Wild camping was outlawed in January this year after the case of landowner Alexander Darwall against the National Park, as reported in our February and March 2023 issues.

The decision was met with backlash, as campaigners marched on the land to show their opposition to the ban before it was brought to the court of appeal.

Following the decision by the judges to overturn the ruling, OSS general director Kate Ashbrook said in a statement: “This is an excellent outcome, we are relieved the judges ruled unanimously and conclusively that open-air recreation includes backpack camping on the commons... We should like to see that right extended, and we shall campaign with other organisations to achieve this.”

Prior to this, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) had proposed a 12-month trial,
permitting wild camping in areas of National Parks in England and Wales. The BMC, which
represents mountaineers, climbers, and hillwalkers, explained that they “want to see more
land open to respectful, responsible, legal wild camping.”

The organisation is also calling for legal clarity around wild camping.

See more about Dartmoor at dartmoor.gov.uk and the BMC at thebmc.co.uk