Where is wild camping legal in the UK?
One table, national park by national park, showing whether wild camping is a right, a limited right, or something you need permission for — with a link to the authority that says so. Search an area or filter by status.
Scotland (most unenclosed land)
Scotland
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives a right of responsible access that includes lightweight wild camping on most unenclosed land. Responsible means small numbers, no fires where damage is likely, and leaving no trace, as set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
Scottish Outdoor Access CodeLoch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
Scotland
Statutory access rights apply, but seasonal camping management byelaws cover popular lochshore zones. Inside those zones during the managed season you need a permit or a campsite booking.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National ParkDartmoor National Park
England
Backpack camping is permitted on defined areas of the commons, following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that upheld the right under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985. The park publishes a map of where it applies — outside those areas you need permission.
Dartmoor National Park AuthorityLake District National Park
England
No legal right to wild camp. High-fell camping well away from roads and settlements is often tolerated at the landowner's discretion, but the valleys, lakeshores and permissive-access land are not, and enforcement has tightened.
Lake District National Park AuthorityNorthumberland, Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and other English parks
England
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives a right of access on foot to open country in England, but it explicitly excludes camping. Ask the landowner, or book a pitch.
GOV.UK open access landEryri (Snowdonia)
Wales
No right to wild camp. The Authority asks walkers to camp only with the landowner's permission, and the busy approaches to Yr Wyddfa are patrolled after years of fire and litter damage.
Eryri National Park AuthorityBannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
Wales
Permission first. Much of the central Beacons is grazed common land belonging to working farms, and reservoir catchments are off limits.
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park AuthorityPembrokeshire Coast
Wales
Not permitted without consent. Much of the coast path corridor is SSSI or National Trust land where camping is refused outright, and cliff-top pitching causes erosion.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park AuthorityNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland
There is no general right of access to the countryside comparable to Scotland's. Wild camping requires the landowner's permission; forest parks and coastal sites run their own booked pitches.
nidirect: access to the countrysideHow to read the statuses
- Statutory right
- Access rights in law allow responsible wild camping, subject to a code and local byelaws.
- Limited right
- Camping is allowed in defined places or under defined conditions only.
- Permission needed
- No general right — camping without the landowner's consent is trespass.
Access law changes, and byelaws are made locally. This page summarises the published position of each authority and links to it — always check the source before you travel. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.
Common questions
- Is wild camping legal in the UK?
- It depends where you are. Scotland has a statutory right of responsible access that includes lightweight wild camping on most unenclosed land. England, Wales and Northern Ireland do not — camping there without the landowner's permission is civil trespass, with narrow exceptions such as backpack camping on parts of the Dartmoor commons.
- What is the difference between a right and being tolerated?
- A right is set out in statute and cannot be withdrawn by a landowner on the day. Tolerance is a custom: high-level fell camping in the Lake District, for example, is often accepted but remains at the landowner's discretion and can be refused.
- Can I wild camp on Dartmoor?
- On the defined areas of the commons, yes — backpack camping there is permitted, confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2023. Check the Authority's current map before you set off, and note it covers walk-in camping only, not vehicles.
- How do I camp wild-style legally elsewhere?
- Ask the landowner, or book a pitch on land where the owner has already said yes. Off-grid and back-to-basics pitches give you the same one-tent-in-a-field experience with permission, a location and someone who knows you are there.
Reference this table
Free to quote or embed with a credit — useful for walking clubs, outdoor retailers and journalists covering access rights.
- Plain credit
Where is wild camping legal in the UK? — live 1 life (2026). https://live-1.life/tools/uk-wild-camping-rules - HTML link
<p>Source: <a href="https://live-1.life/tools/uk-wild-camping-rules">Where is wild camping legal in the UK?</a> by <a href="https://live-1.life">live 1 life</a></p> - Embed card
<a href="https://live-1.life/tools/uk-wild-camping-rules" style="display:block;max-width:420px;padding:16px;border:1px solid #dcd7cc;border-radius:12px;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;color:#1f3d2b"><strong>Where is wild camping legal in the UK?</strong><br><span style="color:#5b6b5f;font-size:14px">UK wild camping legal status, national park by national park, with official sources.</span><br><span style="font-size:12px;color:#8a9489">live-1.life</span></a>
Camp legally tonight
Where there is no right to wild camp, the closest thing is a pitch on land whose owner has already agreed — one tent, no crowds, permission included.