Solo Wild Camping for Women: 10 Things I Wish I’d Known
Updated: Sep 23
I still remember lying awake during my first solo wild camp, listening to every rustle outside the tent and wondering what on earth I was doing. The noises I had built into something frightening were mostly wind, fabric and sheep. The things that genuinely affected the night were far more ordinary: the weather, the cold and whether I had brought equipment I knew how to use.
That first night taught me something important. Solo wild camping confidence does not appear before you go. It develops when you prepare carefully, make sensible decisions and discover that you can cope with the unfamiliar parts.
After several years of wild camping, these are the lessons I most wish I had understood at the beginning. This is not about telling women to ignore their instincts or pretend they are never afraid. It is practical advice for making a first or early solo wild camp feel safer, calmer, and far more manageable.
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Is solo wild camping safe for women?
No outdoor activity is completely risk-free, but solo wild camping can be approached safely and responsibly. The risks you can prepare for are usually practical ones: changing weather, cold, difficult terrain, navigation problems, unsuitable equipment, and becoming tired or feeling overwhelmed. A realistic plan, a reliable weather window, a check-in system and permission to change your mind all matter more than trying to appear fearless.
Before travelling, check the access rules, landowner permission and any temporary restrictions that apply to the exact area. Wild camping rules vary around the UK, and restrictions can change. Camp discreetly and responsibly, never light an open fire, use a stove only where it is permitted and safe, and leave no trace of your stay.
1. Make your first solo wild camp deliberately easy
Your first night alone does not need to be a huge mountain expedition. Choose a short, familiar route, a settled forecast and somewhere you can reach with plenty of daylight. If possible, keep the walk-in manageable and have a straightforward way back to the car or to safer ground.
There is no prize for choosing the remotest pitch or carrying the heaviest pack. A simple overnight trip gives you the chance to practise the unfamiliar parts: carrying your kit, finding suitable ground, pitching alone, cooking and settling down after dark.: carrying your kit, finding suitable ground, pitching alone, cooking, and settling down after dark.
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If jumping straight into a wild camp feels too much, try a quiet campsite or a nearly-wild site first. You can test your setup, spend a night in the tent alone and learn what helps you relax, while knowing there are other people within reach. That is preparation, not cheating.
2. Choose a pitch that feels safe, not merely photogenic
A dramatic view is lovely, but your ability to settle matters more. Look for legal or permitted ground that is flat, dry, and away from paths, roads, watercourses, steep drops, and obvious hazards. Consider the wind direction, how exposed the tent will be, and what the ground will become if the weather changes overnight.
I also think about how a place feels. If a pitch makes you uneasy, you do not have to justify leaving it just because it looked perfect on the map. Move on, use your backup option, or go home. A good pitch should help you exhale rather than leave you on alert all evening.
Avoid publishing exact pitch locations online. Sharing the wider area and the experience can still inspire other women without directing large numbers of people to one small piece of ground.
3. Share a proper plan with someone you trust
Before setting off, tell someone your planned route, the general area in which you expect to camp, where you have parked, and when they should hear from you. Agree on what they should do if you miss the check-in. A vague message saying that you are ‘somewhere in the Lakes’ is not enough.
Download your route for offline use (I use the OS maps app) and carry a power bank. A phone is useful, but it should not be your only plan: batteries fail, screens break, and signal disappears. Carry a map and compass and develop the skills to use them. OS Locate can give you a grid reference without mobile signal, although you will still need a connection or another method to send it to someone.
I also carry a Garmin satellite communicator. It lets me exchange messages when there is no phone signal and provides an SOS function that connects to Garmin Response, which can coordinate with the relevant emergency service. It is a backup, not a replacement for preparation or navigation skills.
4. Practise with your equipment before relying on it
A wet, windy hillside is not the place to discover that you do not know which pole goes where. Pitch your tent at home or on a campsite first. Practise packing it away, lighting your stove safely, inflating your sleeping mat, using your water filter and finding essential items in the dark.
Check your equipment before every trip. Charge your phone and satellite device, test your headtorch, inspect the tent, and make sure the correct poles, pegs, and stove fuel are actually in your bag. Familiarity removes an enormous amount of unnecessary stress.
5. Think about your whole sleep system, not only the sleeping bag
Feeling cold can quickly turn a manageable night into a miserable one. Your sleeping bag matters, but so do the insulation beneath you, dry sleeping clothes, socks, a hat, and the conditions outside. A sleeping mat is not only for comfort; its insulation helps reduce heat loss into the ground.
Use the sleeping bag’s comfort rating as a starting point rather than choosing by season labels alone, especially if you know you sleep cold. Check the overnight temperature for the elevation at which you will camp, not only the valley forecast. Give yourself a sensible margin while you are learning what works for you.
Comfort is not frivolous. If I have room, I would rather carry the pillow that helps me sleep than spend eight hours resenting an ultralight one I dislike. The best setup is the one that keeps you warm, lets you rest, and is still realistic for you to carry.
