Leave no Trace: The wild camper’s code
Wild camping is a privilege. It’s not about turning your back on society so much as learning how to tread more lightly through it. It’s freedom with a code of conduct. It’s muddy boots and misty mornings, yes — but it’s also respect, restraint, and responsibility.
At the heart of it all is ‘Leave No Trace’. Not a rulebook, not a set of laws — but a quietly powerful philosophy that, if followed properly, ensures we can all enjoy wild spaces without leaving scars behind. Born in the USA, its tenets are as applicable to our wild spaces as they are to the vast wild spaces they were penned to protect. And we think everyone in the UK can benefit from them if we — the people who use our wild spaces the most — learn them, live by them and spread them.
1. Plan ahead and prepare
Good adventures begin with good planning. Before you even lace up your boots, it pays to know where you’re going, what the conditions will be, and how you’ll minimise your impact. Are you heading to a heavily trafficked national park or a lesser-known bothy trail? Are you allowed to camp there? Do you know how to dispose of waste properly or what to do if you need to move quickly in bad weather?
Preparation doesn’t just keep you safe. It keeps the places you’re passing through safe, too.
Top Tip: Avoid areas that are already under pressure — if a spot’s become a social media hotspot, give it a rest and head somewhere quieter instead.
2. Travel and camp on durable ground
In the UK, we’re blessed with all sorts of beautiful terrain: boggy moorland, soft sandy dunes, grassy meadows, delicate heather, and ancient woodlands. But not all ground is created equal. When wild camping, your best bet is to pitch on durable surfaces, like grass, gravel, or rocky ground. These spots are less likely to be damaged by a night under canvas, and they recover faster when you’re gone. And don’t forget: always camp out of sight of paths, roads, and buildings, and never pitch too close to a water source.
Rule of thumb: If your presence is likely to be seen, heard, or felt by someone else — or to cause long-term damage to the land — move on.
3. Dispose of waste properly
Let’s be blunt: nothing ruins a remote wild spot faster than human rubbish. Or worse — human waste. The golden rule? If you carried it in, you carry it out. That includes your food wrappers, your soggy loo roll, your broken guyline and any and all traces of food you brought with you. To go to the toilet responsibly, dig a small hole at least 30 metres away from water, paths and campsites. And bury it properly; don’t just toss a rock on top and hope for the best.
But what when it’s just a banana?
Don’t be fooled by the words 'biodegradable’. Sure, it applies to bananas, but that doesn’t mean they belong in the wild. Unlike native organic matter, banana peels decompose slowly in Britain’s cooler, wetter climate, taking up to two years to fully break down. In that time, they leach chemicals into the soil, attract scavengers, and disrupt local ecosystems. Worse still, leaving peels behind encourages a false sense of “natural” disposal among others. So let’s set the record straight: if you carried it in — even if it’s organic — you carry it out. Yes, even your humble banana skin.
4. Leave what you find
You’re not just a visitor out here — you’re a guest. And just like you wouldn’t swipe the paintings off someone’s walls, you shouldn’t take souvenirs from the wild. That means no flower-picking. No unreasonable mushroom-hoarding. No rearranging stones into fire circles, building ‘epic’ wind shelters or constructing cairns where they’re not absolutely necessary. Everything you see out there plays a role in the local ecosystem — even the things that seem insignificant.
5. Do not light a fire
There’s no denying it — a campfire feels like the heart of the campsite. The flicker, the warmth, the nostalgia. But in the British outdoors, the simple truth is this: campfires cause more harm than good. They scar the ground. They scorch the soil. They leave blackened stones, charred circles, and a trail of damage that can take years to heal. Worse still, they risk starting wildfires — an increasingly real and frightening possibility during Britain’s warmer months
So let’s be clear: don’t light fires. No matter how romantic it seems. No matter how careful you think you’ll be. Instead, cook on a camping stove. They’re compact, reliable, and leave no trace behind. The stars will shine just as brightly without the smoke.
6. Respect wildlife
The hills and glens aren’t empty, even if they feel that way. Red deer, badgers, birds of prey, wild ponies — all of them call these places home. And during breeding or nesting season, even a brief disturbance can have devastating effects. Keep your distance. Camp well away from any visible dens or nests. Don’t feed animals, don’t chase them for a better photo, and definitely don’t bring dogs off-lead unless you know it’s safe and legal to do so.
Let wild animals be
We’re lucky to live in a country mostly void of dangerous animals, so that’s one less thing to worry about when you’re out in the wild. But don’t forget: Wild animals are ‘wild’ by nature, which makes them beautifully unpredictable. So keep your distance for your own safety, as well as the safety of animals you confront out there
7. Be considerate of others
Even out in the back of beyond, you’re part of a wider community. Fellow walkers, local landowners, early-morning shepherds, mountain rescue volunteers — they’re all part of the outdoor fabric. So be kind. Be discreet.
Be the sort of camper who gives wild camping a good name. Keep noise to a minimum. Move on early in the morning. Don’t post exact locations online if they’re fragile or likely to become overrun. And never outstay your welcome — one night in any spot is more than enough.
Leave no trace
Leave No Trace isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being aware. It’s about recognising that our actions have consequences, and choosing to make better ones — even when no one’s watching. It’s about protecting the places we love, so that others can fall in love with them too. So next time you’re shouldering your pack and heading for the hills, take these principles with you. And leave behind only flattened grass and fond memories.
Because the best wild campers are invisible. And the best campsites? They look like you were never there at all.
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