Dartmoor celebrates its victory

Dartmoor continues to celebrate this evening as the news that the High Court has ruled in favour of Dartmoor National Park Authority in the DNPA vs Darwall case spreads through the community. The Moorlander has continued to receive responses from various organisations and individuals, and we're pleased to share them with you here.

The Dartmoor Preservation Association has said: “Today, in a historic victory for our rights to roam free, camp under the stars, and enjoy nature, Alexander Darwall's appeal has been thrown out by the Supreme Court. On the 21st of May, at 9:45am, Supreme Court judges shared their unanimous judgement that wild camping is open air recreation and that the 1985 Dartmoor Commons Act does not explicitly exclude camping.

“Our CEO, Tom Usher, said: ‘This is an historic victory for public access, the DPA are very proud to have played a central role in campaigning to keep backpack camping on Dartmoor as a right. This has been achieved through the work of many people and we salute the courage of the National Park Authority in fighting this case to the end.’

“We are grateful for the thanks extended to us from the Dartmoor National Park Authority We have been delighted to support them throughout the appeal process, acting as a focus for the extremely well supported public fundraiser to help cover their legal fees. We're also extremely grateful for the outstanding work done by the Open Spaces Society who have been permitted to support the DNPA in the court room throughout various stages of legal action. This landmark ruling illustrates the vital importance of public access to wild spaces and showcases a growing understanding of how nature connection of vital for the health and well being of human beings and their communities.

Speaking after the judgment was handed down, Dr Kevin Bishop, Chief Executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: 'We are delighted and relieved with the Supreme Court’s ruling. This is a landmark judgment not just for Dartmoor National Park but for people who have long campaigned for access rights.

Echoing Kevin Bishop's words, we invite everyone who loves Dartmoor to enjoy this precious, and hard fought for, right with respect.

Being able to camp out under the stars on remote and beautiful places on Dartmoor is a privilege that comes with responsibility. We have all seen the devastating damage done by recent wild fires and it's vital that we all continue to foster a #LeaveNoTrace approach when spending time on the moor.

“With a long tradition of championing access rights on Dartmoor, the DPA are both celebrating this fantastic outcome from the Supreme Court, and also looking to a future where Dartmoor is healthy, thriving and welcoming to all. This win means that the donated money that we have been holding, ready to pay the DNPA's legal fees if required, can be put to far better uses. Projects which will benefit from these funds include: Girls Do Dartmoor, the Youth Ranger Programme and Moor Boots. [See the DPA website for details of these programmes]

“Since so much of the funding appeal has been supported by the general public it is only right that the public should be beneficiaries of excess funds. The DPA will set up a fund into which any individual or group can bid for funds to support access projects in Dartmoor National Park.”

Alex Clasper and Tom Backhouse, co-founders of CampWild - the UK’s only wild camping platform, commented: “As a project, we are genuinely delighted, both personally and collectively, by the decision today to uphold the right to wild camp on Dartmoor, a place that formed the basis of our own journey into wild camping and continues to inspire our work with others.  Dartmoor is a truly special national park, and the ability to sleep out under the stars here is not only a joy but offers a meaningful connection to nature, and an opportunity to experience a wonderful landscape that we believe should be protected and celebrated.

"We unequivocally support increased opportunities to access and enjoy this incredible experience across other National Parks. And we’re excited to continue facilitating wild camping experiences across the UK, that educate and open up opportunities for our community to step into the wild, building confidence and understanding of how to camp responsibly in landscapes like Dartmoor.”

Lewis Winks from The Stars are for Everyone, said: “The verdict is a relief – but Dartmoor remains the only place in England and Wales where the public has a right to wild camp, and can lawfully experience the magic of sleeping under the stars.

“And the fact that one wealthy landowner, Alexander Darwall, was able to temporarily remove a right that belonged to everyone demonstrates how England’s system of access is utterly broken.

“The Labour government must now pass a new right to roam act to defend and extend the public’s rights to access nature in England. Ministers must urgently change the law – not only to protect the right to wild camp on Dartmoor from future challenges, but to expand the public’s right of responsible access to the wider countryside.”