Is solo camping safe?

Is it safe to camp alone?

Yes. Camping alone is safe for most people when they plan the trip, and the problems that do happen on a solo camp are mostly practical ones: getting cold, being caught out by the weather, losing the way, or pitching in the dark. Each one is preventable, and the sections below take them in turn.

The difference between camping alone and camping with others is that there is nobody to spot a problem for you. Good solo camping habits do that job instead. The solo camping hub covers the rest of the basics.

Who should you tell before a solo camp?

Tell one reliable person where you are camping, the route you are walking in and out, and a set time you will message them the next day. Agree what they should do if that time passes without word: try your phone, then call 999 and ask for the police.

Send a map pin or a grid reference, since a place name can cover miles of hillside. Keep to the plan once you have shared it. If you do change it, message your contact before you lose signal.

This is the single most useful solo camping safety step, and it costs nothing.

How do you plan for the weather on a solo camp?

Plan for the weather by checking a mountain forecast the day before and again on the morning you set off, then choosing a sheltered, lower pitch if wind or heavy rain is expected. The Met Office publishes mountain forecasts, and the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) covers the UK's upland areas.

Forecasts for high ground are often very different from the nearest town's. Wind is the main thing to watch on a solo camp, because it makes pitching hard and chills you quickly. If the forecast worsens, camp lower, pick a different night, or stay at a campsite. None of those is a failure.

What happens if you get cold, and how do you prevent it?

Getting cold is the most common problem on a UK solo camp, and you prevent it with the right sleeping bag, a warm enough mat, and dry clothes kept only for sleeping.

Choose a sleeping bag whose ISO 23537 comfort rating is at or below the forecast low, and put it on a mat with a suitable R-value, because the ground takes heat from you faster than the air. Change out of damp walking clothes as soon as the tent is up. Eat a proper meal and have a hot drink before bed.

If you are still cold, put on every layer you have, including a hat. Shivering that will not stop, clumsiness or confusion are signs of hypothermia, and the right move is to get warm and, if it does not improve, walk out or call for help. Our first solo wild camp plan covers choosing a spot close enough to a road for that to be easy.

How do you avoid getting lost when camping alone?

Avoid getting lost by carrying a paper map and a compass, knowing how to use them, and planning a route you can follow in poor visibility. A phone map is useful, and it is also a battery that goes flat faster in the cold.

Walk your route in daylight and note where you are at points you can recognise, such as a junction, a wall corner or a stream crossing. If cloud comes down, stop, work out where you are on the map, and go back the way you came if you are unsure. A battery pack keeps the phone going as a back-up.

Why is pitching late a problem when camping alone?

Pitching late is a problem because everything takes longer in the dark: finding flat ground, spotting a stream or a boggy patch, and getting the tent up tight. On your own, there is nobody to hold a pole or the torch.

Check the sunset time before you set off, and aim to reach your spot with an hour of light to spare. Practise pitching at home, once in the dark with a head torch, so you can do it by feel.

What should you do if you are asked to move on?

If a landowner, a ranger or anyone responsible for the land asks you to move on, apologise, pack up and leave. Stay calm and polite, even late in the evening, and find another spot or walk out.

Wild camping rules differ across the UK, and in most of England and Wales you need the landowner's permission first. Asking before you pitch avoids the problem entirely. The wild camping hub explains where you can camp.

What if there is no phone signal?

With no phone signal, you can still reach the emergency services by text if you have registered for emergency SMS. You register by texting 'register' to 999 and following the reply, which takes a couple of minutes at home.

To call for help in the hills, call or text 999, ask for the police, then ask for mountain rescue. Give your location as a grid reference if you can; the free OS Locate app shows one without a data connection. Moving to higher ground often finds a signal when a valley has none.

What about wildlife and livestock?

Wildlife in the UK rarely causes problems for solo campers, and the precautions are simple: store food inside the tent or your rucksack, check for ticks, and keep well away from cattle.

• Livestock. Do not pitch in a field with cattle, horses or sheep. Cows with calves can be protective, so give them a wide berth, and close every gate behind you.
• Ticks. Check your skin, especially behind the knees and in the waistband, when you get home. Remove any tick promptly with a tick removal tool, and see a doctor if a rash or flu-like illness follows.
• Adders. The adder is the UK's only venomous snake. It avoids people and bites are rare. If you are bitten, keep still and call 999.
• Midges. In the Scottish Highlands and other damp places, midges are the likeliest wildlife problem on a summer evening. A tent with fine mesh and a head net help.

Noises in the night are nearly always sheep, deer or wind in the flysheet.

What kit makes solo camping safer?

The kit that makes solo camping safer is the everyday kit, used well: a head torch with spare batteries, a paper map and compass, a small first aid kit, a whistle, warm layers, waterproofs and a charged phone with a battery pack.

A shelter, sleeping bag and mat that suit the season matter as much as anything in the first aid kit. Our starter kits put a matched tent, sleeping bag and mat together for a first night out.