For a first camping trip in Scotland, choose a managed campsite and explore from there. Responsible lightweight wild camping is possible where access rights apply, with local exceptions. Campervans need a suitable overnight stopping place; tent access rights do not cover vehicles.
| Your trip | Start with | Main planning job |
|---|---|---|
| First trip, family or several nights in one base | Managed campsite | Check toilets, showers, pitch size and booking rules. |
| Small tent carried into the countryside | Responsible wild camping | Check access, local restrictions, weather and a fallback. |
| Popular Loch Lomond lochshore in permit season | Campsite or designated permit area | Check the exact zone map and book the appropriate stay. |
| Sleeping in a campervan or motorhome | Campsite or authorised overnight stop | Check vehicle eligibility, parking conditions and waste facilities. |
Swipe sideways on a phone to read every column. Sources: Scottish Outdoor Access Code, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and Forestry and Land Scotland; checked November 2026.
Pick the kind of overnight stay before choosing a scenic destination. A lochside permit area, a campsite with showers and a remote tent pitch require different equipment and expectations. Our camping gear guides cover the equipment once you have chosen your approach.
Can you wild camp anywhere in Scotland?
No. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code’s camping guidance covers responsible, lightweight tent camping in small groups for two or three nights in one place, wherever access rights apply. That is a useful freedom, with responsibilities and local exceptions.
Access rights exclude houses and gardens. Private ownership alone does not settle the question: check the type of land and any local restrictions, rather than assuming every private estate is closed or every open-looking patch is available.
Keep away from buildings and roads, and avoid enclosed fields containing crops or farm animals. Choose somewhere you can leave undamaged, take everything away and move on if an area is already crowded. A large gathering or a prolonged roadside encampment needs a different arrangement.
Check the ground as well as the map. A sheltered hollow can flood when rain or snowmelt raises water levels, as Mountaineering Scotland’s camping advice explains. Choose ground above potential flooding, assess exposure to the forecast wind and keep a workable exit route.
A parking space does not settle the camping question. Check parking permission separately from permission to pitch a tent or sleep in a vehicle. A lawful daytime parking spot is not automatically an overnight stop.
Do you need a camping permit at Loch Lomond?
From 1 March to 30 September, tent camping within the park’s mapped Camping Management Zones requires a campsite or a camping permit. The zones cover selected busy areas, not the whole national park. Outside them, follow the Access Code and any other applicable restrictions.
What a permit actually gives you
A Loch Lomond camping permit covers your chosen permit area, without allocating a particular pitch. The park describes these areas as having no formal facilities. Book one permit per tent; the published limit is three nights in one area, with booking up to four weeks ahead.
Permit cost: the dedicated booking page lists ÂŁ4.50 per tent per night, checked 7 November 2026. Confirm the tariff for your travel dates; a campsite booking has its own charges and facilities.
For example, a July trip starts with the zone map: choose a campsite or a specific permit area, then secure that stay. If it is full, change location or dates; a permit for another area does not cover the spot you wanted.
The current notice says permits are unnecessary from 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. This does not open closed campsites or guarantee parking, facilities or suitable ground. Save the map and confirmation before travelling.
Where should you camp in Scotland?
These five options give you different starting points: Highland walks, a basic lochside stay, Skye, pine woodland or the west coast. They are researched examples from operators’ information, rather than a ranking based on personal stays.
| Campsite and area | Why consider it? | Detail that changes your plan |
|---|---|---|
| Glen Nevis, near Fort William | A managed base for exploring Glen Nevis, with dedicated tent fields. | Book through the operator. Winter camping is available, with different fields and facilities. |
| Loch Chon, The Trossachs | Bookable woodland/lochside tent pitches with toilets and drinking water. | No showers or campervan pitches; carry equipment up to 150 metres from parking. Seasonal opening. |
| Glenbrittle, Isle of Skye | A seasonal coastal base below the Cuillin, beside Loch Brittle beach. | Non-electric pitches are first come, first served; electric pitches can be booked. |
| Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore | A managed campsite among Caledonian pines. | Arrange the pitch by email with the operator. Dogs are not allowed in the tent camping area. |
| Sands, Gairloch | A west-coast base with beach access and designated tent/touring areas. | This is Wester Ross on the mainland. The operator currently lists reopening in spring 2027. |
Swipe sideways for booking details. Operator information checked November 2026; this table does not confirm availability. Follow each campsite link for current opening dates, pitch types and terms.
