Dartmoor Wild Camping: The Last Legal Wild Camping in England

There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over Dartmoor after dusk. The ponies have moved off to lower ground, the last walkers on the Two Bridges road have long since driven past, and the only sound is the wind moving through the bracken and, somewhere below you, the steady rush of a moorland stream over granite. You are lying in your sleeping bag on open moorland, under a sky that has more stars than most people in England will ever see in their lifetimes. And crucially, you are doing so entirely within your rights.

Dartmoor is the only place in England where wild camping is a legal right. Not a tolerated practice, not a grey area that landowners choose not to enforce — a legal right, enshrined in law, that gives walkers and campers access to the open moorland for overnight stays without needing permission from anyone. For wild campers, it is as close to the freedoms enjoyed in Scotland as England gets. Understanding how that right works, where it applies, and how to use it responsibly is essential reading before you pull your pack onto your back and head out onto the moor.

How the Right to Wild Camp on Dartmoor Came About

The right to wild camp on Dartmoor is rooted in the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, which gave the public the right of access to the common land within the Dartmoor National Park for open-air recreation. For decades, wild camping was understood to be included within that right, and the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) supported that interpretation. Tens of thousands of people camped on the moor each year without incident, and it became one of the defining characteristics of Dartmoor as an outdoor destination.

That understanding was shaken dramatically in January 2023 when Alexander Darwall, a hedge fund manager who owns the Blachford Estate on the southern moor, won a High Court ruling that the 1985 Act did not include the right to camp overnight. The judgement sent shockwaves through the outdoor community and prompted an urgent response from the DNPA, the Open Spaces Society, and the Ramblers. Campaigners argued the ruling would effectively end a tradition that had existed for generations and set a damaging precedent for access rights across England more broadly.

The Court of Appeal overturned the High Court ruling in July 2023, restoring the right to wild camp on Dartmoor’s commons. The three appeal judges found unanimously that wild camping was indeed included within the right of open-air recreation granted by the 1985 Act. It was a landmark moment. The Campaign for National Parks, the British Mountaineering Council, and dozens of outdoor organisations celebrated a result that had felt genuinely uncertain for several months. The right to camp on Dartmoor was confirmed, but the legal battle served as a stark reminder that access rights in England and Wales are fragile compared to Scotland’s statutory right of responsible access under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Where You Can Camp on Dartmoor

The right applies to the open common land within the Dartmoor National Park, but this does not mean the entire moor is fair game. There are important distinctions to understand before you choose your pitch.

The Dartmoor Commons

The common land on Dartmoor covers roughly a third of the national park, and this is where your right to camp sits. The DNPA publishes mapping on its website showing the areas of common land, and it is worth cross-referencing this with your OS Explorer map — OL28 covers Dartmoor — before you head out. The high moorland areas such as the central moor around Yes Tor, High Willhays, Hangingstone Hill, and the area around Cranmere Pool are all within the commons. The southern moor around Erme Head, Brown Heath, and the Upper Plym Valley similarly falls within the accessible commons.

What Is Excluded

Enclosed fields, farmland, wooded valleys, and private estates are not common land, even if they sit within the national park boundary. The Blachford Estate that was at the centre of the 2023 legal dispute is a good example — it is within the national park but is private land not covered by the commons access right. Similarly, camping within 100 metres of a road is discouraged by the DNPA, and there are specific zones around archaeological sites and areas of particular ecological sensitivity where camping is asked to be avoided entirely.

Military training areas on Dartmoor — managed by the Ministry of Defence and marked clearly on OS maps — have their own access restrictions. The ranges around Okehampton, Merrivale, and Willsworthy are open to walkers outside of scheduled firing times, but it is always worth checking the firing times with the Dartmoor Firing Information line or the DNPA website before planning a route that takes you through these zones, and particularly before camping in or near them.

The DNPA’s Camping Guidelines: What You Need to Know

The Dartmoor National Park Authority has produced guidance for wild campers that, while not legally binding in every detail, reflects best practice and the kind of responsible behaviour that protects the right for everyone. Ignoring this guidance risks damaging the environment, generating complaints from local communities, and providing ammunition to those who would like to see the right removed.

