There is a particular kind of quiet that arrives once the last day walkers have driven home and your tent is the only thing moving on the hillside. Wild camping — sleeping out away from campsites, carrying everything you need on your back — is one of the best ways to get close to the English and Welsh countryside. It is also widely misunderstood. The rules are rarely what beginners expect, the kit matters more than most people assume, and the gap between a memorable night and a miserable one usually comes down to a handful of small decisions made hours earlier.

Is wild camping legal in England and Wales?

Mostly not, unless you have permission. Almost all land belongs to somebody: a farmer, a forestry company, a water authority, the National Trust, a national park authority, a private estate. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives you the right to walk across much open country, but that right stops at walking. It does not include pitching a tent or sleeping overnight.

For many years Dartmoor was the great exception, and walkers treated the high moor as somewhere you could legally camp with a small tent. A legal case in 2023 changed that position, and camping on Dartmoor now depends on the permissive arrangements agreed by the national park authority and individual landowners. Those arrangements have shifted more than once since, which is why the only sensible starting point is to check the current guidance from the relevant national park authority before you travel.

Scotland is genuinely different: the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives a right to camp responsibly on most unenclosed land, with conditions attached. That right does not cross the border. Do not assume the same rules apply in Northumberland or the Cheviots.

So what are your realistic options in England and Wales?

• Ask a landowner for permission. This is the simplest and most reliable route, and it often works.
• Use permissive areas. Some national parks and estates designate places where lightweight backpack camping is tolerated or formally allowed. These are usually away from roads and car parks.
• Camp on a small, basic site. Farm campsites with a tap, a loo and a field are a brilliant stepping stone. You get the quiet without the uncertainty.

Plenty of people do camp discreetly in remote upland areas without asking. Tolerance is not the same as permission, though, and you may be asked to move on. If that happens, do it immediately and politely, with no argument. That is general guidance rather than legal advice — access arrangements change, so confirm the position with the landowner or national park authority before you set off.

What about Wales?

Same position. Eryri, Bannau Brycheiniog and the Cambrian Mountains are magnificent places to walk and camp, but access land there means access on foot, not a right to sleep. Many landowners will say yes if asked properly, and a growing number of farms offer simple camping fields with minimal facilities. Start with those while you build confidence.

How to ask for permission well

Knock on a farm door in daylight, never after dark, and be specific. Say who you are, where you plan to pitch, how many tents, what time you will arrive and leave, and whether you want a fire. Something like: “I’m walking the ridge tomorrow. Could I pitch one small tent in the far corner of that field tonight, arrive about seven, gone by eight, no fire, no vehicle?” Offer to pay, and leave a phone number.

Farmers say yes far more often to a small, quiet, self-contained group than to four cars and a gazebo. Never camp in a field with livestock, crops or machinery, and never block a gate, track or water trough.

What to pack for one night

The temptation is to take too much. Weigh your pack before you leave; a first overnight pack of around ten to twelve kilograms is plenty for a mild-weather trip.

• Tent — a lightweight three-season model, plus spare pegs and a repair patch.
• Sleeping mat — more important than the bag for warmth. Choose an insulated one.
• Sleeping bag — matched to the forecast, not to summer optimism.
• Clothing — base layer, fleece or synthetic midlayer, waterproof shell, warm hat and gloves. Assume it will be colder than the valley.
• Stove and fuel, a lighter, and either a simple pan or a no-cook dinner.
• Water — two to three litres, plus a filter or purification tablets if you plan to refill from streams.
• Head torch with spare batteries, and a charged phone in a dry bag.
• Map and compass, even with a phone. Batteries die; paper does not.
• Essentials — small first aid kit, blister plasters, a trowel, hand sanitiser, and a bag for all your rubbish.
• Midge head net in summer, especially near damp woodland and lakes.

Choosing a pitch and settling in

Arrive late and leave early. Look for flat, well-drained ground that has clearly been camped on before, and stay away from paths, streams and historic features. Do not pitch beneath a lone tree or a dead branch in a breeze. If the ground slopes, sleep with your head uphill, and keep your boots and water inside the porch so foxes do not carry them off.

Pitch with the door facing away from the wind, stake everything out properly even on a still evening, and cook outside the tent and away from the fabric. Boil water for a hot drink before you get into your bag; it makes a surprising difference to how the night feels.

Leave no trace: the practical rules

1. Plan for the ground you will use. Durable surfaces — rock, gravel, dry grass, established pitches — recover quickly. Fragile moss and heather do not.
2. Carry everything out. Including fruit peel, tea bags, wet wipes and torn packaging. Take a spare bag for other people’s litter if you have room.
3. Deal with human waste properly. Walk at least thirty metres from any water, path or building, dig a hole about fifteen to twenty centimetres deep, and carry your used toilet paper out in a bag. Where the ground is too hard or too precious to dig, use a bag and take it with you.
4. Skip the fire. Upland ground burns easily and scars for years. A small stove gives you a hot meal with none of the damage.
5. Keep water clean. Wash yourself and your pans well away from streams, and use as little soap as possible.
6. Leave wildlife alone. Avoid nesting season on open moorland, and if livestock approaches, move away calmly rather than chasing it off.

A simple test before you walk away: look at the spot you slept on and ask whether anyone could tell you had been there.

Your first trip: a straightforward plan

Book a small farm campsite for your first night out and treat it as a dress rehearsal. You will learn how long your setup really takes, whether your mat is comfortable and how cold you get at three in the morning — without worrying about whether you are allowed to be there. Once that feels easy, ask a landowner for permission somewhere nearby, or try a permissive backpack camping area in a national park.

Check the mountain forecast the day before, tell someone your route and expected return time, and carry a paper map. Register your phone for the emergency SMS service before you go, in case you find yourself somewhere with no signal. Start small: one night, low ground, good weather, easy escape route. If it rains, you will still have had a decent adventure, and you will know exactly what to change next time.

Photo: JoshuaWoroniecki / Pixabay