This new British forest just opened its first walking trail

Wales loves a walking trail. In 2012, it became the first country in the world to have a public path around its entire coastline. For more than a decade it remained the only nation in the world with a continuous coastal trek, until England came along and launched the even longer King Charles III England Coast Path. 

But now, Wales has its sights set on to becoming one of the first nations in the world to have a national forest trail. It’ll be named the Llwybr Coedwig Cymru Trail.  

This week, the Welsh Government launched a the first 80km section of that trail. The newly waymarked path winds from Porthkerry Park in the Vale of Glamorgan (on the south coast) to the Brunel-designed Pont Walby viaduct, which sits just outside of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (formerly the Brecon Beacons). In total, the trail links 12 National Forest sites and 24 woodlands. 

If you want to take on the first part of the trail in one go, it would take you just under 24 hours, but there is of course the option to do it in chunks. It’s split into four sections: Pontkerry County Park to Hensol Forest, Hensol Forest to Llantrisant Forest, Llantrisant Forest to Nant y Moel and Nant y Moel to Pont Walby. 

The National Forest for Wales initiative was launched back in 2020 to connect existing, restored and new sites across the country and promote the importance of woodland habitats. So far, it includes Wentwood Forest in Monmouthshire, Gregynog in Powys and Coed Preseli in Pembrokeshire. Leaders say the forest trail will be a long-term project comparable in scale to the Wales Coast Path. 

Wales’ deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies: ‘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.’

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