Wild camping lets you see the outdoors in ways and at quieter, more magical times that few others experience

Wild camping – a guide to what you need TO PLAN THE PERFECT ADVENTURE

I’ve wild camped for many years now and wild camping is a brilliant and unique way to experience the outdoors in a totally new light (literally!) It lets you see amazing sunsets and sunrises in remote locations and if you’re lucky the most star filled skies you’ll ever see. I also also enjoy the peace and slower, simpler way of life, which gives a chance to reset and recharge. As long as you are prepared it’s something I would high recommend to anyone to try.

I often get people who are into hiking and the outdoors say that they’d love to try wild camping, but don’t know how to get started, or what equipment they need and where to go! So below are some tips for beginners and the essential equipment you’ll need.

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Being around to see the runrise is one of the best things about wild camping

FIRST THINGS FIRST, KNOW WHAT WILD CAMPING IS & WHAT IS ALLOWED…

So I live in England, and technically all land in England is privately owned so you need to seek permission from a landowner before camping anywhere. However, it is tolerated in remote places, or high on the hills & fells in places like the Lake District and notably it is accepted in Dartmoor National Park under the commons act. In Scotland you can pitch pretty much anywhere!

Wherever you camp, it is vital to be responsible, which means being considerate to locals and the environment (and definitely leaving no rubbish after your visit) If we are responsible – it doesn’t tarnish the name of wild campers and avoids bad press and further crackdowns on wild camping. More people it seems are getting into the outdoors, which is a good thing in my humble opinion, as long as we are respectful and responsible. However a small minority of people are spoiling things, by trashing some places and peeing off locals – which is out of order really! So before cracking on with my tips, I feel I must also be responsible and try and educate others, especially if you are new to wild camping. I know it can seem really adventurous if you haven’t done anything like camp outside of a campsite before, but please take note of the points below:

WILD CAMPING - THE BASIC RULES:
BE CONSIDERATE & LEAVE NO TRACE

Leave no rubbish at all, if you can carry it with you - you can carry it back! This is becoming a big problem of a small minority - who are coming to be termed 'fly campers'. There is nobody to clean up after you out in the wilds - so your rubbish will stay for years & years, being not only an eye sore - but being a danger to wildlife and polluting natural areas an damming it more likely wild camping will be clamped down on further
Camping at ground level, next to a lake or in a field, near a road or buildings IS NOT wild camping (locals really don’t like this and there is a good chance you will be moved on by police or wardens - and it's no fun looking for another camp spot in the dark!)
In the Lake District, wild camping is tolerated above 400m, or above the highest fell wall - when you are well out the way from anyone else. If you can see people & houses and cars - they can see you and won’t be happy, so ensure you pitch in spots which are well out the way.
Ensure you are considerate to others, which means pitching late and leaving early, and only stay for 1 night
Don't be a nuisance to others which means keeping the noise down - people wild camp to get a bit of peace and quiet. If you want to have a bit of a drink and party - there are other places for that
If you can’t fit everything in your rucksack - then it’s not really wild camping. For me, the stuff you take wild camping should be much less than when you go camping on a campsite - it's a different type of camping and the simplicity enhances the experience. I also think the most rewarding wild camping experiences are when you feel like you are remote, reaching those spots that are more of a challenge - so a hike of at least an hour is a must or you're cheating!
Do not have fires or BBQ’s - it scorches the earth! BBQ's are difficult to dispose of so often get left (a big problem), and fires and scorched earth looks a right mess for others that follow, which takes years to recover. It’s also a potential cause of wild fires in dry conditions. I know people have the ideal of a wild camp next to a fire. But there's no need for it - you can't carry enough wood for a substantial fire, it stinks your clothes and leaves a big mess. Definitely do not chop down tree's for firewood too - this isn't sustainable.
Above all - Follow the simple rule - leave no trace. This keeps natural beauty spots looking pristine, and stops giving wild campers a bad reputation (if we don’t look after these places - there’s a chance National Park Authorities will clamp down more strictly
Finally, this can sound all negative. I think people getting into the great outdoors is a good thing - but a minority are spoiling it, trashing places and giving all wild campers a bad reputation. So it's up to all of us (most outdoorsy people are decent!) to encourage more responsibile & considerate use of the outdoors through our social media activity alongside photos of our outdoors adventures . If we each do our bit, it spreads like ripples through a pond and these natural places will stay pristine for everyone to enjoy

