The last year or so has seen flurries of activity on and around Pen Dinas Local Nature Reserve. Members of Ceredigion’s Rights of Way team, contractors and a whole host of volunteers have carried out footpath improvement work with thanks to a grant from the Landfill Disposal Tax Community Scheme (administered by Welsh Council for Voluntary Action).
Now that most of the work is done, it was time to mark the occasion and to thank all those involved in delivering the project. A large group gathered in the café on Thursday 26 September at The Hub in Penparcau where a display of photos of the project were put on show and everyone had time to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee before heading up onto Pen Dinas to explore the improved paths.
Eifion Jones, Public Rights of Way Officer, said: “Given how unsettled the weather had been the week leading up to the community walk, with torrential rain and strong, gusty winds, there was no real plan to the walk. The idea would be to follow the middle path, then take a stroll around a section of the newly created, wheel chair accessible circular ‘Hen Domen Trail’ which now leads off the Ystwyth Trail, before we headed back to Penparcau along the old bottom path.
Despite low, dark clouds and the odd flurry of drizzle, there was the perfect window of a dry hour or so to allow the group to complete the whole circuit with plenty of time for photos of the spectacular views and to exchange anecdotes and information about the site.”
Rhodri Evans is the Cabinet member responsible for Economy and Regeneration. He said: “This is a step closer to achieving one of our key aims in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which is to offer the least restrictive access to our beautiful Coast and Countryside in Ceredigion.
Penparcau Hub café is open Monday to Friday providing facilities to anyone who may want to venture up onto Pen Dinas. There is internet access and public use laptops for checking maps of promoted routes on Ceredigion County Councils ‘Walks and Rides’ page which includes the new paths across Pen Dinas.
The ‘Walks and Rides’ page can be accessed by following this link: https://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/resident/coast-countryside/exploring-ceredigion/walks-and-rides/.
You could also register to become one of the 1000 new walkers to the summit of Pen Dinas that the Penparcau Walking group aims to encourage before the end of 2020.
For more information about the project, please contact Eifion Jones by calling the Customer Services Contact Centre on 01545 570 881 or by e-mail on Eifion.Jones@ceredigion.gov.uk.
10/10/2019