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Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
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Advice from Walk Scotland
"Legally speaking the Trespass (Scotland) Act of 1865 makes it an offence to camp or light fires on private land without the consent of the landowner. This has not been used recently against hillwalkers and wild camping is tolerated. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland has long campaigned to have this legislation amended so responsible wild camping is no longer technically a criminal offence.
Another law on the statute book is the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1994). This gives police powers to deal with either an encampment which involves more than six vehicles or a smaller encampment where there is damage or a public order offence. This was introduced to deal with so called 'new age travellers'. It has not yet affected wild camping and is unlikely to do so.
Finally, the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to drive a motor vehicle onto private land without lawful authority. No offence is committed, however, where a person drives within 15 yards of a public road for the purpose of parking. However, this does not imply that a person has a right to do so. This has no impact on wild camping, unless of course you tear over someone's estate to your remote campsite in a Land Rover Discovery!
There are a few simple pieces of advice to bear in mind when wild camping. The bottom line is to be considerate and remember people have to make a living from the land.
Try and be as inconspicuous as possible. Pitch up well away from houses and farms. Don't camp on agricultural fields. If there is no option but to camp near a house or farm, do ask permission first. If the answer is a firm no, press on. Often, however, the person you ask may suggest a suitable place. Sometimes walkers have even found themselves being invited in for a cup of tea and a round of scones. You never know your luck. If there are 'No Camping' signs, respect them.
Also bear in mind the impact your camping will have on the flora and fauna. Leaving your tent on one spot for too long damages ground vegetation. Plants are more sensitive at higher altitudes so aim to camp lower down in glens where vegetation recovers more easily.
Don't cut live wood and remember that dead wood is an important habitat for insects and many small animals, so avoid fires even for cooking, unless of course you are on the coast and there is a ready supply of driftwood. Open fires pose a high fire risk on peaty soils and close to tinder dry grass, or woodland. They will also draw attention to your campsite.
If you feel you must have a fire, and it is safe to do so, dig up a square of turf and put it to one side so it can be placed back over the site of your fire to ensure no trace is left behind. Line your fireplace with large stones to prevent it spreading. Remember too that coniferous wood can spit sparks, damaging expensive fleece jackets, or tents pitched too close. Watercourses and loch sides are important sites for birds and animals. Avoid the temptation to camp immediately beside them. Look around for other sites if possible.
Don't scatter food scraps - they attract scavenging birds and animals which prey on more sensitive nesting birds. Be prepared to move if you become aware that you are disturbing nesting birds or animals. Keep your food store tidy and protected. While bears won't come in the night and steal your stores, I have known particularly voracious seagulls to swoop down and pull things out from under a tent flysheet.
Bag up all your rubbish and carry it out with you. Don't bury it or hide it under rocks. Scour your campsite before you leave to ensure you haven't left anything at all behind. The only trace of your having been there should be some flattened grass.
People go to the hills for solitude so keep groups small and pitch away from other campers - they don't necessarily want to hear your snoring, or whatever other sounds may emanate from your sleeping bag during the night! Noise travels from tents disturbing both wildlife and humans.
While commercial campsites offer a range of facilities, including toilets and showers, wild campers have to live without such home comforts. If you're out for several days, the laws of nature mean the time will come when you need to have a crap. Always find a spot at least 30 metres from fresh running water before you drop your pants, and make sure you're well away from structures like bothies.
Backpackers should always carry a little trowel with them (or in the winter you can alternatively use an ice axe). Dig a small hole, crap into it, and then fill it in once you're finished. Don't simply bury your waste under boulders. For the ladies, buried tampons and sanitary towels can be dug up by animals so bag them up and carry them out.
Pitching up at the side of a public road is not considered wild camping, however remote the route. Better to use an official campsite with sanitation facilities if there is one available in the area. If you have to camp by the road, avoid overused sites, take particular care with toilet hygiene, pitch late and leave early."
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 21st Oct 2016 9:19 pm |
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Aerialmark
Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Burnley (Where the M65 is cobbled)
Posts: 5192
  