Unfortunately sights like this are a growing occurance, especially in places like the Lake District. Unprepared campers leaving loads of rubbish behind, including tents, remnants of fires and a load of other crap. This is the opposite of leaving no trace and is what is giving wild campers a bad name. Please don’t be one of these idiots – take only what you can carry on your back, leave no rubbish at all, and just leave the place as you found it for others to enjoy. It’s simple stuff really.

Now you understand a bit more about responsible wild camping – now lets get onto how you can plan your best experience…

WILD CAMPING BEGINNERS GUIDE

GET THE RIGHT GEAR & TEST IT OUT SAFELY

The first thing you’ll need is to get the right gear, as you’ll be carrying it all on your back, so you’ll need lightweight equipment. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but the cheapest gear won’t quite cut it – as it’s usually bulky & heavy. Below you will see a more extensive kit list recommendation – but the key bits of kit really are: The Tent, Sleeping Bag, and Mattress – these are your key investments. Read more on that below.

TEST CAMPS

Once you have your kit in place – I would suggest for absolute beginers to then book yourself on a basic campsite – and soley rely only on your kit that you can carry on your back in your big rucksack. The challenge being you can’t use anyting else that isn’t in your rucksack and you can’t use any campsite facilities (well maybe the toilet haha). After using your kit you’ll have a good idea how to put your tent up, if your sleeping bag is warm enough and mattress comfortable enough and if you have all the other little bits of kit you need. Better to learn about your kit on a campsite rather than in the middle of nowhere. After a test camp in the relative comfort of a campsite, then consider doing a wild camp in a location that isn’t that remote – so if worse comes to worst you can bail. Note – choose spots that are legal (or tolerated!) Somewhere remote, relatively high and well out the way.

LEARN ABOUT TEMPERATURES & WEATHER FORCASTS

Learning about what temperatures are like on a night camping and what you need to keep you warm in those temperatures are key. What would keep you warm at 10c at night is very different at what will keep you warm at 5c, or 0c! If you have ever been camping before – what were the temperatures like? Were you comfortable? Can you carry on your back everything you need to keep you warm at night. Being cold out on a wild camp is no fun at all, and potentially dangerous if temperatures drop too much. Little tip – I’m a bit of a fair weather camper – I like to chill outside the tent for quite a while and soak up the views. Night time temperatures of at least around 9/10c are ideal for me. Likewise – while being cold is no fun, being wet is no fun either (so get your head around weather forecasts and weather apps to pick the best weather for your particular trip) Another tip, I’ve camped loads now – and take with me a digital thermometer – so I know what the actual temperatures are – and learn to know what kit & laters I need for given temperature forcasts!

Essential guide to the equipment you’ll need on a wild camp to make it enjoyable

Wild camping equipment list:

Getting the right gear is a big part of a successful wild camping trip. The absolute essentials and what I recommend spending as much money as possible on are your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping matt & rucksack to carry everything in! These are the key investments, and will keep you warm & dry in all weather conditions.

The Tent

Your tent has got to be up to the job of with standing a variety of weather conditions and importantly light enough to carry on your back. Around 2kg and under is the magic weight to aim for, and personally I prefer to use a 2 man tent so there is plenty of room for you and your rucksack (or your partner 🙂

There are tents to suit all budgets and if money is no object and you wish to camp in all seasons in extreme conditions, then the tents from Hilleberg, such as the Hilleberg Soulo tend to be the connoisseur’s choice, but it’s pricey at £800 plus and I can’t justify spending that personally. Another popular choice amongst wild campers is the MSR range of tents which come in at around £350-400 mark. At the budget end you might want to take a look at the Vango Nevis 100 or 200 which are popular with those doing the Duke of Edinburgh outdoor experiences and they come in around the £100 mark. There are even cheaper options out there, which might seem a good idea to save some cash, but to be honest if you do more than one wild camp you’ll soon see their short-comings and want to upgrade your tent pretty quickly to some of those mentioned.

