If you’re planning to wild camp in Scotland, Bradly of “Dream Big, Travel Far” shares his 15 high suggestions and tips to make your expertise safer and extra nice. They’ve been driving world wide since 2020 and have knowledgeable suggestions 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, dwelling 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 strategy to discover the nation than in your individual 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 basically tenting in a single day outdoors of registered campsites, or at a location the place you don’t should pay for.
Wild tenting is just not the identical as tenting in normal. While organising 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 discipline, close to a lake, or in a public automotive park.
As the latter is what we’re finest accustomed with, our strategies at present are for vehicle-based wild tenting. However, lots of the factors truly apply to the opposite type of wild tenting, akin 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 precise motorhome or campervan
The very first thing it is best to do earlier than beginning your journey is to decide on the precise car. Whether you’re shopping for your individual 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 that you may confidently drive your chosen car. While a bigger motorhome could also be extra comfy to reside in, they’re tougher to navigate tough terrains and off-the-beaten monitor. This is crucially necessary 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} car can accommodate. Budget – Don’t neglect to find out your finances, which can have an effect on the kind of car you may get and its situation. Full service historical past – This final one shouldn’t be a problem should you’re renting from a dependable rental firm, however essential should you’re shopping for your individual car. Ideally, you need it to come back with a full service historical past to make sure that it’s well-maintained.
When contemplating which camper or motorhome to get, bear in mind that it’ll not solely be a car, but in addition the place you’ll sleep, prepare dinner, eat, and loosen up all through your journey.
We noticed all types of campers throughout Scotland. Some travellers had been even in giant transformed 4×4 ex-military automobiles that may be pushed onto seashores. You can lease all types of automobiles from giant rental corporations like McRent.
Or even from native Scottish individuals via websites like Outdoorsy. It actually does rely in your private desire; although I’d advocate 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 quick reply isn’t any, however it’s tolerated and usually allowed, so long as you do it responsibly.
Land Reform Act 2003
This Scottish land reform act doesn’t take into account parking in a single day in a motorhome as wild tenting. While it’s positively simpler to wild camp should 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 typically fairly simple to get permission.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code grants you accountable entry to the Scottish outside. This contains forests, hills, seashores, rivers, lochs, parks, and a few farmlands.
Respect others, care for the atmosphere, and be accountable for your actions. Basically, present widespread sense and decency when you’re wild tenting. More on Scotland Travel at: 7 Crazy Adventures in Scotland
While this legislation offers entry to all unenclosed land and inland waters in Scotland, it doesn’t truly 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 mostly doable in most locations inside the nation, besides for one: the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Between March and September, tenting is barely allowed on official campsites or when you’ve got a tenting allow.
This byelaw goals to guard the National Park from environmental harm, which is sensible as a result of Loch Lomond is without doubt one of the high 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 wise, try to be tremendous.
We will cowl extra ideas under that it is best to observe to have a protected and enjoyable wild marketing campaign expertise in Scotland. But lengthy story quick, 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 search out wild tenting spots all throughout Scotland (and Europe). It’s a free cell app out there 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 severely such a helpful app that can make your journey much less traumatic. 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 daily. Plus, you may share private experiences and ideas a couple of spot, and studying updates from different customers gives you insightful info.
The interface itself is tremendous easy and simple 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 search 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 search out giant open automotive parks or areas the place you could possibly 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 test if it’s viable.
Alternatively, if you have already got a selected spot in thoughts, that is nonetheless an effective way to scout the realm and see what it appears like.
When you’re wild tenting in Scotland or anyplace else, all the time attempt to be as ready as doable. This contains having an thought of what the positioning you’re planning to sleep in appears like.
6. Ask at pubs & eating places should you can keep there
For instances if you’re wanting to remain close to town, it’s value asking at pubs and eating places should you can park your car close by and keep the night time. We have executed this a number of instances ourselves and persons are usually very good about it. Just be certain that to ask in advance.
On an analogous word, asking locals can also be an effective way to search out the right tenting spot. This approach, you’ll find locations that aren’t even talked about in guidebooks and on-line databases. A pleasant good day may 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 listing options numerous distinctive spots, from nation pubs, wineries, and fruit farms to vacationer points of interest, vintage centres, and extra.
The e book itself prices £32 and offers you the possibility to remain in some actually cool places. You also can buy some native goodies if you would like while visiting.
What’s extra, they now supply a model new app with the acquisition that you should utilize to fulfill native hosts. It’s positively an effective way to fulfill new individuals 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 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 end result, lots of the finest wild tenting spots have began to shut down and now have obstacles, 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 individuals and animals, therefore the “leave no trace” coverage.
This contains 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, akin to rock, gravel, dry grasses and snow Not damaging what you discover (flowers, vegetation, outdated archaeological constructions, and so on)
In normal, attempt to minimise any lasting impression 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 realm 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 advocate shopping for domestically every time doable. Whether meaning going to native pubs and eating places or purchasing from native shops, you’ll be serving to enhance the native financial system whereas being extra supportive to the observe of untamed tenting.
Also, don’t go organising such as you’re at a campsite. This actually winds individuals up, particularly if it appears 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 finest.
10. Avoid ingesting alcohol
If you’re requested to maneuver on by police and you’re over the alcohol restrict, there’s a probability you’ll get fined and prosecuted for driving below the affect. So, it’s all the time finest to keep away from ingesting, particularly if 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 individuals in Scotland and different international locations. If you’re 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 propose on having a number 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 nearly 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 delightful.
The local weather additionally varies between areas, nevertheless it’s typically fairly changeable. For instance, the West will get twice as a lot rainfall because the East.
As you may anticipate, summer time is the very best time for wild tenting in Scotland in phrases of climate, although the site visitors might get intense. Despite the sunshine, it is best to nonetheless put together for cloud, wind, and rain all in the identical day! As properly as midges, that are famously horrendous to cope with so you will want bug spray should 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 should you’re unprepared, however actually, I feel 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 stand up to 18 hours of daylight in June in the Northern Highlands, which is loads of alternative to discover the wilderness! But that additionally means sleeping could be 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 neglect numerous sunscreen too!
On the opposite hand, you may 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 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 appeal…
13. …what in regards to the lavatory scenario?
One of the commonest issues individuals have when wild tenting is the lavatory scenario. This shouldn’t be an issue if you’re staying near civilization. And in case your car 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 outside.
In the wilderness, it’s sometimes okay to decide on any spot that’s properly 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 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, try 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 executed, it is best to cowl the opening with the unique dust. If you utilize any rest room paper, be certain 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 might need 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, take into account 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 lot of your journey? There’s no cause you may’t strategy it slowly. For loads of first-timers, it’s an awesome thought to interrupt up the journey with extra comfy 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 amenities. A pleasant rest room, sizzling bathe, stocking up on necessities, and extra.
All in all, wild tenting is actually top-of-the-line methods to expertise Scotland. You can cease anyplace and don’t should depend on registered campsites, so in a approach it’s far more liberating.
The Scottish countryside is certainly an oasis of breathtaking sceneries and various wildlife. I hope the following tips will assist make your upcoming journey go extra easily.
If you bear in mind just one factor from this large listing, it’s to be respectful and thoughtful all over the place you go!