The National Trust is urging the public to 'leave no trace' before the August bank holiday weekend.

The appeal comes as the charity shared that its rangers were reporting considerable increases in illegal camping and littering at countryside and coastal locations over recent months.

This had been affecting the trust’s conservation work as well as wildlife, grazing animals and farm tenants, it said.

National Trust has issued the warning as thousands of people were expected to travel to some of the country’s favourite countryside sites, such as the Lake District and Eryri (Snowdonia) in the next few days.

Litter left by fly campers in the Lake District.Litter left by fly campers in the Lake District. (Image: National Trust/PA)

Those planning to do so are asked to follow guidelines from the Countryside Code such as appropriately disposing of litter, using designated campsites, not lighting fires and leaving barbecues at home.

National Trust issues plea to the public

The National Trust said the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District and Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were among the areas cared for by the charity that had seen growing impacts from visitors, putting additional strain on countryside teams, taking conservationists away from vital work, and placing popular sites and nature at risk.

Concerns were particularly growing over the rise in illegal fly camping, where people camp without the landowner’s permission and leave debris behind.

Ben McCarthy, the National Trust’s head of nature conservation and restoration ecology, said: “It’s infuriating when a small minority of thoughtless people leave their rubbish behind that impacts both our wildlife and other visitors who have come to enjoy the nature and the outdoors.

The remains of a fire pit left in Lake District. The remains of a fire pit left in Lake District. (Image: National Trust/PA)

“During the summer months, our rangers have really important work to do – restoring and managing habitats, such as wildflower meadows or peatlands, supporting visitors to enjoy our wonderful countryside by fixing footpaths for example – not having to spend time clearing up after people.

“It really isn’t acceptable.

“We call on everyone to simply ‘leave no trace’ when out in the countryside so everyone can enjoy it and without damaging the very nature they sought out in the first place.”

The National Trust said anti-social fly camping was damaging lakeshores in the Lake District, with campers discarding entire tents and chairs, lighting fires that scorched the ground, leaving litter and even cutting down trees.

Litter left at Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire. Litter left at Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire. (Image: National Trust/PA)

Similarly, in the Peak District, rangers and volunteers were regularly hauling out abandoned tents and bags full of litter from hot spots such as the flanks and woodlands near Kinder Scout and the Upper Derwent Valley.

Meanwhile, the National Trust said that at Cwm Idwal nature reserve in Eryri, highly protected habitats were being harmed by almost-nightly fly camping, barbecues, and scattered litter.

The heat from a recent campfire broke apart a 450-million-year-old glacier-carved rock – a protected feature of the upland location, which is famed for its rock formations and rare fragile plant life, the charity added.

Local teams at Dunstable Downs in the East of England said the level of anti-social behaviour and litter had reached a point where the trust was struggling to keep the popular location clean and tidy for visitors and wildlife.

A set of top tips about how to visit the countryside responsibly can be found on the National Trust website by searching for Countryside Code.