Work to keep vehicles off Over Stowey Customs common has been completed this week. Friends of Quantock own the land all along the South side of the Stowey – Crowcombe Road and we consider it to be held by us in trust for the benefit of the public. We have had a low ditch and bank built to discourage vehicles from leaving the road at a number of stretches of grass verge.
The land is a rare and precious piece of wilderness, priceless to the people who enjoy the open spaces, the forest, the wildlife and the landscape, a wonderful asset, rich in species and overlaid with thousands of years of history. We have long felt that we cannot allow it to look like a piece of wasteland where you can drive round in circles or dump rubbish. Of course if we are to secure the protection and conservation of the Quantocks for future generations then the public need to value what they have, and they won’t value it if they can’t go there and enjoy it so parking has to be provided, and it isn’t our intention to discourage visitors. In fact we have lobbied for many years for improved parking at Crowcombe Park Gate and our scheme for a new Car Park tucked out of the way along the Boundary hedge has become part of the Landscape Partnership Scheme and will be realised in the next few years. Parking at Dead Woman’s Ditch and at the lower Sandy Beds Car Park remains open and free of charge.
We don’t want to discourage visitors but we absolutely need to stop joyriding, fly tipping and casual vehicle damage to the land we are responsible for.