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Brat Tor and Great Links, Dartmoor Photo: Open Spaces Society

Dartmoor backpack camping: we join case in court of appeal

May 23, 2023

Update July 2023: the appeal was heard on July 18 2023. A summary and link to watch can be found here. Update June 2023: the society has submitted to the court a witness statement, made by case officer Hugh Craddock, and the society’s skeleton argument, courtesy of Richard Honey KC, Ned Westaway and Esther Drabkin-Reiter,…

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Brat Tor and Great Links, Dartmoor Photo: Open Spaces Society

Backpack camping: Dartmoor National Park Authority to appeal

April 14, 2023

We are delighted that the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) members have unanimously agreed to appeal against the high court judgment on the Dartmoor backpack camping case.  The owners of Stall Moor common. Alexander and Diana Darwall, challenged the DNPA’s argument that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, in giving the public the right to walk…

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No backtrack on backpack camping on Dartmoor commons

January 27, 2023

We are delighted that the Dartmoor National Park Authority has agreed unanimously to seek leave to appeal against the High Court judgment of 13 January; this ruled that there is no right to wild (backpack) camping on the Dartmoor commons. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘We have always understood that the Dartmoor Commons Act…

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Brat Tor and Great Links, Dartmoor Photo: Open Spaces Society

Wild camping on Dartmoor—the need to appeal

January 16, 2023

Update: An agreement is being reached between Dartmoor National Park Authority and the landowners to enable people to keep wild camping in Dartmoor National Park without landowners’ permission. While the agreement is welcome and we are pleased the landowners have stepped up, it goes nowhere far enough to meet wild campers’ needs.   It is essential…

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