Do you need a permit to wild camp at Loch Earn?

On the north shore, yes. It is a Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park camping management zone, so from 1 March to 30 September you need a paid permit per tent per night, booked in advance, to camp along the north-side road. The byelaws are enforced. Outside that zone — up Glen Ogle, in Balquhidder, or high on the surrounding Munros — standard access rights apply and no permit is needed.

Which shore of Loch Earn can I camp on for free?

The free, permit-exempt options are away from the managed north shore: the open hillside and old railway path up Glen Ogle behind Lochearnhead, the high corries of Ben Vorlich and Stùc a'Chroin, and the next glen west at Balquhidder (Loch Voil). The attractive tree-lined north shore itself needs a permit in season.

Is wild camping at Loch Earn enforced?

Yes. The National Park rangers actively patrol the camping management zones, and pitching in the north-shore zone without a permit between March and September is an offence. It is one of the more monitored parts of the park because it is so easy to reach. Book the permit, or camp outside the zone.

Where else can I camp near Loch Earn without a permit?

Balquhidder and Loch Voil, about 15 minutes west, sit outside the Loch Earn zone and offer quiet, permit-free camping plus access to remote Munros from Inverlochlarig. Glen Ogle behind Lochearnhead is another close, permit-free option on standard access rights.

Wild Camping

Wild Camping Near Loch Earn

A loch split in two by a byelaw — know which shore you are on

Can you actually wild camp near Loch Earn?

Loch Earn is beautiful, accessible and — for wild camping — governed by one rule that catches people out every summer. The loch lies inside the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and the north shore is a camping management zone: from March to September you need a paid permit to camp along the minor north-side road, and pitching without one is an offence. The busy south road (A85 side) and the country beyond the loch are a different story. Get the shore right and it is a lovely, easy overnighter; get it wrong and you risk a fine.

Permit / byelaw reality

The north shore of Loch Earn is a Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park camping management zone. From 1 March to 30 September you must hold a paid permit per tent per night to camp there, booked in advance — the byelaws are actively enforced and cover most of the attractive lochside. Outside those dates, and outside the zone (Glen Ogle, Balquhidder, the high corries), standard access rights apply. Our Loch Lomond permits guide has the zone maps and booking process.

Read the permits & zones guide

Where to go

North Loch Earn shore (South Loch Earn Road)
The minor road along the loch's north/east side
Camping management zone — permit required Mar–Sep
The quiet, tempting, tree-lined shore that everyone wants to pitch on is exactly the permitted zone. From 1 March to 30 September you must book a permit per tent per night. It is genuinely enforced. Book ahead and it is a superb, easy loch-shore pitch; roll up without one and you are breaking the byelaws.
Glen Ogle & Lochearnhead
5–10 minutes west
Standard access rights above the loch — no permit
Climb out of the byelaw zone. The old railway path and open hillside up Glen Ogle behind Lochearnhead give permit-free pitches with a view back down the loch, away from the managed shoreline. Rougher and higher, but free of the permit hassle.
Ben Vorlich & Stùc a'Chroin
15 minutes to Ardvorlich
High camps under standard rights; loch-shore approach is the zone
The two Munros south of the loch make a fine wild-camp-and-climb: pitch high in the corrie or on the ridge, well above the managed shore, and you are on standard access rights. Start from Ardvorlich, but do not pitch on the loch-side field — that is inside the zone.
Balquhidder & Loch Voil
~15 minutes
Standard rights — outside the Loch Earn zone
The next glen west, Rob Roy country, sits outside the Loch Earn management zone. Loch Voil and the road-end at Inverlochlarig give quieter, permit-free camping and access to a whole run of remote Munros. A good plan B if the Loch Earn permits are sold out.

Our pick from Loch Earn

If you want the classic loch-shore pitch, book a north-shore permit in advance and enjoy it guilt-free — it is one of the more accessible permitted zones and worth doing properly. If you would rather not deal with permits, climb into Glen Ogle or slip over to Loch Voil at Balquhidder, both a few minutes away and outside the byelaws.

Getting there

Loch Earn is an easy drive from the central belt — about an hour and a quarter from Glasgow or Edinburgh via the A84/A85 through Callander. Public transport is thin: Citylink coaches on the A84/A85 corridor stop at Lochearnhead and Killin, but the north-shore road and the hill approaches are not served, so a car is the practical option for most trips here.

Midges & season

Loch Earn is prime midge territory in high summer — low, sheltered, wooded shoreline is exactly what they want, and the north shore's tree cover makes still July and August evenings hard work. Camp where the loch funnels a breeze, or head up Glen Ogle where it is more open. May and September, either side of the worst of it, are the sweet spot and also the quietest for permits.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

19h 10mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 04:46
Sunset: 21:59
Civil dawn: 03:48
Civil dusk: 22:58

NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 July 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a permit to wild camp at Loch Earn?: On the north shore, yes. It is a Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park camping management zone, so from 1 March to 30 September you need a paid permit per tent per night, booked in advance, to camp along the north-side road. The byelaws are enforced. Outside that zone — up Glen Ogle, in Balquhidder, or high on the surrounding Munros — standard access rights apply and no permit is needed.
Which shore of Loch Earn can I camp on for free?: The free, permit-exempt options are away from the managed north shore: the open hillside and old railway path up Glen Ogle behind Lochearnhead, the high corries of Ben Vorlich and Stùc a'Chroin, and the next glen west at Balquhidder (Loch Voil). The attractive tree-lined north shore itself needs a permit in season.
Is wild camping at Loch Earn enforced?: Yes. The National Park rangers actively patrol the camping management zones, and pitching in the north-shore zone without a permit between March and September is an offence. It is one of the more monitored parts of the park because it is so easy to reach. Book the permit, or camp outside the zone.
Where else can I camp near Loch Earn without a permit?: Balquhidder and Loch Voil, about 15 minutes west, sit outside the Loch Earn zone and offer quiet, permit-free camping plus access to remote Munros from Inverlochlarig. Glen Ogle behind Lochearnhead is another close, permit-free option on standard access rights.

Wild camping near other places

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