The Weekly Law Reports
[2025] 2 WLR 1075
Supreme Court
Darwall and another v Dartmoor National Park Authority
[2025] UKSC 20
2024 Oct 8; 2025 May 21
Lord Reed PSC, Lord Sales, Lord Stephens, Lady Rose, Lady Simler JJSC
Commons— Common land— Right of access— Statute giving public right of access to areas of Dartmoor Commons on foot and on horseback for purpose of “open-air recreation”— Whether conferring right to wild camp— Whether wild camping included in open-air recreation—
Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 (c xxxvii), s 10(1)
Statute— Construction— Hansard— Use of statements in Hansard to identify background and purpose of Act or mischief at which Act aimed— Whether permissible if Act neither ambiguous, nor obscure, nor leading to absurdity