THE Supreme Court will today, Wednesday, May 21, rule on whether people have the legal right to wild camp on Dartmoor.

It comes after a lengthy legal battle that cut right to the heart of public access to the countryside.

In England, there is no general right to wild camp on private land, mostly.

Dartmoor National Park is among the few places where persons can camping without having to secure permission.

And it was Devon’s ancient moorland that was at the centre of controversy when in 2023 landowners Alexander and Diana Darwall won a High Court ruling.

The ruling afforded them the right to remove campers from their estate on Stall Moor.

Protests soon followed; campaigners went to the Court of Appeal and the decision was overturned.

The right to wild camp was restored.

The Darwalls subsequently appealled to the Supreme Court, where the final decision now rests.

A decision is due later today.