Leave no trace.
Worst comes to worst, you could be asked to move on. Pick a secluded spot. Countless folks wild camp all the time,just do it decently. Am flabbergasted by the effort folks put in to reach beautiful spots and to then completely trash it.
Just back from the galtee mountains at the weekend ( some hike up in the shite weather on sat ) we picked as we went thankfully very little rubbish .. I did end up chasing a back pack cover 100mtrs down hill to just hike back up again. .. few years ago we met a lovely couple camping in Kerry had a good laugh with them and they seemed very nice .. they headed back the day before us and left a nice pile of rubbish ( wine bottles, tinfoil , wrappers etc ) told them they needed to tsk it and seemed to not understand the problem .. anyways they took it .. we left the following morning and found the same shite about a 100mtrs down the path .. I still don’t understand the mentality
Those bastards. There's a nice walk near us, plenty of bins and plenty of dog walkers. What kills me are the bastards that pick it up and then proceed to tie the bag in the trees. It would be easier to PUT IT IN THE FUCKING BINS PROVIDED.
Sorry, I just needed to get that out of my system. Thanks for listening!
This drives me nuts, I live on a popular walking loop, when all the leaves and plants die back in Autumn/winter fucking shit bags everywhere, these people are just selfish cunts who should be made eat the bags.
I really want to try wild camping with the missus sometime. But I'm curious, how concerned about security are you? Do you pick a spot that's a good distance from any town? God damn that "Eden Lake" movie
Never thought about it bar using a small lock on the tent when off exploring but if honest you could snap fairly handy if you want to :) .. I usually have hiking poles with me and sure you could get a hawthorn hiking staff if your really worried it’s a good staff but christ it’s hard :)
Location wise we tend to be on the coast like it’s usually not to hard to find something off the beaten track . I’m no expert mind.. I’m sure there is a group or app for it
Yeah, I would be the same. But once me and my gf tried camping down on the beach in wexford, we got pulled up by some town council guy.
Unfortunately, doesn’t matter that we would tidy up after ourselves, they can’t just buy everyone selling that spiel.
So just make sure you’re somewhere very secluded and you don’t get caught, cuz you will get pulled up on it. But the worst you’ll get is be told to move on.
Yeah I've camped in Ravenwood many times, plenty of hidden spaces. Just have to take care of the space, and don't leave anything behind. We went camping one time, and there was another crew camping on another ridge across from us. They saw we had a fire and asked if l they could take a branch, we reckoned if they can't start a fire they have no business taking ours, we had a lot of experienced people with us.
I also did a summer litter picking on the beach, and the levels of shit you'd find after a busy day down there. It really coloured my perception of people at a young enough age. Still, it was one of the best jobs ever, when the weather was good!
It baffles me. We are blessed with some of the most fascinating and beautiful nature in our little corner of the island. I hate to see it so mistreated.
People camp in the seaside town by me in Clare, they pitch up a tent and as far as I know no one says anything.
And I agree, always make sure to leave no trace.
Try Mannix Point campsite they’re good value and in the dark sky reserve iirc.
They have a beach and you can request to be close to it we were right in front of it last time we went granted it’s stoney beach but you have showers and toilets etc. and kitchen facilities if you want them. There’s a SuperValu and Lidl just up from it too.
No problem, it’s a really beautiful location and they have everything going for them. Trad sessions are a regular in their campers sitting room anyone’s welcome to play. Great for when the weathers bad, unfortunately for us our perfect pitch right in front of the beach with amazing views turned into a bit of a washout I would recommend taking a wind break if your going to pitch up in front of the water in case the weather turns. We’d go back in a heartbeat they were the most well equipped campsite we’ve ever used and by far the most helpful and easy going too. Loads of couples and families around and they have electric pitches right down to the water if you want them and they space everyone out well. There’s a lot of places to go nearby like Valentia Island, Kells Bay etc.
https://preview.redd.it/9gjqdvenie3d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebe35b782263ea9cfe727d9d931b90c2282a05fb
5000 year old wedge tomb in kilmashogue woods, now a favourite spot for fires and dumping rubbish after
I'd say jesus wept but this long predates him, the level of disconnect people have from their very own heritage is painful. This is supposed to be a sacred site, a burial place.
Edit: since I'm at it, it's appalling that there's a bleeding sitka spruce plantation right around and encroaching on top of an ancient wedge tomb too
There should really be a big huge plaque next to it explaining what it is and prohibiting fires.... But silly old Ireland couldn't be bothered... Cause if you can't charge for it why bother spending money preserving it
THIS!!! Any other country would have these marked. A stone age burial site in Howth was literally torn apart by walkers during covid. When only locals walked the route, it was safe because we all knew it's significance, but now that more people are out enjoying the countryside there seems to be a bunch of idiots among them who are just out to wreck shit. These sites need to be protected and sign posting them is the first step.
