In 2024 our general secretary Kate Ashbrook spent two days on Dartmoor being interviewed for a film, DartmoorCalling, which you can watch in full below.

This tells the story of the battles from 60 years ago, led by Sylvia Sayer (known as The Shield of the Moor), to save this magnificent place.

As Kate walks over the moor she recalls the campaigns of the 60s and 70s, to save the Swincombe valley from a reservoir, and Saddleborough on Shaugh Moor from china-clay waste dumping.

Some battles were lost such as the disastrous Meldon reservoir which destroyed the West Okement valley.  Kate speaks about Sylvia, the ferocious fighter and the humorous, fun-loving family person, who taught her about campaigning and showed by example.

The film moves on to the current campaigns to protect the moor, not least the fight through the courts to defend the right to backpack camp on the Dartmoor commons.  It is a powerful call to action, for our own and future generations.