Wild Camping in UK

[irc]

My take on this nowadays is that a campsite gives you three things that wild camping doesn't:

1. The right to be there
2. A water supply
3. Security

Though the only time I have had anything stolen from my bike while touring was on a paid campsite. Foind my combi lock had been set to 0000. Presumably by someone trying to open it. My breakfast banana was missing from a pannier.

Wild camping where I pitch at dusk ideally nobody knows I am there and it is out of sight of the road. Or at least off to the side so car headlights don't pick out the tent. Most car occupants just watch the road straight ahead.

[in4time]

My last wild camping experience was going fabulously until Network Rail rocked up with all lights blazing and men in orange suits.

BTW which tent model is that?

[Steve X]

Caught for what?

Trespass.
Legally it is Trespass, and if asked to move you would have to, which would be PITA, or if you refused to move, you would open yourself to potential legal action.

Land owners know what is going on, and they may chose to ignore, or take the view they will nip out and move you on for being a cheeky so and so at 11pm. I think council or public body, owned land is the best, as the Police have no business asking you to move unless the land is under a Public Spaces order, only the Land owner or an agent of the Land owner can ask you to move, and you will not get many people who work for the council interested after 5pm. And anyway if it is council or public, I feel more of a moral right.

However I was referring to a persons emotional response to the act of Trespass.

There is an excellent book exploring this topic by Nick Hayes https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/ ... -manifesto

[Sweep]

. I think council or public body, owned land is the best, as the Police have no business asking you to move unless the land is under a Public Spaces order, only the Land owner or an agent of the Land owner can ask you to move, and you will not get many people who work for the council interested after 5pm.

thanks for this and the person above who raised this point.
I understand that if a landowner asks you to leave, you should do so immediately without making a fuss.
IF the police did turn up and try to get you to shift from public land without a council representative possible, could you therefore make a fuss/refuse (in abscence of such council bod) without being done?
"Aggravated trespass" isn't it or some such normally isn't it if you refuse a request to leave?

[Sweep]

Another question.

I can imagine that sometimes (tho never happened to me) a local busybody or nearby householder might turn up, tell you you are on private land and ask/tell you to leave.
If it's not their own personal land can you similarly refuse without any legal consequences?

[ambodach]

Wild camping is perfectly legal in Scotland so long as you observe common sense rules like not camping too near a house for example.
This is not the same as free camping like the person mentioned who camped in a VW in residential streets.
A sure way to upset local residents. How would you like it if somebody ricked up and parked in front of your windows?

[irc]

My last wild camping experience was going fabulously until Network Rail rocked up with all lights blazing and men in orange suits.

BTW which tent model is that?

Argos Pro Action 1. Still going strong after approx 150 nights. I did have the zip repaired and the small pole.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Another question.

I can imagine that sometimes (tho never happened to me) a local busybody or nearby householder might turn up, tell you you are on private land and ask/tell you to leave.
If it's not their own personal land can you similarly refuse without any legal consequences?

That's got to be a yes, otherwise anybody could just drive down the road and see somebody camping in a field and ask them to leave?
A legal representative could of course of the owner.

[Sweep]

Wild camping is perfectly legal in Scotland so long as you observe common sense rules like not camping too near a house for example.
This is not the same as free camping like the person mentioned who camped in a VW in residential streets.
A sure way to upset local residents. How would you like it if somebody ricked up and parked in front of your windows?

Yep. I now and again google free/wild camping + a certain area and lots of the results, from forums and the like, are usually about tips for places to plonk yourself in a big van.

[horizon]

and if asked to move you would have to,

And that's about it.

What I meant I like about campsites is the right to be there - you've paid for the privilege. So in this sense we actually agree. I think far more likely when wild camping (at least in my mind) is the possibility of being harrassed or threatened by the local youth.

So in fact I agree: I want to be there without question and without any possibility of being asked to move on. But I also think that wild camping (in the UK) is almost zero risk for a sensible, responsible cyclist.

[Sweep]

and if asked to move you would have to,

And that's about it.

What I meant I like about campsites is the right to be there - you've paid for the privilege. So in this sense we actually agree. I think far more likely when wild camping (at least in my mind) is the possibility of being harrassed or threatened by the local youth.

So in fact I agree: I want to be there without question and without any possibility of being asked to move on. But I also think that wild camping (in the UK) is almost zero risk for a sensible, responsible cyclist.

I've never been harassed anywhere, but I have been lept awake until the early hours on a campsite - and felt the need to pop out a couple of times to check that my bike was OK. More chance of your bike being taken/interfered with on a campsite I reckon that when freecamping.
For me the only reason to use a campsite is showers.

[Steve X]

Another question.

I can imagine that sometimes (tho never happened to me) a local busybody or nearby householder might turn up, tell you you are on private land and ask/tell you to leave.
If it's not their own personal land can you similarly refuse without any legal consequences?

This is the internet and I am not a legal person.
However, the person wronged against is the land owner, and it is for them, or their agent to ask you to move or stay. If anyone asks you to move, you could ask what business it is of there's. It is a Civll not a Criminal offence. But really all we want is a quiet nights sleep , not a row.
I would highly recommend the books by Nick Hayes, Trespass and Trespassers Companion, because he explains exactly what you can and cannot do, and gives examples of access rights in other countries.
The thing with cycling as a Road Tourer is really you are camping by the road, so its not really wild camping, not like a Bike Packer up in the hills would do, its more Feral Camping.

[Bmblbzzz]

Another question.

I can imagine that sometimes (tho never happened to me) a local busybody or nearby householder might turn up, tell you you are on private land and ask/tell you to leave.
If it's not their own personal land can you similarly refuse without any legal consequences?

This is the internet and I am not a legal person.

Are you merely unincorporated or actually non-corporeal?

[Tangled Metal]

Personally I think wildcamping is when you're in a wilderness area away from the possible view of houses, roads, etc. If you think gangs of youths might be a problem then you're not wildcamping in my view.

It seems that a lot on here are not truly wildcamping but a form of free camping. I'm not a fan of that personally but I have done it before. I've camped on a few spots near enough to roads and houses to be seen on Skye a few times. Often having nice chats with the locals, who have at times pointed to their house in the conversation. Even got told where there's a drinking water tap beside a house that the owner let's free campers use.

Basically my onl
y non wildcamping nights have been where the locals are all OK with it going on. Only complaining when it's drunken louts being a bit loud apparently, but that's not common where I camped.

I think if you're worried about being caught and / or on a lowland area then you're free camping.

[Sweep]

Personally I think wildcamping is when you're in a wilderness area away from the possible view of houses, roads, etc. If you think gangs of youths might be a problem then you're not wildcamping in my view.

It seems that a lot on here are not truly wildcamping but a form of free camping. I'm not a fan of that personally but I have done it before. I've camped on a few spots near enough to roads and houses to be seen on Skye a few times. Often having nice chats with the locals, who have at times pointed to their house in the conversation. Even got told where there's a drinking water tap beside a house that the owner let's free campers use.

Basically my onl
y non wildcamping nights have been where the locals are all OK with it going on. Only complaining when it's drunken louts being a bit loud apparently, but that's not common where I camped.

I think if you're worried about being caught and / or on a lowland area then you're free camping.

splitting hairs I think - my impression is that folk generally use freecamping and wildcamping interchangeably - such is the richness of the english language. Suppose there may be some folks who like to reckon they are being particularly wild/daring or whatever surrounded by savage beasts, but most of us just want a pleasant no fuss refuge and kip.