Choose the practical compromise
For a first trip: favour a pitch you can reserve, with the facilities your group needs. Loch Chon offers a simpler experience, but its lack of showers, equipment carry and reported lack of phone reception matter more than the view when packing.
For Skye: Glenbrittle’s non-electric policy means you need an arrival plan and another place to stay if it is full. The operator’s expectation that it can usually accommodate visitors is not a reservation. If certainty matters, choose a bookable pitch or another campsite.
For dogs or accessibility needs: confirm the specific pitch before paying. Rothiemurchus distinguishes tent camping from touring pitches for dogs; Loch Chon identifies accessible pitches 8 and 9. Do not assume a general “dog friendly” or “accessible” description covers every part of a site.
Keep the first itinerary small
For two or three nights, one base is usually more useful than trying to combine the Cairngorms, Skye and the west coast. Unpack once, choose local walks or activities, and keep an indoor option for poor weather.
For a ferry-dependent island trip, match campsite dates to the sailing you can actually book and check CalMac service updates before setting off. Allow room to change the itinerary if transport is disrupted.
How much should you budget for camping in Scotland?
Check what the charge covers before comparing prices. A Loch Lomond permit is priced per tent, while some campsites charge per person and add electricity separately. Multiply the applicable charges by your party size and nights, then add transport, food and any equipment you need.
Two-adult example: allow around ÂŁ30 a night, or ÂŁ60 for two nights, for non-electric camping at Glenbrittle using its published tariff. This covers the camping charge; budget separately for travel, food and optional extras.
Calculated from the operator’s adult nightly tariff, checked 7 November 2026; rounded for planning. Source: Glenbrittle prices and booking rules. This is one seasonal campsite example, not a Scotland-wide average or a future booking quote.
A cheaper pitch farther from your planned activities can cost more once travel is included. For a short trip, compare the whole stay at each base and leave room in the budget for a paid alternative if your first-come or wild-camping plan falls through.
When is the best time to camp in Scotland?
For a first low-level campsite trip, late spring to early autumn is a sensible starting window. Choose dates around the campsite’s season and your tolerance for insects, cold and busy periods; there is no month that guarantees dry weather or no midges.
| Period | Why choose it? | How to plan |
|---|---|---|
| April–May | A trip before the main midsummer midge peak. | Verify spring opening dates and pack for cold nights; midges can be active from May. |
| June–August | Long daylight for walks and relaxed evenings outdoors. | Book popular campsites ahead and carry midge protection, especially for still evenings. |
| September–October | A trip after the main midsummer midge peak. | Allow an earlier arrival before dark, check autumn closing dates and still carry midge protection. |
| November–March | A winter trip using a confirmed open campsite. | Check which facilities operate and plan for storms and cold; remote camping needs winter skills and equipment. |
Planning guidance, not a weather forecast. VisitScotland describes midge activity from May to October, peaking in midsummer. Check the forecast for your location and elevation.
Read the MWIS Scottish mountain forecast or Met Office mountain forecast before heading into the hills. A town forecast does not describe an exposed summit or high camping spot. Change the route or accommodation when conditions exceed your equipment or experience.
Winter opening needs a closer look than a calendar tick. Glen Nevis’s winter arrangements, for example, keep a tent field open but direct campers to a different facilities building. Our winter camping guide covers the wider preparation.
What should you pack for rain, midges and cold nights?
Start with the camping checklist, then adapt it to a wet, changeable trip. Keep sleeping equipment and a complete dry change of clothes protected inside waterproof storage, even when the backpack or car looks dry.
- Shelter: a tent suited to the expected wind, all its guylines and pegs, and a repair kit. Practise pitching it before travelling.
- Sleep: an insulated mat and sleeping bag suited to the forecast overnight conditions, with dry sleepwear kept separate.
- Clothing: waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, hat and spare socks. Carry layers you can add during a cold evening.
