Wild camping has a long history in the Lake District.
It’s a pastime that has been loved by people of all ages for decades – but it’s also an activity that is regularly misunderstood.
Unlike places like Scotland, where responsible wild camping is fully legal thanks to the Right to Roam, in the Lake District, the law is a little less clear cut.
Technically, wild camping is illegal without the permission of a landowner in the Lake District but it is widely tolerated if campers obey a specific set of rules.
But when those rules aren’t followed, wild camping can very quickly become fly-camping, which often results in campers being moved on by police or park rangers.
Wild camping has soared in popularity over recent years and social media is full of information and misinformation – which often leads to a lot of confusion over what is allowed and what isn’t.
In the worst cases – fly-camping can result in wildfires, littered natural spaces, injured wildlife, abandoned campsites and mountain rescue team call outs.
But what are the rules of wild camping and at what point does wild camping turn into fly-camping?
We’ve put together a no-nonsense guide on how to avoid fly-camping’ and how you can stick to the ethos of true wild camping while you’re out enjoying the fells.
So, is wild camping actually illegal in the Lake District?
Technically – wild camping is illegal and is not permitted in the Lake District without prior permission from landowners.
But, according to the Lake District National Park Authority, it is widely tolerated when campers behave responsibly and follow a specific set of rules – with the main rule being that campers must pitch up for the night above the highest fell wall, well away from towns, villages and lakeshores.
The highest fell wall is around 400 metres high and camps should not be noticed by anybody else so campers can enjoy an unspoiled landscape.
Campers must also follow these rules:
- Leave no litter – this includes not burying any litter and removing other people’s if you find it
- Don’t light any fires, even if there is evidence that fires might have been lit
- Stay for only one night
- Keep groups very small – only one or two tents and stay away from other wild campers
- Camp as unobtrusively as possible with inconspicuous tents which blend in
- Leave the campsite as you would want to find it
- Carry out everything you carried in
- Carry out tampons and sanitary towels, burying them doesn’t work as animals dig them up again
- Choose a dry pitch rather than digging drainage ditches around a tent or moving boulders
- Perform toilet duties at least 30 metres from water and bury the results with a trowel
- At all times, help protect the environment and respect other visitors and communities.
- Don’t camp next to streams or springs to avoid contaminating the water
- Arrive late in the day (dusk) and move on at dawn
Even if wild campers responsibly follow all the rules – there is always a small risk that landowners or their representatives may choose to move campers on and they have a legal right to do this.
The National Trust said many traditional wild camping locations in the Lake District were attracting unsustainable numbers of campers – so people are asked to remain true to the wild camping ethos of being completely inconspicuous and choosing discreet locations to camp when in the fells.
What is fly-camping? How is it different to wild camping?
If you don’t follow the rules of wild camping and your planned pitch is not above the highest fell wall – it is then considered illegal fly-camping.
According to the Lake District National Park and National Trust, camping in valleys, by lakeshores or by any lowland areas, unless it is in an official campsite, is fly-camping.
While wild camping’s ethos is all about being discreet, respecting the landscape and leaving no trace – fly-camping is often described as more destructive and anti-social.
Lighting campfires or temporary barbecues on the ground, behaving anti-socially, getting drunk or using drugs, leaving items and litter behind, chopping down branches or trees for fires or camping in large groups are all behaviours commonly associated with fly-camping.
Serious cases of destructive fly-camping are reported every year across the Lake District – with one of the more recent incidents taking place in Buttermere, where an entire campsite, including tents and an axe, were left behind.
Genuine wild campers who respect the ethos of enjoying unsoiled landscapes and leaving no trace should not be confused with fly-campers.
You can find out more about how to how you can leave no trace properly here.
I’m a responsible camper – why is it so bad for me to just camp anywhere with friends or family?
The rules around wild camping are in place to protect the Lake District’s landscapes.
