Upgrading Popular Felinheli Footpath

Substantial work to upgrade a footpath in Y Felinheli has recently been completed by Gwynedd Council which has improved access to a popular beach in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The scheme to upgrade the footpath on Ffordd Glan y Môr, Felinheli past the health centre towards Rowen beach on the Menai Straits has been funded with a grant of £12,000 from Natural Resources Wales. The work was co-ordinated by the Gwynedd Council’s Rights of Way Team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Dafydd Meurig Regulatory Cabinet Member for Gwynedd Council who leads on footpaths said: “I am delighted to see that the work of upgrading this popular route has been completed. It is an important resource for the local community, with the path leading towards Rowen beach, and linking to Lôn Las Menai and the Coastal Path. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This has been a popular route for many years, and as a result its condition had deteriorated and was in need of improvements over recent months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are grateful to the local landowners for their cooperation in realising the scheme which included improving the footpath’s surface, building steps from scratch, installing a railing and clearing overgrowth. This means that the path is now far more accessible to use and it is now much easier to visit Rowen beach.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Sian Gwenllian, who represents Y Felinheli on Gwynedd Council added: “It is wonderful to have a safe and high quality path down to the beach in Rowen and the whole community are extremely grateful to Gwynedd Council for arranging the work and to the Gelli engineering company for carrying out the work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The footpath has existed for many years with permission from the farmer to cross the field down towards the fantastic spot by the Menai. After the construction of the medical centre in part of the field, an opportunity came to substantially upgrade the footpath so that more people could access Rowen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Local families and fishermen have enjoyed the location for many years but by now, access is far easier and many more people will be able to enjoy going for walks in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am very pleased with the cooperation between landowners and all partners involved in the project, it has been on my ‘to do list’ as a county Councillor! Thank you very much everyone” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The work has been funded through the Welsh Government’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan which is administrated by Natural Resources Wales, with the aim of securing improved access for the public to the countryside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​