Allow wild camping in England

A lot of people in England do bushcraft, and spend 1 to 3 days camping spending free time in nature, improving their bushcrafting and survival skills, and passing on this skill to the younger generation so that they know how to live in harmony with nature.

This is a passion and hobby for adults and young people. We ask the Government to put in place rules for practicing Wild Camping on unenclosed land, as it is in Scotland.

The Government is a great advocate of the benefits that access to the countryside and to the natural world can bring. We are committed to a programme of reforms that is focused on a ‘green recovery’ that aims to protect, enhance and increase our green and blue spaces and public access to those spaces. We are also implementing the 25 Year Environment Plan, which recognises that public access is key to connecting people with the environment to improve health and wellbeing.

The Government appreciates the potential benefits of wild camping in England and its attractiveness to campers. Wild camping can take place with the permission of the landowner. The introduction of a right to wild camp in England would, however, be a contentious issue which would require both significant consultation and legislative change.

On open access land, wild camping is generally prohibited under Schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which lists all restricted activities. Wild camping is not permitted on private land without the permission of the landowner.

There are no current plans to consider proposals for a change to this legislation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs