Decision day for wild camping on Dartmoor looms

A campaigning group is planning to hold a rally on Dartmoor on bank holiday Monday, 26 May, regardless of the outcome of a Supreme Court case that could affect public rights to wild camp on the moor.

The Stars Are For Everyone, one of several groups campaigning for greater access to the countryside, say they will respond to the court’s decision when it is announced.

The case, which has been ongoing for two and a half years, will see a verdict from the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 21 May.

Lewis Winks, a member of the group, told The Moorlander: “Whatever the court decides on Wednesday, we will be holding a rally on Dartmoor on bank holiday Monday 26th of May to call on the government to protect and extend public access to the countryside. Darwall’s outrageous efforts to extinguish the right to wild camp on Dartmoor have revealed how broken our system of access is in England. Win or lose, we need the Government to pass new right to roam legislation to defend and extend the public’s right of responsible access to nature.”

It concerns whether the public has the legal right to pitch tents or camp overnight on Dartmoor Commons under section 10(1) of the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985.

The dispute arose after farmers and landowners Alexander and Diana Darwall, who own land including part of the Dartmoor Commons known as Stall Moor, challenged the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s interpretation of the law.

The Darwalls argue that the Act does not grant the public a right to camp, while the park authority disagrees.

Previously, the High Court ruled in favour of the Darwalls, deciding that the public does not have the right to camp on the Commons under the legislation. However, this was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that camping is included as a right under the Act.

The Supreme Court’s decision will be final and could have significant implications for public access rights on Dartmoor.