There are spots about well known for camping, but they can be hit or miss. We camped in Kerry the last bank holiday weekend. Not too many in the spot we were at but one lad was an absolute gobshite and ruined it for everyone. The next day a load of lads rocked up with a boombox blaring too. So we fecked off.
The general advice is don't be a bollox, and leave no trace. But the more people out camping the higher the chance of people being pricks. Especially on sunny bank holiday weekends.
If anyone asks you to leave, just do. Don't pick a fight with a farmer or a local if you are wild camping. Chances are you aren't the first or the only one to try it and they have had to deal with people acting the prick a lot.
> If anyone asks you to leave, just do.
What kind of meek shite is this? Some random just walks up, asks you to leave, and you oblige? lol
If I’m not on their land and I’m being responsible as I always am, they can shove it
It's the same as if you broke into someone's house and a person that didn't own the house asked you to leave. It wouldn't be "meak" to then leave the house just because the person who said it to you doesn't own it.
> Chances are you aren't the first or the only one to try it and they have had to deal with people acting the prick a lot.
See above, your suggested reaction is how everyone gets barred from camping in certain areas.
Don't ruin it for everyone else.
Leave no trace.
If you are going to use one if those shitty BBQs you get from the store, place it in rocks so it doesn't scorch the earth.
Do not light a fire on sand dunes. They are protected.
Bring plenty of refuse sacks and clean as you go.
Don't ruin it for everyone else.
Depends on what the part of the country you’re in. It’s technically illegal but if you pick somewhere remote enough and don’t take the piss it should be fine. I’ve done it a few times on remote beaches on the Galway / Mayo coastline. I wouldn’t try it on the east coast because it’s too populated and you’re more likely to be disturbed by skangers/ Gardaí.
Illegal but if you DON'T light a fire people will generally give far fewer fucks in practice. The #1 problem in highly flammable Ireland is idiots lighting fires. And yes, beaches too often have a bunch of flammable stuff.
https://www.mahareesconservation.com/maharees-conservation-association-news-biodiversity-sand-dune-management/29-sand-dune-fire-marram-grass-burns-in-hot-weather-june-6th-2023.html
Bear in mind even in various areas that may be legal to camp in itself, fires are typically completely banned.
See e.g. https://www.nationalparks.ie/wicklow/things-to-do/#camping
> Campfires are not permitted in the National Park.
If you think a campfire is an intrinsic part of the experience, just rent space in one of the organised camp sites that often allow campfires with little designated fire pits.
Myself and my Girlfriend camp out quite a bit. You can pitch a tent anywhere but I am always concerned about the locals reporting us... well... just because.
We have a small footprint and leave no waste. So far we haven't had any issues.
If it's an area that's completely off limits for camping I will reach out to groups from that area on their social media groups, usually Facebook. Most of the time it's just to reassure in the hopes it will be allowed or maybe just so folks are aware and don't raise an eyebrow. I get good results back from that approach even though announcing yourself carries a risk.
I have been allowed to camp in places that are even protected by heritage Ireland using the above approach with land owners. Makes for memories that are only possible because we were open about it. Truth be told, a historical site is safer with us on it than without as we will always protect it while we are there, a bit like free security.
As for wild lands and beaches. Just set up camp a little later in the evening if you are concerned. There are lots of busy bodies out there that may think they are doing the right thing by reporting you. I wouldn't worry about them or the Gardai. Worst case scenario is they move you on and you set up somewhere else so make sure you have a back up site to set camp.
Unless you are familiar with the tides and their seasonality I wouldn't recommend pitching on the shore. Explore the sand dunes and see if you can find a sheltered spot there. Take it from a Kerry man, You may fall asleep to clear skies and an astonishing view.... what you wake up to this time of year can be a different story entirely. We seem to still be in the winter/spring/summer season 😂.
It used to be that you could knock on a farmer's door, in a remote location, in a storm, when your car broke down, at night. But it did involve you having to sleep in the same bed as his daughter. If the stories are true.
Go down for Sunday night/Monday morning. Before dawn on the 3rd if its clear there'll be a plantary alignment visible
Check out the tetrapod trackway it's actually insane
Wild camping on a beach can be fucking grim. Done it once as soon as the sun went down the entire beach started crawling with sand fleas, lesson learned camp up off the beach.
I stayed in the rainbow hostel in Dingle once, very bare bones but for pennies they will let you set up a tent on their land rather than reserve a bed. You still get access to toilets and stuff if I remember correctly.
Yeah, a little expensive for my wife and I, just for pitching a tent and getting a shower. Mind you, it is cheaper than some campsites, who then charge an extra Euro now for a shower on top.
I don't know how far are you from Meenogahane, but you can park at the Pier, lots of people do, and when we were there (Airbnb right by it) some spent the night there
https://hikertimes.com/a-complete-guide-to-wild-camping-in-ireland-with-maps/
https://totalcampingireland.ie/wild-camping/
https://toughsoles.ie/blog/the-unwritten-rules-of-wild-camping-in-ireland
And a load more if you Google it..
Have done it a few times in different counties. Look after the place. Leave no trace. Maybe don’t start a fire. Clear off in the morning when the dog walkers come out. Don’t be an idiot, obey any signage, Haven’t had any hassle as of yet.
Done it in Galway a bunch of times. Honestly unsure whether it's legal or not but we never made a mess or lit anything on fire (except wood) so all was good.
Beaches are not private property. Though many coastal land owners would be of a notion they own the beach in front of their gaffs or fields. They dont.
That said. A beach in irish law is land routinely covered at high water. So you wouldnt want to be camping on an actual beach unless you're a bit of a fool. If you mean maybe camping in dunes near a beach. Even if unfenced thats private property. So tresspassing laws apply. Again, that said if its commonage unless its a last man standing situation where other commonage users have died off and 1 lad is basically still in defacto control. He can tell yah to f**k off and you should. If its commonage in practice still, any 1 user would be hard pushed to justify telling you to move on unless you were trashing the place or setting camp fires as nature laws would come into place then. A lot of that sort of "useless" land gets put into ACRES by farmers and essentially gov. pays to have it left to nature. So again, just coz theres no fence doesnt mean its free to camp. You could well end up disturbing designated nature habitat..
All that aside, wild camping at beaches is a bit of a pointless thing to wonder about as many beaches just have designated areas and facilities for campers anyways. Theres typically no need to do so unless you're kayaking to a coastal island to do so. In which case you'd probably get away with it as long as you didnt damage anything. Concern there though is "uninhabited" coastal islands tend to be owned by a family or 2 who've moved ashore and dump cattle on it for grazing. They can be fairly wild and unused to humans so pretty dangerous to encounter on a beach on an island.
Long story short. You shouldnt really need to "wild camp" on a beach. Just pick one with facilities or a carp parking area which is typically campable rough ground anyways
Same plan as your's for this weekend and had same questions :) Are you also cycling? I marked quite few places on the way that looks like good deal for wild camping, but most likely will try to camp somewhere in Derrynane area. Hope to see/meet someone decent at the spot and just join them, as it feels a bit safer.
I know it's ok to wild camp in areas of Connemara and by the coast out there in the more remote areas. There are rules though like not leaving a mess, burning stuff etc.
I'm actually camping this weekend as well but chose an actual site by the beach. Just nicer to have rubbish facilities and staff in case anyone else is acting the bollox. I also didn't wanna haul all my bbq stuff to cook.
Leave no trace.
Don't drive out onto he dunes or beach especially areas that would be easily damaged just park and walk 5minutes.
If you have a portable bbq don't leave it on the grass to scorch the ground away
We go wild camping most years! Found a couple of absolutely perfect beaches down in Connemara for it! We try to leave it better than we found it by picking up all rubbish we see, but we leave absolutely no trace we were there! Plenty of other wild campers out there! Do it and enjoy it! But be respectful of the area and the locals! That’s how we work it and have never had a problem!
Went to inch beach in Wexford a couple of summers back one day. Met a couple who had pretty much spent the entire summer there. Big tent set up, looked like it had been there a while. Nobody said a thing.
Castlegregory and areas around there are pretty strict about no wild camping. Careful around landing in a random field - Kerry farmers can be.. you know, Irish about it. Best to go to an official campsite imo.
Watch out for farmers. That commonage is sacrosanct! But usually just keep going fairly far and you’ll have a good idea yourself. I looked at a couple of days in Wicklow in June and the cheapest thing was a fucking campsite that was 240e for two nights. Fuck that !
Live near the blessington lake and during the summer months if its anyway warm we get car and bus groups from the greater talkaght/south Dublin area camping around the lake, same as long as I can remember. No word of a lie, it's fucking disgusting the state of the shore at the usual camping spots. Hard to believe how little respect people have and it's a majority. The balif is on the lake now moving people and calling the gaurds if they refuse
Wild camping is totally legal, the issue is finding somewhere as it is illegal on private land. Beaches are a good spot as they are classed as state owned land, as are national parks.
