The Right To Roam And Dartmoor Landowners
The majority of the English countryside is out of bounds for most of its population. 92% of the countryside and 97% of rivers are off limits to the public.
I have always ignored the guidelines regarding access in England and Wales, Scotland having true Right to Roam access rights. I work to encourage others to wander and wild camp anywhere above the last fenceline, ignoring those insane barriers that traverse mountain tops, with camping to take place away from the sight of houses. This has a responsibility, to leave the ground as you found it, which I am positive almost everyone does.
It’s interesting that Dartmoor National Park Authority is working towards a right to continue to wild camp but other authorities are against such, despite holding the influence to make things so. For example, the Brecon Beacons National Park says wild camping is allowed within its bounds, in two designated spots. This is not wild camping and is not in the spirit of open access and the right to roam. It will be interesting to see the BBNP’s comments on the court’s decision on the following news:
A few hours ago the BBC published this headline ‘Historic wild camping tradition outlawed on part of Dartmoor. 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. However, a High Court judge ruled this was legally wrong and permission was needed.’
Whilst the BMC had this to say ‘The announcement today is a huge blow for the BMC and the outdoor community. This decision is a huge step backward for the right of everyone to access nature and we will continue to support the long-established precedent of wild camping across the Dartmoor Commons. The BMC will support the national park, help defend our rights of access, and work alongside other like-minded organisations to try to overturn this result.’
Right to Roam say ‘We are campaigning to extend the Countryside & Rights of Way (CRoW) Act in England so that millions more people can have easy access to open space, and the physical, mental and spiritual health benefits that it brings.’
Wales Outdoors says ‘We will continue to guide clients across the wild spaces and wild camp at locations of our choice, above the last fenceline and out of sight of dwellings, at times we choose and without permission from any landowner.’ The land is not theirs, the land is ours and always has been. Whoever claims ownership of the land does so because their forebears were thieves or their wealth, they believe, entitles them to exclusive use of the wild spaces. This is unethical and simply needs to be ignored.
I do hope that a mass trespass and camp at the now closed for wild camping Dartmoor locations takes place, sending a firm message to those with privilege that the people will not stand for this anymore, but rather, will sleep in their tents on the matter.
