Backpack camping
Backpack camping means carrying everything you need on your back and pitching a light tent somewhere new each night, often on a walking route. It is usually a form of wild camping, so it raises the same access questions. The rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and they depend on the land you cross.
Where you'll see it
Walking guides, trail listings and kit articles use the term, often with words such as lightweight or multi-day. Using the term does not mean the route or the spots along it are open for camping. Treat each night's pitch as a separate question.
What to check
- Each night's spot. A waymarked path or a long-distance route does not give you the right to camp along it.
- The official guidance for the nation you are walking in, starting with wild camping in the UK: the rules explained.
- The landowner's permission for each spot, and written confirmation where you can get it.
- Whether a campsite or bunkhouse along the route would suit some nights better.
- Your kit and how you will keep the spot tidy. See Leave No Trace.
Related terms
- Wild camping: the wider term for camping away from a campsite.
- Open access land: land where walking rights apply, which may not cover camping.
- Leave No Trace: the principles for keeping your impact low.
Read more: Wild camping in the UK: the rules explained and how we check the rules.