Some of the most obnoxious people I come across in the outdoors are people who claim to be wild camping.

That might sound a bit harsh, and I know plenty of people will disagree with me. But there is something about a group taking giant tents into the wilderness, lighting a barbecue on dry grass, building a fire out of whatever they can find, making loads of noise and essentially having a party, that has absolutely nothing to do with wild camping.

Then they stay until well past midday the next day, leave rubbish behind and still call it wild camping plastering it all over social media. I could not disagree more.

For me, the whole point of wild camping is leaving no trace, protecting the environment you are in and, ideally, not being seen at all. So how do we make sure we are actually doing that?

Be discreet, not the centre of attention

Wild camping can come with incredible views and an amazing sense of being out in nature. But it should not mean pitching right beside a footpath so everyone walking past has to look at you.

A good camp is well away from busy paths, away from livestock and somewhere you are not getting in the way of other people. It should feel quiet. It should look quiet. And when you leave, there should be no sign you were ever there. It is about respecting the place and the people who will come after you. 

That’s not to say you should be acting secretive or like you own some hidden spot, but, part of this is not sharing the exact locations you set up your tent either. Fragile places do not need more footfall just because somebody saw them in a photo. We have all seen what happens when a beautiful spot becomes the place everyone wants to camp for a weekend.

Know the rules, then go beyond them

Wild camping is not a free pass to do whatever you like. Access and camping rules vary across the UK and Europe, and even where camping is permitted there are still responsibilities around where and how you camp.

You need to check the situation for the area you are going to, respect restrictions and pay attention to any local or land-management guidance. Do not assume a spot is fine because you saw it online.

But following the minimum legal rule is not really the point. You can be technically allowed somewhere and still camp in a way that is inconsiderate, noisy or damaging.

With this in mind, think about the ground, the water and the people around you. Keep a sensible distance from water sources. Don’t camp on delicate vegetation. Don’t put yourself near livestock. Don’t choose the busiest place just because it has the best view for a photo.

Leave No Trace actually means leaving no trace

Ultimately you should see Leave No Trace not simply as an aesthetic, but as the minimum standard. 

Take all your rubbish home. Every bit of it. Food scraps, toilet paper, tent pegs, packaging, broken bits of gear. If it came with you, it leaves with you.

Fires and disposable barbecues are another big one for me. A barbecue on dry grass or a fire built from the wood around you can do serious damage very quickly. It is not worth it. There are other ways to cook, and there is no need to make a campfire part of every outdoor experience.

Keep the noise down too. You might be having a brilliant evening with your friends, but somebody else may be there for the quiet and the wildlife certainly did not ask to be part of a campsite party.

A good rule of thumb is if you would be kicked off a normal campsite for behaving like that, then it should not suddenly become acceptable because you are in a more isolated location.

Arrive late, leave early and be prepared to move on

A responsible wild camp is normally a small part of a bigger journey, not an all-day event in one spot.

You should aim to arrive late, set up quietly at dusk, and be packing up as close to dawn as your sleepy self would allow. If the place you had in mind is busy, exposed, waterlogged or just does not feel right, be prepared to walk on. It’s worth having a few options in your head rather than deciding the first vaguely flat patch has to work.

There is a practical side to this too. A wild camp is not the time to use a tent for the first time because you saw a nice forecast on the weather app.

Put it up in your garden, a local campsite or even in your house first if that is what you’ve got. Work out where everything goes, how long it takes, what you can reach from inside it and what happens when you need to pack it away again. Do the same with your stove, sleeping mat, head torch and any other kit you are relying on. The middle of a wet, windy hillside is a rubbish place to discover that you do not know how your tent goes together.

Read the forecast properly too. A still, dry evening can turn into strong winds, rain or low cloud overnight. Do not plan a wild camp and then head out in gale force winds just because you had your heart set on it. It is fine to save it for another time.

And think about the walk out as much as the walk in. The view from your tent might look completely different when you wake up. If cloud comes down or visibility changes, getting back to your car can be much harder than it felt the evening before. Take the navigation tools you know how to use, keep your phone charged but do not rely on it alone, and have a clear plan for how you will get off the hill if the weather changes.

Bring enough water and food for the whole trip, including the walk out the following day. You also need warm layers, waterproofs, a first aid kit and a head torch. You are looking after yourself overnight in a place that may be a long way from easy help, so it is worth being a little bit over-prepared.

Wild camping can be incredible, if it is done right

There is nothing quite like watching the light change from a tent, waking up somewhere beautiful with only sounds from nature as the backing track.

But that experience is not more important than the place you are in.

A good wild camp should feel like a privilege, not an entitlement. You leave no rubbish, no fire scars, no flattened patch of ground, no noise for other people to put up with and no trail online for hundreds of strangers to follow. You take the memories, the photos if you want them, and everything else comes home with you.

The best wild camps are usually the boring ones from everybody else’s point of view. Nobody saw you. Nobody heard you. Nobody had to walk around your tent. You left early, you left quietly, and there is no sign you were ever there.

That is not taking anything away from the experience. It is what lets these places stay wild enough for the next person to enjoy too.

Note: Wild camping is illegal in many places across the UK and Europe. This information advises on lower-impact best practice only and does not condone unlawful access or camping.