UKH

The Darwall's have apparently taken the next step in their bid to end backpack camping by lodging papers against 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/10/landowner-challenge-rig...

How very Tory Britain.

I know exactly where I'll be wild camping at every opportunity then. 

“Irresponsible behaviour associated with camping, including wild camping, is the biggest single problem for us as landowners, and, from the increase in recent years, it seems only likely to get worse,” - the single biggest problem?!

Thats not good, oh dear.

What an eco desert. They need to ban pheasant shooting and deer stalking as a sport and enforce a rewilding clause to their continued ownership of the land. 

It's about time the peasants were put in their place they have had it easy for far too long.

What!

It's enough to make your blood boil, you'd think being privileged to buy up vast areas of land would be enough. But no, now they want to change the rights concerning the land, rights that have been in place for longer than they will be around. I suspect it's only because then they'll be able to charge for camping. Greedy b'stards.

See also the hills up the Strath of Kildonan - the blighters own an estate there as well

They know they have the opportunity of a generation. If they don't get this through this government they won't any time in the next 25 years I reckon.

Yep, totally agree. If this would go through any government then this would be the one. 

Totally agree with Rob WMC, the absolute privilege (and abuse of) is sickening.

Has DNP commented on the matter yet?

There are comments against this from Kevin B the CEO in the press, and he is a very decent chap. 

You have to worry following the Vixen Tor debacle though, where money can buy very good quality representation to prove pretty much any bonkers idea you fancy.

DNP's comments on this as reported in the media are unequivocally pro-camping, and we've asked them for more details. I think they make a really compelling case and hopefully the court will too. But it's worrying that this is happening while we have a government that's so extremely pro private power over public benefit. Would like to think the courts are independent but even so it probably could go either way. Meanwhile someone will probably apply to build a golf course on Hay Tor and look at logging Wistman's Wood under the new streamlined planning non-system. 

We're working on an article about the camping thing, but may be a couple of weeks as I'm about to go on hols.   

They'll have an even bigger problem with a mass-trespass, if it gets any traction.