# Wild Camping ## Leave No Trace Before we start, always follow the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles when camping, whether in an organised campsite or the wilderness (wild camping). The seven principles are:[^1] 1. Plan ahead and prepare 2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces 3. Dispose of waste properly 4. Leave what you find 5. Minimise campfire impacts (generally, the safest rule to apply is don’t light fires when wild camping, especially in dry climates like South Africa) 6. Respect wildlife 7. Be considerate of others ## Right to Roam In many locations, wild camping is considered illegal. In Scotland and some other countries, there is the [Right to Roam](https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/), allowing anyone to freely wander in open countryside, whether the land is privately or publicly owned[^2], with certain conditions. ## Microadventures I was first introduced to the idea of wild camping by Alastair Humphrey's "microadventure"—an adventure that is short, simple, local, and cheap[^3]. The first microadventure I ever went on was with a cycling group in Cape Town called ["S24O Microadventures"](https://bicyclesouth.co.za/2017/08/bicycle-microadventures/) (sub-24-hour). These microadventures were typically organised mid-week on a Wednesday evening. We'd meet at Woodstock Cycleworks in the afternoon, cycle to a nearby campsite like Chapmans Peak Caravan Park or Miller's Point and return the next morning in time for work. Since then, I have been on many more, some of which I’ve shared here: https://photosandfootprints.com. [^1]: https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/ [^2]: https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/ [^3]: https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-3/