Members of the public have the right to wild camp in Dartmoor National Park, the Court of Appeal has ruled, overturning an earlier decision. 

The appeal challenged the decision made earlier this year by the High Court, which ruled that there was no automatic right to camp on the national park, despite it being an assumed right in a local byelaw that was unique in the country.  

The case had been brought by hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall, whose Blachford Estate is located on Dartmoor. 

The Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) asked appeal judges to overturn the ruling, arguing that the judge had the wrong interpretation of the 1985 law over rights of access to Dartmoor Commons.

At the hearing before appeal judges, the court was told that the 1985 law states that “the public shall have a right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation”.

Timothy Straker KC, for the DNPA, said the High Court judge had “failed... to appreciate that camping is an open-air recreation”.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.