New Cerdded Conwy Walks website

A good walk often starts with a close study of a map, looking for new ways or revising old favourites. The planning stage is followed by the ‘recce’. This is the exciting first foray of boots on the ground where we get to grips with the planned route. There are often subsequent recces to check details, timings and carry out a risk assessment of the route’s paths and tracks.

A quick look at the Ordnance Survey (OS) website illustrates the many types of pathways available: footpaths, bridleways, and even one type called a Boat. As well as those listed by the OS are local variants, such as the upright rectangular boundary stones in parts of the Northern Carneddau – welcome guides when the cloud is low. These stones would probably have been set out by council workers many years ago.

Nowadays with Local Authority budgets being squeezed with reduced funds and the effects of inflation it’s not unusual for footpath maintenance to be carried out by volunteers such as those with the Ramblers, Snowdonia Society, and groups of residents like those at Dolgarrog, renovating paths that have fallen out of use over the years.

Lots of our paths have been around a long time: it’s reckoned that the Romans built about 10,000 km of their famous roads on top of pre-existing tracks and ways from about AD 43 onwards. For example, the stone circles above Penmaenmawr shows that some of these date from Neolithic times, and that parts of the North Wales path probably existed then as ancient locals went about their business. So, the next time you’re out on a walk with one of our experienced leaders please spare a thought for the rich history, hard work and planning involved. We hope and look forward to welcoming you on one of our walks soon.

The Cerdded Conwy Walks team