Latest news with #DanielDavy
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Huge boost for wild camping as Brits CAN use one of UK's best-loved national parks in blow for millionaire nimbys
I HAVE wild camped on Dartmoor more times than I can count and the fact that this right was even debated in court seemed ludicrous to me. Back in 2021, the battle for the right to wild camp on Advertisement 7 Wild camping access on Dartmoor was threatened thanks to local landowners Credit: Alamy 7 But now the Supreme Court has ruled it is allowed Credit: Daniel Davy/Dartmoor Wild Camping Action Group Following back-and-forth debates in courts , the Supreme Court has ruled that wild camping IS allowed in one of the UK's most-loved national parks. I am not surprised with the decision and I welcome it with open arms. As do the campaigners, that for the past four years have been fighting for something that should not have been questioned in the first place. Landowners (and millionaires) Alexander and Diana Darwall started the battle, claiming that people should not be able to camp without permission from landowners. Advertisement Read more on National Parks The Darwalls created the argument as part of their 4,000-acre estate on Stall Moor near Cornwood, spilt into Dartmoor National Park. As a result, the tradition of And in January 2023, the High Court ruled that the Darwalls were allowed to remove campers from their site. Their legal team claimed that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, which allows access for "open-air recreation", did not include overnight camping. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Outrage at the decision obviously arose and debates garnered national attention over the future of wild camping. Then in July 2023, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court ruling in July 2023, restoring the right to wild camp. UK's Premier Scottish Caravan Site: Camping & Glamping Gold Standard But the NIMBY's didn't stop there, as the Darwalls appealed to the Supreme Court - whose judges unanimously rejected their appeal yesterday. Most weekends as a teenager, I would camp on the moors as part of training for Ten Tors - an annual teenagers , hosted by the army . Advertisement I would be walking from the early hours of the morning, sometimes until midnight - carrying at least 10kg on my back and often fighting the harshest of conditions. By the time it came to setting up Myself and my team would pitch our two small tents, in the dark, with nothing but torches. To date, the three events (35, 45 and 55 miles) that I participated in over three years were the biggest challenges of my life - mentally and physically. Advertisement For thousands of teenagers who participate each year, I can guarantee the same. 7 I used to hike and camp on Dartmoor as a teenager Credit: Cyann Fielding If yesterday's decision swung the other way, I am unsure of the impact this would have on the event and the training thousands undertake each year. All I know is it would not have been a positive impact. Advertisement Wild camping is nothing like camping at a Often you are exposed to the elements - but you get to truly be in the wild, surrounded by rolling hills and tors, flourishing rivers and streams and the only pitch black sky with bright stars I have seen in my life. Yesterday's ruling essentially means that people are legally allowed to camp in set areas of Dartmoor - they just need to follow a code of conduct. This includes leaving "no trace", the park authority has said. Advertisement Tents and 7 Campaigners have been fighting for the right to wild camp for years Credit: Alamy Following the decision, social media and forums have also been flooded with comments from the public. One person commented: "A good ruling based on the common understanding of the words 'open-air recreation'. Advertisement "Absolutely mad that it had to go all the way to the Supreme Court to rule on something so blindingly obvious." Another added: "Thanks to whoever updated the Wikipedia entry of Alexander Darwall, whose nimby campaign to ban wild camping on Dartmoor has just been upheld in the courts." Darwall's Wikipedia page was updated to include "enemy of the people", but has since been removed. When I watched the court hearing back in October, the argument boiled down to one sentence of the archaic Dartmoor Commons Act 1985. Advertisement Section 10(1) of the Act states: "[T]he public shall have a right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation." 7 Campaign groups are now fighting for the right to wild camp across the UK Credit: AFP The court had to decide whether this section gave "the public a right to pitch tents or otherwise make camp overnight on the Dartmoor Commons". The Supreme Court ruling said: "Within Dartmoor National Park, there are areas of moorland which are privately owned but on which other locals have the right to put their livestock. Advertisement "The clear wording of section 10(1) shows that it confers a right of public access which includes wild camping." Commenting on the ruling, Dartmoor Preservation Association CEO, Tom Usher , said: "This is an historic victory for public access, the DPA are very proud to have played a central role in campaigning to keep backpack camping on Dartmoor as a right. "This has been achieved through the work of many people and we salute the courage of the Dr Kevin Bishop, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, added: "We are delighted and relieved with the Supreme Court's ruling. Advertisement "This is a landmark judgment not just for Dartmoor National Park but for people who have long campaigned for access rights. "The judgment reaffirms our long-held belief for the public's right to 7 Locals are now celebrating the ruling Credit: Alamy Daniel Davy, founder of Dartmoor Wild Camping Action Group, said: "So yesterday was an emotional one. Advertisement "We are so lucky to have the right to wild camp in Devon and the myriad of benefits it's brings, and it's about time that everyone had access to these wild spaces and experiences that shape so many lives. "We are going to take this fight to other national parks so that everyone in the country can experience what we are so lucky too on Dartmoor. "This could be the pebble that creates the splash, which turns into a wave that is access reform across the country." The group will be hosting a gathering on Monday at Haytor on Dartmoor to celebrate the ruling. Advertisement Dartmoor on horseback is also the perfect way to enjoy the vast Devon moorland. Plus, the best 'almost wild' holiday campsites in the UK for families this summer. 7 The ruling seems like common sense Credit: Cyann Fielding
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Huge boost for wild camping as Brits CAN use one of UK's best-loved national parks in blow for millionaire nimbys
