AROUND 60 people joined a mass trespass at a Dartmoor beauty spot last Saturday in protest at its continued closure to the public. The event at Vixen Tor near Merrivale was organised by the British Mountaineering Council, which is opposed to the action taken by landowner Mary Alford in denying access to the tor, known as the Sphynx of Dartmoor. Jim Harrison, of Tavistock, one of those who joined the protest, said: ?There was a good turnout of people. We were up there for a couple of hours ? there was a police presence but there was no trouble.? Mr Harrison said in addition to Mrs Alford?s refusal to allow access to Vixen Tor, he was concerned at her management of the moorland, claiming trees were being cut down and the land cleared. Mrs Alford closed Vixen Tor after buying the land in 2003, bringing to an end more than 30 years of free public access. She took the action over fears she could be held liable if a walker or climber injured themself on the land. Vixen Tor was listed for access under the new Countryside Rights of Way (CROW) Act ? but Mrs Alford appealed against the listing and won. Mrs Alford said: ?Vixen Tor is private land, it?s part of a farm and the protestors have openly recognised that. We won the CROW hearing for Vixen Tor ? but at the same time we also lost 319 acres to the act, which I believe is backdoor nationalisation of land. ?We have to accept that ? I don?t see why the protestors can?t accept the law.? Mrs Alford added some of the protestors had dogs off leads during their time on the tor which she said was ?irresponsible? in an area where there were cows and calves grazing. And she said the wood which was being burned on the tor was scrub and diseased trees ? hardwood trees were being preserved. There have been lengthy discussions between Mrs Alford?s solicitors and Dartmoor National Park Authority, which would like the tor re-opened. Mrs Alford has offered to do so providing the DNPA paid her a one-off fee of £30,000 plus £35,000 per annum. But her offer was rejected by the DNPA, which says access payments usually only amount to around £1,500 a year. The DNPA is currently seeking legal advice on the way forward.
