REMARKS SO FAR RECEIVED ON PETITION FORMS
“You and your committee are right we cannot be fenced in, good luck!” Mrs S Smith (St.Just)

“Indeed we think it (fencing and grazing of moors) a very bad idea. I will look at your website. Please keep us informed.” Discerning Traveller (tour company)

“A definite NO to any fencing on open access land. Instead of wasting money on barbed wire spend it on the overgrown and neglected public rights of way.” K Myers (Lelant)

“No.” B Scott (Newbridge)

“Don’t fence me in. What’s the point, leave it natural instead of creating less freedom.” S Scott (Newbridge)

“We have been coming down to Cornwall regularly for the past twenty years and often visit Nine Maidens. The idea of the moor being fenced off to use as cattle grazing in an anathema.” S Head (Solihull)

“Another potty idea from Natural England that makes one wonder if they are actually fit for purpose.” D Parsonage (Gulval)

“On a purely selfish note. Do these people know how people use the moor? All very well saying gates will accommodate walkers & riders but what about people like myself who 'drive' ponies on the moor. If they came most mornings, weather permitting, they'll see me and one of my 4 drivers. I expect I'll be written off as a 'minority'. Bet they would'nt infringe my rights if my minority status was race or gender. Too PC. Not a happy bunny me!” D Davies (Newbridge)

“Halt this travesty. Keep the moors open and safe for the public.” D Sells (Pendeen)

“This is a stupid idea and a classic case of bureaucrats fixing something that ain’t broke.” D Coles (Newmill)

“I lived in this area for many years before moving to France. It would be a tragedy to enclose this area. It is for the people to enjoy and part of the heritage of Penwith. If it goes ahead it is just one more thing that this incompetent government has got wrong. Is it any wonder the population of UK is leaving in droves!” M Phipps (France)

“My company has for the last 12 years sent many hundreds of tourists to take part in hiking tours of the Land’s End peninsula (West Penwith). An integral feature of these tours is the rote following the ‘Tinners Way’ which crosses Nine Maidens Common. Our customers have had a significant impact on the economy of the rural areas of West Penwith. What attracts them is the possibility of walking through  one of the few remaining wilderness areas in southern England. The proposed enclosures represent an attempt to destroy this precious wilderness.” H Roper, Director The Discerning Traveller Limited (Oxford)

“My wife and I with our 2 sons (and with their partners in recent years) have been coming to the Penwith area of Cornwall since we honeymooned their 30 years ago. We always explore the countryside visiting the ancient monuments and fascinating industrial sites, enjoying the wildness and wild-life as we go. We have a special love of the area around the Nine Maidens, Men-an-tol, Ding-Dong, Lanyon and Boskednan - it is our annual pilgrimage (somewhat spiritual) to visit all of these places (as well as other sites in the area, such as Chun and Mulfra along to Merry Maidens etc. further West). Cornwall relies very heavily on its tourism, attracted in the main by the attributes of the Cornish countryside and its unique history. It will be a damaging shot-in-the-foot to risk alienating all those (local people, British and increasingly foreign tourists) who value free unimpeded access to all these places and footpaths. Surely, these proposals go against the government policy of access to the countryside? All my family agree that we must protest strongly against these proposals.” J & C Burnett (London NW6)

“While your concern at the fencing of Penwith Moors is understood, as the property concerned does not belong to the Duchy of Cornwall it would be inappropriate for His Royal Highness or for the Duchy to intervene in the project being run by Natural England although we are grateful to you for bringing this matter to our attention.” R F T Halliday, Land Steward, Duchy of Cornwall, Liskeard, in response to a letter sent to The Prince of Wales by M Tonkin (Carnyorth)

“I visited the Men an Tol on 08/07/08 ….. Too often the management of heritage sites and landscapes is little more than a form of sanitisation of environment so that it no longer challenges our spiritual senses ….. visiting the Men an Tol recently and the adjacent ruined tin mine (I) was struck by the openness of the landscape, the history, the amazing flora, particularly by the wildflowers and shrubs which would be grazed out of existence. Grazing would easily destroy much existing plant life, replace it with different plants and thereby change the entire character of the area ….” K Springer (Derby)

“(Grazing) is no good for the sites nor the many visitors who wish to visit these sites both touristically and spiritually ….. Also, during the last Foot and Mouth major outbreak, we were prevented for many months from visiting any site that had cattle roaming in the area, and this may well occur again ….” J Moon (Penryn)

“These proposals, made so far from the heart of Cornwall, are insensitive not only to the spirit of the lovely land but also in the vibrant earth energy voice of its past. Destroy this spirit and they destroy the vital breath of Cornwall.” L Evans (Perranuthnoe)

“We also have a fantastic wild life – the birds come from all over the world to this narrow peninsula, you will destroy their habitat. I have seen what cattle can do, when left to graze anywhere – there is nothing left – its flora and fauna gone ….. We do not want a country full of motorways and concrete. Why can you not leave our lovely area as natural as possible. Or is it today only money is important.” B Ellery (St.Just)