What do I recommend? Well I always go for a mix of value & quality (and recommend these kind of products as I think enjoyment of the outdoors should be as accessible to as many people as possible regardless of income) So I decided to part my hard earned cash on the Wild Country ‘Helm 2 Compact’ It’s good value compared to more expensive options (about £200), it’s robust & free-standing, stands up to the elements well, it’s spacious, light-weight and it’s easy to put up. I’ve used it countless times and its never let me down – so I’ll happily recommend it.

Sleeping bag

The choice of sleeping bag depends on where you are camping and the temperatures. All sleeping bags have a temperature rating and it’s essential you get one warm enough for your needs – if your stuck up a mountain and cold, it’s no fun at all and there is nothing you can do about it (and it can even be dangerous). It’s a key bit of kit so spend your money wisely, and invest as much as possible and the more you spend the warmer (and lighter/smaller to pack it will be). Always try and get a down-filled bag for maximum insulation to weight ratio. A great value one from Alpkit is the ultra-light 3 season Pipe Dream 400 which you can pick up for about £200 and will keep you warm down to the extreme of -4c (This is what I use). The sleeping bags by Rab are also worth looking into if you have more of a budget. I’d say you want to be spending as much money on your sleeping bag as you tent! Get the warmest, lightest, less bulky one you can afford! Whatever sleeping bag you have – test it out in the comfort of a campsite at the night-time temperatures you plan on doing a wild camp!

Sleeping matt

A sleeping matt is key to giving a comfortable nights sleep, and an important aspect of the sleeping matt is to keep you insulated from the cold ground. If you have the best sleeping bag, but no insulation from the ground, you’ll still feel cold. Look for the ‘R’ rating with sleeping matts – the higher the better. A good budget option for warm summer camping is the Trekology UL inflatable matt which is 10cm thick, picks away small and I’ve used it a few times – but it’s R rating is poor. For cooler temperatures you’ll want a matt with a higher ‘R Rating’. Thermarest are the market leaders in this field and unless you are camping in winter try something like the Thermarest Trail Lite Trooper Regular Sleeping Mat. If you are camping in the winter then the Thermarest XTherm Neo Air is the ultimate choice. To go with your sleeping matt – you might also want to take a travel pillow and I like the inflatable ones as they pack down small.

Rucksack

You need something to cary all your stuff in and a strong, robust, lightweight and weather proof rucksack of an adequate size is essential. The bigger the better I think so you have more space to fit all your stuff in – A 60 Litre to 70/80L is what I recommend. Osprey are market leaders in this field so check them out, but you’ll be able to find other options depending on budget – spend as much as you can though!

What a stunning location on this wild camping trip in the Lake District

Electrical equipment essentials:

• Torch & Headlight – another absolute essential – it gets pretty dark out on the fells at night – and you also need to think of the worst case option in that you need to travel quite a way in the dark on tricky terrain – so don’t skimp and save on a poor option here. I take a headlamp and also a torch, currently I’m using the Nebo iProtec Pro 280 Flash Light which is 280 lumens so has a pretty powerful brightness and is quite small to pack too. Double check before every trip that the batteries have plenty of juice in them too.

• Tent lantern – I also take a mini-camping lantern too to hang in the tent that can give me light in the full tent and it also lights up your tent nicely for those glowing tent photos 🙂 I’m currently using the small Black Diamond Zip Lantern

• Camera – well it’s essential for me! I take my photos on either my phone or mirrorless camera.

