We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Get back to nature with a night under the stars
Wild camping lets you escape from the madding crowds, reconnect with nature and discover your very own private spot. But where can you wild camp in the UK? And is it legal to set up camp anywhere?
Last week, the High Court decided to remove the right to wild camp on Dartmoor National Park. Dartmoor was the only area in England and Wales where under a local law people could wild camp without permission (for no more than two consecutive nights), but landowners argued that campers caused problems to livestock and the environment.
"I am deeply concerned by the ruling and the precedent it sets – massively impacting all those who want to explore and enjoy nature," Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, told Devon Live. "The ability to go to sleep listening to the wind on the tent and watching the sunrise the next morning has been sheer pleasure for generations of people and I have so many fond memories of savouring amazing views."
Our right to roam might be at risk, but there are still some beautiful countryside places where you can wild camp. Keep reading for everything you need to know about wild camping, including rules and the best camping spots:
Wild camping laws vary, however wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many landowners will be happy to allow campers, as long you respect the land. Simply ask them beforehand.
Over in Scotland, wild camping is permitted anywhere thanks to right-to-roam laws. This is because the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 permits the public to camp on most unenclosed land, including the country's incredible National Parks. This, however, excludes private residential or public property (such as school grounds or playing fields), golf courses or other visitor attractions, airfields, working sites (such as quarries), military bases or land with crops growing.
According to the Woodland Trust, some parts of Scotland are subject to bylaws that prohibit wild camping, such as the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides and East Loch Lomond. VisitScotland.com is a good place to start and will link you to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
In Wales, the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority provides a list of local farms which allow wild camping. Some are family-owned estates, while the beautiful Llangorse Lake offers visitors the chance to camp (or caravan) next to the glistening water.
Meanwhile, Exmoor and Snowdonia all allow wild camping, as long as you ask permission first. You'll also need to clean up after yourself, removing any traces of your stay. Wild camping is generally not permitted in the Peak District, and on any National Park Authority land.
The Peak District National Park Authority told Country Living: "Wild camping is not permitted on any National Park Authority land, for example the Stanage North Lees estate, where we already operate a designated campsite with camping fields, pods, campervan pitches and a self-catering cottage in a very wild and natural setting.
"We are not currently aware of any additional private landowners – the vast majority of land within the Peak District – who make provision for wild camping and therefore the easiest option to avoid being asked to move on or risk committing a trespass is to use a designated camping location."
Visit pitchup.com to find great campsites around the country that offer a 'wild' camping feel. From winter camping to New Forest sites, you'll discover a plethora of remote locations, limited pitches and unique settings.
Get back to nature with a night under the stars in Scotland. The best places to set up camp include Peanmeanach Beach in Ardnish, Rackwick Bay on Orkney's second largest island of Hoy, and Gleann na Muice — perfect if you're looking to climb mountains the following morning. If you are wild camping in Scotland, make sure to follow the rules.
Wild camping rules help to keep everyone safe. According to the Woodland Trust, these include:
• Check for 'no camping' signs first. You must respect the wishes of the landowner.
• Leave no trace of your visit. Use a stove rather than a campfire and always take your rubbish home.
• Be mindful of causing damage to sensitive habitats.
• Don't overstay your welcome. Make sure you leave on time.
• Do your research first.
• Be considerate. A local village green probably isn't the best idea, so make sure you choose a spot away from houses.
• Tell someone where you're going and for how long, especially if travelling alone.
• Pack sensibly, not forgetting items like a first aid kit, torch and whistle. Don't forget to wrap up warm — nights can get chilly.
This double skin design is one of the best family tents available, sleeping two to four campers comfortably for 3 season camping. Satisfied users have said it's "easy to assemble," "lightweight" and "good for short, family camping trips". Meanwhile, one camper added that they're beginners to camping and managed to get it up in 20 minutes.
The family tent features a communal area, two double bedrooms and a sunshade entrance. We like the 3000mm Hydrostatic Head for rain protection and bedrooms with sewn-in groundsheets and privacy doors.
For a family tent that requires little time to set it up, try Mountain Warehouse's Inflatable 4 Man Air Tent. It comes with inflatable means for easy pitching, as well as a pump and clip-in ground sheet to make the job a breeze.
Once it's up, you'll have a separate living and sleeping area to relax in, plus storage pockets to keep your essentials where you need them.
Made for large families of eight, this tent is very easy to set up and dismantle, with four bedrooms, a mosquito net window and storage pockets in the living room and bedrooms.
It's ideal if you want less heat and light in your tent, so you can decide when to wake up. One happy camper says: "Went up very well with simple easy to follow instructions, stayed in place during 40mph winds overnight."
An inflatable tent can make your life easier, and this one does just that during the set-up process. It's quite large, so you'll need three people to pitch it, but our testers found this quick and easy to do. Putting it away was another kettle of fish, and they struggled to get it back in the bag, but once successful, they liked that they could carry it around like a backpack.
Its separate sleep pod and large porch area provided plenty of space, the windows let in natural light and the hook for hanging a torch proved handy.
This large family tent for four has an extended open front porch area offering more living space with protection from the elements during the great British summer. The front porch can be closed off for extra weather protection, too. The tent offers great head height throughout and a lightweight package, as well as several large windows for plenty of light.
