Camping and Bothy Etiquette in the Scottish Hills

Why Manners Matter in Highland Perthshire

Dunkeld sits at the gateway to some of the finest hill country in Scotland. Within an hour you can be on the slopes of Ben Vrackie, wandering the old drove roads above Strathardle, or following the River Tay upstream towards Perthshire's quieter glens. The hills here are working landscapes, shared by hill farmers, foresters, walkers, anglers and the red deer that graze the high ground. That sharing works because people follow a few unwritten rules.

This is not about being told off. It's about keeping the hills open, welcoming and wild for everyone who comes after you. Whether you're pitching a tent beside a high loch or spending a night in a bothy shelter, a little courtesy goes a long way.

Understanding Scottish Access Rights

Scotland's access legislation gives you considerable freedom to roam. You can walk, camp and cycle on most land, provided you do so responsibly. But it is not a free-for-all. The right comes with matching responsibilities, and it does not apply to enclosed fields of crops, farmyards, or land where a genuine reason for exclusion exists.

In practice, this means:

• Close gates behind you, or leave them as you found them. A gate left open can put livestock on a road.
• Keep to paths where erosion is a problem, especially on popular routes above Dunkeld and around the Tay valley.
• Give livestock and wildlife plenty of room. In lambing and calving season, take the long way round rather than pushing animals.
• Don't block access with vehicles, tents or gear.

Land managers here are, on the whole, remarkably tolerant of responsible visitors. Return that trust and the relationship stays healthy for everyone.

Wild Camping: Leave No Trace

Wild camping in Scotland is legal on most unenclosed land, and there are few better places to do it than the hills above Strathardle or the quiet shores of Loch Ordie. But wild camping means small, light and temporary — not a base camp with a fire pit and a generator.

Choose a pitch that is:

• Well away from buildings, roads and water sources. Keep at least a short distance from lochs and burns so you don't foul what others drink.
• On hard ground where a night's sleep won't leave a lasting mark.
• Tucked out of sight where possible, so the view stays unspoiled for the next walker.

Carry out everything you carry in, including food scraps, tea bags and the orange peel that never seems to rot. If you can, remove a piece of litter left by someone else. Take a trowel and bury human waste at least 30 metres from water, or better still, bag it and carry it out on popular routes.

Bothy Basics: Sharing Shelter with Care

Bothies are simple, unlocked shelters in remote places. In Highland Perthshire and the neighbouring hills they offer a welcome haven when the weather turns. They are free to use, but that does not mean they are anyone's to abuse.

Good bothy etiquette is straightforward:

• Leave it cleaner than you found it. Sweep the floor, tidy the hearth and take away all rubbish. Dead mice and abandoned porridge are not part of the deal.
• Share the space. There is no booking and no priority claim. If it's busy, make room. Larger groups should think twice about taking over a small bothy.
• Be quiet after dark. Others may have walked in late, tired and in need of sleep.
• Use the log book, but write only what you'd be happy for others to read.
• Don't rely on a bothy. Always carry a tent or a plan B, because you may arrive to find it full.

Fires in bothies are a sensitive subject. Use only the stove or hearth provided, keep flames small, and never leave a fire unattended. In dry spells, a fire of any kind is a poor idea in the hills.

Fires, Waste and Looking After the Land

Wildfires in Perthshire heather and forestry are devastating and start easily. If the ground is tinder-dry, don't light anything. Where fires are appropriate, use a stove rather than an open fire, and never cut live wood from standing trees or tear branches from ancient pines.

Take a moment to think about what you leave behind:

• Litter should always leave with you, including at bothies.
• Human waste needs burying or carrying out, well away from water.
• Toilet paper should be carried out in a bag, not burnt or buried.
• Disturbance to wildlife, especially during nesting and calving, should be kept to a minimum.

The hills around Dunkeld are fragile in places and heavily visited in others. Careful habits protect them for the seasons ahead.

Passing It On

Etiquette in the Scottish hills is really just consideration, practised consistently. Close the gate, bank the fire, sweep the bothy floor, and carry out what you brought in. Do that and you'll be welcome back any time — and so will the thousands of others who come to enjoy this quiet corner of Highland Perthshire. The hills give generously. It costs very little to give something back.