If you’re planning a long hike or bike trip, then you should definitely bookmark Welcome to My Garden. This interactive map shows the locations of gardens that offer free camping spots for slow travellers.
If you’re travelling on a low budget and want to keep your journey low-impact, Welcome to My Garden is the ideal companion. The concept is refreshingly simple: find somewhere to stay, book your pitch, arrive on foot, bike, or public transport (cars are a no-go at the camping spots), and stay for up to 48 hours.
Beyond the map, the platform makes trip planning easy by highlighting hiking trails and cycling routes, and by letting you contact garden owners directly. Every stay must be arranged in advance, and there are a number of common-sense rules, such as not creating a disturbance and leaving no waste behind.
At the time of writing, Welcome to My Garden has over 8,000 homeowners signed up who allow slow travellers to camp in their gardens. Coverage is extensive across much of Europe. The United States and other parts of the world currently have a lower density of available gardens. Hopefully this will change as news of the initiative reaches more slow travellers and generous hosts.