The two bedrooms are extra-large and comfortably fit larger airbeds, while the BlackOut Bedroom technology blocks daylight and reduces the temperature during the day. You'll also find zipped window shades on the windows, ensuring flexible levels of privacy. The zipped cable entry points allowing access for powered accessories and multiple lantern attachment points are particularly handy.
This tent was so easy to pitch that our tester didn't have to consult the instructions and got it done alone. They were impressed with the poles and pegs' quality, too, with the poles almost slotting themselves together.
Once pitched, the tent's size was slightly disappointing, and the family of four felt a little squished. If it isn't raining, however, you can use the porch flap to add some more space. It's perfect for shorter stays and avoiding the faff involved in pitching a more complex tent.
Looking for a tipi that fits more than just two? This one from Robens will sleep six of you and features easy access through a vertical door. The eaves go around the tent to protect the door and walls from any wet weather, too. The groundsheet can also be rolled away at the door to make a safe area to use the stove or keep dirty gear separate.
On especially hot days, the nifty Internal Apex Vent Control can be adjusted to control the ventilation from the inside. One happy camper says they "love the room and space," as well as the tent being "straightforward to pitch".
Decathlon's highly rated inflatable two-bedroom tent for a family of four is spacious, portable and easy to set up. It's designed for those who like plenty of room, with blackout technology to keep the two bedrooms cool and dark. The sleeping areas frame the living room, which is large enough for a person to stand up.
The waterproof tent boasts a zip-in ground sheet, too. Happy campers say it's "well worth the money" and "kids love it".
No prior camping experience is required to put this tent into action. With clear instructions, colour-coded poles and pre-attached guide ropes, two people were able to pitch it in hardly any time at all. The inner pod was really easy to fit, too.
Inside, there wasn't enough height to comfortably stand, but it otherwise felt spacious. Expect ample room for two people in each pod, plus some storage space in the middle. Comfort-wise, it felt light and airy, and our testers liked that the door doubled as a shade. It's great value for just over £90.
One of Amazon's best-selling dome tents is a family-sized style that offers 360-degree views from the six windows. It's sturdy and easy to pitch thanks to the colour-coded poles.
The family tent comes as one extra large room with a removable partition curtain so you can separate it into two areas if you wish. It's 100% waterproof thanks to Coleman's Weather Tec system combined with taped seams and a fully sewn-in groundsheet to keep you dry.
An inflatable tent designed fit for four campers wanting maximum comfort, this family tent features one bedroom and a spacious living room.
The fabric reduces heat inside the tent in the sun and the black fabric means the sun won't wake you up in the morning if you're spending the night outside. One happy customer says: "I’m blown away by how easy and quickly a tent this size goes up and down. It’s very spacious inside and the blackout bedroom is a great addition."
If you're in the market for something a little special, this tipi-style tent will tickle you pink. Its design lends it a glamping feel as well as making it easier to pitch, since it only requires one connecting pole. Our tester's children loved the removable top, which is intended for air circulation but doubles as a stargazing window.
This tent felt very spacious, with a good standing height, but this did make it quite heavy to carry. Another snag was having to zip in the ground sheet, which came separately to the rest of the tent. Still, all of that feels like a small price to pay for a beautiful, high-performing tent.
For super-fast pitching, a strong structure and full stand-up head height, look no further than Vango's Odyssey Air 600 SC. The six-person family tent comes with a pre-attached sun canopy and one of its best features is its pitching speed that means less time setting up and more time enjoying your camping holiday.
Helping you to feel at home, this tent offers full mesh doors, lantern hanging loops, storage pockets and large 'Diamond Clear' windows so you can take in the lovely views outside.
Small families looking to take their first camping trip will love Vango's Tay 300, an entry level three-person dome tent with just a 10-minute pitching time. It has a gothic arch pole design to increase stability and keeps the tent strong and sturdy during turbulent weather, while offering more headroom.
The Lights Out technology in the bedroom helps block out light so you can get a good night’s sleep and the large windows allow light into the porch area, giving you great visibility.
Small families will love Vango's Tryfan 300, which has an extremely roomy internal space and good head height. It offers plenty of air ventilation, with two extra large side vents and mesh door options.
The family tent pitches inner first and can be pitched inner only for when it's especially hot. A canopy provides additional space and shelter, and if the weather's bad, the vents can be securely closed using the zip panels, keeping you and your gear dry.
This tent did a great job of protecting our testers from the elements; not only did it keep them warm on a cold night, but it also came with cross-bracing straps that stopped the tent from bending in the wind. You can unclip said straps to free up more space, but there's plenty – two queen-sized bedrooms, a living area and storage pockets.
The instructions were mostly clear, though they didn't mention the front porch feature, and our testers pitched up with little difficulty. They did advise being careful with the poles, which felt like they could snap if handled with too much force. The pros far outweighed the cons here, though – this is a lightweight, spacious tent that's also made from recycled plastic for eco credentials.
Sleeping up to six glampers, this family tent features pre-angled FRP poles ensuring full headroom throughout. The yurt-style tent offers all the size and freedom friends need, while allowing you to connect with nature and share the outdoor fun.
There are PVC windows for internal light, toggle-up curtains for privacy and a wide, fold-flat entrance. A covered rear vent provides ample ventilation and easily adjustable fresh airflow.