Is wild camping allowed in Wales?

No Tolerated! Yes

Yes, wild camping, also known as boondocking, dry camping, or dispersed camping, is officially allowed in Wales. Most of the land is privately owned, and the owners allow camping for one night. Even if the residents are very tolerant of wild campers, you should ask for permission beforehand.

You can find the perfect pitch to set up your camp with the Caravanya App:

Download on Google PlayDownload on App Store

Monique
Written by: Monique
Get to know the whole team
Last researched: Winter 2021/2022

If you want to set up camp outside the campsites, you must first obtain permission from the local authorities or landowners.

The Snowdonia National Park, in particular, is open to wild campers, as long as you stay off the beaten track and respect the general rules of wild camping and free standing.

The Brecon Beacons National Park provides a list of visitors to the park who are listed as allowing farmers to camp wild on their land.

  • Posts like these are possible thanks to our partners. Take a look at our partner MietZeitRaum!

    MietZeitRaum
Everything you need
Everything you need
Pitch under a grey sky
Pitch under a grey sky

Tips and tricks for wild camping in Wales

The land of dragons has everything to make your camper heart beat faster. Beaches with wonderful cliffs, extensive green areas, and fantastic mountain landscapes. Wild camping is no problem with the permission of the landowners. We have given you some tips on what to visit in Wales and what to look out for.

Use the Wales Ways
The Wales Ways consist of three routes and offer you, according to your preference, a round trip through the mountains (The Cambrian Way), along the coast (The Coastal Way) and through the north with its castles (The North Wales Way).

Go hiking
Not only are there beautiful hiking trails in the national parks, but the Wales Coast Path is also the longest continuous coastal path in the world. On its 1,400 km length, you will find quiet bays, rugged coastlines, and quiet bays.

Weather
Wales has a temperate maritime climate. For this reason, the summers are mild and the winters only moderately cool. Since the temperatures do not vary as much as in other countries, a visit in the low season is no problem.

Caution in the country
The roads in Wales are very well developed and clear. But if you are traveling in rural areas, you should pay attention to animals on the road, as there are often no paddocks and the animals run around freely.

10 interesting, bizarre and funny facts about Wales

Wales is beautiful, lies west of England, has a dragon on the flag, a place with a very long name and is home to Gareth Bale. But that's all many people know about Wales. To give you a little more information when you visit this enchanting country we have compiled some facts for you here.

Fact #1 - Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllantysiliogogogoch
That's the name of a small village in Wales. With 58 letters it is the longest place name in Europe. The short form is Llanfair PG.

Fact #2 - Mount Everest
Mount Everest was named after the Welsh George Everest, who was the leader of the trigonometric survey of India.

Fact #3 - Mud snorkeling
When snorkeling in mud you have to snorkel with flippers through a 55 m long moor ditch. But swimming is forbidden.

Fact #4 - Population
Wales has about 3 million inhabitants, but 12 million sheep. So you will probably meet a sheep rather than a person during your journey.

Fact#5 - Ace of Spades
"Ace of Spades" by Motörhead is sung by a children's choir in Anglesey secondary school in honor of Lemmy Kilmister. It was the last school he attended.

Fact #6 - Merlin comes from Wales
The mythical wizard is probably based on one of two persons: Myrddin Emrys or Myrddin Lailoken. Both are said to come from Wales.

Fact #7 - Castles
Wales is said to have more castles per square kilometer than any other country in the world. So there is a lot to explore.

Fact #8 -Corgis
Corgis come from Wales and are called Welsh Corgi Cardigan. It comes from the Welsh word cor-ci, which means dwarf dog.

Fact #9 - The Union Jack
Although Wales is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it is the only Member State not to be represented in the Union Jack.

Fact #10 - Jack Daniels comes from Wales
The founder of the Jack Daniels distillery comes from Wales, from where exactly is not known since many documents of the enterprise were destroyed in a fire.

Everything you need to know for your trip

Equipment

  • Warning triangle Yes
  • Safety vest No
  • First aid kit Yes
  • Replacement lamp set No
  • Spare tyre / repair set No
  • Fire extinguisher No
  • Tow rope No
  • Tear rope for all trailers No

Driving

  • Do I need a vignette, or are there tolls? Not nationwide, but there are isolated exceptions.
  • Left hand trafficTo avoid dazzling other road users, you need to readjust or mask your headlights if they have asymmetrical light and are left-hand drive
  • Is it compulsory to drive with lights on during the day? No

Information

  • Is the tap water potable? Yes
  • Socket type: G
  • Energency numbers: 112
  • Currency: Pfund Sterling (GBP)
  • Official Languages: English, Welsh
  • Country licence plate code: GB

Average prices, in €

  • Price coffee rounded: 2.50
  • Price beer rounded: 4.00

Entry conditions for animals

  • You need a valid EU pet passport in which your animal is clearly identified (microchip or tattoo), as well as a rabies vaccination valid on entry. The rabies vaccination must be at least 21 days old, but not older than 6 months. Yes
  • If your entry is from a non-EU country with a reduced rabies status, you must have a rabies antibody test carried out approximately four weeks before you enter the country and have it entered on your EU pet passport. No
  • Your dog must be treated for tapeworms 24 to 120 hours before entry. Yes
  • In addition to a valid EU pet passport with all the required entries, you also need an official veterinary health certificate (max. 10 days old). No
  • The import of fighting dogs or breeds classified as dangerous is not permitted. Yes

You could find this interestig, too...

  • Denmark Wild camping in Denmark

    Fines of 5 € to 500 € may be imposed in Denmark for wild camping away from campsites. However, there are several designated forests where wild camping is...

  • Use chocks when camping Chocks for your camper and caravan

    Not every pitch is level, and that's exactly what wheel chocks are for. We have summarized the most important information for you.

  • Austria Wild camping in Austria

    For wild camping, penalties between 5 € and 500 € can be imposed, and in some cases, your tent can even be confiscated. Depending on the federal state, the...

  • Microphone Test report on a condenser microphone by Tendak

    Good sound is just as important in a video recording as a decent picture. We test the condenser microphone from Tendak for you.

  • Switzerland Wild camping in Switzerland

    The basis for wild camping is the Everyman's Right of Access. This allows you to spend one or two nights outside nature reserves, while signs point out...

  • Wild camping Wild camping - The basics

    Wild camping: These are the do's and don't's, the legal basis, and possible dangers. Get a first overview.

    Partner and friends of Caravanya


    You also want to become a partner of Caravanya?

    More information

    Sign up for our newsletter!