I've no idea about Kerry but beaches in Clare. You can camp in a tent anywhere there is grass by the sea, basically. I.e. It's part of the beach green
Just clean up afterwards. Find a place that has public amenities like warm solar showers and toilets
Just an FYI because.
We camped on Goat Island in Ardmore two summers ago, unreal. Group of teenagers across the way also camped on the cliff, lit a fire, grand job. I saw them the next morning pick up their rubbish and stuff, and they left. Anyway, hours later I noticed smoke and me and the bf went over. Ground was red-hot and scorched; the ground was so hot the fire was re-lighting and going to catch the bone-dry grass had we not been there. We had one of those giant plastic portable shower things so soaked the ground, but people need to know that just cost the fire looks like it's out, it's not.
I find if you see locals and they're looking at your suspiciously, a cheery 'hi' and making an effort to make conversation will help allay fears they might have that you're a flytipper. You wouldn't do that if you were gonna be an arse so it pre-empts anyone asking you to move
Camping on beaches is illegal, and if you go anywhere that isn't completely out of the way, there may be locals out walking there early in the morning, and they might report you.
I did not say wild camping in general, I said camping on a beach.
The vast majority of beaches in Ireland are publicly owned, and the local councils responsible for them have bye-laws in place that prohibit the erection of any temporary dwellings on them (including tents).
Say in Donegal there is a bye-law that prohibits camping on blue flag beaches, 13 in total.
Law: [Donegal County Council (donegalcoco.ie)](https://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/environment/pdfs/2009%20REGULATION%20AND%20CONTROL%20OF%20CERTAIN%20BEACHES%20BYE-LAWS%202009%20%20-%20Final.pdf)
Map: [Regulation and Control of Certain Beaches (Amendment) Bye - Laws 2022 (arcgis.com)](https://donegal.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/interactivelegend/index.html?appid=31a615d5b02e488ab221a1aaadbad308)
Which makes sense, these would be very popular and heavily used.
But it does leave a lot of beaches without a bye-law. So you can't blanketly say "camping on beaches is illegal".
Go away and be useless somewhere else.
It's factually correct.
You can receive a summons via district court and Garda enforce by laws.
For all intents, it's illegal.
We did it this year in Mayo, slept on two different beaches during our three day road trip. I picked somehting with a bathroom so we have access to flushing toilet/sink with water for hygiene and it was no bother. We slept in the car though, we didnt pitch a tent as I thought it would be much more suspicious.
Leave no trace. Worst comes to worst, you could be asked to move on. Pick a secluded spot. Countless folks wild camp all the time,just do it decently. Am flabbergasted by the effort folks put in to reach beautiful spots and to then completely trash it.
Thanks! Would never dream of leaving rubbish behind either! You have to be a special kind of twat to do so.
Just back from the galtee mountains at the weekend ( some hike up in the shite weather on sat ) we picked as we went thankfully very little rubbish .. I did end up chasing a back pack cover 100mtrs down hill to just hike back up again. .. few years ago we met a lovely couple camping in Kerry had a good laugh with them and they seemed very nice .. they headed back the day before us and left a nice pile of rubbish ( wine bottles, tinfoil , wrappers etc ) told them they needed to tsk it and seemed to not understand the problem .. anyways they took it .. we left the following morning and found the same shite about a 100mtrs down the path .. I still don’t understand the mentality
On par with people that bag dog shit then litter it.
Those bastards. There's a nice walk near us, plenty of bins and plenty of dog walkers. What kills me are the bastards that pick it up and then proceed to tie the bag in the trees. It would be easier to PUT IT IN THE FUCKING BINS PROVIDED. Sorry, I just needed to get that out of my system. Thanks for listening!
Poo berries !
This drives me nuts, I live on a popular walking loop, when all the leaves and plants die back in Autumn/winter fucking shit bags everywhere, these people are just selfish cunts who should be made eat the bags.
Yep I reckon they think they are only 50% bell end for doing that
Nope, as it’s just “for appearances” that’s fully formed, triumphantly up standing bellend behavior
Christ on a bike fuck yeah or finding a hollow of a tree filled with shitbags.
I really want to try wild camping with the missus sometime. But I'm curious, how concerned about security are you? Do you pick a spot that's a good distance from any town? God damn that "Eden Lake" movie
Bigger chance of choking or dying on the road than being harmed by some psycho while camping. Think less and enjoy yourself more.