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) I HAVE wild camped on Dartmoor more times than I can count and the fact that this right was even debated in court seemed ludicrous to me. Back in 2021, the battle for the right to wild camp on Dartmoor ensued. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Wild camping access on Dartmoor was threatened thanks to local landowners Credit: Alamy 7 But now the Supreme Court has ruled it is allowed Credit: Daniel Davy/Dartmoor Wild Camping Action Group Following back-and-forth debates incourts, the Supreme Court has ruled that wild camping IS allowed in one of the UK's most-loved national parks. I am not surprised with the decision and I welcome it with open arms. As do the campaigners, that for the past four years have been fighting for something that should not have been questioned in the first place. Landowners (and millionaires) Alexander and Diana Darwall started the battle, claiming that people should not be able to camp without permission from landowners. The Darwalls created the argument as part of their 4,000-acre estate on Stall Moor near Cornwood, spilt into Dartmoor National Park. As a result, the tradition of wild camping was in jeopardy. And in January 2023, the High Court ruled that the Darwalls were allowed to remove campers from their site. Their legal team claimed that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, which allows access for "open-air recreation", did not include overnight camping. Outrage at the decision obviously arose and debates garnered national attention over the future of wild camping. Then in July 2023, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court ruling in July 2023, restoring the right to wild camp. UK's Premier Scottish Caravan Site: Camping & Glamping Gold Standard But the NIMBY's didn't stop there, as the Darwalls appealed to the Supreme Court - whose judges unanimously rejected their appeal yesterday. Most weekends as a teenager, I would camp on the moors as part of training for Ten Tors - an annual hiking event for teenagers, hosted by the army. I would be walking from the early hours of the morning, sometimes until midnight - carrying at least 10kg on my back and often fighting the harshest of conditions. By the time it came to setting up camp in the dark, being able to pitch up my tent near enough anywhere, did not even cross my mind. Myself and my team would pitch our two small tents, in the dark, with nothing but torches. To date, the three events (35, 45 and 55 miles) that I participated in over three years were the biggest challenges of my life - mentally and physically. For thousands of teenagers who participate each year, I can guarantee the same. 7 I used to hike and camp on Dartmoor as a teenager Credit: Cyann Fielding If yesterday's decision swung the other way, I am unsure of the impact this would have on the event and the training thousands undertake each year. All I know is it would not have been a positive impact. Wild camping is nothing like camping at a camp site. Often you are exposed to the elements - but you get to truly be in the wild, surrounded by rolling hills and tors, flourishing rivers and streams and the only pitch black sky with bright stars I have seen in my life. Yesterday's ruling essentially means that people are legally allowed to camp in set areas of Dartmoor - they just need to follow a code of conduct. This includes leaving "no trace", the park authority has said. Tents and camping equipment must also fit in a carriable backpack, with no more than six people allowed to camp together. 7 Campaigners have been fighting for the right to wild camp for years Credit: Alamy Following the decision, social media and forums have also been flooded with comments from the public. One person commented: "A good ruling based on the common understanding of the words 'open-air recreation'. "Absolutely mad that it had to go all the way to the Supreme Court to rule on something so blindingly obvious." Another added: "Thanks to whoever updated the Wikipedia entry of Alexander Darwall, whose nimby campaign to ban wild camping on Dartmoor has just been upheld in the courts." Darwall's Wikipedia page was updated to include "enemy of the people", but has since been removed. When I watched the court hearing back in October, the argument boiled down to one sentence of the archaic Dartmoor Commons Act 1985. Section 10(1) of the Act states: "[T]he public shall have a right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation." 7 Campaign groups are now fighting for the right to wild camp across the UK Credit: AFP The court had to decide whether this section gave "the public a right to pitch tents or otherwise make camp overnight on the Dartmoor Commons". The Supreme Court ruling said: "Within Dartmoor National Park, there are areas of moorland which are privately owned but on which other locals have the right to put their livestock. "The clear wording of section 10(1) shows that it confers a right of public access which includes wild camping." Commenting on the ruling, Dartmoor Preservation Association CEO, Tom Usher, said: "This is an historic victory for public access, the DPA are very proud to have played a central role in campaigning to keep backpack camping on Dartmoor as a right. "This has been achieved through the work of many people and we salute the courage of the National Park Authority in fighting this case to the end." Dr Kevin Bishop, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, added: "We are delighted and relieved with the Supreme Court's ruling. "This is a landmark judgment not just for Dartmoor National Park but for people who have long campaigned for access rights. "The judgment reaffirms our long-held belief for the public's right to backpack camp on certain commons and, importantly, our role in regulating and managing that access." 7 Locals are now celebrating the ruling Credit: Alamy Daniel Davy, founder of Dartmoor Wild Camping Action Group, said: "So yesterday was an emotional one. "We are so lucky to have the right to wild camp in Devon and the myriad of benefits it's brings, and it's about time that everyone had access to these wild spaces and experiences that shape so many lives. "We are going to take this fight to other national parks so that everyone in the country can experience what we are so lucky too on Dartmoor. "This could be the pebble that creates the splash, which turns into a wave that is access reform across the country." The group will be hosting a gathering on Monday at Haytor on Dartmoor to celebrate the ruling. Dartmoor on horseback is also the perfect way to enjoy the vast Devon moorland. Plus, the best 'almost wild' holiday campsites in the UK for families this summer.
