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How to Get Landowner Permission for Wild Camping

How to Get Landowner Permission for Wild Camping in the UK

Wild camping in England and Wales is, legally speaking, something you can only do with the landowner’s permission. Unlike Scotland, where the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives walkers a statutory right of responsible access to most land — including the right to camp responsibly — south of the border you need to ask first. That might sound like a bureaucratic headache, but in practice it is far simpler than most people expect. Landowners are often more receptive than you would imagine, and a polite, well-prepared approach goes a long way.

This guide walks you through the whole process: understanding the legal picture across Scotland, England, Wales, and beyond; finding out who actually owns the land you want to camp on; how to approach landowners in a way that actually works; and what to do if you get a no. Whether you are planning a solo overnight on Dartmoor, a multi-day backpacking route through the Brecon Beacons, or a wild camp somewhere in the North Pennines, this is the guide for you.

Understanding the Legal Situation First

Before you start knocking on farmhouse doors or firing off emails, it helps to understand exactly where you stand legally. The rules differ significantly depending on which part of the UK you are in.

Scotland: The Good News

If you are heading to Scotland, you are in luck. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 enshrines the right to camp responsibly on most unenclosed land, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. That means you do not need landowner permission to pitch your tent on open hillsides, moorland, woodland, or beside lochs and rivers — as long as you behave responsibly, avoid enclosed farmland and private gardens, and move on after a few nights in one spot.

Places like Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park are a partial exception. The national park authority introduced byelaws in 2017 that require a permit to camp in certain areas between March and September, though free permits are available online. Outside those designated zones, the normal access rights still apply.

For wild camping in Scotland, the key principles are: leave no trace, respect privacy near dwellings, avoid staying in one spot for more than two or three nights, and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code to the letter. The Mountaineering Scotland organisation publishes excellent guidance on this, and it is worth reading before your trip.

England and Wales: Permission Is Required

In England and Wales, the position is quite different. There is no general right to camp on open land. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW Act) opened up access to open country — moorland, mountain, heath, and down — for walking, but it did not extend that right to overnight camping. Pitching a tent without permission is technically trespass, which in English and Welsh law is a civil matter rather than a criminal one. You cannot be arrested for it, but a landowner can ask you to leave, and if you refuse or cause damage, the matter can escalate.

There is one significant exception in England: Dartmoor National Park. Following a legal battle that made national headlines, the High Court ruled in 2023 that the byelaw permitting wild camping on Dartmoor’s open moorland was valid. Dartmoor remains the only place in England with a statutory right to wild camp.

In Wales, Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly known as the Brecon Beacons National Park) has an informal tolerance of responsible wild camping on higher ground, though this is not a legal right. The national park authority actively encourages responsible wild camping and publishes guidance on where it is most appropriate. Snowdonia (Eryri National Park) is similar — camping is widely practised on higher ground by experienced hillwalkers, but again it is not a legal right, and you are relying on the goodwill of landowners and a tradition of tolerance.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has its own access legislation, and there is no general right to roam or wild camp. Most wild camping there requires landowner permission, much like England and Wales. The Ulster Wildlife and the NI countryside access organisations provide useful guidance, though the wild camping culture is less developed than in mainland Britain.

Finding Out Who Owns the Land

This is the step that puts most people off, but it is genuinely not as difficult as it sounds. The key tool you need is HM Land Registry for England and Wales, and the Registers of Scotland for land north of the border.

HM Land Registry

HM Land Registry holds records of most registered land in England and Wales. You can search for the owner of a specific piece of land at gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry. There is a small fee (usually £3) for each title register you download, but it gives you the registered owner’s name and, importantly, their correspondence address. Not all land is registered — particularly older rural estates — but the majority of land you are likely to want to camp on will be in the system.

Registers of Scotland

In Scotland, Registers of Scotland (ScotLIS) performs a similar function. Given that you have a right to camp in Scotland anyway, you are less likely to need this, but it can still be useful if you want to introduce yourself to an estate or seek permission for a particular area near habitation.

Other Ways to Find Landowners

The Land Registry is not your only option. Here are some other practical approaches:

  • Ask locally. Village post offices, pub landlords, and farm supply shops are often goldmines of local knowledge. Someone behind the counter will frequently know exactly who farms the hillside you are eyeing up.
  • Look for signs and boundary markers. Estate signs, gamekeeping notices, and grazing rights boards often bear the name of the estate or farm. A quick internet search for that estate name can lead you to a contact address or website.
  • Check the OS map carefully. Ordnance Survey maps show field boundaries, forestry commission land (marked in green), Ministry of Defence training areas, and National Trust properties. Each of these has a clear organisation to contact.
  • National Trust and Forestry England land. Both organisations manage large tracts of accessible countryside. The National Trust generally allows responsible wild camping on some of its upland estates — worth ringing your regional office to ask. Forestry England also permits wild camping in certain forests, particularly in the North of England. Check their website for specific sites.
  • Wildlife Trusts. Local Wildlife Trusts manage reserves across the UK and some are open to responsible wild camping requests. Again, a phone call or email to the relevant trust is the way forward.

How to Approach a Landowner

Right, you have found out who owns the land. Now comes the part where many people lose their nerve. The good news is that this is much more straightforward than asking a favour from a stranger — because that is essentially what it is, and most people respond well to a respectful, direct request.

Timing Matters

Do not try to get permission on the day of your trip. Contact the landowner well in advance — at least a week before, ideally two or three weeks. This gives them time to check the land is not being used for other purposes (lambing, shooting days, hay cutting), and it shows you are organised and serious about the request rather than acting on impulse.

Avoid contacting farmers during very busy periods if you can. Lambing season (roughly March to May across most of the UK) is hectic for sheep farmers, and harvest time (July to September) is similarly fraught for arable and mixed farms. This does not mean you should not ask — just be aware they may not get back to you quickly, and be understanding about it.

Phone Versus Email or Letter

For farmers and private landowners, a phone call is often the most effective approach. It is personal, immediate, and allows for a proper conversation. People are far less likely to say no on the phone than to ignore an email. If you do not have a phone number, a handwritten letter is worth considering — it stands out in an age of digital communication and signals genuine effort.

Email works well for larger organisations, estates with estate offices, and National Trust or Forestry England properties. Keep it brief and professional.

What to Say

This is where a lot of people overthink it. Here is a simple structure that works well:

  1. Introduce yourself briefly. Your name, where you are from, and that you are an experienced hill walker or wild camper.
  2. Explain what you want to do. A single overnight camp (or however many nights), with dates, and the specific location on the land. Be precise — “somewhere on your hillside” is too vague. Say “on the open ground above the 450m contour, east of the stone wall on your northern boundary.”
  3. Reassure them about your conduct. No open fires (or stove use only), no litter left behind, no damage to walls or fences, no dogs if they prefer, and you will move on promptly in the morning.
  4. Ask clearly for permission. “Would you be happy for me to camp there?” Simple and direct.

Here is an example of how that might sound in a phone call: “Hello, my name is James and I am planning a backpacking route across your area this coming Saturday. I was wondering whether you would mind if I pitched a small lightweight tent on the open hillside above your upper field — just one night, no fire, and I will leave absolutely no trace. Would that be okay with you?”

Most farmers and landowners will either say yes straight away, ask a couple of questions, or politely decline. All of those outcomes are completely fine. If they want to know more, answer honestly and specifically. If they say no, thank them for their time and find somewhere else.

Moving Forward

Once you have the fundamentals in place, the possibilities open up considerably. The UK offers fantastic opportunities for anyone interested in this hobby, and with the right foundation you will be well placed to make the most of them.