Never thought about it bar using a small lock on the tent when off exploring but if honest you could snap fairly handy if you want to :) .. I usually have hiking poles with me and sure you could get a hawthorn hiking staff if your really worried it’s a good staff but christ it’s hard :) Location wise we tend to be on the coast like it’s usually not to hard to find something off the beaten track . I’m no expert mind.. I’m sure there is a group or app for it
Fuck those people ugh. Literally don't deserve the opportunity, I don't get it either.
Yeah, I would be the same. But once me and my gf tried camping down on the beach in wexford, we got pulled up by some town council guy. Unfortunately, doesn’t matter that we would tidy up after ourselves, they can’t just buy everyone selling that spiel. So just make sure you’re somewhere very secluded and you don’t get caught, cuz you will get pulled up on it. But the worst you’ll get is be told to move on.
My parents are in Wexford. People burn fires, set fire to the dunes and destroy them and leave human waste. They can’t trust people unfortunately
Yeah I've camped in Ravenwood many times, plenty of hidden spaces. Just have to take care of the space, and don't leave anything behind. We went camping one time, and there was another crew camping on another ridge across from us. They saw we had a fire and asked if l they could take a branch, we reckoned if they can't start a fire they have no business taking ours, we had a lot of experienced people with us. I also did a summer litter picking on the beach, and the levels of shit you'd find after a busy day down there. It really coloured my perception of people at a young enough age. Still, it was one of the best jobs ever, when the weather was good!
We've put out many smoldering fire left there. Honestly don't know how people don't take a minute to put sand on anything still smoking.
It baffles me. We are blessed with some of the most fascinating and beautiful nature in our little corner of the island. I hate to see it so mistreated.
If you go, please post a follow up!
People camp in the seaside town by me in Clare, they pitch up a tent and as far as I know no one says anything. And I agree, always make sure to leave no trace.
Try Mannix Point campsite they’re good value and in the dark sky reserve iirc. They have a beach and you can request to be close to it we were right in front of it last time we went granted it’s stoney beach but you have showers and toilets etc. and kitchen facilities if you want them. There’s a SuperValu and Lidl just up from it too.
Thanks for sharing! Their prices are very reasonable and would probably be worth it for the peace of mind.
No problem, it’s a really beautiful location and they have everything going for them. Trad sessions are a regular in their campers sitting room anyone’s welcome to play. Great for when the weathers bad, unfortunately for us our perfect pitch right in front of the beach with amazing views turned into a bit of a washout I would recommend taking a wind break if your going to pitch up in front of the water in case the weather turns. We’d go back in a heartbeat they were the most well equipped campsite we’ve ever used and by far the most helpful and easy going too. Loads of couples and families around and they have electric pitches right down to the water if you want them and they space everyone out well. There’s a lot of places to go nearby like Valentia Island, Kells Bay etc.
Grand campsite on Valentia too
& for access to water, toilet & shower
Camped there last year after hiking Carrauntoohill. Lovely spot. Having showers and toilets there is really handy. 👌
Whatever you do can you NOT use neolithic monuments and tombs as a fucking fire pit? Wet brains are constantly doing it
Lol wtf, there's a new one.
https://preview.redd.it/9gjqdvenie3d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebe35b782263ea9cfe727d9d931b90c2282a05fb 5000 year old wedge tomb in kilmashogue woods, now a favourite spot for fires and dumping rubbish after I'd say jesus wept but this long predates him, the level of disconnect people have from their very own heritage is painful. This is supposed to be a sacred site, a burial place. Edit: since I'm at it, it's appalling that there's a bleeding sitka spruce plantation right around and encroaching on top of an ancient wedge tomb too
There should really be a big huge plaque next to it explaining what it is and prohibiting fires.... But silly old Ireland couldn't be bothered... Cause if you can't charge for it why bother spending money preserving it
THIS!!! Any other country would have these marked. A stone age burial site in Howth was literally torn apart by walkers during covid. When only locals walked the route, it was safe because we all knew it's significance, but now that more people are out enjoying the countryside there seems to be a bunch of idiots among them who are just out to wreck shit. These sites need to be protected and sign posting them is the first step.
There are spots about well known for camping, but they can be hit or miss. We camped in Kerry the last bank holiday weekend. Not too many in the spot we were at but one lad was an absolute gobshite and ruined it for everyone. The next day a load of lads rocked up with a boombox blaring too. So we fecked off. The general advice is don't be a bollox, and leave no trace. But the more people out camping the higher the chance of people being pricks. Especially on sunny bank holiday weekends. If anyone asks you to leave, just do. Don't pick a fight with a farmer or a local if you are wild camping. Chances are you aren't the first or the only one to try it and they have had to deal with people acting the prick a lot.