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Thankyou I think that covers just about everything on wild camping  
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| 21st Oct 2016 9:32 pm |
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PaulJC
Member Since: 07 Mar 2015
Location: Herts / Essex
Posts: 192
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What a great post...
I suppose the question would have to be is there an easy way to determine private from public land? (I must sound like such a townie... lol)
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| 21st Oct 2016 10:18 pm |
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steve73
Member Since: 29 Feb 2012
Location: Bristol
Posts: 56
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Would love to do this..., keep updating with dates
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| 26th Oct 2016 11:20 am |
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highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
 
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PaulJC wrote:I suppose the question would have to be is there an easy way to determine private from public land? (I must sound like such a townie... lol)
The public land is covered in ragwort!  Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
Grey 05 TDV6 HSE Auto (Gone)
54 TDV6 SE Man (killed by me  )
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| 26th Oct 2016 11:47 am |
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Aerialmark
Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Burnley (Where the M65 is cobbled)
Posts: 5192
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steve73 wrote:Would love to do this..., keep updating with dates
Will do
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| 28th Oct 2016 2:07 pm |
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mz mini
Member Since: 02 Jul 2014
Location: Sunny Devon
Posts: 1759
 
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We would be interested dates dependent , sound great Land Rover 90 - deceased
Discovery 3 - deceased
Discovery 4 2013
Mini Cooper S 1964 Mk1 - International Rally winner red & white
Mini Cooper s 1964 Mk1 - Road Rally champion green & white
Mini Cooper S 1971 Mk3 - original and unrestored 
Porsche 911 997
Porsche Boxster 3.4S
VW Polo 1.2
Citroen Xsara Picasso - shed/run around
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| 28th Oct 2016 2:22 pm |
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Jackmwp
Member Since: 15 Jun 2016
Location: Renfrewshire
Posts: 61
 
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Would be very interested, have thought about doing this, just never got around to planing anything Seemed like a good idea at the time
Discovery 200 tdi
Discovery 300 tdi
Discovery TD5
Defender 90
Discovery 300 tdi commercial
Freelander TD4 SE
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| 28th Oct 2016 2:42 pm |
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Aerialmark
Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Burnley (Where the M65 is cobbled)
Posts: 5192
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mz mini wrote:We would be interested dates dependent , sound great
Would be very interested, have thought about doing this, just never got around to planing anything
I will get on with it next month. I will post different dates that I can do and see where we get if that ok
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| 28th Oct 2016 3:16 pm |
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Jackmwp
Member Since: 15 Jun 2016
Location: Renfrewshire
Posts: 61
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Cheers Seemed like a good idea at the time
Discovery 200 tdi
Discovery 300 tdi
Discovery TD5
Defender 90
Discovery 300 tdi commercial
Freelander TD4 SE
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| 28th Oct 2016 3:45 pm |
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mz mini
Member Since: 02 Jul 2014
Location: Sunny Devon
Posts: 1759
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Ditto Land Rover 90 - deceased
Discovery 3 - deceased
Discovery 4 2013
Mini Cooper S 1964 Mk1 - International Rally winner red & white
Mini Cooper s 1964 Mk1 - Road Rally champion green & white
Mini Cooper S 1971 Mk3 - original and unrestored
Porsche 911 997
Porsche Boxster 3.4S
VW Polo 1.2
Citroen Xsara Picasso - shed/run around
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| 28th Oct 2016 3:46 pm |
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Heath_DA
Member Since: 05 Aug 2009
Location: Stockport
Posts: 667
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Just got back from doing this, over 1400 miles in 5 days, highly recommend it
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| 31st Oct 2016 7:45 pm |
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Littletamcroft
Member Since: 19 Oct 2016
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 20
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Thinking about it in spring/summer 17 and the D4 ideal for the job, a lazy drive in comfort. I have a head start on most in here as only 99 miles from start and finish at Inverness. I know some of the route and it is fab.
If you like these sort of runs in Scotland then have a read of "Raw Spirit" by the late Iain Banks - particularly if you like whisky too!! 2016 D4 landmark in Yulong White
Previously 2012 D4 HSE in Stornoway Grey & 2000 Freelander 3dr
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| 31st Oct 2016 7:51 pm |
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nice one Ray
