Potential ban to wild camping on Dartmoor.

[Stew]

Good afternoon.

I thought some people may not be aware of the potential ban to wild camping on Dartmoor - I wasn't.

Al Humphries post says it better than I can so I'll just link it here for people to read and do with what they will:

Alastair Humphreys on Instagram: "Dartmoor is the *only place in England* where it is legal to wild camp, but now a prominent landowner is taking a first challenge to strip that away too. If he wins, wild camping is set to be totally banned across th

2,249 likes, 80 comments - al_humphreys on December 5, 2022: "Dartmoor is the *only place in England* where it is legal to wild camp, but now a prominent landowner is taking a first challenge to stri..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Woody girl]

That's been on the cards since covid "wild campers" trashed a lot of places there. I think they feel so few people actualy do it properly and will be prepared to fight for it, that it's almost a done deal.
Another problem is that both dartmoor and exmoor are struggling financially, and are talking of selling off some areas, so if that goes into private ownership, there could be a lot of places closed off to the public by new land owners, and as usual.... money talks.....
. The new land owners won't be wanting to buy if they have the great unwashed walking over their land and leaving their rubbish.
I know that is not the likes of us, but having been a volunteer Ranger on dartmoor, I've seen some stuff left behind that makes you wonder what they were thinking. Dirty nappies stuffed under gorse bushes for one!
Time to stand up and be counted perhaps? Is there a petition ?

 

[Stew]

If you follow the link you’ll see details of what you can do to assist.

 

[demographic]

Landowner wouldn't happen to have a grouse moore would they?

I can't follow the link but grouse moor owners aren't right keen on people knowing what they're upto by and large.

 

[Woody girl]

I can't follow the link either, don't have Instagram and it won't let me see.

 

[Stew]

You don’t need Instagram to see it. I just checked with a different device that doesn’t have it.

I only have permission to post the Instagram post.

 

[Broch]

It opens fine for me and I don't do Instagram

 

[Mesquite]

 

[swyn]

No I can’t see it and I’m not prepared to faff about. Meh!
S

 

[Stew]

No I can’t see it and I’m not prepared to faff about. Meh!
S

It’s not much of a faff and mesquite has even copied it as a pic (good idea!) but if it’s not too important no worries.

 

[Mesquite]

It’s not much of a faff and mesquite has even copied it as a pic (good idea!) but if it’s not too important no worries.

I have them occasionally but I need to go lie down now

 

[slowworm]

It’s not much of a faff and mesquite has even copied it as a pic (good idea!) but if it’s not too important no worries.

If it's important then why not write a summary for people to read rather than a link? I could go to the link but would need to set up an account to view the whole post. Even with the post now copied it doesn't tell me much but tells me to follow someone else.

What's the reasons for the proposed ban. If it's littering then what are their suggestions to help landowners deal with it. If it's risk to wildlife then surely limiting access during nesting season isn't all bad?

 

[Toddy]

I thought the issue was the attempt undermine the 'national park' bit by pushing for a ban during 'nesting' season, for game birds.....which is a commercial venture, on the only area in England where wild camping is permitted. Once established when does that become 'farming' ? which rightly has restrictions on people walking over it. Even up here.
It's a bit like the ramblers using rights of way to ensure that they can't be deleted from use, maps, etc.,

 

[1 pot hunter]

Good afternoon.

I thought some people may not be aware of the potential ban to wild camping on Dartmoor - I wasn't.

Al Humphries post says it better than I can so I'll just link it here for people to read and do with what they will:

Alastair Humphreys on Instagram: "Dartmoor is the *only place in England* where it is legal to wild camp, but now a prominent landowner is taking a first challenge to strip that away too. If he wins, wild camping is set to be totally banned across th

2,249 likes, 80 comments - al_humphreys on December 5, 2022: "Dartmoor is the *only place in England* where it is legal to wild camp, but now a prominent landowner is taking a first challenge to stri..."

www.instagram.com

Disgraceful

 

[1 pot hunter]

View attachment 77179

Everybody camps on the hills in the Peak District tbh it is basically legal here even iff it isn’t

 

[nigelp]

This is the correct account of what is happening.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-to-wild-camp-dartmoor?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

[nigelp]

Everybody camps on the hills in the Peak District tbh it is basically legal here even iff it isn’t

They don’t. It is one of the areas of the country where landowners have actively moved people on and is well known as a difficult place to wild camp except very remotely.

 

[slowworm]

This is the correct account of what is happening.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-to-wild-camp-dartmoor?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

It's not a balanced account though, it starts by saying "a wealthy landowner" which doesn't seem relevant unless they are trying to imply wealthy people should put up with fires and flytipping.

I'd still like to know both sides of the argument, when searching it seems they are not alone with wanting to ban wild camping, the Dartmoor National Park Authority who seem to be fighting this request have temporarily banned it themselves:

Human waste from illegal campers prompts wild camping ban | ITV News

The National Park Authority says the situation on parts of Dartmoor has become "unsustainable". | ITV News West Country

www.itv.com

 

[Mesquite]

I'd still like to know both sides of the argument, when searching it seems they are not alone with wanting to ban wild camping, the Dartmoor National Park Authority who seem to be fighting this request have temporarily banned it themselves:

Human waste from illegal campers prompts wild camping ban | ITV News

The National Park Authority says the situation on parts of Dartmoor has become "unsustainable". | ITV News West Country

www.itv.com

The article you linked is from two years ago and the ban was for only 27 days

 

[nigelp]

It's not a balanced account though, it starts by saying "a wealthy landowner" which doesn't seem relevant unless they are trying to imply wealthy people should put up with fires and flytipping.

I'd still like to know both sides of the argument, when searching it seems they are not alone with wanting to ban wild camping, the Dartmoor National Park Authority who seem to be fighting this request have temporarily banned it themselves:

Human waste from illegal campers prompts wild camping ban | ITV News

The National Park Authority says the situation on parts of Dartmoor has become "unsustainable". | ITV News West Country

www.itv.com

They banned camping in two areas of Dartmoor during the post lockdown period.