6. Expect the first evening to feel strange
The hardest part of a solo wild camp is often not the walk or the pitch. It is the moment the light fades, the landscape goes quiet, and your brain suddenly notices every sound. That response does not mean you are incapable or that something is wrong. You are simply in an unfamiliar environment without the usual noises and routines of home.
Create a small evening routine. Get your sleeping system ready before dark, organise anything you might need overnight, eat something warm and make a drink. Check the weather once, send your agreed message and then let yourself settle. An audiobook, a downloaded podcast or a few pages of a book can stop you from listening for imaginary danger.
Do not expect perfect sleep on your first attempt. Resting, staying warm, and getting through the night comfortably are enough. Sleep usually becomes easier as the environment becomes more familiar.
7. Plan for toilet trips, periods and feeling clean
Many women worry about the practical side of going to the toilet outdoors but feel awkward asking about it. Think it through at home so that you are not trying to invent a system in the dark or in the rain. Keep your toilet kit together and easy to reach.
I find a Pee Cloth useful after a wee, and period pants can help me feel fresher even when I am not on my period. Some women use a female urination device or a dedicated wide-neck bottle inside the tent, but practise at home before depending on either.
Carry out all wipes, toilet paper, sanitary products and period products. ‘Biodegradable’ does not mean they should be left on the hill. Follow the waste guidance for the area you are visiting and keep hand sanitiser accessible.
8. Keep food and water reassuringly simple
Your first solo wild camp is not the time for an elaborate meal. Choose food that is quick, familiar and still edible if the stove fails. A dehydrated meal, couscous, noodles or another simple one-pot option reduces washing up and gives you more time to settle before dark. Always carry an easy snack and a little spare food.
Know where your water will come from and do not assume every stream will be flowing or safe to drink. Carry enough or use a suitable treatment method. Keep your stove stable, away from the tent fabric and dry vegetation, and do not use it inside a closed tent. Check local fire and stove restrictions before you travel.
9. Trust your instincts and keep a Plan B
If the weather changes, the route takes longer than expected, the ground is unsuitable, or something feels wrong, change the plan. You can move, descend, use the campsite you identified in advance or return to the car.
Turning around is not evidence that you failed. It is evidence that you noticed what was happening and made a decision before the situation became harder. Knowing that you are allowed to leave can also reduce anxiety: you are not trapped just because you packed a tent.
10. Confidence comes after doing it, not before
You do not need to feel completely confident before your first solo wild camp. Most people do not. Confidence grows through small pieces of evidence: pitching the tent by yourself, navigating the route, making a warm drink, managing the darkness and waking up to realise that you did it.
Start at your own level and let the experience expand gradually. The aim is not to prove that you are fearless. It is to become someone who can feel nervous, prepare properly and still make sound decisions. Every responsible night outdoors adds another piece of evidence that you belong there.
A simple first solo wild camp checklist
Check land access, permission and local restrictions.
Choose a familiar, manageable route and a settled weather window.
Identify a primary pitch area, a backup option and an exit route.
Share your route, parking location and check-in time with someone.
Download offline mapping and carry a map, compass and power bank.
Test your tent, stove, sleeping mat, headtorch and safety equipment.
Pack insulation for the forecast conditions, plus dry sleeping layers.
Carry sufficient water or a reliable treatment method.
Keep food simple and carry something that needs no cooking.
Pack out every item of rubbish, including wipes and sanitary products.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to feel frightened on a first solo wild camp?
Yes. Darkness and unfamiliar sounds can make your brain more alert, particularly when you are alone. Choose an easy first trip, arrive in daylight, organise the tent before dark, and use a familiar evening routine. Feeling nervous is not the same as being in danger.
How can a woman prepare for camping alone?
Practise with your equipment, choose a straightforward route, check the weather, download offline maps and share a detailed plan with someone you trust. A quiet campsite or nearly-wild site can be a useful step before a remote camp.
What should I avoid sharing online?
Avoid posting your precise pitch or live location while you are alone. Share photographs and the wider area after you have left. This protects your privacy and helps prevent fragile locations from becoming overused.
Do I need expensive equipment for my first wild camp?
No, but the equipment must be suitable for the conditions, and you need to know how to use it. Borrowing or hiring kit can be sensible while you learn what works for you. Prioritise shelter, warmth, navigation, lighting, water and a reliable way to communicate your plan.
What if I change my mind after setting off?
Use your backup plan or go home. A successful trip is one in which you make safe decisions, not one in which you force yourself to stay simply because that was the original plan.
Final thoughts
Solo wild camping has given me freedom, quiet and a much stronger sense of what I can manage on my own. None of that required me to stop feeling nervous. It came from learning how to prepare, trusting my judgement and allowing my confidence to grow one night at a time.
If you are considering your first solo wild camp, make it easy enough that you can enjoy it. Choose the kind weather window, the shorter walk and the sensible backup plan. You can build towards bigger adventures later. Your first task is to give yourself a safe, realistic place to begin.
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