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
A British Startup Challenges Tesla's (Delayed) Roadster With Two Ultra-Light EV Sports Cars
British automakers like Lotus are known for engineering sleek sportscars with ultra-low curb weights that enable brisk acceleration from engines that would otherwise be considered tepid in larger and heavier rides. As an example, the classic Lotus Elise – upon which the original Tesla Roadster was based – packed a Toyota-derived 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that generated what would seem to be a puny 188 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque, yet its super-slim mass (around one ton) enabled it to register a 0-to-60 mph time at under five seconds, which was decidedly brisk for its time. Both Elise and Tesla's initial production models are long gone, and while a new Tesla Roadster has been planned (and delayed) for several years now, a fledgling U.K. brand named Longbow Motors, hopes to beat Elon Musk to market next year with a pair of what it calls the world's first 'FEVs' (for Featherweight Electric Vehicles). Founded by veteran British engineers Daniel Davy and Mark Tapscott, both with sportscar and EV development on their resumes, the company's motto is ' Celeritas Levitas,' which is Latin for 'the speed of lightness.' The brand's premiere offerings, planned for introduction in 2026, will be a pair of low-slung two-seat rear-wheel-drive EVs, the Longbow Speedster and Roadster. Each is wrapped in graceful exterior lines and curves that sweep rearward from a massive hood that evokes a classic Jaguar XKE from the 1960's. The Speedster comes without either a windshield or a roof, however, for the ultimate vintage sportscar experience. Rather than engineer and develop each of the cars' major components in house, including the batteries, motors and brakes, they'll reportedly be sourced from established Chinese suppliers to hold down costs and speed development. Each model will come powered by a 240 kw electric motor (at an estimated 322 British horsepower) and over 2,000 nickel-cadmium battery cells. Range on a charge is anticipated at a European-rated 275 miles (443 km) for the Speedster and five additional miles on a charge for the Roadster We'd guess dual-motor all-wheel drive models could arrive at some point in the vehicles' future. While the Longbows' outputs pale compared to some of the most powerful EVs on the market, either promises a 0-62 mph time at around 3.5 seconds, which places them firmly in supercar territory, thanks to extensive use of lightweight aluminum and composite components. Their curb weights are planned to tip the scales at around a svelte 2,000 pounds, which itself is about the weight of a Ford F-150 Lightning EV's battery pack alone. Both premiere models are planned for a limited production run of 1,500 units, and the company promises to show a prototype of the Speedster by midyear, with a production model scheduled for 2026, to be followed in subsequent months by the Roadster. Best of all, while the Longbow FEVs are built to run with Ferraris and Lamborghinis, they're planned to be more affordable alternatives. The Speedster is expected to start at $109,900 (£84,995), with the Roadster commanding a less-costly $84,040 (£64,995) base price. High rollers can step up to an even more-limited Luminary 1st Edition of the Speedster with 10 units planned, or the Autograph Edition of which 25 are said to be produced. There will also be 50 Luminary 1st Edition Roadster units up for grabs as well as 100 Autograph Edition versions. No word yet how much of a premium those limited models will command. Specifics including standard and optional equipment, U.S.-certified specs and availability on this side of the Atlantic are yet to surface. Oh, in case you haven't yet caught on, the Roadster's moniker was reportedly chosen as a dig at Tesla's yet-to-surface second-generation model of the same name. 'A lot of customers have put deposits down for a Roadster that they can't get," says co-founder Daniel Davy via Top Gear. "If people want to get back their $250,000 deposit for a 2020 car and put it into a better car, they're going to get one sooner (and) they're welcome to do it.'
