal guidelines in Scotland
Make certain you’ve learn up on all of the wild tenting legal guidelines in Scotland. Is wild tenting authorized in Scotland? The brief reply isn’t any, however it’s tolerated and customarily allowed, so long as you do it responsibly.
Land Reform Act 2003
This Scottish land reform act doesn’t contemplate parking in a single day in a motorhome as wild tenting. While it’s undoubtedly simpler to wild camp in case you’re on foot or bike, as you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about the place you may or can’t park, it’s usually fairly straightforward to get permission.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code grants you accountable entry to the Scottish open air. This consists of forests, hills, seashores, rivers, lochs, parks, and a few farmlands.
Respect others, care for the atmosphere, and be accountable for your actions. Basically, present frequent sense and decency whilst you’re wild tenting. More on Scotland Travel at: 7 Crazy Adventures in Scotland
While this regulation provides entry to all unenclosed land and inland waters in Scotland, it doesn’t really embody vehicular entry. It does, nevertheless, permit wild tenting so long as it’s “lightweight and done in small numbers”.
Road Traffic Act of 1988
The Road Traffic Act of 1988 acknowledges most roads as non-public land, which implies it’s crucial that you just ask for permission earlier than parking your automobile wherever.
Loch Lomond Byelaws
Wild tenting is mostly attainable in most locations throughout the nation, besides for one: the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Between March and September, tenting is simply allowed on official campsites or if in case you have a tenting allow.
This byelaw goals to guard the National Park from environmental injury, which is sensible as a result of Loch Lomond is among the prime vacationer locations in Scotland!
Overall, the overall rule of thumb when wild tenting is to respect any “No overnight parking” signal. And so long as you park someplace distant and smart, you have to be high-quality.
We will cowl extra ideas beneath that you need to comply with to have a protected and enjoyable wild marketing campaign expertise in Scotland. But lengthy story brief, we by no means as soon as had any issues wild tenting in Scotland after dozens of nights in each single a part of the nation.
4. Download Park4Night
Park4Night is by far the very best place to seek out wild tenting spots all throughout Scotland (and Europe). It’s a free cell app obtainable on each iPhone and Android that exhibits you all of the spots the place you may park up in a single day.
Whether you’ve lived in a van earlier than or that is your first-time wild tenting, that is significantly such a helpful app that can make your journey much less worrying. No extra hours of researching on-line simply to find {that a} parking spot feels dodgy and unsafe.
I like that the database is made by fellow van lifers and that it’s all the time updating day by day. Plus, you may share private experiences and ideas a few spot, and studying updates from different customers will provide you with insightful data.
The interface itself is tremendous easy and simple to make use of. My favorite operate is the fast search, which helps you to browse particular factors like nature spots or water refill stations, and filter solely 5* areas.
5. Use Google Satellite to seek out new places
Another useful gizmo for discovering new places is Google Satellite. You can use the satellite tv for pc view on Google Maps to seek out giant open automobile parks or areas the place you might doubtlessly keep the night time.
Or merely search “parking” in any space of the map, which can then listing parking spots and you may zoom in to verify if it’s viable.
Alternatively, if you have already got a particular spot in thoughts, that is nonetheless an effective way to scout the world and see what it seems to be like.
When you’re wild tenting in Scotland or wherever else, all the time attempt to be as ready as attainable. This consists of having an thought of what the location you’re planning to sleep in seems to be like.
6. Ask at pubs & eating places in case you can keep there
For occasions if you’re wanting to remain close to town, it’s value asking at pubs and eating places in case you can park your automobile close by and keep the night time. We have finished this a couple of occasions ourselves and individuals are typically very good about it. Just make sure that to ask in advance.
On an analogous observe, asking locals can also be an effective way to seek out the proper tenting spot. This approach, you will discover locations that aren’t even talked about in guidebooks and on-line databases. A pleasant hi there might take you to a hidden gem or two!
7. Buy the Brit Stops guide
This one is a extremely cool idea. You purchase a bodily Brit Stops guide for the 12 months (it’s launched on a yearly foundation) which can then offer you entry to over 1000 wild tenting spots throughout the UK, together with Scotland, the place you may keep at for free.
It was impressed by the corporate Harvest Hosts in the USA (which we additionally love), so that is just like the UK model. The listing options plenty of distinctive spots, from nation pubs, wineries, and fruit farms to vacationer points of interest, vintage centres, and extra.
The guide itself prices £32 and provides you the possibility to remain in some actually cool places. You may buy some native goodies if you need while visiting.
What’s extra, they now provide a model new app with the acquisition that you need to use to satisfy native hosts. It’s undoubtedly an effective way to satisfy new folks and get native suggestions of issues to do across the space!
8. Don’t go away any mess (Leave no hint coverage)
Following Covid lockdowns, van visitors and wild tenting in Scotland has exploded. And the poor behaviour of many of those new van lifers has actually upset locals. As a end result, lots of the greatest wild tenting spots have began to shut down and now have boundaries, indicators and police patrols to cease the observe. Be part of the answer, not the issue.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code encourages campers to keep away from inflicting issues for native folks and animals, therefore the “leave no trace” coverage.
This consists of issues like:
Removing all of your litter Keeping fires small and placing them out fully afterwards Not inflicting any type of air pollution Travelling and tenting on sturdy floor, corresponding to rock, gravel, dry grasses and snow Not damaging what you discover (flowers, vegetation, outdated archaeological buildings, and so on)
In basic, attempt to minimise any lasting influence on the grounds!
