Work finished on new path at Wenffrwd Nature Reserve

A UK Government’s Levelling Up funded (LUF) project to further develop the Wenffrwd Nature Reserve has completed the construction of a path to connect the reserve to Llangollen Canal towpath.

During the first round of LUF, the Council was successful in its joint application with Wrexham County Borough Council for the Clwyd South Constituency, which was supported by Simon Baynes MP. Denbighshire secured £3.8 million to invest in the communities of Llangollen, Llantysilio, Corwen and surrounding areas.

Visitors can now benefit from safer access to the World Heritage Site and surrounding countryside, including the Panorama walk and Eglwyseg, which was previously only accessible by crossing a main road.

The new path zig zags up the canal embankment from the woodland in Wenffrwd and is suitable for pedestrians, bikes, and mobility scooters that are designed for the countryside.  The nature reserve is also linked to Llangollen along the new track on the disused railway line which starts at Llangollen Health Centre.

The work was carried out by OBR Construction, and was completed in November, 2023.

Cllr Win Mullen-James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “I am delighted to see that the new path connecting the Wenffrwd Nature Reserve has now been completed, providing a safer and more convenient route for visitors to and from the reserve.

“I am also pleased to hear that an Old Railway Trail Park Run has been established and is regularly seeing around 100 participants as well as 15 – 20 volunteers taking part each week. This is a fantastic initiative that has transpired as a result of the great work being done at help improve this wonderful World Heritage Site.”

Cllr Jason McLellan, Council Leader and Lead Member for Economic Growth and Tackling Deprivation, said: “It’s great to see that improvement works at Wenffrwd Nature Reserve are progressing and that this stage of the project has now been completed.

“The area already boasts a number of walking routes with fantastic views across the River Dee and Eglwyseg that are popular with both locals and tourists. The works taking place as part of this project will help to enhance the Wenffrwd Nature Reserve for all who visit.”

Further Levelling Up funded work to be done at Wenffrwd Nature Reserve includes building some child-friendly cycle challenges adjacent to the paths, and improving the appearance and functionality of the old compound, with a view to being able to hold community activities here in the future. The estimated timescale for these works is March 2024.

* You can find out more about this project on the Denbighshire County Council website: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/community-and-living/community-development/levelling-up-fund/wenffrwd/wenffrwd.aspx