Laws on wild camping

[james4480]

I live in Lincoln, Lincolnshire and want to get out wild camping rather than having early mornings and late nights. However reading around on the laws of wild camping there doesn't seem to be a very clear answer. Most places say its illegal however others say it is okay.

I was wondering if anyone knows the exact laws and could help me out, and would like to no if anyone does much wildcamping.


Thanks
James

 

[Seoras]

Hi James

Welcome to BCUK.

Have a look here

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52767

Cheers

George

 

[Binxie]

"In England and Wales:

In short, camping on private land without permission is trespassing and on open access land wild camping is prohibited under Schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, a recent petition to the Government to address this gave the following response:

“This Government appreciates the potential benefits of wild camping in England and its attractiveness to campers who already have the opportunity to camp in the wild in Scotland.

The Land Reform Act in Scotland allows for wild camping, but the land issues and the legislation in England are somewhat different. The introduction of wild camping in England would be a controversial issue, which would require both significant consultation and legislative change.

On open access land wild camping is prohibited under Schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which lists all restricted activities. Therefore, new Regulations would be required to exclude wild camping as a restricted activity. Any change to the current rules on wild camping in National Parks and Ministry of Defence land would require new primary legislation.

The Government has no plans to allocate the necessary resources to consider proposals for such legislation at present, and is concentrating on following up the successful introduction of 750,000 hectares of open access land with new legislation on access to the coast in the Marine Bill Act which is currently going through Parliament.”

Source – Legalise Wild Camping petition in England and Wales"

I'm a bit confused by this. How is it trespass to sleep in someones wood without permission yet whole houses can be taken by squatters for months on end? Surely its a civil case and not criminal?

 

[Lister]

as of 01/09/12 squatting is a criminal offence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19429936

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/legislation/bills-acts/circulars/squatting-circular.pdf

"Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 creates a new offence of squatting in a residential building"

Best advice, don't get caught, if it's legal it won't matter if you're caught, if it's illegal and you don't get caught then you've got nowt to worry about, if you get caught however that's a different story.

 

[Squidders]

There are still plenty of places available to us for wild camping such as Dartmoor, you just have to be sensible and travel light and avoid fires. It's tricky finding somewhere where fires are ok and when you do you're onto a winner.

http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/camping

 

[Binxie]

There are still plenty of places available to us for wild camping such as Dartmoor, you just have to be sensible and travel light and avoid fires. It's tricky finding somewhere where fires are ok and when you do you're onto a winner.

http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/camping

Thanks for that link Squidders, I shall have to look into a little venture out that way!

 

[Squidders]

There are many other places, as well as camp sites that allow fires (some more remote than others!)

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=4
http://www.campfiresburning.org/sites.php

 

[Squidders]

Also, depending on where you are in essex, don't forget the massive coastline up there. You are free to have small fires on the beach too but advised to let the coastguard know so they don't think a boat is on fire.

 

[Binxie]

Also, depending on where you are in essex, don't forget the massive coastline up there. You are free to have small fires on the beach too but advised to let the coastguard know so they don't think a boat is on fire.

Which sort of areas are best then? I've lived in Southend my whole life up until a year ago so the idea has never really crossed my mind. Im guessing Walton-On-The-Naze way?

 

[Squidders]

I don't know any specifics but recommend Google Earth to find more remote areas that will be accessible. I have done this a few times and been caught out by seeing some woodland then a beach and thinking "result!" only to walk up to a cliff when I get there.

 

[toilet digger]

Which sort of areas are best then? I've lived in Southend my whole life up until a year ago so the idea has never really crossed my mind. Im guessing Walton-On-The-Naze way?

where abouts essex are you?
i grew up in colly and i would say mersea island is a winner, nice and quiet. although don't camp on the golf course. the greenskeeper wasn't best pleased when he found me lying next to a foot wide fire scar on the putting green a 7 in the morning (in my defence, it was dark when i pitched up and the course is adjacent to the beach)

jamie

 

[widu13]

Surely its a civil case and not criminal?

That's entirely correct. Bear in mind however that if damage is caused or you cause alarm, harassment or distress to the landowner it then becomes a criminal offence.

For a civil matter you can be asked to provide your name and address for a civil case to be heard; but no-one (including the police), has a power in law to demand your name and address.

 

[Oldwoodyrock]

When I read all the laws you Brits have against about every thing, I am most pleased the HM Government transported my family to Canada from out home in Scotland. Although I now live in the Pacific Northwest of the US of A where much land is Public so too is it in western Canada. We can wild camp nearly anywhere. Oh, yes, your chainsaw permit........we laugh our arses off about that one. Hell, my wife has her own power saw.
Woody

 

[johnboe522]

When I read all the laws you Brits have against about every thing, I am most pleased the HM Government transported my family to Canada from out home in Scotland. Although I now live in the Pacific Northwest of the US of A where much land is Public so too is it in western Canada. We can wild camp nearly anywhere. Oh, yes, your chainsaw permit........we laugh our arses off about that one. Hell, my wife has her own power saw.
Woody

I know it's sad but that's what you get when you live in a h+s, nanny and policed state.

 

[demographic]

When I read all the laws you Brits have against about every thing, I am most pleased the HM Government transported my family to Canada from out home in Scotland. Although I now live in the Pacific Northwest of the US of A where much land is Public so too is it in western Canada. We can wild camp nearly anywhere. Oh, yes, your chainsaw permit........we laugh our arses off about that one. Hell, my wife has her own power saw.
Woody

Chainsaw permit? There's qualifications for people doing it to make money and all that but there's a lot of people who own and use a chainsaw perfectly legally without any form of paperwork involved.
I do.

Its advisable to get some training with them as well you know. Chainsaws are about the most dangerous tool I own and I own quite a few sharp tools but I don't need a permit to cut my own wood up.

 

[Graveworm]

That's entirely correct. Bear in mind however that if damage is caused or you cause alarm, harassment or distress to the landowner it then becomes a criminal offence.

For a civil matter you can be asked to provide your name and address for a civil case to be heard; but no-one (including the police), has a power in law to demand your name and address.

Private land and non open access land remains Civil, but technically Open Access land is now a crime introduced in the same act that brought in "Right to roam" in what might seem to be a step back..

 

[Gaudette]

I never knew I needed a permit for a chainsaw! Is this correct?

 

[Gaudette]

Sorry so incensed at the idea I missed demographics answer!

 

[Ogri the trog]

When I read all the laws you Brits have against about every thing, I am most pleased the HM Government transported my family to Canada from out home in Scotland. Although I now live in the Pacific Northwest of the US of A where much land is Public so too is it in western Canada. We can wild camp nearly anywhere. Oh, yes, your chainsaw permit........we laugh our arses off about that one. Hell, my wife has her own power saw.
Woody

A quick Wiki search shows that Canada has a population density of about 9.27 people per square mile - the UK has about 674 per square mile. We have about double your population in a land that is only a tiny fraction of the area.

Some of our laws make a whole bunch of sense when numbers reach this sort of proportion.

ATB

Ogri teh trog

 

[boatman]

Camping not a crime on Open Access land eg.
http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/category/magazine/?p=2078

But once again let us all shiver in our shoes that we might break a law if we poke our noses outdoors.