The right to wild camp (pitching a tent somewhere that is not an official campsite) in part of Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England, has been lost after a landowner won a legal case against the organisation that looks after the park. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.
Oracy
So, there is now nowhere in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where you can pitch a tent without asking permission of the landowner. Do you think this is a terrible decision and that there should be public areas all over the country where this is possible? Or do you think it’s a big fuss about nothing as there are plenty of official campsites where folk can pitch their tents and still gaze at the stars? What do you think?
Writing skills
Imagine you are wild camping on Dartmoor. Is it delightful, boring or even scary? Write a detailed account of your night, describing everything you can see, hear, feel and even smell using the most vivid, well-chosen words you can.
Or
Imagine you are a Dartmoor pony who discovers an occupied tent where you usually graze. Write down your thoughts about the tent and any humans you encounter as an internal monologue (like you are talking to yourself inside your head).
Investigate
Research breeds of horse and pony that are native to the UK. List between five and ten of them, ideally writing a sentence about each one.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to The Week Junior website.