For those who’re planning to wild camp in Scotland, Bradly of “Dream Large, Journey Far” shares his 15 high suggestions and methods to make your expertise safer and extra nice. They’ve been driving around the globe since 2020 and have professional suggestions for wild tenting in Scotland and past.
How one can 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. Nevertheless, 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’s hands-down one in all our private favorite locations to go to wherever on this planet. Significantly for vanlifers, because of the many superb spots for wild tenting in Scotland. Teeming with extraordinary nature and wildlife, there’s no higher technique to discover the nation than in your personal car. With out additional ado, let’s get proper into it!
1. Perceive what wild tenting is
However first… what is 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 must pay for.
Wild tenting just isn’t the identical as tenting usually. Whereas 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 area, close to a lake, or in a public automotive park.
Because the latter is what we’re finest accustomed with, our recommendations right this moment are for vehicle-based wild tenting. Nevertheless, most of the factors really apply to the opposite type of wild tenting, comparable to in a tent. Try a Scotland street journey at: North Coast 500 – The Final Journey Information to Scotland’s Epic Drive
2. Select the fitting motorhome or campervan
The very first thing you need to do earlier than beginning your journey is to decide on the proper car. Whether or not you’re shopping for your personal or renting a campervan, it’s vital to choose the perfect one to your wants. Some options to consider embrace:
- Measurement – Are you travelling alone or with another person? Just be sure you can confidently drive your chosen car. Whereas a bigger motorhome could also be extra snug to dwell in, they’re more durable to navigate tough terrains and off-the-beaten observe. That is crucially vital to recollect, as most roads in Scotland are very slender; even alongside the NC500 and significantly in cities.
- Variety of beds – Likewise, take note of the variety of berths or passengers {that a} car can accommodate.
- Finances – Don’t overlook to find out your price range, 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 trouble in case you’re renting from a dependable rental firm, however essential in case you’re shopping for your personal 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, keep in mind that it’s going to not solely be a car, but in addition the place you’ll sleep, cook dinner, eat, and chill out all through your journey.
We noticed all types of campers throughout Scotland. Some travellers have been even in massive transformed 4×4 ex-military automobiles that may be pushed onto seashores. You may lease all types of automobiles from massive rental companies like McRent.
And even from native Scottish folks by websites like Outdoorsy. It actually does rely in your private choice; although I might advocate the smaller the higher in case you are unfamiliar driving within the UK, and on smaller slender roads.
3. Know the wild tenting legal guidelines in Scotland
Be sure 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 think about parking in a single day in a motorhome as wild tenting. Whereas 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 possibly can or can’t park, it’s usually fairly simple to get permission.
The Scottish Outside Entry Code
The Scottish Outside Entry Code grants you accountable entry to the Scottish outdoor. This consists of forests, hills, seashores, rivers, lochs, parks, and a few farmlands.
Respect others, take care of the setting, and be chargeable for your actions. Mainly, present frequent sense and decency when you’re wild tenting. Extra on Scotland Journey at: 7 Loopy Adventures in Scotland
Whereas this regulation offers 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 “light-weight and carried out in small numbers”.
Highway Visitors Act of 1988
The Highway Visitors Act of 1988 acknowledges most roads as personal land, which implies it’s crucial that you just ask for permission earlier than parking your car wherever.
Loch Lomond Byelaws
Wild tenting is usually attainable in most locations throughout the nation, aside from one: the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Nationwide Park. Between March and September, tenting is just allowed on official campsites or you probably have a tenting allow.
This byelaw goals to guard the Nationwide Park from environmental injury, which is sensible as a result of Loch Lomond is among the high vacationer locations in Scotland!
General, the final rule of thumb when wild tenting is to respect any “No in a single day parking” signal. And so long as you park someplace distant and wise, you have to be fantastic.
We’ll cowl extra ideas under that you need to comply with to have a protected and enjoyable wild marketing campaign expertise in Scotland. However 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. Obtain Park4Night
Park4Night is by far the perfect 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 exhibits you all of the spots the place you possibly can park up in a single day.
Whether or not you’ve lived in a van earlier than or that is your first-time wild tenting, that is severely such a helpful app that may 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 really like that the database is made by fellow van lifers and that it’s all the time updating day-after-day. Plus, you possibly can share private experiences and ideas a few spot, and studying updates from different customers provides 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 tv for pc to seek out new places
One other useful gizmo for locating new places is Google Satellite tv for pc. You need to use the satellite tv for pc view on Google Maps to seek out massive open automotive parks or areas the place you might probably keep the night time.
Or just search “parking” in any space of the map, which can then record 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 a good way to scout the world and see what it seems to be like.
Once 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.
- Learn extra journey guides in Scotland
6. Ask at pubs & eating places in case you can keep there
For instances while you’re wanting to remain close to town, it’s price asking at pubs and eating places in case you can park your car close by and keep the night time. We now have carried out this a number of instances ourselves and persons are usually very good about it. Simply make certain to ask prematurely.
On an analogous word, asking locals can be a good way to seek out the right tenting spot. This fashion, yow will discover locations that aren’t even talked about in guidebooks and on-line databases. A pleasant whats up may take you to a hidden gem or two!
7. Purchase the Brit Stops ebook
This one is a very cool idea. You purchase a bodily Brit Stops ebook for the yr (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 possibly can keep at free of charge.
It was impressed by the corporate Harvest Hosts within the USA (which we additionally love), so that is just like the UK model. The record options a lot of distinctive spots, from nation pubs, wineries, and fruit farms to vacationer sights, vintage centres, and extra.
