Wild Camping: What to Know Before You Go
I was a campground manager in a state forest for two years when I was in college, and I never slept there. I like sleeping in beds.
But…occasionally someone convinces me to go camping and when that happens, I always have a good time.
In fact, I’m ready to try wild camping.
According to Kathi Kamleitner, wild camping “just means to pitch your tent anywhere you want. Not necessarily in an organized or structured campsite, but rather anywhere in nature and anywhere away from villages or roads...really being kind of self-sustained out in the wilderness.”
Kathi blogs about Scotland and hosts the podcast Wild for Scotland (listen to my interview with her all about Scottish island hopping). One of her favorite places to wild camp is on the Isle of Bute, a small island near Glasgow.
“It's probably one of the easiest ones to get to from the city, whether you have a day or a weekend, and there's a long distance trail on that island called the West Island Way,” Kathi says. “At the very southern tip of the Isle of Bute in a place called Glencallum Bay, there is a beach there with a small lighthouse and it's facing kind of east, so perfect conditions for a sunrise.”
Listen to the podcast to hear more about Kathi’s first wild camping adventure and for camping tips to make your trips more comfortable.