• Phone – your unlikely to get signal (and that can be a good thing if you truly want to get away from it all and digitally unplug!) but on many occasions I’ve actually got a signal on various peaks because they are high up – and you never know – you might need to try and get a signal in an emergency so don’t forget it. A power pack will come in useful too if you are wild camping for more than 1 night and need to keep your phone charged.

Getting your cooking equipment right is a key part of an enjoyable wild camp.

Cooking equipment:

• Travel stove – again the lighter the better to help you cook with. I use the Msr PocketRocket 2 Mini Stove Kit – it’s great value and the lightest around. There are other options that are up to harsher conditions. JetBoil is a premium product and is famed for how speedy it is to boil water.

• Cookware – at a basic level you’ll want a large cooking ‘mug’ to heat your water or food. Definitely go for a titanium version for lightness & durability and it will be a good investment and last you a much longer time than cheaper options. Something like the Alpkit MytiMug650 lets you cook enough water for a couple of cups of coffee.

• Mug – don’t forget to also take something to drink out of (I don’t use the titanium cooking mug to drink out of) I find those insulated mugs with lids are a good shout to keep drinks warmer for longer

• Knife/fork/spoon – don’t forget something to eat with! As I only eat rehydrated meals (that you add water to – I find I only need a spoon with an extra long handle to get into the pouches or pots)

Wild camping is an experience I’d recommend to anyone who loves walking and the outdoors!

Food & drink

• Water – Its vital to take enough drinking water with you on your trip – I always carry with me 2 litres of water. If you know you are going to be camping where there is fresh water such as a stream from the fell tops – then you might want to use that to cook with after boiling it to be safe. Alternatively there are quite a few good instant water filtration options out there such as the Swayer filters, the Grawl Ultralight and the LifeStraw options. My personal favourite is the Katadyn BeFree as there’s no pumping required like other water filters, you can drink straight from the bottle and for just my needs it’s my favourite ‘easy-to-use’ water filter and a great little product investment which costs about £35 and saves me lumping a load of bottled water about on my camps – you can find out more and buy the Katadyn BeFree here

• Meals – For evening meals I now like to keep things simple. Yeh a steak or meals like what can be done at home look good – but they can be a right chew on and take a bit of kit/ingredients to do (and washing up) – BBQ’s are a def no no for me – just cause a load of mess and stuff needed. So now I just go for re-hydrated foods that just need water adding too (it also saves on the washing up & mess) – whether thats rice or noodle pots that you can add water too or specialist outdoor food pouches that you can pick up in outdoor stores (although they can be pricier than supermarket options). I avoid meat too on wild camps as it’s difficult to keep cool and can easily go off! Rice & small naan breads are a favourite of mine. But any meal that you can just add boiling water too, and doesn’t go off quick makes things easy & simple.

• Snacks – it’s not good to be hungry out on your trip – so take plenty of snacks that won’t perish easily such as cereal/protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, crisps etc

• For breakfast – Again I’ll keep it simple – I’ll take a porridge pot or breakfast pouch which just requires hot water and add a cereal bar into the mix.

• Drinks – For drinks other than water, I’ll take some coffee sachets which again are easy as it’s just adding water! For me it’s a nice treat to also have a few cans of beer or even a little bottle of wine too – whatever takes your fancy, while its important to pack light on a wild camp, you’ve got to have some treats too haven’t you – and I love th feeling of cracking open a can when you are all set up!

Wild camping is an experience everyone should try once – just make sure you take everything you need to make it enjoyable!

Toileteries

• Insect repellant – it’s an absolute essential this – often you’ll get midges hanging around your tent (especially in July-August – and I avoid Scotland at this time of year) – even more so if you are pitched up next to some water and in non-windy conditions – so you’ll want a good repellant. The strongest has Deet in it such as Pyramid Trek 50 Insect/Mosquito Repellent Deet Spray – another more skin friendly option which comes with great reviews in the walking community (and is cheap) is Avon Skin so soft which you can pick up online for about £5

• Ear plugs – always a camping necessity for me – especially if the birds are up really early!

