In January, the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) faced a legal challenge brought by Alexander and Diana Darwall, who argued that people should not be allowed to pitch tents on Dartmoor Commons without landowners’ permission due to concerns about the impact on livestock and the environment.
A High Court judge ruled in their favor, stating that a nearly 40-year-old law did not grant the right to wild camp without permission.
The Definition of Wild Camping:
Thus, wild camping, as part of these recreational experiences, is a natural use of language and aligns with the open-air aspect despite the tent’s enclosure.
Under the new “permissive system,” backpack campers can access nearly 52,000 acres of common land and stay overnight, provided they follow a designated code of conduct.