Wild camping in the Netherlands is prohibited.
Many people who camp with the rooftop tent find this very unfortunate, because wild camping gives the ideal feeling of freedom.
Do you really have to go to the Scandinavian countries to go wild camping?
According to us, you don’t.
How can you still get that ultimate feeling of freedom and, for the enthusiast, completely off-the-grid and autonomous camping? [lwptoc]
Camping Ratgeber:
Camping with individuals
First, of course, you can ask to stand on a piece of private land.
That could be a meadow, someone’s backyard or in a piece of private forest.
Of course, you have to know how to find that and then also find out who owns it.
Asking is free and many people even enjoy hosting people.
Needless to say, you leave the camping spot just as you found it.
Camping with individuals through a platform of providers
Second, there is a platform where you can easily find this kind of place, a kind of AirBnB.
Campspace.com is a Dutch initiative where private owners of a large garden, estate, meadow or forest offer this place for visitors.
Some without extra facilities, others with (often basic) amenities.
All small-scale, where you are often even really alone.
And you will see which beautiful places you can book through this site.
More on the website of Campspace.
And also 3OpReis spent a nice item on this.
Camping at the Forester’s
The Forestry Commission has a number of natural camping sites scattered throughout the Netherlands.
These patches are also small-scale and equipped with only the necessary facilities, such as a toilet and shower.
Depending on which nature campground you choose, you are here in the middle of nature.
And if you come in the early or late season, you will often camp here alone.
Pole Camping
The Forestry Commission also used to make camping in nature possible by pole camping.
Around a pole you were allowed to pitch your tent and go wild camping.
Very limited and not suitable when you have your car with you.
However, as of June 2020, the Forestry Commission has decided to disband the pole camping sites.
We also have a foundation in the Netherlands dedicated to wild camping.
You can find more information on their website.
Through them you can also learn something about how best to wildcamp with a tent in the Netherlands.
In Belgium you still have the so-called Bivouac zones.
Watch the video of 3Opreis in cooperation with Stichting Wildcamperen here.
Go find the right campsite yourself
Last year, when our boys were staying over and I wanted to spend a night with my wife with the rooftop tent, by chance we ended up at a campground in Anderen, Drenthe, just a 10-minute drive from our home.
Spacious spots, in the middle of pine trees and no view of your neighbors to the left or right.
Here we really felt like we were on vacation in southern Sweden.
And even though we were only away for one night, we immediately got that feeling of freedom here. 
Conclusion
If you think you have to travel far to get that ultimate freedom feeling of wild camping, you should consider one of the above options.
We’d love to hear your experiences afterwards.
