Have you ever been to Vixen Tor?
Vixen Tor is one of Dartmoor’s largest most striking natural features and until 2003 had been enjoyed by locals, walkers and climbers alike.
Today it sits behind barbed wire fences and has “Keep Out” painted in large letters on its majestic stone sides due to the present owners dislike of sharing the countryside with others.
The Tor was closed to the public in 2003 after more than thirty years of open access, it had been hoped that access would be restored under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act but after an appeal by the landowner it was decided at a public inquiry it should be removed from the new access maps.
Since then many attempts at negotiating permissive access have been tried and failed. The Dartmoor National Park Authority offered the landowner £1,500 a year for a permissive access agreement and former UN peace negotiator to Bosnia Colonel Bob Stewart, as part of Channel 5 TV programme, was brought to try and help, all to no avail and the Tor remains closed off to all but sheep
We would like to hear from you.
We believe that such a stunning wild place should be open to all and will not give up in trying to restore the open access we all once enjoyed. As part of our ongoing campaign to restore access to this Dartmoor landmark we need your help.
We are collecting evidence of public use and people’s visits to Vixen Tor which may be helpful in claiming public rights.
So if you have walked to the Tor or climbed it and want to help please fill in our on-line Vixen Tor evidence form or write to us asking for a paper version.
NEW - Vixen Tor Campaign Postcard
A new Vixen Tor campaign postcard is now available. The freepost card, addressed to the new Chief Executive of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, calls on the DNPA to do all they can to restore access to the much cherished site. Get your own copy and add to the mounting evidence of 'public demand and public benefit' that the DNPA asked us to provide, by emailing freedom@ramblers.org.uk or write to the Ramblers' Association at the below address.
The Ramblers Association, 2nd floor Camelford House
87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TW
Hopefully with your help we will soon be able to visit the home of the old witch 'Vixiana' once again.
