Wild camping alone in Scotland

[ram_doom]

Daft questions perhaps. but besides potential hassle from land owners, is there anything I should worry about or plan for when I'm wild camping? Any obscure legalities or stipulations to be concerned with?

Has anyone ever had trouble with people half inching their gear overnight? Or being ravaged by a wild haggis?

Oh and how safe is it to leave your bike in a quiet village/middle of nowhere and hike a few miles, stay overnight etc before returning?
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TL1000s, KDX200

[stinkwheel]

Remember you are legally entitled to wild camp in Scotland providing it is done in a responsable manner. You should only get hassle if you were to be camping up somewhere stupid like in crops, among livestock or in someones back garden.

Once you're up North, there is very unlikely to be anyone nicking stuff. Might be more of a problem anywhere within an hours drive of the central belt by Vauhxall Corsa with loud pipe and bodykit. So I probably wouldn't be entirely happy at Loch Lomond but I'd be quite happy at Loch Carron.

Realistically, you ought to be able to find somewhere all to yourself.

I regularly leave the bike. What I usually do is wrap my gear up in my poncho and stash it somewhere nearby. Probably not necessary, more to keep it dry in case of rain than anything.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Itchy]

[stinkwheel]

[pepperami]

[map]

If you're camping and cooking remember to check your water source. Look up stream for a fair way to make sure no dead sheep or other pollutions. Obviously it'll be brown (peaty) but ok.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Carl_steveo]

Don't do it. A ginger man wearing a kilt will come along and use your ass as a bag pipe. Then he will eat shortbread during pillow talk and get crumbs all over the tent. Bastard.
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[Gazz]

[ram_doom]

Good info and tips, I'll be hopefully wild camping at Barrisdale bay, and sandwood bay/cape wrath at some point, which will involve leaving the bike behind a few miles. Fingers crossed eh
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TL1000s, KDX200

[UnspeedySam]

Great thread! I was planning on doing this at some point in July. Never been north of Manchester and want to go exploring the country, for as little cost as possible. Despite having absolute faith in my trusty RXS, I'll remember to get breakdown cover first.

While I realise I just slightly hijacked this thread, anyone care to recommend a route/places to see? I'm more into beautiful scenery than historical places...
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Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

[Moo.]

Ever tried some of that local midge spray you find.. always though it was just bottled ponf water.. didnt do much. Were camping with my dads girlfriend who is a diabetic.. midges love them..
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A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

RE: the dreaded.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3342310/Dont-let-the-midges-bug-you.html

Pat
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[GT Biker]

[UnspeedySam]

Kind of wanted to go to Scotland, not sure why. However Snowdonia is a lot closer and probably equally beautiful. I've got a couple of months to make up my mind so no real hurry. Might even do both! Although most likely not on the same trip.
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Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[Serendipity]

[barnhatter]

Put me off Scotland as flying biters love me. I had thought of a 4 day trip to John Ogroats. Having serious second thoughts.

[Serendipity]

Nah, the midges shouldn’t put you off. They’re not in the same league as mosquitoes for actual danger to health.

While the mosquito plunges the equivalent of a needle into you and injects you with a cocktail of chemicals while it helps itself to your blood, the midge just nibbles a hole in your skin and gently laps up the blood.

Yes, you may get more bites in a midge swarm, but they don’t itch and heal very quickly. In my very worst attack I probably had a couple of bites in every square centimetre of exposed skin, maybe more. However, within a day there was no sign of them. Probably helped that I was on antihistamines for hay fever.

And it’s been said before, the midge helps keep Scotland the incredibly, unspoilt, beautiful place it is. For that I can forgive the evil little beasties.
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[stinkwheel]

Midges absolutely love me.

I forgot to tuck my trousers into my socks one time. I had DEET on my skin and my boots on. Obviously the top of my boot rubbed the DEET off a particular bit of skin:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/bites.jpg

I get attacked by cleggs (horseflies) too. Kat can be wandering round in a bikini, swimming in the loch and I'm sat there covered in DEET with trousers tucked into socks, a long sleeve t-shirt and a hat. I STILL get bitten, they don't touch her.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Charlie]

I am a bit like Kat they don't seem to be attracted to me however the love my girlfriend and they love my brother even more... He seems to attract all insects that can bite, ants love him too.

Although when I do get bitten, I don't come up in a huge bump, 2 days later I get a small red circle where they bit me which lasts 3-5 days. Odd.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[njd27]