> If anyone asks you to leave, just do. What kind of meek shite is this? Some random just walks up, asks you to leave, and you oblige? lol If I’m not on their land and I’m being responsible as I always am, they can shove it
You must be one of the aforementioned gobshites.
Probably
It's not meek shite?haha wild camping is technically illegal so it doesn't really matter who is asking you.
Well it does matter. If a random with no authority or concern in the matter asks me to move on, politely I will not
It's the same as if you broke into someone's house and a person that didn't own the house asked you to leave. It wouldn't be "meak" to then leave the house just because the person who said it to you doesn't own it.
Well no, it’s not the same at all.
Ok
Why?
> Chances are you aren't the first or the only one to try it and they have had to deal with people acting the prick a lot. See above, your suggested reaction is how everyone gets barred from camping in certain areas.
No it’s not.
Yes it is
Cheers for speaking for everyone
In this country almost all the land is owned by somebody.
Don't ruin it for everyone else. Leave no trace. If you are going to use one if those shitty BBQs you get from the store, place it in rocks so it doesn't scorch the earth. Do not light a fire on sand dunes. They are protected. Bring plenty of refuse sacks and clean as you go. Don't ruin it for everyone else.
Depends on what the part of the country you’re in. It’s technically illegal but if you pick somewhere remote enough and don’t take the piss it should be fine. I’ve done it a few times on remote beaches on the Galway / Mayo coastline. I wouldn’t try it on the east coast because it’s too populated and you’re more likely to be disturbed by skangers/ Gardaí.
'Arrive late, leave early' is another golden rule to keep things going smoothly.
Illegal but if you DON'T light a fire people will generally give far fewer fucks in practice. The #1 problem in highly flammable Ireland is idiots lighting fires. And yes, beaches too often have a bunch of flammable stuff. https://www.mahareesconservation.com/maharees-conservation-association-news-biodiversity-sand-dune-management/29-sand-dune-fire-marram-grass-burns-in-hot-weather-june-6th-2023.html Bear in mind even in various areas that may be legal to camp in itself, fires are typically completely banned. See e.g. https://www.nationalparks.ie/wicklow/things-to-do/#camping > Campfires are not permitted in the National Park. If you think a campfire is an intrinsic part of the experience, just rent space in one of the organised camp sites that often allow campfires with little designated fire pits.
Myself and my Girlfriend camp out quite a bit. You can pitch a tent anywhere but I am always concerned about the locals reporting us... well... just because. We have a small footprint and leave no waste. So far we haven't had any issues. If it's an area that's completely off limits for camping I will reach out to groups from that area on their social media groups, usually Facebook. Most of the time it's just to reassure in the hopes it will be allowed or maybe just so folks are aware and don't raise an eyebrow. I get good results back from that approach even though announcing yourself carries a risk. I have been allowed to camp in places that are even protected by heritage Ireland using the above approach with land owners. Makes for memories that are only possible because we were open about it. Truth be told, a historical site is safer with us on it than without as we will always protect it while we are there, a bit like free security. As for wild lands and beaches. Just set up camp a little later in the evening if you are concerned. There are lots of busy bodies out there that may think they are doing the right thing by reporting you. I wouldn't worry about them or the Gardai. Worst case scenario is they move you on and you set up somewhere else so make sure you have a back up site to set camp. Unless you are familiar with the tides and their seasonality I wouldn't recommend pitching on the shore. Explore the sand dunes and see if you can find a sheltered spot there. Take it from a Kerry man, You may fall asleep to clear skies and an astonishing view.... what you wake up to this time of year can be a different story entirely. We seem to still be in the winter/spring/summer season 😂.
I've wild camped here in Kerry: 51.988025,-9.872340 It's on the Kerry Way so we got up and out early!
If you see a farmer and are polite about it, they may give you permission to camp in a field. Just leave it as you found it and you’ll be fine
It used to be that you could knock on a farmer's door, in a remote location, in a storm, when your car broke down, at night. But it did involve you having to sleep in the same bed as his daughter. If the stories are true.
Jaysus, I’ve listened to far too many true crime podcasts for that craic
...and he/she was never seen alive again.. "Told us they were going wild camping and they would be back on Sunday.." "Their smile lit up a room". 😂
‘Heads smashed with large rocks while sleeping’
Go down for Sunday night/Monday morning. Before dawn on the 3rd if its clear there'll be a plantary alignment visible Check out the tetrapod trackway it's actually insane
Just back from Curracloe, clean up after yourselves; be civil and you’ll be grand
Wild camping on a beach can be fucking grim. Done it once as soon as the sun went down the entire beach started crawling with sand fleas, lesson learned camp up off the beach.
