ActiveOutdoorsCampingCampers go wild on Dartmoor after the court sides with outdoor sleepersWild camping is legal on Dartmoor once more – but the short-lived ban has given the battle for better access to the outdoors a massive boostWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveOutdoorsCampingCampers go wild on Dartmoor after the court sides with outdoor sleepersWild camping is legal on Dartmoor once more – but the short-lived ban has given the battle for better access to the outdoors a massive boostWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Wild camping is legal on Dartmoor once more – but the short-lived ban has given the battle for better access to the outdoors a massive boost
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty)
(Image credit: Getty)
Thanks to a decision in the Court of Appeal on Monday, 31 July, wild camping has been made legal once again in England – albeit just in one tiny corner of the country. You can now pitch your tent or roll out your sleeping bag and spend a night under the stars on certain parts of Dartmoor without the threat of a landlord, gamekeeper, ranger or police officer asking you to move on.
Guy Shrubsole from theRight to Roam campaignat the protest march on Dartmoor in January 2023(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
Guy Shrubsole from theRight to Roam campaignat the protest march on Dartmoor in January 2023
Guy Shrubsole from theRight to Roam campaignat the protest march on Dartmoor in January 2023
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
“This victory for restoring wild camping rights over Dartmoor is a vindication of people power: when thousands of us come together to protest, things can change,” Guy Shrubsole from theRight to Roam campaigntold T3 after Monday’s judgement.
“But this is only just the beginning. Simply reverting to the status quo on Dartmoor before the Darwalls' fateful court case is not an option - we want everyone in England to have far better access to nature, not just those of us lucky enough to live near a National Park.
“That’s why we’ll be building on the momentum of the past few months to redouble our campaign for a right of responsible access across England, modelled on what Scotland has successfully enjoyed for the past twenty years, and extending wild camping rights to many more places. It’s time for all political parties to see which way the wind’s blowing and commit to bringing in a Scottish-style right to roam for England.”
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
Fight to roam
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So this week’s decision, a seemingly small victory in the Court of Appeal, actually represents a very large step in the fight to put an end to this level of exclusion. It sent a loud message to landowners that the legal system wasn’t always going to side with them and was, in fact, ready to listen to the wider community. It has given heart and hope to those groups pushing for better access to the outdoors, to the extent that it now feels almost inevitable that our rights to roam (and wild camp) will be extended. And ironically, we have one particular landlord to thank for that.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
Wild ride
The ban on wild camping on Dartmoor earlier this year came about because of the actions of Alexander Darwall, a wealthy hedge fund manager who had, relatively recently, purchased a large amount of land in the National Park and was seeking to limit access rights to areas of the moor where he runs commercial pheasant shoots and deerstalking activities.
The right for the general public to enjoy recreational activities on Dartmoor is enshrined in theDartmoor Commons Act 1985, and until January 2023, it was the very last place in all of England and Wales where people were permitted to pitch a tent (almost) wherever they liked. This gave the moor a magnetic appeal for outdoor enthusiasts, and for decades many generations ofbackpackers,bikepackers,fastpackers, photographers, bird watchers, star gazers and youth groups (including participants in the Ten Tors and Duke of Edinburgh Award), have enjoyed overnight experiences on Dartmoor, peacefully wild camping without having to worry that they might be moved on at any moment. It was a place where parents and youth leaders could pass on their knowledge about how to camp responsibly, disturbing no one and leaving no trace behind them.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
For outdoor explorers and adventurous campers, the future is looking wild.
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