How to Leave No Trace When Wild Camping Near the Coast

The UK coastline is a patchwork of fragile habitats: shifting sand dunes, flower-rich machair, lowland heath, shingle ridges and saltmarsh. Wild camping – sleeping out without a formal campsite – can be a wonderful way to connect with these places. But it also puts you right on top of them. Leave No Trace isn’t about rules for their own sake; it’s about keeping these landscapes alive for the wildlife that depends on them and for the next person who pitches up. Here’s how to camp lightly on the coast, wherever you are.

Check where you can legally wild camp

In Scotland, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives you the right to wild camp on most unenclosed land, but not everywhere – some areas have byelaws or seasonal restrictions. In England and Wales, wild camping is generally only allowed with the landowner’s permission, and Dartmoor has its own specific rules. Always check local signs and access maps before you go. If in doubt, ask. A quick call to a local ranger or estate office can save you a night’s worry and help protect sensitive sites.

Choose durable ground, not delicate habitat

The single biggest impact of wild camping is trampling. A night on a dune can crush rare plants like sea holly or burnet rose, and collapse the burrows of natterjack toads. Heathland is equally vulnerable: its soil is thin, and a tent peg can puncture the root systems of heather and gorse. So look for durable surfaces: bare rock, gravel, dry sand below the high tide line, or an existing, well-worn pitch. Avoid dunes, machair, heath, saltmarsh, and vegetated shingle. If you’re on a beach, pitch below the tide line – the sea will erase your footprints – but check the tide tables carefully and never camp where you could be cut off or swept away.

Carry out everything you bring in

This includes the obvious – wrappers, bottles, and packaging – but also the less obvious. Food scraps, orange peel, tea bags, and apple cores are litter too. They attract scavengers, alter soil nutrients, and can harm wildlife. Human waste needs careful handling. In coastal areas, where soil is often thin or sandy, a cathole is not always effective. The best option is to carry it out in a sealed bag or use a portable toilet. If you must dig, choose a spot at least 30 metres from any watercourse, loch, or the sea, dig a hole 15–20 cm deep, and carry out the toilet paper in a bag. Never bury it.

• Litter and packaging: crisp packets, bottles, wrappers, and any microplastics you find.
• Food waste: apple cores, banana skins, orange peel, tea bags, and leftovers.
• Human waste: use a sealed bag or portable toilet; if digging a cathole, carry out the paper.
• Grey water: strain food particles and carry them out; scatter the rest well away from water.

And never wash yourself or dishes directly in a stream, loch, or the sea: use a bowl, carry water at least 30 metres away, and use biodegradable soap sparingly.

Skip the fire, use a stove

Coastal heath and dune habitats are fire-sensitive. Peat and root systems can smoulder underground for days, and a single spark can destroy decades of growth. Driftwood might look like free fuel, but it’s part of the coastal ecosystem, providing shelter for invertebrates and contributing to beach stability. Removing it is illegal in some places. Instead, bring a small camping stove. If you absolutely must have a fire, only use an established fire ring in a safe, non-vegetated area, keep it small, and never leave it unattended. But the simplest and kindest choice is no fire at all. Your evening brew will taste just as good.

Respect wildlife and keep your distance

The coast is a nursery for seals, seabirds, and wading birds. Ringed plovers and little terns nest on open sand and shingle – their eggs and chicks are perfectly camouflaged, and a single footstep can crush them. Keep well away from roosting flocks and seal haul-outs. If an animal changes its behaviour because of you, you’re too close. Keep dogs on a lead or leave them at home. Avoid camping on or near nesting sites between March and September. And remember: you’re a guest in their home.

Leave it better than you found it

Before you leave, do a final sweep of your pitch. Pick up any litter you see, even if it isn’t yours. Scatter any disturbed stones or seaweed back where you found them. Fill in any tent peg holes. If you moved a log, put it back. This is the spirit of Leave No Trace: not just minimising damage, but actively restoring. Wild camping near the coast can be a magical experience – falling asleep to the sound of waves, waking to the cry of oystercatchers. With a little care, that magic will still be there for the next generation.