• Toilet roll – you never know when you need to go! Keep some sheets in a plastic bag for emergencies – I find I can do 1 over nigher and not need a No.2 haha

• Baby wipes – good for a little clean in the morning

• Sun cream – if it’s sunny then you’ll need this or you could end up burnt to a crisp

• Tooth brush & paste (travel size) – another little home comfort that makes me feel a little fresher

• Plastic bags – it’s always handy to have a spare carrier bag and even a couple of small zip seal bags to but any rubbish or bog roll in 🙂

Clothes

You’ll need to wear and take the right clothes to suit the conditions you’ll be camping in, and remember it’s better to be safe and take a few extra layers if your unsure, rather than be sorry and wish you had more layers! Here are a few of the essentials:

Warm Coat / Down Jacket – it does tend to get chilly at night when wild camping, evening summer, and it’s no fun being cold when all you want to do is sit around the tent and even star gaze. For colder conditions I like to take a lightweight Down jacket, which gives you excellent warm to weight ratio, such as the Rab Microlight Alpine
Insulating mid-layers – again depending on the temperatures- you may want to wear, or pack in your rucksack, extra layers such as fleeces or soft shell jackets.
Waterproof Jacket – this is a must, especially in the UK when you never know when it will rain! Unless the forecast is definitely no rain – I’ll take with me my fully waterproof Berghaus Men’s Maitland Gore-TEX Hiking Jacket – it’s good value for such a technical jacket and being made of Gore-TEX means it is completely waterproof. If looked after it will be a good investment. It comes in both men’s and women sizes.
Waterproof Over trousers – I also keep in my rucksack my waterproof over-trousers and the Berghaus Paclite GORE-tex trousers that I use are fully waterproof to keep you completely dry and pack away in a handy little stuff sack no bigger than a can of pop!
Thermals – I take thermals too to sleep in – long-johns and a top, again better to be too warm and take them off than too cold and they don’t take up much room
Spare socks – it’s nice to put fresh ones on in the morning
Flip flops – it’s nice to give the feet an airing around the tent, especially after having boots on all day and these don’t take up much room!

So that’s my list of essential equipment for a wild camp and I hope it help’s you in planning yours! Read on to learn some more tips about planning your wild camping trip.

Wild camping tips lake district gear checklist best where

Here’s everything you need to know to plan the perfect wild camp

Wild camping top tips

Get the Wild Camping location right

So you have the gear and are confident in using it and have done a test camp out on a campsite. So next it’s vital to get the spot for your wild camp right – and I would recommend your first remote wild camp being somewhere you are familiar with and have perhaps visited before on a hike so you know the route and terrain.

Whenever I’m out on day walks on the fells – I’ll make a note if I see somewhere that I think would be a good spot for a wild camp. I also search online for wild camping blog posts/videos/photos to get ideas. I personally prefer somewhere high-up with great views overlooking a body of water – but not too close to the water in summer where midges can be a problem! If it’s overlooking a tarn or lake even better, and my favourite places are elevated where you will get great views of sunsets & sunrises.

LEGALITIES OF WILD CAMPING

As mentioned above, you should note though that you can’t just pitch up anywhere – legally you should have the permission of the land owner in England. However, in the English Lake District, which is my wild camping area of choice – wild camping is tolerated as long as you pitch up above the highest fell wall, stay for only one night and leave no trace that you where ever there. It’s good etiquette to pitch up late close to sundown after the day walkers have left the fells and depart just after daybreak, and I can’t emphasise enough about leaving no trace you where there – so no litter and no scorched earth from fires, leave it in a pristine condition for the rest of us to find it – otherwise these remote places will get spoilt. There’s been a few idiots in the news who just pitch up next a lake not far from the car, take loads of stuff like people would on a campsite and leave a mess – more like Fly Camping than Wild Camping! Don’t be one of those numpties. This site gives a good overview of the legalities of wild camping in the U.K. https://originaloutdoors.co.uk/articles/uk-wild-camping-laws-explained/

