UK Bushcraft Laws
If you live in a country like the UK then going on a weekend bushcraft trip isn’t quite as straightforward as grabbing an axe and walking into the local woodlands. There are no laws regarding bushcraft as a whole, but there are laws governing the various activities that are used in bushcraft. Here are the most important laws you should know about when it comes to bushcraft.
Foraging
- It is illegal in the UK to uproot a plant unless you have the permission of the landowner to do so.
- It is illegal to pick any kind of cultivated plant without the permission of the owner. If a plant had been purposely planted by someone then it isn’t classed as wild and would be considered theft.
- You are not allowed to sell anything you gather from the wild unless it is declared as a business and you have permission to do so from the land owner.
- A plant is considered “wild” if it grew from natural means which includes anything that a person didn’t purposely plant themselves. If there is a wild plant on land someone owns, it isn’t considered stealing if you take parts of the plant without uprooting it, but you do need permission to access the land and may have a complaint for trespassing put against you if you run into a grumpy farmer.
The following plants are protected species under European law and it is illegal to pick, uproot, harm, or transport the following:
Creeping marshwort
early gentian
fen orchid
floating water-plantain
Killarney fern
lady’s slipper
marsh saxifrage
shore dock
slender naiad
If you don’t recognize any of these then don’t worry, the reason they are protected is because they are exceptionally rare and you probably couldn’t find them if you tried.
- It isn’t illegal to pick poisonous plants in the action itself, but it is illegal to pick them with the intention of administering them to a person, even yourself. If you were found in possession of poisonous plants it would be up to the officer that caught you to decide if it constituted an offense. For example, if you accidentally picked a berry from a deadly nightshade vine then you’d probably be let off, but a basket filled with nothing but death caps would look very suspicious and could land you in a ton of trouble.
- It is legal to pick mushrooms in the UK as long as you have permission from the land owner with the exception of the following species which are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: Hedgehog Fungus, Oak Polypore, Royal Bolete and Sandy Stilt Puffball
Camp Fires
The law regarding campfires in England, Ireland, and Wales is very simple, you are allowed a fire as long as you have the landowner’s permission. In Scotland, they allow campfires, and the outdoor access code states the following on the subject:
“Wherever possible, use a stove rather than light an open fire. If you do wish to light an open fire, keep it small, under control, and supervised – fires that get out of control can cause major damage, for which you might be liable. Never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground or near to buildings or in cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily caused. Heed all advice at times of high risk. Remove all traces of an open fire before you leave.”
Camping
Same as with the fire law, all you need is permission. You can camp in the middle of a farmer’s field or in a public common area if you have permission to do so. Scotland is the only UK country that allows wild camping which means you can pitch up a tent in any outdoor green space that has public access without the need to obtain permission.
Dangerous tool use – Axes, knives etc
The carrying of knives and any other bladed devices that could be used as a weapon, such as axes, is governed by a law that states you are only allowed to carry such items “with good reason”. This isn’t quite as black and white as it sounds as there is no definition of what is considered good reason, and it would be up to the officer that caught you with the item to decide if you’re breaking the law or not.
Certain bladed weapons are considered illegal to have in public under almost any circumstance, like the huge Rambo knives or something designed specifically to cause harm. UK law says you may carry a knife with a non-locking blade of up to 3 inches (7.62 cm) as long as it’s kept in a position where you can’t immediately produce it, for example, it would be illegal to walk around the street with such a knife in your pocket but it wouldn’t be illegal if it was in a fishing tackle box or in a container in your car.
If you wish to use an axe or longer-bladed knife on private property then this is legal as long as you have permission to do so from whoever owns that property. Transporting anything bigger than a small knife should be done in concealment and kept in a position that’s not immediately reachable, so if you have permission to use an axe on private land, that axe must be transported inside a backpack or a vehicle, as walking around the street with it dangling off your belt would constitute an offense.
Land access
If the land is designated as public land, such as a park, canal path, local woodland, etc… then you don’t need permission to go and forage there, but you DO need permission to light a fire, camp overnight, or uproot anything with the exception of Scotland that allows wild camping and fires without permission.
On private land that has public access, like a path along the side of a farmer’s field, it isn’t technically illegal to gather wild plants as long as you aren’t uprooting them, this includes picking apples from wild trees that grow in parks.
Fishing
Every single river and lake in the UK is owned by someone, which is usually the council governing the land it passes through. To catch freshwater fish in England or Wales you need a rod license, which can be bought on the spot from your local post office, and you also need the permission of whoever owns the body of water you intend to fish in, which often means having to buy another license for that specific body of water.
When fishing in the sea there are no such restrictions when it comes to licenses and the amount you can catch, but there are restrictions on the sizes of fish you are allowed to keep. The fish that have size limits and what those limits are often change, so check with the governing body of the area of coast you intend to fish on to find out those limits.
When it comes to using traps to catch things like crab or crayfish, you need permission from the owner of the body of water along with a license from the Environment Agency for the traps themselves. Obtaining a license is free and you can apply to get one Here.
Hunting
You are only allowed to hunt in the UK without a license using an air rifle with 12ft lbs of muzzle energy, an air rifle over this power limit or a self-contained bullet-firing gun requires a firearms certificate which is very difficult to obtain. To use an air rifle to hunt you only need to have the permission of the land owner and the ability to transport the weapon legally, which includes concealed transport in the trunk of a vehicle.
It’s important to be very, VERY careful if you intend to use any kind of firearm, including an air rifle to hunt as the UK has strict laws regarding guns and offenses are incredibly serious. You can find a complete list of the UK’s gun laws Here.
Snaring
It is legal to use “free-running” neck snares to catch rabbits and foxes in the UK. A free-running snare relaxes when the animal stops struggling and is intended to hold them until the person who set the snare comes back to humanely kill the animal. When setting a snare you need landowners permission to place them.
Some useful links for further information