Wealthy landowners lose Supreme Court case to restrict wild camping on Dartmoor
Hope that Dartmoor case will lead to more rights for campers
- Wealthy landowners Alexander and Diana Darwall have lost their Supreme Court case attempting to restrict wild camping on Dartmoor.
- The couple, who keep cattle on a 3,450-acre estate in the southern part of Dartmoor, had claimed some campers cause problems for livestock.
- The court upheld an earlier Court of Appeal decision, confirming the public's right to wild camp on the national park in Devon without landowner permission.
- The case revolved around interpreting the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 and specifically the definition of "open-air recreation".
- Campaigners are hailing the ruling as a significant victory and hope it will lead to expanded access rights for walkers and campers throughout the UK.