If you’re planning to wild camp in Scotland, Bradly of “Dream Big, Travel Far” shares his 15 high ideas and methods to make your expertise safer and extra nice. They’ve been driving world wide since 2020 and have knowledgeable ideas for wild tenting in Scotland and past.
How to Wild Camp in Scotland
Since changing our van (who is named 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 anyplace 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 solution to discover the nation than in your personal car. Without additional ado, let’s get proper into it!
1. Understand what wild tenting is
But first… what’s wild tenting?
Also referred to as free tenting or boondocking, it’s primarily tenting in a single day outdoors of registered campsites, or at a location the place you don’t need to 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 embrace parking in a subject, close to a lake, or in a public automotive park.
As the latter is what we’re greatest accustomed with, our solutions at present 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 proper motorhome or campervan
The very first thing it is best to do earlier than beginning your journey is to decide on the proper car. Whether you’re shopping for your personal or renting a campervan, it’s necessary to select the very best one for your wants. Some options to consider embrace:
Size – Are you travelling alone or with another person? Make certain which you could confidently drive your chosen car. While a bigger motorhome could also be extra snug to reside in, they’re tougher to navigate tough terrains and off-the-beaten observe. This is crucially necessary to recollect, as most roads in Scotland are very slender; even alongside the NC500 and notably in cities. Number of beds – Likewise, take note of the variety of berths or passengers {that a} car can accommodate. Budget – Don’t overlook to find out your price range, which can have an effect on the kind of car you will get and its situation. Full service historical past – This final one shouldn’t be a problem for those who’re renting from a dependable rental firm, however essential for those who’re shopping for your personal car. 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 car, but additionally the place you’ll sleep, prepare dinner, eat, and loosen up all through your journey.
We noticed every kind 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 kinds of autos from giant rental companies like McRent.
Or even from native Scottish folks by way of websites like Outdoorsy. It actually does rely in your private choice; although I might suggest the smaller the higher if you’re unfamiliar driving in the UK, and on smaller slender 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 is not 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 think about parking in a single day in a motorhome as wild tenting. While it’s undoubtedly simpler to wild camp for those who’re on foot or bike, as you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about the place you may or can not 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 outside. This consists of forests, hills, seashores, rivers, lochs, parks, and a few farmlands.
Respect others, care for the surroundings, and be accountable for your actions. Basically, present frequent sense and decency when you’re wild tenting. More on Scotland Travel at: 7 Crazy Adventures in Scotland
While this legislation provides entry to all unenclosed land and inland waters in Scotland, it doesn’t really embrace vehicular entry. It does, nonetheless, 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 personal land, which implies it’s crucial that you simply ask for permission earlier than parking your car anyplace.
Loch Lomond Byelaws
Wild tenting is usually 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 when 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 without doubt one of the high vacationer locations in Scotland!
Overall, the final rule of thumb when wild tenting is to respect any “No overnight parking” signal. And so long as you park someplace distant and wise, you ought to be fantastic.
We will cowl extra rules under that it is best to observe to have a secure 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 cellular app obtainable on each iPhone and Android that reveals 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 critically such a helpful app that can make your journey much less tense. 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 each day. Plus, you may share private experiences and ideas a couple of spot, and studying updates from different customers will provide you with insightful data.
The interface itself is tremendous easy and straightforward to make use of. My favorite perform 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 areas
Another useful gizmo for discovering new areas is Google Satellite. You can use the satellite tv for pc view on Google Maps to seek out giant open automotive parks or areas the place you would doubtlessly keep the evening.
Or merely search “parking” in any space of the map, which can then record parking spots and you’ll zoom in to verify if it’s viable.
Alternatively, if you have already got a particular spot in thoughts, that is nonetheless a good way to scout the world and see what it appears to be like like.
When you’re wild tenting in Scotland or anyplace 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 appears to be like like.
6. Ask at pubs & eating places for those who can keep there
For instances once you’re wanting to remain close to the town, it’s value asking at pubs and eating places for those who can park your car close by and keep the evening. We have performed this a couple of instances ourselves and persons are usually very good about it. Just be sure that to ask in advance.
On an analogous be aware, asking locals can also be a good way to seek out the right tenting spot. This approach, you will discover locations that aren’t even talked about in guidebooks and on-line databases. A pleasant good day might take you to a hidden gem or two!
7. Buy the Brit Stops e book
This one is a extremely cool idea. You purchase a bodily Brit Stops e book for the 12 months (it’s launched on a yearly foundation) which can then provide you with 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 record options plenty of distinctive spots, from nation pubs, wineries, and fruit farms to vacationer sights, vintage centres, and extra.
The e book itself prices £32 and offers you the possibility to remain in some actually cool areas. You can even buy some native goodies if you’d like while visiting.
