A Guide To Wild Camping On Dartmoor

Dartmoor National Park is a vast expanse of moorland in the county of Devon, often touted as one of the last truly wild parts of Britain. With its ponies roaming free across craggy landscapes, ancient wooded valleys, intricate rivers and its remarkable Tors, Dartmoor really is a dramatic place.

Where Can I Camp On Dartmoor?

The simplicity and freedom of wild camping make it an adventure like no other. It is the antithesis of the office grind, a stripped back experience that forces you to focus on the here and now, giving you the headspace to appreciate the little things.

Wild camping on Dartmoor is only permitted in selected regions to protect the wildlife and landscapes, however the good news is there are lots of these areas.

Check out this map for more information.

We advise picking a spot that has a carpark relatively close so you don’t need to lug all your kit too far. It is also quite a good idea to find somewhere which is sheltered and out the wind, there are plenty of tors perfect for this and finally somewhere near a river or stream so you can wash.

Wild Camp Kit List:

Right, so you want to head to Dartmoor on a wild camping adventure, but what do you take?

In years gone by we used to camp with only the very basics, which 9 times out of 10 resulted in a bad night's sleep and subsequent arguments the next day. Eventually we learnt our lesson and upgraded everything just a little bit, transforming the experience into a far more enjoyable one. The good thing about this upgrade is that it really didn’t cost much. You could spend thousands of pounds on camping gear quite easily but the truth is you really don't need to.

Here’s what we took to Dartmoor on this trip:

3 Man Tent

When it comes to size obviously the bigger you go the more space you have, however the colder it will get in the night. Which if you’re camping in Dartmoor, or anywhere in the UK is something worth thinking about - especially if you get VERY cold, like Jess. We find than a 3 man is ideal, giving enough space for someone my height (6”2) and small enough to keep warm

We currently use this Vango from Cotswold Outdoor which is fine and a good entry level but we suggest going for something a bit more robust if you plan to camp quite a bit as the material around our door started to tear after a few trips.

Sleeping bags

We both have two sleeping bags, one for summer and one for winter. They are both lightweight and very comfortable. What we will say is that even in the middle of summer you may well get cold camping on Dartmoor!

We Use: Jack Wolfskin

Inflatable sleeping mats

These are absolutely key and really changed the game for us. So easy to inflate/deflate and mean you can actually get comfortable. Gone are the days of waking up with sore hips!

We use: the Mountain Equipment Helium 3.8 Warm Zone Sleeping Mat and they are pretty good.

Portable gas cooker

In our opinion one of the best parts of camping is cooking your dinner by the tent as the sun sets. It just completes the feeling of taking things back to basics and enjoying the simplicity of the experience. And when you wake up the next morning it’s hard to beat shaking off the sleep with a nice warm cup of tea.

These little gas cookers are cheap, compact and very efficient.

We use: The Primus Mimer Stove - which only allows you to cook meals for two at a time so that's worth bearing in mind, other than that it is very efficient.

Head torches

Finally we had a couple of these bad boys. They are new to our kit list and honestly I don’t know why they haven't been a regular fixture for years. So useful. From brushing your teeth to trying to find your water bottle, these little rippers have got your basic nocturnal needs locked.

Re-Wasty Bag

These are great little inventions. Essentially a portable reusable rubbish bag, the Re-Wasty allows you to pack up all your rubbish neatly and clip it to your backpack, meaning you leave no trace.
We Use: Jack Wolfskin Re Wasty

Backpack

Finally pretty obvious but you’re going to need a good sized, comfortable rucksack. We use to use poorly designed, unfit for purpose backpacks and they really aren’t great. The size and length of the adventure obviously dictates the type of pack you take, but try to make sure you can comfortably fit your kit inside.

We Use: Stubble backpacks - either the Rolltop 30l or Travel Backpack 40l depending on space needed. These are great if you're not planning to hike too far, otherwise we use hiking specific backpacks like these from Jack Wolfskin

The Rules Of Camping on Dartmoor:

In order to preserve the park and ensure as low impact as possible there are a handful of rules to wild camping on Dartmoor. The overarching mantra, as with all outdoor activities in the UK, is Leave No Trace. If everyone sticks to this then we will be able to wild camp here for generations to come.

• No BBQ’s or open fires are permitted. If you want to cook use a portable gas camping stove (See Kit List)

• No large group camping. Keep your expeditions to small numbers, this is to ensure no noise or landscape pollution.

• Do not disturb the wildlife. Just try to keep your distance as you don’t know which animals or birds are in breeding season.

• No motor homes or camper vans. If you are planning on wild camping then this obviously isn’t an issue but worth noting.

• Take all rubbish with you and ensure the place where you camped is spotless.

  In Conclusion:

  Dartmoor National Park is a special place. Not only is it a vast wilderness filled with rivers, ancient forests and wild horses, it is also one of the only places in the UK where you are allowed to wild camp, making it absolutely prime for adventure.

  Whilst we cannot guarantee that a night spent wild camping here will be a luxurious experience, we can assure you that it will make you feel alive. Waking up surrounded by nature, washing in a river and boiling up a tea on your stove is a start to the day you simply are not able to enjoy all that often. It is a privilege and a free one at that.