Landowner tells of 'rude' public

Mr Snowie told the court about the danger cows present to walkers

A millionaire landowner has told a court that he locked the gates of his country estate to keep out "discourteous" members of the public.

Euan Snowie, 39, is pursuing a legal bid to have the 70-acre Boquhan Estate in Stirlingshire excluded from "right to roam" legislation.

The former financial director told a court hearing that he had encountered "boisterous youths" on his estate.

The test case is continuing at Stirling Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Andrew Cubie heard that the Snowies began deterring public access in 2005.

The western gate to Boquhan House has remained closed since it was locked on 19 September 2005.

Remain open

Complaints from walkers and local residents prompted Stirling Council to issue the Snowie family with a notice under the Land Reform Act.

The notice required the landowners to unlock either one of two pedestrian gates adjoining the main carriage gates at Bolquhan House, and to ensure that the gates remain open.

The Snowies are appealing against the notice, hoping to get their estate exempted from the 2003 Land Reform (Scotland) Act.

The Ramblers Association has formally joined Stirling Council in resisting the landowners' appeal.

It's what my mother slapped me for - manners Euan Snowie

Mr Snowie, the former financial director of his family's waste management company, told the court that he bought the 70 acre estate in 2001.

He said that 40 acres were maintained by his two groundsmen and that he considered these areas as private.

"I see it as my garden, even though it's so spread out," he said.

"We've had people coming through the estate for a nose, basically. The previous owner told me he'd had people picnicking on his lawn."

He told the hearing that he had locked the main carriage gates and smaller pedestrian gates to the estate to keep out "discourteous" members of the public.

Mr Snowie said that he had once encountered a couple walking on a driveway in his estate.

Gated community

He said: "The man had a stick or something he had picked up on his journey. I questioned them, and they said they had a right to be there and I had no right to question them."

He also claims that a group of youths he had encountered on his estate had been discourteous to him.

Mr Snowie told the court that he wanted people to ask his permission before coming onto his land.

He said: "It's what my mother slapped me for - manners."

Mr Snowie said that he wanted the law clarified in order to ensure privacy for himself, his wife and two children and the tenants who live in the gated community of seven houses.

"I suppose that's why we're here. To understand the new legislation, what's private, and what's not."

Extremely dangerous

He told the court that he had to consider the security of visitors arriving at the estate by road and by air. "I have three friends who have helicopters, and we sometimes use one if we are going down south."

Mr Snowie told the court that walkers on his land could be endangered by the cows which cross his land to be milked.

He said: "There are cattle on the track daily. In my experience cows when they are pregnant look docile but they are extremely dangerous."

The former dairy farmer added: "They butted my car once. I'd never walk through them."

The Boquhan Estate includes fields and tracks, landscaped lawns and gardens, tennis courts, a dovecot, fish ponds, riding stables, an all-weather show jumping arena, cottages and gatehouses.