Fires

This is the most contentious issue on Dartmoor, and it is worth being direct: lighting open fires on Dartmoor carries a significant risk of spreading across dry moorland. The DNPA strongly advises against open fires and recommends using a stove instead. If you do light a fire — and the guidance does not prohibit it outright — use a fire pan or similar raised container, never light a fire directly on the ground, never cut peat or heather, and ensure the fire is completely extinguished before you leave. During dry periods, many experienced Dartmoor campers abandon fires entirely. A good lightweight stove such as those made by MSR, Jetboil, or the excellent gas burners from Vango will serve you far better and leave no mark on the land.

Water and Waste

Dartmoor’s moorland streams are generally clean, but given that livestock grazes the moor freely, it is wise to treat or filter water from streams before drinking. Sawyer, BeFree, and Katadyn all produce reliable filters popular with UK wild campers. Human waste should be buried in a cat hole at least 50 metres from any water source, path, or camp. Carry a small trowel — the Lifesystems and Coghlans versions are compact enough to add minimal weight. All other waste, including food scraps, goes home with you. No exceptions.

Duration and Density

The DNPA asks that campers do not stay in the same spot for more than two consecutive nights, which is sensible practice for minimising impact on any one area of ground. On busy summer weekends — particularly during school holidays — popular spots such as the area around Princetown, the Haytor Vale approaches, and the ground near Two Bridges can attract large numbers of campers. If you arrive to find a spot already busy, move on. Dispersal across the moor is better for everyone and produces a far more rewarding experience.

Best Areas for Wild Camping on Dartmoor

Dartmoor is not a single, uniform landscape. It shifts from the high, boggy central plateau to boulder-strewn hillsides, river valleys, ancient oak woodland, and broad ridgelines with views towards Cornwall and the English Channel. Choosing where to camp depends on what you want from the experience.

The Northern Moor: Yes Tor and High Willhays

The highest ground in southern England sits here, with Yes Tor at 619 metres and High Willhays at 621 metres. Camping near the top of these hills gives you genuine exposure and a sense of remoteness that is hard to find elsewhere in England. The approaches from Meldon Reservoir near Okehampton are well-walked and manageable for most campers, and the plateau above offers flat, well-drained ground for pitching. Wind can be ferocious here, so bring a low-profile shelter — a Hilleberg Akto, Terra Nova Laser, or similar single-person tent designed for exposed conditions will handle the gusts far better than a festival dome tent.

The Central Moor: Cranmere Pool and the Tors

The heart of the moor around Cranmere Pool is genuinely remote by English standards. There are no roads close by, the ground is boggy in places, and navigation requires confidence with a map and compass — GPS helps but the central moor is exactly the kind of place where batteries fail and phone signals disappear. The reward is complete solitude, some of the finest tor scenery in England — Rough Tor, Brown Heath, and the towering stacks of Hound Tor are all within range — and the satisfaction of knowing you are genuinely far from anywhere.

The Dart Valley and River Camping

The East and West Dart rivers offer some of the most scenic camping on the moor. The stretch between Dartmeet and Postbridge along the East Dart is particularly lovely, with the opportunity to camp above the river on higher ground and wake to the sound of water on granite. Be mindful that the riverbanks themselves can flood quickly during and after rain — Dartmoor’s weather is famously changeable, and streams that were knee-deep at dusk can run bank-full by dawn after an overnight downpour.

Getting to Dartmoor Without a Car

Dartmoor is not the most accessible national park by public transport, but it is possible to reach trailheads without driving. The Transmoor Link bus (service 98) runs between Exeter and Plymouth via Moretonhampstead, Postbridge, and Princetown during the summer months, operated under contract to Devon County Council. From Plymouth, the 82 and 83 services reach Yelverton and Princetown. Exeter and Newton Abbot both have mainline rail connections, and from Newton Abbot the moorland edge at Haytor is reachable by bus.

The Dartmoor Way, a 90-mile circular route that circumnavigates the national park, passes through a number of market towns with good transport links including Okehampton, Tavistock, and Buckfastleigh, making it possible to plan a multi-day route that uses public transport for the approach and return without needing to leave a car.

Moving Forward

Once you have the fundamentals in place, the possibilities open up considerably. The UK offers fantastic opportunities for anyone interested in this hobby, and with the right foundation you will be well placed to make the most of them.