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Our first wild camp of the year: one night on a quiet hillside above a reservoir, stars you could actually count, and Piper deciding at 2 a.m. that the tent zip needed guarding from an owl.

Wild camping isn’t legal everywhere in England and Wales, so we always check local guidance and camp light, leave no trace, and stick to spots that are clearly tolerated. This one we’ve used twice before — discreet, flat, and far enough from the path that morning walkers won’t trip over guy lines.

What we packed

• Two-person tent (Piper gets the foot end, obviously)
• Sleeping bag rated for cooler nights — hills drop temperature fast
• Camping stove, porridge oats, coffee, and a shared bar of chocolate
• Collapsible water bowl, extra lead, and a small towel for muddy paws
• Head torches, power bank, and a map in case the phone dies

Morning

We woke to low cloud and the smell of damp grass. Coffee from the stove, porridge with honey, Piper circling the tent until I agreed it was time to pack up. The walk back to the car took forty minutes through mist that burned off as we descended.

Not a glamorous camp. No sunset photos, no perfect Instagram light. Just a good, quiet night outdoors with my favourite walking companion. That’s usually enough.

Piper has a rule: if she can see the summit, we are not allowed to stop for snacks until we reach it. This rule is enforced with considerable enthusiasm.

We set off from the car park just after six, mist still sitting in the valley and the path empty except for a pair of curlews. The first mile is gentle woodland — good for warming up and letting Piper work through her morning zoomies before the climb proper begins.

The climb

Once you leave the trees the path steepens and the views open up fast. It’s a steady pull rather than anything technical, but you’ll want decent boots and a wind layer even on a mild day. Piper handled the rocky sections without fuss; border collies seem to treat uneven ground as a personal challenge.

Worth knowing

• Car park fills early on sunny weekends — arrive before nine if you can
• One stile near the halfway mark; dogs can go under the fence on the left
• No bins on the route; pack everything out
• Allow three to four hours with breaks and summit time

We ate cheese rolls at the top, watched the cloud shadow move across the next ridge, and let Piper chase nothing in particular for ten happy minutes. A good hill day. We’ll be back in autumn when the bracken turns copper.

There’s a stretch of coast path we’ve walked a dozen times and it still catches me off guard — the moment the trees fall away and you’re walking above turquoise water with gulls riding the thermals below.

Piper prefers inland routes as a rule, but she makes an exception here. Something about the wind and the wide horizon keeps her alert and cheerful rather than her usual pace-ahead-and-worry-about-the-flock mode.

The route

We parked at the village hall and followed the signed coast path west for about four miles before turning inland on a farm track. The coastal section is well maintained but narrow in places — keep dogs on lead where signs ask, and give way to anyone coming uphill.

After the walk

The café by the harbour does a proper pot of tea and doesn’t mind muddy boots by the door. Piper got a bowl of water and the approving attention of three separate tables, which is roughly her ideal post-hike outcome.