What we learned about wild camping in Scotland

Jun 12, 2026

Meet Loz. Our newest ambassador, and someone who moved her entire life north to be closer to the mountains so her days off look like this.

Last year, our Loz and her fiancé Harry packed up and relocated to the Scottish Highlands. Not for work, not temporarily, but to be closer to the mountains. Loz spends her days off hiking, and since moving up there, the Cairngorms has been on her list. So last month, the two of them finally did it. One night, wild camping near Loch an Eilein, with a hike planned for their trip. Harry, who's a photographer, brought his camera along and they ended up shooting our new shower bars while they were out there too. We turned the footage into an ad and not long after it went out, we received this comment:

"Your latest Facebook ad is filmed at Rothiemurchus, Loch an Eilean. You cannot just set up a tent anywhere around Loch an Eilein, as it is a designated Special Area of Conservation. Not such a good choice of filming spot for the promotion of your soap bars. You are giving people the impression they can wild camp in an area that doesn't allow this!"

It made us stop and double check everything. Turns out Loz and Harry were camping legally but it felt right to put together a guide for anyone heading up there, because the rules around wild camping in the Cairngorms are genuinely worth knowing before you go.

So, can you actually wild camp in Scotland?

Yes, and you have more freedom to do it here than almost anywhere else in the UK. Under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, you have the legal right to wild camp on most unenclosed land.

The Cairngorms National Park is home to a quarter of the UK's rare and endangered species. The Cairngorms really is something else and keeping it that way means everyone doing their bit when they're out there.

Keep your group small and don’t stay in one spot for more than two or three nights — it gives the land a chance to recover.
Between 1 April and 30 September, avoid fires or barbecues as wildfires are a real risk. A gas stove is the safer option and works just as well.
Leave no trace: bring a litter bag, take everything home with you, and make sure there’s nothing left behind when you move on.
Be mindful of where you pitch. Stay well away from buildings, roads, historic sites and paths. If a spot feels busy when you arrive, it’s best to move on and find somewhere quieter.
And finally, keep things discreet and respectful. The Cairngorms is home to local communities and rare wildlife.

And, if you're heading to Rothiemurchus specifically, most of the estate is a conservation area, home to one of the oldest forests in Scotland. It’s best to avoid fires completely here, keep your stay to a single night, and make sure you’re not pitching within the SSSI. For more details, it’s worth checking out the Rothiemurchus website before you go.

Do your research before you camp

Always make sure you do your own research before you go, and if anything’s unclear, it’s worth checking directly with the local estate team.

Loz had checked the Access Code beforehand. But the comment made us go back and look again properly. We got in touch with the Rothiemurchus Estate team directly to make sure. What they confirmed: wild camping is permitted in parts of the area. The restriction applies to the ground directly in front of the castle, which is an SSSI, close to a building, and clearly visible from the path.

Keep your skincare simple

Personal care is probably the last thing you want to be thinking about on a camping trip. And it really doesn't need to be complicated.

Our shower bars were made for this kind of travel. No plastic bottle leaking in your bag, no decanting liquids before you leave, just a bar that works with a campsite shower after a long day out on the trail.

Pair one of our bars with a travel pod, and you're sorted. It keeps the bar dry between uses, it fits in a wash bag, and it means your soap is always ready when you need it.