9. Be respectful in different methods
In addition to cleansing up after your individual mess, it’s additionally good to be respectful in different methods. This is related irrespective of the place you’re wild tenting, and being thoughtful whereas tenting out in nature or public locations goes a good distance.
For instance, don’t be noisy, particularly as soon as night time falls. Noise might disturb different campers in the world or worse, drive away surrounding wildlife from their pure habitat! I all the time go about it by remembering that I’m merely a visitor and to maintain quiet as a lot as I can.
I’d additionally suggest shopping for domestically every time attainable. Whether which means going to native pubs and eating places or purchasing from native shops, you’ll be serving to increase the native economic system whereas being extra supportive to the observe of untamed tenting.
Also, don’t go establishing such as you’re at a campsite. This actually winds folks up, particularly if it seems to be such as you intend to remain in the identical spot for many days! As a rule of thumb, I’d say that staying for solely an evening or two is greatest.
10. Avoid consuming alcohol
If you’re requested to maneuver on by police and you’re over the alcohol restrict, there’s a probability you’re going to get fined and prosecuted for driving below the affect. So, it’s all the time greatest to keep away from consuming, particularly if you’re shifting to a brand new metropolis or space.
We personally haven’t had this drawback, however have heard horror tales of this taking place to folks in Scotland and different nations. If you’re in your automobile with the keys accessible, and you’re the driver and over the restrict of alcohol, then it’s classed as an intention to drive drunk.
Your name; however in my opinion, the dangers merely don’t outweigh the prices. If you intend on having a couple of drinks one night time (which, let’s face it, you’re in Scotland so why not?!) then keep in a campsite.
11. Be ready for temperamental climate
Here’s the factor about Scottish climate: it’s virtually solely unpredictable, and you may’t depend on forecasts. This dramatic local weather and shifting climate is, in half, what has helped make Scotland so wild, rugged and exquisite.
The local weather additionally varies between areas, nevertheless it’s usually fairly changeable. For instance, the West will get twice as a lot rainfall because the East.
As you would possibly count on, summer season is the very best time for wild tenting in Scotland in phrases of climate, although the visitors might get intense. Despite the sunshine, you need to nonetheless put together for cloud, wind, and rain all in the identical day! As nicely as midges, that are famously horrendous to cope with so you will have bug spray in case you go to in this time interval.
Winter in the Highlands means snow and ice, with the temperature reaching as little as minus 4 at night time. It’s all a bit overwhelming in case you’re unprepared, however actually, I feel the changeable skies add to the expertise…
12. Pack blackout curtains in summer season or headlamps in winter
Scotland is sort of far north and the hours of daylight will be fairly an excessive throughout peak winter and summer season months.
You can stand up to 18 hours of daylight in June in the Northern Highlands, which is plenty of alternative to discover the wilderness! But that additionally means sleeping is usually a little bit of an issue.
I like to recommend utilizing blackout curtains that may hold the within of your automobile (or tent) tremendous darkish. Oh, and don’t neglect plenty of sunscreen too!
On the opposite hand, you would possibly get daylight solely from 9am to 3pm in December. Pack sufficient headlamps and flashlights so you may nonetheless do stuff exterior. Otherwise, you’ll simply be caught inside your van all day, which isn’t an thrilling strategy to camp.
While it’s in all probability not the very best time for wild tenting, the snowy panorama of the winter months does have its personal allure…
13. …what concerning the lavatory state of affairs?
One of the most typical issues folks have when wild tenting is the lavatory state of affairs. This shouldn’t be an issue if you’re staying near civilization. And in case your automobile has a rest room, it’s all a matter of accountable waste disposal. If not… Well, time to study the artwork of doing your corporation open air.
In the wilderness, it’s sometimes okay to decide on any spot that’s nicely away from trails. Avoid waterways and sapling timber, although bigger established timber and bushes are okay. Don’t go instantly in small our bodies of water, however larger lakes or rivers can dilute any urine. In alpine areas, it’s really helpful to do it on a rock floor.
Now, when doing quantity two, you have to be extra cautious. Walk no less than 200 toes away from a path or water supply, then dig a gap of round 6 to eight inches deep. This is an effective depth that can nonetheless decompose the waste whereas stopping others from stepping on it.
Once finished, you need to cowl the opening with the unique filth. If you utilize any rest room paper, make sure that to convey it again with you and eliminate it correctly!
14. In busy season, plan forward
Many of the very best wild tenting spots in Scotland will refill very early on, particularly in the busy summer season months of June, July and August. In some instances, chances are you’ll wish to arrive at your location by round 2 or 3pm to have a greater probability of securing a spot to arrange in a single day.
Better but, contemplate visiting through the off season! We did North Coast 500, a 500-mile journey across the Highland space of Scotland, again in November 2020. It was improbable as a result of we just about had the route all to ourselves.
15. Try The 2:1 Rule
Intimidated by the thought of untamed tenting for the whole thing of your journey? There’s no motive you may’t method it slowly. For plenty of first-timers, it’s a fantastic thought to interrupt up the journey with extra snug campsites.
You’ll be wild tenting for two nights and staying on a campsite for one night time. This is a pleasant strategy to benefit from the pleasure of untamed tenting whereas nonetheless having fun with the advantages of a campsite’s services. A pleasant rest room, scorching bathe, stocking up on necessities, and extra.
All in all, wild tenting is actually among the best methods to expertise Scotland. You can cease wherever and don’t must depend on registered campsites, so in a approach it’s way more releasing.
The Scottish countryside is certainly an oasis of breathtaking sceneries and numerous wildlife. I hope the following tips will assist make your upcoming journey go extra easily.
If you keep in mind just one factor from this large listing, it’s to be respectful and thoughtful in all places you go!