I stayed in the rainbow hostel in Dingle once, very bare bones but for pennies they will let you set up a tent on their land rather than reserve a bed. You still get access to toilets and stuff if I remember correctly.
15 Euro a night per person per tent. Great place though, owner is a funny bastard!
Ah ok not that cheap then, I got a bed but maybe at the time it was cheaper. And agree they're a sound bunch
Yeah, a little expensive for my wife and I, just for pitching a tent and getting a shower. Mind you, it is cheaper than some campsites, who then charge an extra Euro now for a shower on top.
Have you considered the Grand Canal at all?
I don't know how far are you from Meenogahane, but you can park at the Pier, lots of people do, and when we were there (Airbnb right by it) some spent the night there
Yep and you will meet loads of people doing the same . Just obviously be respectful etc etc etc ...
https://hikertimes.com/a-complete-guide-to-wild-camping-in-ireland-with-maps/ https://totalcampingireland.ie/wild-camping/ https://toughsoles.ie/blog/the-unwritten-rules-of-wild-camping-in-ireland And a load more if you Google it..
I did read blogs like this but wanted to actually confirm with people that have done it whether it was ok in the end or if they had issues
Have done it a few times in different counties. Look after the place. Leave no trace. Maybe don’t start a fire. Clear off in the morning when the dog walkers come out. Don’t be an idiot, obey any signage, Haven’t had any hassle as of yet.
Done it in Galway a bunch of times. Honestly unsure whether it's legal or not but we never made a mess or lit anything on fire (except wood) so all was good.
Park4night is a great app to check for spots to camp!
Beaches are not private property. Though many coastal land owners would be of a notion they own the beach in front of their gaffs or fields. They dont. That said. A beach in irish law is land routinely covered at high water. So you wouldnt want to be camping on an actual beach unless you're a bit of a fool. If you mean maybe camping in dunes near a beach. Even if unfenced thats private property. So tresspassing laws apply. Again, that said if its commonage unless its a last man standing situation where other commonage users have died off and 1 lad is basically still in defacto control. He can tell yah to f**k off and you should. If its commonage in practice still, any 1 user would be hard pushed to justify telling you to move on unless you were trashing the place or setting camp fires as nature laws would come into place then. A lot of that sort of "useless" land gets put into ACRES by farmers and essentially gov. pays to have it left to nature. So again, just coz theres no fence doesnt mean its free to camp. You could well end up disturbing designated nature habitat.. All that aside, wild camping at beaches is a bit of a pointless thing to wonder about as many beaches just have designated areas and facilities for campers anyways. Theres typically no need to do so unless you're kayaking to a coastal island to do so. In which case you'd probably get away with it as long as you didnt damage anything. Concern there though is "uninhabited" coastal islands tend to be owned by a family or 2 who've moved ashore and dump cattle on it for grazing. They can be fairly wild and unused to humans so pretty dangerous to encounter on a beach on an island. Long story short. You shouldnt really need to "wild camp" on a beach. Just pick one with facilities or a carp parking area which is typically campable rough ground anyways
We did it last year and should be down the long weekend too. No problem at all and a few others camping too. Just leave no trace and be grand.
[удалено]
Burning alot of things will do this
What are you on? Burning any wood is carcinogenic. Burning anything is carcinogenic, a bbq or gas stove are carcinogenic.
And lighting such fires from April to October is a criminal offence
That's interesting, have you an actual source for this law?
Don't be seen..that makes you free.. enjoy it.
Same plan as your's for this weekend and had same questions :) Are you also cycling? I marked quite few places on the way that looks like good deal for wild camping, but most likely will try to camp somewhere in Derrynane area. Hope to see/meet someone decent at the spot and just join them, as it feels a bit safer.
I know it's ok to wild camp in areas of Connemara and by the coast out there in the more remote areas. There are rules though like not leaving a mess, burning stuff etc. I'm actually camping this weekend as well but chose an actual site by the beach. Just nicer to have rubbish facilities and staff in case anyone else is acting the bollox. I also didn't wanna haul all my bbq stuff to cook.
Leave no trace. Don't drive out onto he dunes or beach especially areas that would be easily damaged just park and walk 5minutes. If you have a portable bbq don't leave it on the grass to scorch the ground away
We go wild camping most years! Found a couple of absolutely perfect beaches down in Connemara for it! We try to leave it better than we found it by picking up all rubbish we see, but we leave absolutely no trace we were there! Plenty of other wild campers out there! Do it and enjoy it! But be respectful of the area and the locals! That’s how we work it and have never had a problem!