- Navigation: offline mapping, suitable backup navigation, headtorch and spare power. Save bookings and access information offline too.
- Water and meals: enough drinking water for your plan, a suitable treatment method if relying on natural sources, stove fuel and a meal that needs little preparation.
- Small essentials: first-aid kit, rubbish bags, toilet supplies, midge protection and a tick-removal tool.
Midges and ticks need different preparations
VisitScotland’s midge guidance identifies still, damp conditions and dawn or dusk as common trouble spots. Bring a fine-mesh head net, covering clothing and repellent suitable for midges, used according to its label. Avoid choosing a dangerously exposed pitch simply to find a breeze.
Check skin and clothing for ticks after time in grass, woodland or moorland. Remove attached ticks promptly with an appropriate tool, following NHS tick-removal advice. Seek urgent GP advice or call 111 if a rash or flu-like symptoms develop after a possible bite.
What are the rules for fires, toilets and leaving no trace?
Plan meals around a stove. NatureScot warns against open fires during high fire risk and near forests, farmland or peat. Use a stove outdoors on a stable, non-flammable surface away from the tent and vegetation, and follow any local restrictions.
Cairngorms seasonal fire rules: the park’s fire byelaw operates from 1 April to 30 September and first took effect in 2026. Unless an exemption applies, do not light campfires or wood/charcoal barbecues; a fire bowl does not make them permissible.
Safely used manufactured gas or liquid-fuel camping stoves are allowed; wood/charcoal stoves are excluded from that stove exemption. Registered campsites set their own rules, and the park explains other exemptions, including advance written landowner permission. Check current fire warnings as well.
A campsite’s rules may be stricter than general guidance: Rothiemurchus bans campfires, barbecues and wood-burning appliances. A supplied fire bowl elsewhere is not permission to ignore a fire warning. For more general preparation, see our camping safety guide.
Choose toilets over improvisation when possible. The park’s responsible camping guidance explains what to do without facilities: keep toileting at least 30 metres from open water, people and buildings, and bury waste appropriately or carry it out. Take used toilet paper and sanitary products away.
If there is no suitable place to deal with waste, carry it out using a suitable waste system or choose a campsite with toilets. Pack out food scraps and other rubbish as well; a full bin is a reason to carry waste onward.
Keep dogs controlled and follow NatureScot’s guidance around livestock and nesting birds. Avoid fields with young farm animals, give wildlife space and remove dog waste.
Can you stay overnight in a campervan?
Yes, at a suitable campsite or permitted stopping place. Access rights do not include motor vehicles, so check the landowner’s or operator’s overnight conditions, signs, vehicle restrictions and waste arrangements.
Loch Lomond has separate vehicle arrangements. The park’s motorhome guidance identifies Firkin Point, Inveruglas and Three Lochs Forest Drive as places needing vehicle permits from 1 March to 30 September. Read the vehicle rules rather than applying the tent-permit map to every overnight stop.
Forestry and Land Scotland’s Stay the Night scheme is one concrete option. Selected car parks accept self-contained campervans and motorhomes with onboard toilets; tents or toilet tents beside vehicles are not allowed. Places are first come, first served, with payment on arrival.
The current scheme permits one night between 6pm and 10am, with no return overnight to the same car park within 48 hours. Fewer locations operate in winter. Check the destination list and fees, and have another legitimate stop ready if the spaces are taken.
What should you check before setting off?
- Choose one base or a realistic route. Identify the campsite, permit area, lawful vehicle stop or suitable wild-camping area.
- Confirm your stay. Check dates, pitch dimensions, people, vehicles, dogs and arrival hours. For first-come places, save a fallback.
- Check the full booking total. Confirm any extra charges for parking, dogs, electricity or facilities before paying.
- Read conditions again shortly before departure. Weather, local access notices, fire warnings and transport disruption can change the plan.
- Prepare for arrival without signal. Download directions, site maps and confirmations; carry water and enough supplies to reach your next reliable stop.
- Leave a plan with someone. For a remote trip, share the route, expected return and what they should do if you do not check in.
For a first Scottish camping trip, a manageable journey, a suitable pitch and a workable poor-weather alternative are more valuable than fitting another region into the itinerary.
