First trail in new National Forest of Wales launched

The Welsh Government has launched the first section of a new 80km forest trail, marking a major step forward in the development of the National Forest for Wales.

The pilot route stretches from Porthkerry Park in the Vale of Glamorgan to Pont Walby viaduct near Glynneath, linking a series of National Forest sites. Along the way, visitors can access 12 National Forest sites and a total of 24 woodlands.

Designed to keep people close to nature, the route runs under tree canopy for almost half of its length. While the full trail would take just under 24 hours to walk in one go, it has been divided into manageable sections to encourage wider participation.

The trail follows the existing public rights of way network and includes stretches suitable for a range of users, including walkers, wheelchair users, cyclists and horse riders.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who officially opened the new trail, described it as the start of an “exciting journey”.

“Wales will be amongst the first nations to have a national forest trail,” he said.

“We have been hard at work growing our National Forest, which is now over 114,000 hectares.

“As the number of sites continues to grow — with 82 sites outside of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate — we are now in a position to begin the National Forest Trail, the Llwybr Coedwig Cymru Trail.

“The trail will stretch the length and breadth of Wales and showcase our National Forest sites and woodlands for everyone to enjoy.”

The project has been delivered in partnership with Natural Resources Wales, local authority rights of way teams in the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot, as well as a range of stakeholder groups.

Over the coming months, further work will be carried out to enhance the pilot section. Plans include additional signage and waymarking, improvements to gates, benches and information boards, and community events aimed at encouraging more people to use the trail.

Benchmark

The Welsh Government hopes to develop the route into a high-quality “Demonstrator” section by the end of the year, setting a benchmark for future phases of the project.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language Mark Drakeford said the trail would be a long-term project comparable in scale to the Wales Coast Path.

“The trail will showcase the wide variety of our National Forest for Wales sites and improve connectivity between them,” he said.

“Connecting people to woodlands and nature will help improve physical and mental health and educate people on the importance of our woodland habitats.

“It will also provide economic benefits for local businesses through increased tourism opportunities.”