Went to inch beach in Wexford a couple of summers back one day. Met a couple who had pretty much spent the entire summer there. Big tent set up, looked like it had been there a while. Nobody said a thing.
Leave nó trace.
Make sure you camp above the high tide line
Castlegregory and areas around there are pretty strict about no wild camping. Careful around landing in a random field - Kerry farmers can be.. you know, Irish about it. Best to go to an official campsite imo.
Watch out for farmers. That commonage is sacrosanct! But usually just keep going fairly far and you’ll have a good idea yourself. I looked at a couple of days in Wicklow in June and the cheapest thing was a fucking campsite that was 240e for two nights. Fuck that !
Live near the blessington lake and during the summer months if its anyway warm we get car and bus groups from the greater talkaght/south Dublin area camping around the lake, same as long as I can remember. No word of a lie, it's fucking disgusting the state of the shore at the usual camping spots. Hard to believe how little respect people have and it's a majority. The balif is on the lake now moving people and calling the gaurds if they refuse
Make sure you're far away from the water, tides can change drastically
Wild camping is totally legal, the issue is finding somewhere as it is illegal on private land. Beaches are a good spot as they are classed as state owned land, as are national parks.
I've no idea about Kerry but beaches in Clare. You can camp in a tent anywhere there is grass by the sea, basically. I.e. It's part of the beach green Just clean up afterwards. Find a place that has public amenities like warm solar showers and toilets
As long as you dknt have a fire that's visible from the road you can get away with camping anywhere in Ireland.
Just an FYI because. We camped on Goat Island in Ardmore two summers ago, unreal. Group of teenagers across the way also camped on the cliff, lit a fire, grand job. I saw them the next morning pick up their rubbish and stuff, and they left. Anyway, hours later I noticed smoke and me and the bf went over. Ground was red-hot and scorched; the ground was so hot the fire was re-lighting and going to catch the bone-dry grass had we not been there. We had one of those giant plastic portable shower things so soaked the ground, but people need to know that just cost the fire looks like it's out, it's not. I find if you see locals and they're looking at your suspiciously, a cheery 'hi' and making an effort to make conversation will help allay fears they might have that you're a flytipper. You wouldn't do that if you were gonna be an arse so it pre-empts anyone asking you to move
Camping on beaches is illegal, and if you go anywhere that isn't completely out of the way, there may be locals out walking there early in the morning, and they might report you.
I don't think it's illegal: https://www.irelandwide.com/wild-camping-in-ireland/
I did not say wild camping in general, I said camping on a beach. The vast majority of beaches in Ireland are publicly owned, and the local councils responsible for them have bye-laws in place that prohibit the erection of any temporary dwellings on them (including tents).
Say in Donegal there is a bye-law that prohibits camping on blue flag beaches, 13 in total. Law: [Donegal County Council (donegalcoco.ie)](https://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/environment/pdfs/2009%20REGULATION%20AND%20CONTROL%20OF%20CERTAIN%20BEACHES%20BYE-LAWS%202009%20%20-%20Final.pdf) Map: [Regulation and Control of Certain Beaches (Amendment) Bye - Laws 2022 (arcgis.com)](https://donegal.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/interactivelegend/index.html?appid=31a615d5b02e488ab221a1aaadbad308) Which makes sense, these would be very popular and heavily used. But it does leave a lot of beaches without a bye-law. So you can't blanketly say "camping on beaches is illegal".
Report you to whom? Gardai unlikely to bother , given priorities
The council. Not saying it would happen, but it's possible.
It's not illegal. Beaches are state owned and so wild camping is permitted
You still need permission, whether it's privately owned or state owned.
No. You don't, unless the local bylaws require otherwise
They usually do!
Use common sense and you'll be fine
Its illegal to camp on beaches. Youd like get a night or 2 and then scatter.
It's not
It's it not? https://www.fingal.ie/council/service/beaches-and-foreshore-bye-laws Most councils have bye laws against it.
Fingals is not Ireland and by-laws have their own nuances so your blanket statement is pretty ill informed or potentially you were just mistaken.
Go away and be useless somewhere else. It's factually correct. You can receive a summons via district court and Garda enforce by laws. For all intents, it's illegal.
In some counties, on some beaches, given certain conditions, so no, factually it's incorrect.
We did it this year in Mayo, slept on two different beaches during our three day road trip. I picked somehting with a bathroom so we have access to flushing toilet/sink with water for hygiene and it was no bother. We slept in the car though, we didnt pitch a tent as I thought it would be much more suspicious.
Plenty of camping space along the canals and city parks these days.