Wild Camping on Dartmoor: The Law After the Supreme Court's 2025 Ruling

The Short Version

Wild camping on Dartmoor is on the firmest legal footing it has ever been. A four-year legal challenge ended on 21 May 2025 when the Supreme Court confirmed that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 grants the public a statutory right to backpack camp on the commons. There is no higher UK court, so the question is settled.

You can pitch a lightweight tent on the registered Dartmoor commons — around 36,000 hectares of open moorland — without needing the landowner's prior permission. You must still comply with Dartmoor National Park Authority byelaws: no fires, no camping near roads or reservoirs, no camping on enclosed farmland, stay no more than two nights in the same spot, and leave no trace.

The Legal Basis: Dartmoor Commons Act 1985

The statutory right sits in a single Act of Parliament. Section 10(1) of the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 grants the public a right of access to the registered commons "on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation."

The courts have held that "open-air recreation" includes backpack camping — not just daytime walking. That interpretation is what the 2023–2025 litigation tested, and it was upheld at the highest level.

The Act covers only the registered commons — roughly 36,000 hectares of open moorland inside the National Park. It does not cover enclosed farmland, private gardens, or land outside the commons. Camping on those remains trespass without the landowner's permission, just like anywhere else in England.

The 2023–2025 Court Cases

The legal challenge was brought by Alexander and Diana Darwall, owners of the 4,000-acre Blachford estate on the southern moor.

• January 2023 — High Court ruled for the landowners. Mr Justice Flaux held in Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority that "open-air recreation" under the 1985 Act did not include sleeping overnight. The right to camp was removed.
• July 2023 — Court of Appeal reversed. The Court of Appeal held that camping was a form of open-air recreation and reinstated the right. The DNPA had appealed the High Court's decision; the Court of Appeal agreed with them.
• 21 May 2025 — Supreme Court confirmed the right. The Darwalls appealed to the Supreme Court, which rejected their appeal. The judgment confirmed that backpack camping falls within the public's statutory right of access under the 1985 Act.

The case is widely known as Cherry v Dartmoor NPA (after Lewis Cherry, the lead public campaigner), though formally it was brought by the landowners against the Authority.

DNPA Byelaws — What You Must Still Follow

A statutory right of access isn't a free-for-all. The DNPA makes byelaws under Section 11 of the 1985 Act and Section 90 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The byelaws govern how you use the right. Relevant rules for campers:

• Camp only on the registered commons — not on enclosed farmland, private gardens, or areas fenced off by the landowner
• Stay clear of exclusion zones — roads, car parks, reservoirs, residential areas, archaeological sites, and specific zones the DNPA has excluded on its permitted-camping map
• Backpack camping only — lightweight kit that you carry in on foot. No vehicles, no trailers, no large group encampments
• Maximum two consecutive nights in the same location
• Small parties — generally no more than a few tents
• No open fires — anywhere on the commons, regardless of conditions. Use a gas stove on a heat-resistant surface
• Leave no trace — pack out all rubbish including food waste and human waste where facilities are not available
• Keep away from livestock, grazing animals, and military firing ranges — check firing times on the Dartmoor website before heading to the northern moor

The DNPA publishes an official permitted-camping map marking both the commons and the exclusion zones. Check it before every trip — the boundaries are specific and the map is the definitive reference.

Outside the Commons

If you camp anywhere on Dartmoor that is not on the registered commons — for example, on enclosed farmland, private moorland inside the park boundary, or any land outside the park — the rules revert to the rest of England: camping without the landowner's permission is civil trespass. See our wild camping guide for England and Wales for that wider picture.

Some landowners on Dartmoor are happy to grant permission on request. A polite ask is always worth a try.

Campfires

Don't. Fires are prohibited across the Dartmoor commons byelaws. The moorland peat can smoulder underground for days after a surface fire appears to be out, and the vegetation is notoriously flammable. The DNPA treats fire offences seriously.

A gas stove is the right tool — see the kit list below. For the wider UK fire legal framework, read our campfire law guide.

The Bigger Picture

Dartmoor was the flashpoint, but the ripple effect is UK-wide. The four-year legal fight energised the right-to-roam movement and raised pressure on Parliament to extend similar access rights to other parts of England. Several MPs have tabled private members' bills on right-to-roam since the Supreme Court ruling.

For now the position is: Dartmoor has it; nowhere else in England does. That's what makes the moor special, and it's why wild campers have an even stronger interest in camping well — the stronger the track record, the harder future challenges become.

Practical Tips

1. Check the DNPA permitted-camping map before you go. Save it offline — phone signal on the moor is patchy.
2. Arrive late, leave early. Low-visibility camping keeps the whole system low-friction.
3. Stay on the commons. A single well-publicised trespass gives ammunition to future challengers.
4. Gas stove, no fire. Non-negotiable.
5. Leave it cleaner than you found it. Carry out everything.

What to Take for a Dartmoor Wild Camp

Dartmoor's designated areas are remote, exposed, and often boggy. The weather on the moor can change rapidly, and there's minimal shelter from wind. Here's what makes a Dartmoor camp comfortable and compliant with the bylaws.

Because fires aren't permitted, a reliable stove is essential for cooking. Lightweight shelter that you can carry in your pack is a requirement of the bylaws — you need to be backpack camping, not car camping. And proper navigation is critical given the moor's featureless terrain and notorious mist.

Recommended Dartmoor Camping Kit