The Scottish Outdoor Access Code for campers provides guidance on how to exercise your right to access land and water in Scotland responsibly when travelling and wild camping, including with campervans.
Here are some key points to help the vanlife community camp responsibly in Scotland:
1. Access rights apply to most land and inland water, but not to houses, gardens, and some other places. In addition, some areas may have specific access restrictions, such as protected sites or areas managed for conservation purposes.
2. Campervans travelling around Scotland are considered motor vehicles, and as such, they are subject to the same restrictions as other motor vehicles. This means that you should only drive them on roads and tracks, and park in designated parking areas.
3. If you wish to camp overnight in your campervan, you should seek the landowner’s permission, and if this is not possible, you should camp discreetly and leave no trace of your visit. This means that you should not camp in the same place for more than two or three nights, and you should take all your litter and waste with you when you leave.
4. It is important to respect other people’s privacy and peace of mind, and to avoid causing any disturbance to local communities or wildlife.
5. When using a campervan, you should take particular care not to damage the environment, for example by driving over fragile vegetation or disturbing wildlife.
6. You should also take care to avoid any risk of fire, especially during dry periods, by not lighting fires or barbecues except in designated areas.
7. If you are using a chemical toilet or shower, you should dispose of waste responsibly, in accordance with the landowner’s instructions or by using designated facilities where available.
These guidelines aim to ensure that campervan users can enjoy Scotland’s beautiful outdoors while also protecting the environment and respecting the rights of others.
