Planning Tips For Wild Camping Scotland? (Post-lockdown of course)
- Thread starter MariusD
- Start date
That porch will just have to do haha - it will be an adventure. I'm not considering table and chairs being part my camp at this stage as we will be doing quite a bit of hiking/walking. Definitely a good idea to keep them in the car though anyways.
Since you're walking to your site, rather than car camping, bring gas stove and minimal amount of pots and pans (1-2 pots and a very lightweight frying pan/lid is plenty!) and minimal amount of eating equipment (a spoon, mug and bowl each is all you need). A knife is handy and can be used for both food preparation and bushcrafty uses. Also there's no need for an axe if you've got the gas stove.
The less extra (heavy) metal and (bulky) plastic you carry, the more room you'll have for yummy food and lighter bags makes the walking more pleasant.
Similarly, you only need one head torch each, no need for extra torches adding weight. And don't bother bringing a solar shower!
Not sure why you've got beds as well as mattresses listed? Pick up 2 Thermarest or Exped inflatable camping mattresses (not a normal air mattress!) and that's all you need to sleep on.
If you're just camping next to the car you can bring whatever you can bring whatever you can cram into the car of course, but it's still nice to not have too much even then. It just makes life and the driving easier.
Since you're walking to your site, rather than car camping, bring gas stove and minimal amount of pots and pans (1-2 pots and a very lightweight frying pan/lid is plenty!) and minimal amount of eating equipment (a spoon, mug and bowl each is all you need). A knife is handy and can be used for both food preparation and bushcrafty uses. Also there's no need for an axe if you've got the gas stove.
The less extra (heavy) metal and (bulky) plastic you carry, the more room you'll have for yummy food and lighter bags makes the walking more pleasant.
Similarly, you only need one head torch each, no need for extra torches adding weight. And don't bother bringing a solar shower!
Not sure why you've got beds as well as mattresses listed? Pick up 2 Thermarest or Exped inflatable camping mattresses (not a normal air mattress!) and that's all you need to sleep on.
If you're just camping next to the car you can bring whatever you can bring whatever you can cram into the car of course, but it's still nice to not have too much even then. It just makes life and the driving easier.
Thank you for all the info. I shall take your advice regarding the sleeping mats (although I may have to opt for a cheaper deal to fit into my budget) and will definitely be packing lighter than my list suggests.
Yeah, there are cheaper versions but I thought it was the easiest way to indicate what type I meant.
If you don't need much padding the cheapest option is to get 1 or 2 close cell foam mats each and just sleep on those! In combination with softer ground, this can be comfortable too. I used to have one normal thickness one and one slightly thicker that I just rolled up together and strapped to my pack. Nowadays I often take one foam mat to have under the inflatable mattress in the tent and/or to sit on while cooking.
Hi Marius,
Welcome to the forum.
Loads of good info from everyone coming through here. I could add loads more, but YouTube is your friend here....there are countless videos on wild camping for beginners that will give you a wealth of info on equipment and such like. Check out guys like Paul Messner and MCM Outdoor Show, who have videos on kit for a whole range of budgets, and will give you a good idea where to start.
Always check the weather too, and remember it changes, so always be prepared for a bit of rain, you are coming to Scotland after all!
Galloway Forest National Park is a vast area with plenty of lochs, hills and potential wildcamping areas where you may not even see another soul the whole time you are out, and where wildcamping is also encouraged....provided you follow the all the rules of leaving only your footprints and keeping beautiful Scotland as clean as you find it and observing the wildcamping code.
Also with Galloway Forest National Park, if you go there on a nice clear night with no moon you will be treated to some of the darkest starriest skies that the UK has to offer, as this is one of only 4 Dark Sky parks in the whole country, so pack a set of binoculars too!
Happy camping and enjoy beautiful Scotland
All the best,
Allan
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Welcome to the forum.
Loads of good info from everyone coming through here. I could add loads more, but YouTube is your friend here....there are countless videos on wild camping for beginners that will give you a wealth of info on equipment and such like. Check out guys like Paul Messner and MCM Outdoor Show, who have videos on kit for a whole range of budgets, and will give you a good idea where to start.
Always check the weather too, and remember it changes, so always be prepared for a bit of rain, you are coming to Scotland after all!
Galloway Forest National Park is a vast area with plenty of lochs, hills and potential wildcamping areas where you may not even see another soul the whole time you are out, and where wildcamping is also encouraged....provided you follow the all the rules of leaving only your footprints and keeping beautiful Scotland as clean as you find it and observing the wildcamping code.
Also with Galloway Forest National Park, if you go there on a nice clear night with no moon you will be treated to some of the darkest starriest skies that the UK has to offer, as this is one of only 4 Dark Sky parks in the whole country, so pack a set of binoculars too!
Happy camping and enjoy beautiful Scotland
All the best,
Allan
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Great pointers, thanks guys! Got most of my kit sorted now (hopefully won't be too heavy to carry everything). On to planning the finer details - where to go and for how long. Hoping that it won't be too much longer until it is safe to get out again. I have watched a few videos and the weather does seem a bit more miserable than I expected it to be, Oh well.
Once you've got your kit. Pack it and do some long walks, get some uphill and downhill in too. This will show up any flaws in your backpack the weight and what you can and cannot cope with.
Nothing worse than finding the pack hurts too much and life becomes hell because it's too heavy or doesn't fit right.
Try a couple of nights in the garden too to practice putting up the tent taking it down and packing it away properly, and that your mats are comfy enough especially when you are wet cold and tired this all can become a horrible chore. A good night's rest with a properly secured tent and a comfy mat can make a big difference to the trip.
Have fun!
Nothing worse than finding the pack hurts too much and life becomes hell because it's too heavy or doesn't fit right.
Try a couple of nights in the garden too to practice putting up the tent taking it down and packing it away properly, and that your mats are comfy enough especially when you are wet cold and tired this all can become a horrible chore. A good night's rest with a properly secured tent and a comfy mat can make a big difference to the trip.
Have fun!
