Gwynedd Council’s major improvements to a key access path on a community nature reserve have been welcomed by the residents of Barmouth.
Through its Rights of Way Improvement Plan, Gwynedd Council has managed to secure access for all to the Nature Reserve at Wern Mynach, Barmouth. This popular site lies adjacent to the Barmouth and Dyffryn Football Club grounds in the town, and is on a key route used by many Barmouth residents to get to the town centre.
By securing a grant from the Wales Assembly Government administered through the Countryside Council for Wales totalling £14,600, and working with the Barmouth Environmental Conservation Group (BECG), the Council was able to resurface a section of a public footpath which leads from Heol y Llan, underneath the railway and onto the Wern Mynach site. The resurfacing work means that the path is more accessible for local residents with mobility issues, who otherwise would not have used the uneven stone surface.
Councillor Gareth Roberts, Gwynedd Council’s Senior Portfolio Leader for the Environment said:
“Improvements like these at Barmouth help to make our footpaths more accessible for members of the public. Footpaths are an excellent way of discovering the treasures of our communities and of course they are a good way to keep active and fit.
“We hope that local residents along with visitors to the Barmouth area make the most of the new and improved footpath which will certainly make access for walks in the area more enjoyable and an example of the Council working with communities to improve and extend the facilities that we all treasure and enjoy. By working together we can make things happen.”
In addition to the resurfacing works, another path was created around the perimeter of the junior football playing field, as BECG and Barmouth and Dyffryn FC collaborated in order to extend the access opportunities, and enhance the visitors experience on the Wern.
Charles Meadows, a founding member of BECG said;
“Living on Heol y Llan, so close to the Wern, it has been really frustrating for me not being able to get to the reserve on my electric scooter due to the condition of the paths. Now, after the resurfacing work, I can get out there and enjoy the wildlife and fresh air without having to think twice.”
Mrs Dewina Lewis, Chair of BECG said;
“Being a daily visitor to the Wern, it is heart warming to see more people, including some familiar faces being able to enjoy the nature reserve after the completion of this new path. This reserve is managed by the community and is available for all to enjoy. It was sad to see some members of our community being excluded due to the poor condition of the original path.”
The Wern Mynach nature reserve is open to everyone throughout the year, and is accessible from Park Road and Heol y Llan, Barmouth.
