Campsite Cooking Rules in the UK — What You Need to Know

Knowing the Rules Before You Light Up

UK campsites vary enormously in their cooking policies. Some provide communal kitchens and ban all personal stoves. Others welcome any cooking equipment. A few restrict cooking to specific areas or specific stove types. Understanding these rules before you arrive avoids awkward conversations with wardens and ensures your summer 2026 camping trips go smoothly.

Common Campsite Cooking Policies

• Gas stoves allowed on pitches: The majority of UK campsites allow portable gas stoves (Campingaz, Coleman, Jetboil, Go System, Trangia) to be used on or beside your pitch. This is the default unless stated otherwise.
• Raised stoves only: Some sites require stoves to be used on a table rather than on the ground. This protects the grass and reduces fire risk. A folding camping table satisfies this requirement.
• Designated cooking areas: A few sites, particularly in woodland or fire-risk areas, restrict cooking to specific communal cooking spots away from tents.
• No open fires, stoves permitted: This is the most common rule. Campfires and disposable BBQs are banned (to protect the ground and prevent wildfires) but enclosed gas stoves are allowed.
• BBQ policy: Many sites allow raised BBQs but ban disposable ones. Some ban all BBQs. Check before packing your charcoal grill.

Wild Camping and Cooking

In England and Wales, wild camping is technically illegal without landowner permission (Dartmoor being a recent exception/debate). In Scotland, the right to roam includes wild camping under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. When wild camping:

• Use a stove rather than an open fire wherever possible — stoves leave no trace
• If you do use a fire, use an existing fire ring, keep it small and ensure it is fully extinguished
• Cook away from watercourses to prevent contamination
• Carry all waste out with you, including food scraps and gas canisters

Festival Cooking Rules

Most UK music festivals allow small portable gas stoves in the camping areas but ban them in the arena, in car parks and in certain tent zones. Rules vary by event — check the specific festival's website before packing. Common restrictions include:

• Gas stoves only (no liquid fuel stoves or open fires)
• Maximum canister size limits (typically no canisters larger than CP250 or 230g EN417)
• Stoves must be used outside tents with a clear area around them

National Park and Nature Reserve Rules

National Parks (Lake District, Snowdonia, Cairngorms, etc.) generally permit gas stoves for camping where camping is allowed. Some nature reserves and SSSIs have stricter rules due to habitat sensitivity. Check with the specific park authority before your trip.

Carbon Monoxide and Indoor Cooking Rules

This is not a campsite rule — it is physics. Never use a camping stove inside a tent, caravan or enclosed space without proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion is odourless and lethal. Every year, people are hospitalised or killed because they cook inside a sealed tent during bad weather. Cook outside. Always.

Disposing of Gas Canisters

Empty gas canisters should never be left at the campsite or thrown in general waste bins. They are recyclable as steel/aluminium at recycling centres. Some campsites have specific canister disposal bins. Partially used canisters should be taken home — never puncture them to empty them faster.

Best Practice Checklist

• Check the campsite's specific cooking policy before booking
• Bring a table or platform to elevate your stove off the grass
• Cook at least 3 metres from any tent or awning
• Never leave a lit stove unattended
• Carry out all waste, including empty gas canisters
• Keep a small fire extinguisher or fire blanket in your kit

Equip yourself with a campsite-compliant stove from our camping stove collection and cook confidently at every site you visit in summer 2026.