Wild Camping Near Glasgow

Can you actually wild camp near Glasgow?

You cannot wild camp in Glasgow itself — the right to roam covers unenclosed hill, glen and lochside, not city parks or the green belt. The good news is that Glasgow is the best-placed big city in Britain for it: within an hour you can be pitching beside a Trossachs loch. The catch is that the closest and most obvious spot — the east shore of Loch Lomond — sits inside the National Park camping management zones and needs a paid permit from March to September. Get past that one rule and the options open up fast.

Where to go

• Loch Chon & Loch Ard Forest (Trossachs)

  ~1 hour via Aberfoyle

  Standard access rights — no permit

  The pragmatic Glasgow answer. Quiet forest lochs west of Aberfoyle, outside the byelaw zones, with sheltered pitches among the trees. Loch Chon has a small formal campsite too if you want a toilet. Midges are fierce here in a still July dusk — pick a spot that catches a breeze.

• Loch Arklet & the Inversnaid road

  ~1 hour 15 minutes

  Standard access rights — no permit

  A wilder-feeling shoulder of the Trossachs between Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, under Ben Lomond's western flank. Open, exposed and often windy, which keeps the midges honest. Good jumping-off point for Ben Lomond from the quiet side.

• Arrochar Alps (Succoth / Loch Long)

  ~1 hour to Arrochar

  High camps under standard rights; valley floor is enclosed/busy

  Camp high, not low — a pitch up towards the Cobbler's corrie or on Beinn Narnain's shoulder is a proper mountain wild camp within an hour of the city, and train-accessible to boot. Avoid the roadside and forest floor near Succoth, which is enclosed and heavily used.

• Campsie Fells & the Whangie

  30–45 minutes

  Standard rights, but small, farmed and close to homes

  The genuinely nearest hill ground, but manage expectations: the Campsies are grassy, sheep-farmed and busy, with few discreet spots and boggy ground. Fine for a quick overnighter to test kit; not a wilderness. Pitch high, late and out of sight, and be gone early.

• West shore of Loch Lomond (Arrochar side)

  ~1 hour

  No permit — the byelaws only cover the east/south shores

  A useful loophole worth knowing: the western shore around Tarbet and Ardlui is outside the camping management zones. It is roadside and less wild, but it is Loch Lomond without the permit, and handy if you leave Glasgow late.

Getting there

A car makes the Trossachs trivial, but you do not need one. ScotRail runs from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch (for the loch's south end) and along the scenic West Highland Line to Arrochar & Tarbet, Ardlui and Crianlarich — all of which put you within walking distance of hill ground for a car-free overnighter. The Cobbler from Arrochar & Tarbet station is the classic Glasgow train-and-tent trip.

Midges & season

The Trossachs sit right in the midge belt from late May to early September, and the sheltered forest lochs (Chon, Ard) are exactly the still, damp spots they love. Camp on a breezy rise or a shoreline that catches wind, carry a head net and repellent, and favour May or September if you can. The higher Arrochar camps are usually windy enough to be bearable.

Current conditions

Frequently asked questions

Where can I wild camp near Glasgow without a permit?

Head for the Trossachs west of Aberfoyle — Loch Chon, the Loch Ard Forest lochs and Loch Arklet all sit outside the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs camping management zones, so standard Scottish access rights apply and no permit is needed. The west shore of Loch Lomond (Tarbet/Ardlui side) is also outside the zones. Avoid the east and south shores of Loch Lomond in season without a permit.

Can I wild camp on Loch Lomond near Glasgow?

Yes, but with a big caveat. The east shore (Balmaha to Rowardennan and up to Ardlui) and several nearby lochshores are camping management zones where, from 1 March to 30 September, you must have a paid permit per tent per night, booked ahead. The western shore is outside the zones. See our Loch Lomond permits guide for the maps and booking details.

How far do I have to go from Glasgow to wild camp?

Less far than almost any UK city. You can be pitching beside a Trossachs loch within an hour, and the Campsie Fells are 30–45 minutes away for a quick overnighter (though small and farmed). The nearest genuinely wild, permit-free lochs are around Aberfoyle.

Can I wild camp near Glasgow by train?

Yes. The West Highland Line from Queen Street reaches Arrochar & Tarbet, Ardlui and Crianlarich, all within walking distance of hill ground — the Cobbler from Arrochar & Tarbet is the classic car-free trip. Trains to Balloch reach the south end of Loch Lomond.