…to wild camping as possible. We did a kayak/wild camp in Scotland for 5 days last year which was fantastic and my wife and I would really love to do something similar again for a long weekend. We don’t really fancy the long long drive up to Scotland though so given our slightly more restrictive nature when it comes to camping etc in England could anyone offer some suggestions.

I’m not really a fan of campsites really and would like as ‘off piste’ an experience as England can offer if possible. I was thinking about coast lines we could try but i’m not sure where to start.

Let’s start with where do you live? England is a pretty big place and if the reason you don’t want to go to Scotland is because if of the distance, someone recommending Cornwall if you live in Hull isn’t going to be much of an improvement.

Very good point. Would have been helpful to mention it. Oxfordshire.

I’d take a look at Dartmoor. It’s even officially encouraged

If it doesn’t have to be England then Brecons and Snowdonia might also be worth a look.

If it must be canoeing then there are very basic campsite and canoe hire places along the river wye. Not wild as such and in Summer I can guarantee that there will be other people there but they are certainly not big organised sites and I’m struggling to think of anywhere closer than Scotland for something similar. Short hop on a plane to Sweden maybe?

Doesn’t have to be kayak related at all, it was just a means to paddle to some of the islands on the Lochs.

Was going to suggest Wye too.

You can ‘cheeky’ wild camp in a lot of places and provided you don’t take the piss, no one will know you were there. Pitch at dusk, strike just after dawn. I’ve done a bit of this on the jurassic coastal path. A night bivvying in a cave/ hollow on the beach below the cliffs at Burton Bradstock was ace. The cliff fall there this year might give me more of a sleepless night now though!

Howgills
Northumberland
Dark Peak
Forest of Bowland

Get there late, up with the crows, leave no trace

^ That.
There are some great spots hidden away, if you stick to the ‘code’ and get in late, out early, and leave no traces.
Keeps Scotland quieter for me…