How to behave at a campsite: 12 dos and don’ts

From playing music out loud to leaving your pet unattended, here’s our expert guide on how to behave at a campsite

Some of my most unforgettable moments have taken place under canvas. From unzipping the porch to reveal the needlepoint summit of Laila Peak on the K2 base camp trek to listening to the snap, crackle and pop of Greenland’s Russell Glacier under a midnight sun, these were experiences I could not have had in a hotel.

Unfortunately, there have also been unforgettable moments for all the wrong reasons. There was that time I was hiking a section of Cornwall’s South West Coast Path when, after finding a secluded pitch on the top of a cliff and nipping off to use the conveniences, I returned to find that another camper had inexplicably pitched his tent just inches from mine despite having miles of coastline to choose from.

Another time, during the Highlander Svaneti trail in Georgia, a group of trekkers chose to play Russian metalcore via their Bluetooth speakers throughout the evening much to the chagrin of other campers. Eventually, they were politely asked to turn it off and did so begrudgingly.

Even recently, on Denali – the highest peak in North America – a group of climbers from the Navy Seals turned their area of Camp 3 into an outdoor gym complete with music and hoots of encouragement. No one quite had the confidence to ask them to quieten down, but I think we were all quietly vindicated when the Seal team failed to summit. Perhaps, like us, they should have used our rest day at 4,330m (14,000ft) to rest instead of doing push-ups and sit-ups.

How to behave at a campsite

These points shouldn’t need to be made, but it never ceases to amaze me just how thoughtless other campers can be. With that in mind, please consider the following tips on how to behave at a campsite.

1. Do respect people’s privacy

Campsites often have demarcated areas for campers, particularly ones which accept caravan and camper vans, but many will simply open fields or areas where campers are expected to use their initiative. You may well want to be close to the fire pit, wash-up area or communal washrooms, but please think of others when you pitch your tent.

Obviously, give your neighbours as much space as possible and don’t pitch right next door to others, but also consider the route people take when walking around the site. People do not want to be…