UKH

We went laddow this weekend, we'd planned on staying in the bivvy cave but it was unavailable as someone had pitched a tent in it! I asked if they could possibly pitch it somewhere else but they claimed it was "a bit windy" I said all I had was a tarp, they didnt seem bothered. I was really quite annoyed, am I wrong?

Ooh, I'm not sure! 

First come first served but also the cave might not really be suitable for tenting? I do t know the cave tbf. 

I'm going with a solid, 'I don't know?'

Which of you had the landowner's permission to be camping there ??

It's open land and in the rockfax guide as "the bivvy cave"

Open land doesn't change anything. It's very unlikely anyone is going to care, but theoretically you are trespassing camping anywhere in England and Wales (besides Dartmoor) without the landowner's permission.

What did you do? Could you not just bed down next to the tent then fart loudly and snore until they decided somewhere up the valley was a much nicer camping spot?

Don't rise to the bait.

Regarding your OP, since I'm at it now - I'm on the fence a bit, with bouldery bits. 

Pitching a tent in the cave is a bit weird, but as long as they weren't bashing pegs in or something I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it. 

Apart from not having the landowner's permission to camp out there obviously. [Rolling of eyes.]

I've only kipped in that cave once, many years ago, but I don't remember it being very big.  Were it not for the tent would there be room for all four of you (two parties of two?) to have a reasonably comfortable night?  (I suspect not.)

Hypothetical question - if you walked in to a bothy somewhere planning to stay there but found it full and you hadn't taken a tent with you, would you expect someone already in there who had brought a tent just in case to move out and make room for you to move in?  If it was me in the bothy I'd consider that out of order, though if I liked the cut of your jib I miiight offer to lend you my tent.

Just to point out, not all of Dartmoor, and with a variety of restrictions. There is an ongoing problem with people thinking they can just rock up and pitch whatever wherever.

Not really sure why anyone would need a tent up in a good bivvy spot (condensation and drips?), if it was myself I'd do my best to make room for others and have a good evening. They didn't want to so not much to say about it. It makes a bit of an anecdote. I voted no problem but also think its a bit out of order!

No. If, however, they'd pitched the tent in the bothy I'm sure I'd be having words

I don't think there's any seepage and it's a bit too draughty for condensation but who knows.  Maybe they wanted to make sure they stayed dry, had a tent but didn't have bivi bags.  Mind, the one time I kipped in that cave I was midged half to death in the morning - actually would have really appreciated having at least an inner tent just so I could drink my coffee in peace!

I' m not sure I have a totally clear mental picture of the cave, but I don't think there's room for 4 people to bed down unless they're very good friends regardless - tent or no tent.

They got there before you. Suck it up.

I feel about this much the same as I feel about people in logbooks whining about being stuck behind "slow parties".

Either get there earlier or go somewhere else. 

There can be seepage as Cave Crack usually takes forever to dry out, however given the spring/summer we’ve had its bone dry at the moment. The midge problem is probably a reasonable excuse for having a tent up in there.

You could squeeze four in without a tent but you’d have to be very friendly, it’s comfortable for two.