Footpaths get expert treatment

Improving footpaths will boost tourism

Walkers in north Wales are to benefit from a new survey to improve the condition of footpaths.

A team of experts will spend the next three months checking out around 1,300 kilometres of paths in Denbighshire.

The survey will cover all the county's entire rights of way network - the eighth largest in Wales.

Walking is widely recognised as improving health, it provides great recreation and there are also economic benefits from the people who come here to walk

Councillor David Morris, Denbighshire council

The project is part of an all-Wales survey by the Countryside Council for Wales.

The trekkers will measure the general condition of paths and report back on where improvements are needed.

It will be the first survey of the complete network of paths in Denbighshire since the map recording their location - The Definitive Map - was compiled in 1952.

"Our footpaths give walkers access to some of Wales's most beautiful countryside such as the Clwydians, Offa's Dyke and the Horseshoe pass," said Councillor David Morris, of Denbighshire council.

"The results will be used to bring about significant improvements to the rights of way network.

All footpaths in Wales will be checked

"Walking is widely recognised as improving health, it provides great recreation and there are also economic benefits from the people who come here to walk."

Landowners have a responsibility to maintain any rights of way across their land.

There are also strict rules governing the ploughing and planting of crops across rights of way.

Reminder

"Denbighshire provides free materials such as gates and styles to help landowners," added Cllr Morris.

"We are also reminding farmers that any signs left over from the foot-and-mouth precautions must now be taken down.

"Signs may be considered by some walkers as a misleading notice and they could ask the county council to take legal action against the landowner responsible."

Denbighshire closed most of its footpaths during the foot-and-mouth outbreak, even though there were no cases of the disease in the county.