Wild camping Lake District lakes Helm 2 compact ullswater terra nova best spot

Enjoying the last of suns rays on at wild camping trip in the English Lake District

WILD CAMPING – Tent pitch spot

Like most tips on pitching a tent – whether on a campsite or out on the fells – pick a bit of dry, flat ground so you don’t end up moving around in your tent. If you’re a beginner you may want to avoid ridges and summits as the weather conditions can change quickly in these exposed positions, so build your skills in more sheltered spots. To avoid midges in the summer months – stay away from water or boggy areas. You’ll learn how to tell boggy areas by the plant life that grows on them and how it feels underfoot. Also take into consideration the weather conditions and importantly the forecast – is it likely to get windier in the night into the next day (even though it’s calm when pitching your tent)? Is the wind direction forecast to change direction over the night? What would happen if it suddenly got windy? So pitch somewhere that will be sheltered from the wind. Also if it’s forecast to rain (or snow) – then is your spot going to turn into a bog or snowdrift? Could streams of rivers swell and engulf your tent? A bit of raised ground that is flat and sheltered on all sides, or certainly from the wind direction is ideal.

Wild camping Lake District best spot Angle Tarn

A bit of flat, dry ground next to a tarn – an ideal wild camping spot for the night

The weather

It’s essential to plan any trip according to the weather forecast, especially so for wild camps, and especially more so in places like the Lake District fells where multiple seasons can be experienced in 1 day! I’ve read stories of people going on wild camps in nice weather – and waking up the next day surrounded by snow. So don’t let things like that catch you out. There are some excellent resources online now that can give very accurate forecasts for particular locations – such as the Met Office and BBC weather and a key one for the outdoors is the Mountain Weather Information Service. Be sure to know as best as possible what the forecast is before any wild camping trips and plan accordingly. For your first wild camps it would be best to go in mild dry weather and take it from there.

WILL YOU BE SAFE?

This is a question I get asked a lot – don’t you feel scared? To be honest I feel much safer in a remote camp spot than I do in some urban environments. There’s no one around for miles – apart from maybe other wild campers (who are always nice people – and value solitude and privacy on wild camps, so you’re unlikely to be disturbed) – and getting out into nature is not the sort of thing undesirable people tend to do! Animal wise – the UK doesn’t have predators that pose a threat – just sheep, maybe deer and small animals – who will stay away from you. The only thing that can cause an issue – is your own mind – so don’t let it run away with you! You can make all sorts of interpretations out of random sounds if you let it! I guess you’ll build confidence the more camps you do – and maybe even do you first wild camps with a friend.

Wild Camping spots ideas:

If all of this has made you want to try out a spot of wild camping – then below is a link to a popular lake district wild camping spot at Angle Tarn that is no secret really so I’m happy to share. The walk is uphill – but not too taxing… And there may be others around which might make you feel safer? However, you’ll soon find that the best camping spots are the ones you discover for yourself!

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WILD CAMPING AT ANGLE TARN IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

View walk

I hope this has helped and inspired you to plan a wild camp and an unforgettable adventure!

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BLOG POST BY STUART HODGSON

THE HIKING PHOTOGRAPHER

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More people enjoying the outdoors is great - but a small minority are leaving rubbish behind. No one gets paid to clean up natural beauty spots, (I know I'm mainly preaching to the converted) but please take all your litter home and also don’t scorch the earth with fires & BBQs which takes years to recover. You'll be an absolute outdoors legend if you pick up & dispose of any rubbish you do see from others. Finally, when sharing your pics online, please also consider encouraging responsible & sustainable enjoyment of the outdoors too. We're all influencers to some extent!

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I’m always interested to know if people find my stuff useful to plan a walk, or if you have any further tips to help others (some of these write uyps are old now) – so any feedback is welcome, just leave a commnet below and I’ll get back to you…

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