WILD campers on a Lake District fell discarded their tent and the rubbish inside it, leaving a National Trust ranger to carry it away.

The pictures were taken by ranger Sarah Anderson on Todd Crag, near Ambleside.

“It’s quite a big problem,” she said. “It happens a lot more than people realise, especially stuff getting abandoned. It’s quite worrying really.”

She added: “It’s basically fly-tipping in the countryside.”

Although wild camping is not, technically, allowed, Miss Anderson said that its existence is generally accepted provided people stick by the etiquette.

Indeed, guidelines for wild camping in the Lake District can be found on the the National Trust website.

In this case, Miss Anderson ended up taking the rubbish off the fell herself, making two journeys and having to enlist the help of a friend.

She said: “I’d much rather be spending my time doing conservation work than doing litter-picking.”

Miss Anderson also drew attention to the problem of wildfires, which “seem to be on the rise around the country.”

“I genuinely don’t see it being very long before we have a wildfire in the Lake District that’s been caused by a discarded barbecue, or campfires,” she added.

“People shouldn’t be having fires in the countryside without the landowner’s permission.”

The National Trust states that wild camping is not something to be done at all in lowland areas, and especially not on lake shores.

They do, however, suggest a number of steps people can take to ensure they have a good experience wild camping in the Lake District while minimising their impact on the environment:

l Travel light: Take a backpack with enough equipment for a basic overnight stay. If you need more, an official campsite might be better.

l Stay out of sight: Camp away from residences, use a small tent that blends in with the landscape, and keep your distance from water courses to avoid contamination.

l Stay for one night only, and use a stove box instead of ground fires: Arrive late (dusk) and leave early (dawn).

Take any wood you plan to burn in with you, and take away any you don’t use.

l Take all litter home with you, including human waste.

You can visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk for additional information.

In most areas of England and Wales wild camping is illegal.

Ukwildcamp.org has introduced a pilot scheme that allows camping in the Lake District and South Downs National Parks for £20 per night.