Big Sky Campers
Responsible caravanning and camping in Scotland – rules you should follow to be a responsible camper!
We love campervanning and believe camping in a campervan is the best way to see Scotland. Every year hundreds of thousands of visitors to Scotland have the same idea. Here is our guide to some simple tips and rules to follow when caravanning and camping in Scotland to help us minimise the impact of camping on local communities and protect Scotland’s precious environment.
Camping and campervanning in Scotland in the peak summer months is a very popular past time. Some of Scotland’s most popular places to visit are quite remote and the roads can be narrow. Unfortunately some inconsiderate drivers have given campervanning a bad reputation so please follow some simple rules to help keep the locals happy!
Do you know what to do if you meet another vehicle on a single track road. Watch our video to find out what you need to know when using one of Scotland’s many single track roads.
One of the main reasons people love to camp is the opportunity to get away from it all and close to nature. There are lots of wide open spaces in Scotland and its easy to go for miles without seeing another soul, especially if you are camping out of season. But with hundreds of thousands of people camping in Scotland every year, making even a minor impact on the natural environment can mount up and take its toll.
It is legal to wild camp in Scotland but it’s not a free for all and when you are wild camping in Scotland rules do still apply. You mustn’t camp on enclosed land or close to historic sites or other buildings. Always follow rules for wild camping in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
It is important to understand that the legal right to wild camping in Scotland only applies to camping in a tent. There is no right to take a vehicle onto open land and make camp. In practice, discreet and considerate parking up for a night is tolerated in many parts of Scotland, but not all. But there are plenty of places where you are not allowed to park up for the night such as car parks and laybys except where provision has been made for you to do so. Always check what parking restrictions apply and, if in doubt about whether parking is tolerated, ask permission. You can find detailed advice for motorhomes and campers in the Highlands in this guide for motorhomes and campervans issued by the Highland Council.
Tourism is a lifeline to many small, rural communities in Scotland and can be an important part of the local economy so please support local businesses wherever you can. Tourist numbers can put a strain on local facilities and the local environment so please follow our guidance to make sure your impact is a positive one.
Many of Scotland’s mountain paths have eroded badly. People no longer take the path routes because of the risk of landslides. This means that there is more of an impact on the landscape when people walk these routes. Big Sky Campers is proud to support the campaign “It’s Up To Us”. This project run by the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland and Mountaineering Scotland will rebuild the paths to support the landscape and surrounding biodiversity. We would love it if any of our customers who have enjoyed Scotland’s wonderful natural landscape would also consider supporting this work.
Scotland
+44 (0)7768 973804
