Wild camping in Scotland??

[The Adventure Bus]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and also to motorhoming. We recently bought a 6 berth dethleffs motorhome and we are LOVING IT! We have 3 kids who are loving the adventures. We live in Stirlingshire and have had a few weekends away in Fife and last weekend we were in Pitlochry. We have stayed in proper caravan parks but 'wild camped' in Elie for a night. Just wondering if it's actually legal to wild camp and if so where are the best places around a few hours from Stirlingshire?? Thanks all

 

[namwaldog]

Welcome

I am sure someone will be along soon to explain the legalities but our rule of thumb is common sense !!
If it says No Overnighting - DONT

If you are going to upset anyone - DONT

If it doesn't feel right - DONT

Always leave the place cleaner than you found it.

Have a look at
www.searchforsites.co.uk
and this should show you a few wild camping places.

 

[Mickey1]

Mickey.

 

[The Adventure Bus]

Thanks, from what I can see some people park up in 'No overnight parking' anyway and I wasn't sure if that's ok? Or what can happen i.e. Do the police charge you / move you on etc?

Thanks for the website link, it doesn't seem to work on my phone though

 

[tomm]

ust wondering if it's actually legal to wild camp and if so where are the best places around a few hours from Stirlingshire?? Thanks all

Your spoilt for choice where you live...Head on up to Glencoe mountain resort , you can stay there for as long as you like, less than 70 miles from Stirling.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/S...x5f71bd8471b931a7!2m2!1d-4.827887!2d56.632461


Then drive up the road a bit to to An Torr , Signal Rock

http://www.scotlandinfo.eu/where-is-signal-rock-glencoe/



Then a couple more miles to Kinlochleven , who have just recently set up a motorhome overnighting spot . As discussed on this very site

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/kinlochleven.160565/

That lot should keep you going for a few days.

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[The Adventure Bus]

Wow thanks Tomm, we had actually thought about Kinlochleven sonita great to know campervans are welcomed. It's felt a bit like Motorhomes etc are excluded everywhere when there seems to be so many No Parking signs everywhere! Glencoe sounds great too, is the mountain resort wild camping or an actual caravan park sort of place??

 

[tomm]

Wow thanks Tomm, we had actually thought about Kinlochleven sonita great to know campervans are welcomed. It's felt a bit like Motorhomes etc are excluded everywhere when there seems to be so many No Parking signs everywhere! Glencoe sounds great too, is the mountain resort wild camping or an actual caravan park sort of place??

The parking is actually on an enormous car park area.... However what you are surrounded by is about as wild as you will get......... Literally a 2 or 3 minute walk and you are on mountain trails......,The best place to park up is at the bottom of the area , basically immediately you come off the approach road on to the resort itself..Then sit side on ,looking down to the road you have just came off .

http://www.glencoemountain.co.uk/

some pics : ....... Move the large pic with cursor or mouse and it will give you a 360 degree view

 

[TinaLes]

I know this is rekindling an oldish thread, but I.m sure there are more of those yellow no camping signs these days.
We hope to be heading up to the highlands ourselves, very soon.
I have google earthed many parts of our proposed "sort of" route.
Nearly all lay byes and parking areas in the popular areas have the yellow "No Overnight Camping" signs showing graphics of caravans and camper vans also. I like many thought I heard about a guy that had fought and won the case that under Scottish Law, that those signs were illegal, and should have been removed by now?
I somehow doubt that is the case however, as even I fairly newcomer to motor homing can imagine the problems caused by many thousands of touring vans hitting the remote spots of single track roads and alike of famous routes like the NC500.
I am still unsure of what is legal, or illegal, whether or not ignoring the no camping signs will lead to getting a parking ticket or even worse a heavier fine.
I have found this link from a guy that puts the case sensibly, giving reasons for the ban on camping, and advice on the myths, along with doing it correctly, all of which makes sense. As usual the few have spoilt things for the many.
https://wildaboutscotland.com/2014/11/30/wild-camping-in-scotland-camper-vans-and-motorhomes/
Les

 

[34127]

Although some of the 'No Overnight Camping' signs might not be legal I still respect what they say and look elsewhere to stop, there are quite a few places in Scotland where you won't be offending anyone.

