Wild camping in Scotland. Need some advice

[mick91]

Looking for reccomendations on some places to camp in Scotland toward the end of the month. Ideally woodland setting. I've never actually ventured up there for camping trips so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Not so bothered about being able to fish as a general rule but if it's near a watercourse that's always a bonus. And the more remote the better.
And anything I should generally know about (differences in the law etc) camping in Scotland please feel free to weigh in

 

[Toddy]

It's a big bit of country….how far do you want to travel, and how will you be travelling ?

M

 

[mick91]

Distance no issue really, we'll be travelling by car but it isn't a 4x4. And then hiking from the parking spot. Although we do have 1 en route pickup from Arbroath so within a few hours of there would be ideal

 

[StuMsg]

Many many places, here are a bunch around the cairngorms within 2 / 3 hours drive of Arbroath.

Generally go to the far end of forrests, just on the outskirts, a couple hundred meters off footpaths is ideal. keeps you away walkers and rangers/wardens etc. Be sensible with fire and don't cut down live trees and there shouldn't be any problems. You probably know all this but just thought I'd mention anyway.

Just a few picked out:

Abernethy forrest, between grontown on spey and aviemore - need to go quite far in to avoid footpaths and landrover tracks used by wardens.

Deep into rothiemurchus forrest (Aviemore) (though there is some great camp sports 10 mins off the road which are blocked by rivers and hence secluded)

Glen tanar forrest (Aboyne)

Alltcailleach forrest (ballater)

Ballochbuie forrest (between ballater and braemar)


Go to bing maps, and choose OS maps from the drop down menu. Then zoom in a bit and scour the land for a decent size forest in a remote-ish place.

http://www.bing.com/maps/

 

[mick91]

Thanks for the advice, will certainly have a look on the os map. That was my main concern really about the legality and wardens. In my current go to spot the warden and I have become quite good friends and all I need do is drop him a text. 9 times out of 10 he'll even come join us for the night as they have some trouble with poachers and our presence for a few days puts them off. Its all about being sensible and respecting the land but I suppose it pays people to assume the worst at first. I assume camping in forestry commission land in Scotland is frowned upon by the wardens?

 

[StuMsg]

camping is fine provided you don't make a mess and tidy up etc. Fires are the touchy subject.

My recommendation is to keep the fire a suitable size and make sure it won't spread, use fallen dead wood but avoid cutting down alive or dead trees and avoid scavenging all the fallen wood as the rangers will tell you it's important for insect environment. find a spot where you can't be seen from footpaths and landrover tracks so there is a lot less chance of being bothered by a warden who will inquire about why you have a fire. The worst they can do it ask you to put the fire out. They can ask you to move on but unless you are obstructing business / public right of way then you can say no and stay I believe.

It will be fine if your sensible so don't worry about it.

 

[mick91]

Cheers for the reassurance, the fires will be kept minimal and those are the general rules I follow so sounds like I should be fine. In all fairness it's unlikely people will even know we are there barring seeing the car parked up. Any reccomendations on potential sites?

 

[StuMsg]

nothing specific but i generally like the outskirts of forests, where the trees thin out and there are views of the hills, mountain streams, etc.

Enjoy

 

[Dogoak]

Please take care with fires in the forests up here, it's very easy to start an underground fire in the peat soil. They can burn for months and spread over a wide area.
I like to camp near to water courses and generally have my fire on the shingle/rocks.

 

[Stevie777]

If you find the time venture more over to the North west Coast you will see Scotland at it's finest. Take loads of Midge repellant though and buy a Head net. i'll be heading up the west highlands myself soon. fires on a beach are never really a problem and neither are the Midges.

 

[mick91]

Thanks for that guys I was wondering about peat fires actually. I'll take every precaution and just use a raised fire in one of those collapsible bbqs they had in aldi recently! I like the idea of the beside a watercourse camping though it'll make a change from my normal woodland

 

[Steve - look at the view]

mick, like people say it depend how far you want to drive and how far you want to walk, arrive late leave early and using a small stove and you can kip in some lovely places - get far from people and you can be a bit bore relaxes. I can provide some pointers for a spot on the shore of lock ness, some lovely places around applecross ( the applecross road is worth it just for the drive!) , if you walk anywhere south / west of dundonnell you can spend days and not see anyone and sky is well worth a visit - there are some decent formal camp sites for a hot shower (if you are away for a number of days) that are worth a one nighter to freshen up - the one on sky at the foot of the Cuillin Hills is chill (local licences hotel and a v thick forest you can play in, oh and climbing and mountain stream fed natural swimming pools), I usually take the canoe with me as that opens up lots of possibilities (even if a fire can be seen across a loch/Bay there is bugger all that anyone can do about it - (at night H&S would stop anyone half official from going on the water - they just dont have the required risk assessment - ) as steve777 says fire on beach (sea or loch) affords little risk and that cheep aldi thing is ok - if a bit heavy (fine in the canoe, but wouldn't carry it) - don't sleep on the beach though (hard and cold!)
drop me a PM and you can give me a call when you have a map available and I can provide some detail - if you would like to come on a bit of an adventure I have 1st to 9th Aug pencilled in for a north west Scotland trip - I take have a huge square box shaped midge net (intended to cover a tropical bed) when hung up it is big enough to sit in table, chair, stove, light, etc - yes looks stupid but once inside life can continue - a head net is a must though. cheers steve

 

[GGTBod]

I like a headnet but a midge jacket is much better, i use Beaton's midge jackets they are excellent bits of kit

 

[mick91]

I like a headnet but a midge jacket is much better, i use Beaton's midge jackets they are excellent bits of kit

I wasn't aware of their existence up until about 20 seconds ago, and will be ordering one within the hour! I generally douse myself in DEET (or the surprisingly effective skin so soft moisturiser) but can't complain about extra help from a net. For some reason they eat me alive

 

[GGTBod]

best bit i find about a midge jacket is i am wearing a t-shirt underneath (weather permitting) and keeping my flesh, only place i put repellant is on my hands and for that i use the amazing deet free Smidge, the face section of the jackets is black mesh and you literally forget you are wearing the jacket until you go to drink your beverage/eat something and realise you need to unzip your face.

 

[mick91]

I've found that with the headnets actually I forget I'm wearing it. Only reason I use DEET is I get tubes of ultrathon given from a mate in the army and seemingly that's what they get issued. I'll look into smidge though. Like I said that skin so soft is really effective (think it contains citronella) but you do have to reapply it after a few hours

 

[GGTBod]

i used to use SSS but i was never a fan or could get used to the greasy skin feeling, stopped using deet products due to concerns of it dissolving items of kit and health issues (not sure if this is a real thing or just bad vibes spread online). You have to reapply Smidge every few hours but it is very effective

 

[mick91]

I've heard that DEET can eat synthetic fabrics. Concering when my hammock is made of nylon! I herd that those mosquito wristbands where good, but having been served up as an entree to every single mosquito in fuertavebtura earlier in the year while wearing one and the missus being totally unscathed without wearing one I realised they where utter BS.

 

[GGTBod]

i had a similar experience in tenerife with a plug in mossy/insect repellant in my bedroom, i would have had the same level of protection with a glade plugin air freshener

 

[mick91]

Sounds about right I think we had one of those too. Its chemicals and/or netting IMO. My hammock net gets a spritz with citronella oil before each trip and my tarp was waxed with insect repellent candle wax (waxed cotton tarps are heavy and not even that great but I made it so I'm using it!)