Troquhain Woods

Red squirrels, deer, and woodland birds will be your neighbours at Troquhain Woods in Galloway. Here in the south west of Scotland, you can enjoy a wild camping experience among the trees – with the convenience of a toilet and a tap. It’s a simple set up that’s been put together by host Malcolm, a woodsman whose speciality is building bridges. He’ll more than likely welcome you to your temporary home in the forest, although it’s not hard to find. You might feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere when you’re tucked among the trees but this woodland site is actually handily just off the A road which links Dumfries with Galloway Forest Park. It makes this wild camping experience as accessible for campervans as it is for those with tents.

The road can mean a little noise from passing traffic but it’s hardly a distraction from your wild surroundings and nor are the other campers, if there are any here when you stay. There are just a handful of pitches so staying feels like the privilege it is. It also gives you the chance to concentrate on the important stuff – like getting that campfire going. Logs are included in the price of your pitch.

It goes without saying that this 15-acre woodland is a place that suits self-sufficient campers. Only the very basics are provided and if you’re coming here you’ll want to know how to manage with those and your wits. You are asked to bring your own drinking water and to leave no trace of your stay. There’s no shower and no shop – in fact the nearest one is a couple of miles away in Balmaclellan with the closest places to eat or drink out, further than that in New Galloway or St John’s Town of Dalry. But those who’ll like it here the most wouldn’t have it any other way. They’ll likely be here for the campfire craic, for the dark skies and stars, for the wildlife and walking or for the mountain biking in nearby Galloway Forest Park.