The BMC is standing up for wild campers
Wild camping - pitching your tent in a quiet place and leaving no trace - has long been a much-loved part of outdoor adventure. But across most of England and Wales, it remains off-limits, unclear, or unlawful. In 2025, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is working to change that.
A night under the stars
Just like access to footpaths and mountainsides, access to a night under the stars shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be a right – clearly communicated, sustainably managed, and open to all.
Yet the barriers are real.
From legal confusion and a lack of public transport to negative stereotypes and a lack of education about what responsible wild camping looks like, many people are left out before they’ve even had the chance to try.
Eben Muse, Policy and Campaigns Officer for Wales, said:
“In the aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict on Dartmoor, we are joining our voices with the Open Spaces Society, the Campaign for National Parks, the Right to Roam campaign, as well as the Dartmoor National Park Kevin Bishop, CEO of Dartmoor National Park in asking for more opportunities for responsible wild camping to be created in England and Wales.
“We acknowledge that fly camping, done by a minority, is having a negative impact on our landscapes, especially in hotspot areas. As a community we need to pull together to reduce that impact, both in terms of directly tackling litter and waste in the countryside and by helping to give everyone the tools and awareness to know what good practice looks like when wild camping.”
More access to nature
Recent data from our 2023 access and nature survey shows overwhelming support of people wanting connection to responsibly access the outdoors through wild camping as part of ‘open-air recreation’.
Of more than 4,500 respondents, 84% said they support a legal right to wild camp, and 90% support broader rights to roam. Many respondents called for clearer guidance, improved education and a shift away from punitive approaches to outdoor access.
We Wild Camp
We Wild Camp is the BMC’s call to action to celebrate the joy of a wild camp, raise public and political awareness, challenge outdated access restrictions, and ensure the freedom to sleep under the stars is something future generations can enjoy.
We Wild Camp
To make change happen, the BMC are calling for six key changes:
Government to recognise the social value of responsible wild camping
A legal right to wild camp to be extended to areas designated under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and in appropriate areas of our designated landscapes
National Park Authorities to be given the power to create wild camping zones to help manage responsible wild camping and tackle fly camping
Guidance on how to wild camp responsibly to be included within an updated version of the countryside code
Additional funding for National Parks, National Landscapes, and land managers to support responsible wild camping in the right place
A substantial new investment in young people's outdoor education to help improve understanding and skills needed to wild camp responsibly
How can you get involved?
To support a growing wild camping community, we’re creating:
- The UK’s largest wild camping survey to understand motivations, barriers, and why it’s important - help shape future policy.
- An online forum for positive action where wild campers can connect, coordinate action, share advice, and protect wild places.
- A creative bursary for under-35s supporting storytellers, photographers and filmmakers to explore themes like access, climate, and connection as they relate to wild camping.
WATCH: BMC's Wild Camping Advice
Dr. Catherine Flitcroft, Head of Access and Environment at the BMC, said:
“Wild camping has traditionally been accepted in our uplands, away from roads and urban areas, under the principle of arriving late, leaving early, and leaving no trace.
“More of us should feel confident and equipped to explore our landscapes as part of a journey, and to wild camp responsibly as part of that adventure.
“It’s important to distinguish wild camping from fly camping, which is entirely different and has serious negative impacts on local communities and the environment. Stronger regulation and better management are needed to address this.
“I hope this campaign inspires people of all ages – helping more of us experience the social, mental, and physical benefits of spending time in nature. Wild camping reduces stress and enhances our sense of wonder.”
WATCH: Access Land | A BMC Right to Roam film
Support the campaign by joining the BMC
Every membership helps to support our access work. The BMC is the representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers, meaning we give a voice on a national level to issues of concern and this year we're putting a big focus on promoting responsible wild camping and expanding access across England and Wales.
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