hanski wrote:
And if camping is not allowed somewhere, in Finland (perhaps in Sweden, too??) you are allowed to put your tent almost anywhere as long as you don’t disturb anyone – so simply walk some 100 meters out from the field and put your tent below trees there. Fully legal.
Yes, in Sweden too. You are in principle allowed to pitch your tent anywhere for one night as long as it is not too close to a house, a field with crops etc.
Without landowner permission???
Or in the face of landowner protest??
Welcome Ruben,
Book the cheapest plane and enjoy 5-day trips. Take advantage of the summer to go north indeed. Visit both small and big airports. Don’t restrict you to CAVOK days.
That way you will gain experience very fast.
And enjoy this phase of life 
Peter wrote:
Without landowner permission???
Yes, absolutely. (Please don’t say “it can’t be” because it can.)
You can even land your aircraft on private land without the landowner’s permission, as long as the operation doesn’t cause damage or nuisance.
Or in the face of landowner protest??
Legally, yes. Then there is of course the social aspect – how unpleasant a situation you are prepared to deal with.
But the right to public access is very deeply accepted (and used) in Sweden so such a situation is unlikely to occur unless the landowner is of a particularly obnoxious nature.
As usual I would be amazed if this was the whole story even in Sweden because the right to set up a tent will quickly trash the countryside if you get sufficient numbers. This was a really big problem here during covid where e.g. Cornwall became a huge campsite, with wild camping (which most people don’t know how to do) leaving toilet paper, excrement and domestic garbage all over the countryside. If camping was allowed everywhere, the nicer parts of the country would turn into trash sites. In the UK you have Dartmoor and Scotland but they manage OK due to relative remoteness and in the case of Scotland a lot of crap wx.
So I bet that it works until you get a bit too much of it.
The UK has a thing called right to roam but as you can see camping is not included in the rights.
And one can be sure that at an airfield any national laws on this will be known and enforced.
What makes it more difficult is that camping at airfields is popular at larger events because a) there may not be accommodation anywhere near and b) most of the arrivals at such events don’t want to pay room rates anyway – or landing fees for that matter A great example is Alderney which could not possibly accommodate any numbers, most rooms are at one hotel which is £200+ per night, but there is a good campsite.
Peter wrote:
As usual I would be amazed if this was the whole story even in Sweden because the right to set up a tent will quickly trash the countryside if you get sufficient numbers.
Well the law is the same in Norway, you can camp anywhere but at least 100 m from houses and of course not where it is explicitly forbidden. This works in Norway Sweden and Finland because the population density is very low (some could argue that the same law could work well also in high density area since in these area you would not be able to be 100m from houses :-)). Most of the explicit exclusions for this camping freedom are in the Lofoten because there are too much tourists and that got a bit abused by said tourist (but again it’s only some specific area where you are not allowed to camp, not the whole of the Lofoten Island).
La Fleche LFAL for example has set up a free bike lent and camping facility with shower and toilet
link
A cute little town.
Jujupilote wrote:
La Fleche LFAL for example has set up a free bike lent and camping facility with shower and toilet
link
A cute little town.
Very good idea – I hope this catches on. Toilets and showers are pretty important for campers. Whoever is responsible for that website seems to be having fun with it!
Peter wrote:
As usual I would be amazed if this was the whole story even in Sweden
I omitted some details which are not relevant for the discussion, such that authorities can limit the right to pitch a tent e.g. in a national park. Otherwise it is the whole story. The Right of Public Access has its roots in traditions from medieval times, was first formalised in the 1940s and is today mentioned in the Swedish constitution. Polls show that almost 100% of Swedes support this right. Even the few landowners that are opposed acknowledge that this what the law says.
because the right to set up a tent will quickly trash the countryside if you get sufficient numbers. This was a really big problem here during covid where e.g. Cornwall became a huge campsite, with wild camping (which most people don’t know how to do) leaving toilet paper, excrement and domestic garbage all over the countryside. If camping was allowed everywhere, the nicer parts of the country would turn into trash sites. In the UK you have Dartmoor and Scotland but they manage OK due to relative remoteness and in the case of Scotland a lot of crap wx.
So I bet that it works until you get a bit too much of it..
I have no idea what happens in the UK but it does not happen in Sweden. One reason can be that everyone are aware both of the rights and responsibilities that comes with the Right of Public Access – this is something which is taught already in primary school – and I would expect that Swedes generally spend more time hiking than Britons so they are more used to it. Also, Sweden is much less densely populated than the UK.
Does this mean there is an automatic right of camping on airfields in Sweden?