The ebook itself prices £32 and provides you the prospect to remain in some actually cool places. You can too buy some native goodies in order for you while visiting.
What’s extra, they now provide a model new app with the acquisition that you should use to satisfy native hosts. It’s undoubtedly a good way to satisfy new folks and get native suggestions of issues to do across the space!
8. Don’t go away any mess (Go away 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. Consequently, most of the finest wild tenting spots have began to shut down and now have limitations, indicators and police patrols to cease the apply. Be part of the answer, not the issue.
The Scottish Outside Entry Code encourages campers to keep away from inflicting issues for native folks and animals, therefore the “go away no hint” coverage.
This consists of issues like:
- Eradicating all of your litter
- Maintaining fires small and placing them out fully afterwards
- Not inflicting any type of air pollution
- Travelling and tenting on sturdy floor, comparable to rock, gravel, dry grasses and snow
- Not damaging what you discover (flowers, crops, previous archaeological buildings, and so forth)
On the whole, attempt to minimise any lasting impression on the grounds!
9. Be respectful in different methods
Along with cleansing up after your personal mess, it’s additionally good to be respectful in different methods. That is related irrespective of the place you’re wild tenting, and being thoughtful whereas tenting out in nature or public locations goes a great distance.
For instance, don’t be noisy, particularly as soon as night time falls. Noise could disturb different campers within the space 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 regionally each time attainable. Whether or not which means going to native pubs and eating places or procuring from native shops, you’ll be serving to enhance the native financial system whereas being extra supportive to the apply of untamed tenting.
Additionally, don’t go organising 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 a lot of days! As a rule of thumb, I might say that staying for under an evening or two is finest.
10. Keep away from ingesting alcohol
If you’re requested to maneuver on by police and you might be over the alcohol restrict, there’s a probability you’ll get fined and prosecuted for driving underneath the affect. So, it’s all the time finest to keep away from ingesting, particularly while you’re transferring to a brand new metropolis or space.
We personally haven’t had this downside, however have heard horror tales of this occurring to folks 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 for my part, the dangers merely don’t outweigh the prices. For those who plan 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
Right here’s the factor about Scottish climate: it’s nearly totally unpredictable, and you may’t depend on forecasts. This dramatic local weather and shifting climate is, partially, what has helped make Scotland so wild, rugged and delightful.
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 may count on, summer time is the perfect time for wild tenting in Scotland by way of climate, although the visitors could get intense. Regardless of the sunshine, you need to nonetheless put together for cloud, wind, and rain all in the identical day! In addition to midges, that are famously horrendous to cope with so you’ll need bug spray in case you go to on this time interval.
Winter within 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 believe the changeable skies add to the expertise…
12. Pack blackout curtains in summer time or headlamps in winter
Scotland is kind of far north and the hours of daylight could be fairly an excessive throughout peak winter and summer time months.
You may stand up to 18 hours of daylight in June within the Northern Highlands, which is loads of alternative to discover the wilderness! However that additionally means sleeping generally is a little bit of an issue.
I like to recommend utilizing blackout curtains that may maintain the within of your car (or tent) tremendous darkish. Oh, and don’t overlook a lot of sunscreen too!
However, you may get daylight solely from 9am to 3pm in December. Pack sufficient headlamps and flashlights so you possibly can nonetheless do stuff outdoors. In any other case, you’ll simply be caught inside your van all day, which isn’t an thrilling technique to camp.
Whereas it’s most likely not the perfect time for wild tenting, the snowy panorama of the winter months does have its personal allure…
13. …what in regards to the rest room scenario?
One of the crucial frequent considerations folks have when wild tenting is the lavatory scenario. This shouldn’t be an issue while you’re staying near civilization. And in case your car has a bathroom, it’s all a matter of accountable waste disposal. If not… Effectively, time to study the artwork of doing your enterprise outdoor.
Within the wilderness, it’s usually okay to decide on any spot that’s properly away from trails. Keep away from 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 advisable to do it on a rock floor.
Now, when doing quantity two, you have to be extra cautious. Stroll at the least 200 ft away from a path or water supply, then dig a gap of round 6 to eight inches deep. It is a good depth that may nonetheless decompose the waste whereas stopping others from stepping on it.
As soon as carried out, you need to cowl the outlet with the unique dust. For those who use any rest room paper, make certain to carry it again with you and get rid of it correctly!
14. In busy season, plan forward
Most of the finest wild tenting spots in Scotland will refill very early on, particularly within the busy summer time months of June, July and August. In some circumstances, it’s possible 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.
Higher but, think about visiting throughout the off season! We did North Coast 500, a 500-mile journey across the Highland space of Scotland, again in November 2020. It was implausible as a result of we just about had the route all to ourselves.
15. Attempt The two:1 Rule
Intimidated by the thought of untamed tenting for the whole lot of your journey? There’s no purpose you possibly can’t method it slowly. For lots of first-timers, it’s an excellent thought to interrupt up the journey with extra snug campsites.
You’ll be wild tenting for 2 nights and staying on a campsite for one night time. It is a good technique to benefit from the pleasure of untamed tenting whereas nonetheless having fun with the advantages of a campsite’s amenities. 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 may cease wherever and don’t must depend on registered campsites, so in a method it’s rather 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.
For those who keep in mind just one factor from this large record, it’s to be respectful and thoughtful all over the place you go!