What’s extra, they now provide a model new app with the acquisition that you need to use to fulfill native hosts. It’s undoubtedly a good way to fulfill new folks and get native suggestions of issues to do across the space!
8. Don’t depart any mess (Leave no hint coverage)
Following Covid lockdowns, van site 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 consequence, lots of the greatest wild tenting spots have began to shut down and now have boundaries, indicators and police patrols to cease the apply. 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, crops, outdated archaeological buildings, and many others)
In basic, attempt to minimise any lasting influence on the grounds!
9. Be respectful in different methods
In addition to cleansing up after your personal mess, it’s additionally good to be respectful in different methods. This is related regardless 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 evening falls. Noise could 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 each 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 financial system whereas being extra supportive to the apply of untamed tenting.
Also, don’t go establishing such as you’re at a campsite. This actually winds folks up, particularly if it appears to be like such as you intend to remain in the identical spot for many days! As a rule of thumb, I might say that staying for solely an evening or two is greatest.
10. Avoid ingesting alcohol
If you might be requested to maneuver on by police and you might be over the alcohol restrict, there’s a likelihood you’ll get fined and prosecuted for driving underneath the affect. So, it’s all the time greatest to keep away from ingesting, particularly once you’re shifting to a brand new metropolis or space.
We personally haven’t had this downside, however have heard horror tales of this taking place to folks in Scotland and different international locations. If you might be in your car 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 evening (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 nearly solely unpredictable, and you’ll’t depend on forecasts. This dramatic local weather and shifting climate is, in half, what has helped make Scotland so wild, rugged and delightful.
The local weather additionally varies between areas, however it’s usually fairly changeable. For instance, the West will get twice as a lot rainfall because the East.
As you would possibly anticipate, summer time is the very best time for wild tenting in Scotland in phrases of climate, although the site visitors could get intense. Despite the sunshine, it is best to nonetheless put together for cloud, wind, and rain all in the identical day! As nicely as midges, that are famously horrendous to take care of so you have to bug spray for those who go to in this time interval.
Winter in the Highlands means snow and ice, with the temperature reaching as little as minus 4 at evening. It’s all a bit overwhelming for those who’re unprepared, however actually, I believe the changeable skies add to the expertise…
12. Pack blackout curtains in summer time or headlamps in winter
Scotland is sort of far north and the hours of daylight may be fairly an excessive throughout peak winter and summer time months.
You can rise up to 18 hours of daylight in June in the Northern Highlands, which is a number 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 preserve the within of your car (or tent) tremendous darkish. Oh, and don’t overlook 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 outdoors. Otherwise, you’ll simply be caught inside your van all day, which isn’t an thrilling solution to camp.
While it’s most likely not the very best time for wild tenting, the snowy panorama of the winter months does have its personal appeal…
13. …what in regards to the rest room scenario?
One of the most typical considerations folks have when wild tenting is the lavatory scenario. This shouldn’t be an issue once you’re staying near civilization. And in case your car has a bathroom, it’s all a matter of accountable waste disposal. If not… Well, time to study the artwork of doing your corporation outside.
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 straight in small our bodies of water, however greater lakes or rivers can dilute any urine. In alpine areas, it’s really useful to do it on a rock floor.
Now, when doing quantity two, you ought to be extra cautious. Walk not less than 200 ft away from a path or water supply, then dig a gap of round 6 to eight inches deep. This is an efficient depth that can nonetheless decompose the waste whereas stopping others from stepping on it.
Once performed, it is best to cowl the outlet with the unique filth. If you employ any rest room paper, be sure that to carry 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 replenish very early on, particularly in the busy summer time months of June, July and August. In some instances, you could need to arrive at your location by round 2 or 3pm to have a greater likelihood of securing a spot to arrange in a single day.
Better but, think about visiting in the course of the off season! We did North Coast 500, a 500-mile journey across the Highland space of Scotland, again in November 2020. It was incredible as a result of we just about had the route all to ourselves.
15. Try The 2:1 Rule
Intimidated by the concept of untamed tenting for the whole thing of your journey? There’s no cause you may’t strategy it slowly. For a number 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 evening. This is a pleasant solution to benefit from the pleasure of untamed tenting whereas nonetheless having fun with the advantages of a campsite’s amenities. A pleasant rest room, sizzling bathe, stocking up on necessities, and extra.
All in all, wild tenting is actually the most effective methods to expertise Scotland. You can cease anyplace and don’t need to depend on registered campsites, so in a approach it’s rather more liberating.
The Scottish countryside is certainly an oasis of breathtaking sceneries and numerous wildlife. I hope the following pointers will assist make your upcoming journey go extra easily.
If you keep in mind just one factor from this large record, it’s to be respectful and thoughtful in all places you go!