 

[irnbru]

@TinaL Write to the Freedom Of Information (FOI) at each of the places that have the sign and ask what the legal basis is for each location. There should be a traffic order in place if the sign is legal. @GJH has template letter somewhere I think. Perhaps in the resources. I queried one at Pitlochry a few years ago and the reply was the sign had been wrongly put up therefore there was no legal basis for me not to park.

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[Offagain]

Also look at park4night.

And

 

[GJH]

I know this is rekindling an oldish thread, but I.m sure there are more of those yellow no camping signs these days.
We hope to be heading up to the highlands ourselves, very soon.
I have google earthed many parts of our proposed "sort of" route.
Nearly all lay byes and parking areas in the popular areas have the yellow "No Overnight Camping" signs showing graphics of caravans and camper vans also. I like many thought I heard about a guy that had fought and won the case that under Scottish Law, that those signs were illegal, and should have been removed by now?
I somehow doubt that is the case however, as even I fairly newcomer to motor homing can imagine the problems caused by many thousands of touring vans hitting the remote spots of single track roads and alike of famous routes like the NC500.
I am still unsure of what is legal, or illegal, whether or not ignoring the no camping signs will lead to getting a parking ticket or even worse a heavier fine.
I have found this link from a guy that puts the case sensibly, giving reasons for the ban on camping, and advice on the myths, along with doing it correctly, all of which makes sense. As usual the few have spoilt things for the many.
https://wildaboutscotland.com/2014/11/30/wild-camping-in-scotland-camper-vans-and-motorhomes/
Les

@TinaL Write to the Freedom Of Information (FOI) at each of the places that have the sign and ask what the legal basis is for each location. There should be a traffic order in place if the sign is legal. @GJH has template letter somewhere I think. Perhaps in the resources. I queried one at Pitlochry a few years ago and the reply was the sign had been wrongly put up therefore there was no legal basis for me not to park.

For a summary of the history of issues in Highland Region (written a couple of years ago but still valid as regards laybys as far as I know) see A Brief Summary of Motorhome Restrictions in Highland Region towards the foot of This Page. The council issued an updated off street parking order in 2016 which restricts motorhome parking to specified bays. The order also (para 72) prohibits use of off street car parks for domestic purposes (and appears to extend the provisions of the 1996 order to all car parks).
Having had the experience of a few years ago it appears that Highland Council has ensured that it is covered for the car parks and laybys which it controls so it would probably be unwise to ignore any prohibiting signs.
For direct enquiries to Highland Council there are contact details on This Page.

 

[bryan steedman]

there are plenty of of overnights on Scottish roads if you want to stay in the highland park areas I have heard you can go onto internet and pay a nominal amount

 

[irnbru]

I hope this email I received today is helpful.

Thank you for your email of 15 March about ‘No overnight parking’ signs.


I am assuming your enquiry relates to laybys which are regarded as part of the road and to which traffic legislation could apply.


The reason for providing laybys is to allow drivers to make short duration stops, either for meal breaks, short rest periods or to take exercise during long journeys.


If vehicles park in a layby for long periods, such as overnight, they may prevent or discourage drivers from taking a short break at a point on their journey when they need it most. Litter or lack of toilet facilities can also create other problems where there is long term or overnight parking.


Signs like the one you have photographed may be erected at such locations to discourage overnight parking in an attempt to reduce or eliminate such problems, but the signs are advisory and not mandatory. There is no specific definition of ‘overnight’ in the relevant legislation. Such signs are used by many roads authorities throughout the country.


For your background information, the management and maintenance of roads in Scotland are the responsibility of the relevant roads authority – either Transport Scotland for Trunk Roads which include motorways or the relevant local government Council for other roads. Roads authorities in Scotland and other parts of the UK, are bound by the legislation which regulates road signs - the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 which can be seen at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/362/contents/made .


If the signs you are referring to are not on the road network and are on private land I cannot be specific as the signs could be indicating that there is some enforceable legal provision in place possibly for example to prevent nuisance to neighbours or damage to the environment.


I hope this is helpful.


Regards


Regards