Every year popular beauty spots in the Lake District explode in popularity on social media and with that comes huge increases in visitor numbers.
While one responsible fly-camper may do no harm – the National Trust said many locations are attracting unsustainable numbers of campers and one fly-camper may inspire more to come.
For those who don’t know the differences between wild camping and fly-camping, it can be an honest mistake to pitch up somewhere you shouldn’t.
But serious cases of destructive fly-camping are recorded regularly across the Lake District and not all people take the time to learn about what they should or shouldn’t do in the area.
A study commissioned by Friends of the Lake District in 2021 found that over a quarter of people visiting the Lake District admit to leaving litter behind and more than half expect to find litter bins even in the remotest valleys and fells.
But the reality is that litter is not regularly collected in rural parts of the Lake District like it is in parks in cities – instead, it is often local residents who pick up litter or rangers who’s time is diverted from more important conservation tasks.
If I camp somewhere I’m not supposed to, will I be moved on?
Fly-campers are often moved on by park rangers, national park officers, locals, landowners or police.
As fly-camping is illegal – people with authority are legally allowed to move fly-campers on.
While wild camping properly is tolerated, even wild campers responsibly following all the rules can be asked to move on.
Wild campers are asked to be aware that there is always a small risk that landowners or their representatives may choose to move campers on and that they have a legal right to do this.
Why am I not allowed to have a campfire or a barbecue?
Fires can cause a lot of damage and can risk starting a wild fire.
Barbecues and campfires can scorch the ground – which can take the ground weeks or months to recover.
Some of the ground at Lake District beauty spots including the shoreline around Wastwater can also contain naturally flammable substances like peat – which if set alight, can burn for several days.
People looking for the campfire experience are advised to look at campsite options instead, where fires can be created in controlled settings.
The right equipment and stocking up on good camp food warmed on a lightweight camping stove is considered the best way to stay warm while wild camping.
I’m interested in wild camping – how do I know if it’s for me?
The National Trust said that a well prepared single backpack should include all the necessary equipment for one night stay.
If a single backpack isn’t enough, then the organisation said this was a good indicator that a campsite is a better option.
If campers are not prepared to clear up all their rubbish – including human waste – the organisation added that a campsite was again the better option.
Campers looking for a large group social experience are also more suited to campsite settings.
Wild campers should also be prepared to navigate and find their way using a map and a compass and should be aware of the Countryside Code.
Following the Countryside Code includes keeping dogs under control, keeping gates, driveways and roads clear and sticking to designated footpaths.
A big part of wild camping is being able to enjoy unspoiled landscapes – so if you’re looking for a quiet, bare-bones retreat to nature, wild camping is for you.
Why is wild camping illegal in the Lake District?
Laws relating to wild camping in England have a very long history.
The concept of land owners and being unable to stay without permission on someone else’s land first came after the Norman invasion in 1066 when all land was surrendered to the monarchy.
The land was divided up and given to a select group of people who ruled and were able to make decisions on who lived in the area.
More alterations to land laws came in the following years – including the introduction of the idea of enclosed land with the use of fences and walls.
But it was the introduction of The Vagrancy Act 1824 that made it an offence to sleep rough – regardless of a person’s reasoning to do so.
This law remains in place today in England and is the main reason why wild camping illegal.
Campaigners against the act managed to successfully push for Westminster to repeal the act in 2022 – but the act has still not been fully repealed, meaning it’s technically still in force.
In Scotland, the law was repealed under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act in 1982 – making it legal to camp and roam across most of the region.
But wild campers in Scotland still have to camp responsibly and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code while out – as they can still be moved on if they are fly-camping or behaving anti-socially.
How can I find out about official campsites?
The National Trust own several campsites and so do the Lake District National Park Authority.
Many of these campsites are wild feeling and some are situated at the base of fells, near woodlands or at higher elevations.
There are also dozens of independently run campsites across the Lake District – most of which require advance booking, but some allow campers to just turn up and pay.
