Dartmoor camping ban a huge blow for local families
Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton, has criticised the decision to curtail the historical wild camping tradition on part of Dartmoor and warned it could deny children from across the West Country key opportunities to learn and grow.
The decision to allow Alexander Darwall, a hedge fund manager who owns 4,000 acres of land on southern Dartmoor, to remove people "wild" camping out of a rucksack on his land has met with outcry from local people.
Until today, Dartmoor was the only area of England and Wales where - under a local law - there had been an assumed right to wild camp without the landowner's permission, in a tradition dating back decades.
Mr Foord is warning that this case, seen as a test case for countryside access, could lead to further restrictions being imposed across the South West and limit the opportunities for children and families to explore the countryside.
Commenting on the High Court ruling, Richard Foord MP said:
“I am deeply concerned by today's ruling and the precedent it sets – massively impacting all those who want to explore and enjoy nature.
“As a child, I wild camped on Dartmoor when training for the Ten Tors expedition and for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. It gave children like me a taste of the great outdoors and offered a real opportunity to see more of our beautiful part of the world.
“The ability to go to sleep listening to the wind on the tent and watching the sunrise the next morning has been sheer pleasure for generations of people and I have so many fond memories of savouring amazing views.
“I would not have joined the Army or trained to become a Mountain Leader without the taste for adventure that Dartmoor gave me and my friends. It served to teach other children from urban areas about abiding by the Country Code, which we always did.
“By restricting people’s right to respectfully enjoy our open green spaces, we’re denying local families and children the opportunities that older generations have enjoyed for years. We must ensure that our national parks like Dartmoor remain accessible for everyone to enjoy.”
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