Choosing where to pitch your tent is one of the most important decisions you'll make on a wild camping trip. A good pitch means a better night's sleep, less impact on the landscape and a safer morning. A poor one can leave you cold, wet, bitten and unwelcome. In the UK hills, where weather can change in minutes and ground can be boggy even in summer, a little care goes a long way. The best pitches are level, dry, sheltered and well away from water and fragile plants — and they respect local access rules.

Read the Ground Before You Unpack

Before you take your pack off, walk the area. Look for ground that is already flat and firm. Short, dry grass, gravel or bare earth are ideal. Avoid tussocky grass, which hides uneven ground and drains poorly. Step on the spot where your hips and shoulders will lie. If it feels spongy, sloping or lumpy, move on. A slight slope is fine if you sleep head-up, but a steep one will have you sliding downhill all night.

Avoid hollows and dips. They collect cold air, dew and water. In the UK, a frost hollow can be several degrees colder than the surrounding slope. Also steer clear of animal burrows, ant nests and obvious drainage lines. If the ground squelches under your boots, it will squelch under your sleeping mat.

Stay Well Away from Water

Water is tempting: it's a source for cooking, a landmark and often the flattest ground around. But camping right beside a stream, tarn or lochan is rarely wise. Heavy rain in the hills can turn a gentle burn into a dangerous torrent within an hour. Flash flooding is a real risk in narrow valleys and on alluvial flats. Even without a flood, damp ground means condensation, midges and a colder night.

As a rule, pitch at least 50 metres from any watercourse, loch or tarn. Use the ground further back, ideally on a slight rise. Collect water from upstream of your pitch, and never wash dishes or yourself directly in the water. If you must camp near water, choose a spot that is clearly above the high-water mark and not on a gravel bar that could be submerged.

Protect Fragile Plants and Soils

UK hill landscapes are fragile. Moss, lichen, dwarf willow, cloudberry and alpine flowers can take decades to recover from a single tent. Heather is tougher but still easily damaged when wet. Avoid pitching on any plant that looks unusual, slow-growing or particularly soft. The same goes for eroded peat hags and bare, crumbling soil.

Choose durable surfaces: rock slabs, gravel, short grass that is already worn, or established pitches that others have used. If there is no obvious pitch, spread your weight and move on each night. In popular areas, using an existing pitch is better than creating a new one. Leave no trace means no flattened grass, no cut vegetation and no fire scars.

Shelter from Wind and Weather

UK weather is rarely still. A sheltered pitch can mean the difference between a calm night and a broken tent pole. Look for natural windbreaks: boulders, a low wall, a rocky knoll or a stand of trees. But be careful. Never pitch under dead or overhanging branches, and avoid the lee of a crag where rockfall could occur. In winter, avoid gullies and avalanche runout zones.

At the same time, don't camp in a deep valley bottom if you can avoid it. Cold air sinks, and so does mist. A small rise or a shelf above the valley floor is often warmer and drier. On exposed ridges and summits, even a gentle breeze can become a gale. Check the forecast, note the wind direction and pitch with your tent's lowest side into the wind. Use all your guy lines and strong pegs.

Know the Access Rules and Local Customs

Wild camping rules differ across the UK. In Scotland, the right to roam generally allows wild camping on unenclosed land, but there are seasonal restrictions in some popular areas. In England and Wales, wild camping is usually only allowed with the landowner's permission, apart from certain permissive areas such as parts of Dartmoor. Always check local signs, national park advice and any seasonal bylaws before you go.

Arrive late and leave early. Keep a low profile. Don't camp in car parks, on private land without permission, or in enclosed fields with livestock. Close gates, don't block tracks, and avoid archaeological sites. If a landowner or ranger asks you to move, do so politely. Good behaviour keeps access open for everyone.

Pitch, Check and Settle In

Once you've chosen your spot, take a final look around. If anything feels wrong, move. It's far easier to repitch in daylight than to spend the night worrying. Run through this quick checklist:

• Level ground: no slope that will have you rolling downhill.
• Dry ground: no squelch, no standing water, no bog.
• Distance from water: at least 50 metres from streams, lochs and tarns.
• Fragile plants: avoid moss, lichen and alpine flowers; use durable ground.
• Shelter: out of the wind but not under dead trees or in avalanche zones.
• Access: legal, discreet and respectful of local rules.

Set up your tent with the door away from the wind, and keep your kit inside or under the fly. Store food securely to avoid attracting animals. Before you sleep, check the forecast one last time and know your escape route. A good wild camping pitch is quiet, safe and leaves no mark. Find one, look after it, and you'll wake up ready for the hills.