Leave No Trace Camping Guide

Leave no trace isn't just a nice idea — it's the single most important principle in wild camping. Everything else — where you go, what gear you use, how far you walk — is secondary to this. If every wild camper left no trace, most of the problems that threaten wild camping access would disappear.

Why It Matters

Wild camping in England and Wales exists on tolerance. Landowners and national park authorities allow it because most campers are responsible. Every fire scar, abandoned tent, and pile of rubbish erodes that tolerance.

Even in Scotland, where wild camping is a legal right, irresponsible camping has led to restrictions in popular areas and damaged relationships with local communities.

The equation is simple: leave no trace = continued access. Leave a mess = restrictions and bans.

The Seven Principles

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Good planning reduces your impact:

• Know the rules for your area
• Check weather so you don't need emergency fires
• Repackage food to reduce waste (remove excess packaging at home)
• Carry everything you need so you're not improvising in the field
• Have a plan for human waste

2. Camp on Durable Surfaces

Choose surfaces that can handle the pressure of a tent and footfall:

• Good: Rock, gravel, dry grass, established pitches
• Bad: Fragile vegetation, boggy ground, moss, lichens

Avoid creating new paths between your tent and water. Walk on existing routes where possible.

If the ground shows signs of previous camping (worn grass, fire rings), consider using the same spot rather than damaging a new area — concentrated impact in one spot is sometimes better than spread damage.

3. Pack It In, Pack It Out

Everything you bring should leave with you. Everything.

• All rubbish — wrappers, tins, bottles, tin foil
• Food waste — fruit peel, tea bags, food scraps. "Biodegradable" waste takes months or years to decompose in the mountains
• Micro-rubbish — cigarette butts, tiny wrapper fragments, tape, plasters
• Other people's rubbish — if you see litter, pick it up. Leave the spot better than you found it.

Carry a dedicated rubbish bag and check the ground around your camp before leaving.

4. Dispose of Waste Properly

Human Waste

This is the topic nobody wants to discuss but everyone needs to understand:

• Dig a cathole 15-20cm deep and at least 30 metres from water, trails, and camp
• Cover and disguise the cathole when done
• Pack out toilet paper in a sealed bag, or use natural alternatives (smooth stones, leaves — know what stinging nettles look like)
• In popular or sensitive areas, consider a WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bag system — pack everything out entirely

Washing

• Carry water at least 50 metres from any water source before washing yourself, dishes, or clothes
• Use biodegradable soap sparingly, or none at all
• Scatter waste water widely rather than pouring it in one spot
• Never wash directly in streams, lakes, or tarns

5. Leave What You Find

• Don't pick wildflowers or take "souvenirs"
• Don't move rocks to build windbreaks or tent platforms
• Don't cut branches or strip bark
• Leave cairns, archaeological features, and structures alone
• If you move something to pitch your tent (a stick, a small stone), put it back

6. Minimise Campfire Impact

The simplest rule: don't have a fire.

Fires cause more lasting damage than any other camping activity. Even "small" fires:

• Kill vegetation and soil organisms
• Leave visible scars that last for years
• Risk wildfire, especially on peat
• Damage the ground permanently in some environments

If conditions specifically allow a fire (you're on a beach, or in a designated area with fire-safe ground):

• Use existing fire rings
• Keep fires small
• Burn only small-diameter dead wood found on the ground
• Burn completely to ash, then scatter the cold ash
• Never leave a fire unattended

In practice, for wild camping in the UK: use a stove. Every time.

7. Respect Wildlife and Other People

• Wildlife: Observe from a distance. Don't feed animals. Avoid nesting areas during breeding season. Keep dogs under control.
• Other campers: Give them space. Keep noise down. Don't camp right next to someone else's pitch.
• Local communities: Be respectful of the people who live and work in the areas you camp in. Support local businesses. Be a good ambassador for wild camping.

The Ultimate Test

Before you leave your camping spot, do this:

1. Stand where your tent was
2. Look at the ground
3. Walk the entire area — a 10-metre radius around your pitch
4. Pick up anything that isn't natural
5. Ask yourself: "Could anyone tell I was here?"

If the answer is no, you've done it right. If you can see flattened grass (it recovers), that's acceptable. If you can see anything else — rubbish, fire marks, disturbed ground — fix it.

Teaching Leave No Trace

If you're camping with newcomers, teach by example. Don't preach — show. Pick up other people's rubbish. Explain why you're digging a cathole. Demonstrate packing out food waste.

The wild camping community grows through shared values. Every person you teach to leave no trace multiplies the impact.

The Bigger Picture

Leave no trace isn't just about individual camps — it's about the future of outdoor access in the UK. Every responsible wild camp is evidence that people can be trusted with the landscape. Every irresponsible camp is ammunition for those who want to restrict access.

Recommended Leave No Trace Kit

These items help you camp without leaving any impact on the environment.

The wild places of the UK are precious and finite. They belong to everyone, and it's everyone's responsibility to keep them wild. Leave no trace isn't a rule — it's a philosophy. And it works.