North Wales Rambler Llanfair TH Missing Bridge Saga HE LAST MONTHS of Tbrought Massive Amounts of Rainfall to North Wales
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North Wales Rambler Llanfair TH Missing Bridge Saga HE LAST MONTHS OF Tbrought massive amounts of rainfall to North Wales. At Llanfair Talhaiarn the Afon Elwy and its tributaries fl ooded parts of the village, causing a lot of human misery. Another casualty of that winter was a footbridge over the Elwy about . kms west of Llanfair TH village, which was either swept away or damaged beyond repair. e bridge is (was) at grid refer- ence SH and is known as Pont Coed Cochion, a er a nearby farm of that name. e path over the bridge (FP) links a minor road south of the Elwy with the main A on the north bank, and with a continuation footpath, FP, going north of the main road. Conwy Council placed a temporary closure order on the path. A succession of temporary orders followed, keeping the route closed, but there was no sign of a replacement bridge. Today, six years on from the winter of / the bridge is still missing. Taking Look, no bridge! Rather too far to leap and too wet to ford. (Photo John Buckley) a diversion via Llanfair TH adds . kms of walking, and the section along the it is a statutory duty which the council is court in order to force the council to take A is highly dangerous for pedestrians, obliged to fulfi l, and patience has worn appropriate action. is course of action being a narrow fast road with no pave- very thin in this case. was recently approved by North Wales ment or verge. John Buckley has served formal Area Council and we only need confi r- e matter was taken up by our notice on Conwy Council under section mation from Ramblers’ Cardiff offi ce of Conwy county committee in . In Highways Act regarding mainte- the necessary fi nancial backing to take January they were informed that the nance of the path, including the bridge. the matter to court. council intended to have a replacement e council has replied accepting that it Watch this space! bridge in place by the end of May, but has the responsibility for maintenance. it didn’t happen. In / it appears We understand that a business case for John Buckley is looking for people that the council budgeted , for a replacement of the bridge is being put to join his Conwy band of volun- replacement bridge, but again nothing forward as part of the council’s budget teers. They look after footpaths and happened on the ground. e Commu- process for the next fi nancial year, bridleways over a large area of North nity Council have subsequently got their /. Wales. It involves making site inspec- MP involved but still no progress. If proper funding for a new bridge tions, reporting path problems, Ramblers are reasonable people and makes it into the council’s budget for looking at planning applications we know that all councils have a diffi cult next year, all well and good: it has still which might aff ect the path network job balancing competing demands for to go through the democratic process. and liaison with the local authority. resources. However, keeping the network If no funding becomes available, the John’s details are in the walks pro- of minor highways, including footpaths, intention is to commence proceedings gramme. Give him a ring or send him open for use by the public is not optional, under section in the local magistrates an email. Annual Report of Ramblers North Wales Area December 2018 www.ramblersnorthwales.org.uk Area Annual Report UR Area has had a busy year as three lovely walks and acting as tellers, Williams who are both vice-presidents Owe hosted the Ramblers General timekeepers and scrutineers during the and Stan Winstanley and John Elwyn Council; ran our own summer walking meeting” Williams from North Wales who were festival as well as our usual two full walk One resolution at General Council elected to Welsh Council Executive Com- programmes and dealt with footpath and expressed concern that during the cur- mittee. Contact any of these if you have other issues. Many thanks go to all of rent period of financial constraints being questions or issues you want to raise. you who took part in an event and to our placed on local authorities some may be (Max Grant was also elected to WCEC volunteers who helped in so many ways. unable to meet their statutory obliga- but for the time being is not able to play Our Area AGM took place in January tions to keep public rights of way free of a role) with the election of officers and a very obstruction and properly maintained by Our Area Council consists of Area interesting talk from the Red Squirrel landowners or themselves. is requires officers and representatives from all Trust. ere were no resolutions this year. ongoing work at national and local levels. Groups and County Committees. We Last year we had requested the produc- ere was also a resolution sup- have three meetings per year which are tion of a bilingual business-style card. porting the ‘Donate-a-Gate’ scheme held at the Tyn-y-Coed Hotel in Capel North Wales Area has now produced its (which, aer considerable lobbying by Curig. e meetings include an opportu- own. Conwy Valley group, Conwy Council has nity for Groups and County Committees We hope you will give them out taken up), and one on the importance of to give a report and share experiences to friends; family; other walkers; leave continuing to press for signage of Public as well as discussing national and local them in outdoor shops; libraries; visitors Rights of Way from all roads. issues as they crop up. e more Groups centres- anywhere you think suitable. Aer being postponed due to snow and County Committees represented the Ramblers General Council the Welsh Council took place at the end better. was held in Bangor, where Kate Ashbrook of April at Gregynog Hall, Powys. ere e Summer Walks Festival (see was elected as chair of Ramblers GB. e was time for most of us to go on one of separate report) was organised through minutes record: the walks around the grounds as well as the Area Council and included many “A huge thank you to all of the listen to speakers and take part in the enjoyable walks and new collaborations. wonderful North Wales area volunteers business of the weekend. A new presi- has also seen the merger of Bangor/ who helped to make general council so dent, Will Renwick, was elected and he Bethesda group with Caernarfon/Dwyfor. successful this year. e area volunteers will be the guest speaker at our AGM. were crucial to council’s success by greeting From North Wales we have Denis Joanna Slattery everyone at the registration desk, leading McAteer (retiring president) and Ron Chair, North Wales Area Wales Coast Path Wales Coast Path is celebrating the 7th anniversary of its and end at the same place and ideally have good transport launch next May with a festival from North to South Wales. links and a local café/pub/bar etc for refreshments. Walks Ramblers Cymru will run the festival which will consist of 7 should reference the Visit Wales theme for 2019 which is ‘The walks in 7 locations over 7 days. The festival will move from NE Year of Discovery’ (e.g. a spectacular view / a talk about wildlife to SE Wales with three locations in the North over the 4th-6th / local history / foraging / easy path maintenance / others I’m May B/H, ending with Llanelli and Cardiff/Penarth on the 19th sure you can think up). May. Visit Wales will help promote Wales as a walking desti- Denis McAteer nation and attract visitors to the path. Keep Wales Tidy have For the latest on the path see - been invited to partner the Ramblers in holding a litter pick in www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/plan-your-trip/wales-coast- each of the locations. A PR company will manage the publicity path-maps/?lang=en for the festival, and there will also be promotion by Ramblers Cymru and Keep Wales Tidy. An additional attraction in some of the locations will be the installation of ‘Augmented Reality’ where visitors can A dispute regarding part of the Coast Path at Rhoscolyn download an app and see marine life or history appear where on Anglesey will be going to a public inquiry on Wed they point their phones. Provisional locations in our Area are 6 Feb next. The Council made an order in 2015 with the the Great Orme, Menai Bridge and Porthmadog – these cor- aim of bringing the Definitive Map in line with the route respond to the Augmented Reality sites. The local Groups which people had been walking, but nothing is ever involved are being consulted about leading seven walks in simple! A landowner has objected to the modification, each location. I know it is too late to include any walks in the and the history seems to be a bit convoluted. current Combined Walks Programme but other Groups may If you are interested in seeing what a public inquiry is like to consider putting on their own coastal walks during like, the venue is St. Gwenfaen’s Church Hall, Rhoscolyn, this period to ‘piggy-back’ on the raised profile that Ramblers Holyhead, LL65 2NJ. It starts at 10:00 am. More informa- Cymru should achieve - the key thing is to use your local tion from Ron Williams, Pete Bland or Andria Massey. knowledge and passion for your area.