Concerns have been raised at a council meeting about the closure of a popular mountain path in the Rhondda. A notice of motion from Treherbert councillors was supported by council on Wednesday, March 8 mentioned the closure of the Pen Pych woodland path by Natural Resources Wales.
It has been closed off to the public due to safety concerns after a landslip following Storm Dennis in 2020 left rock and debris on site. The pathway is not a dedicated Public Right of Way (PRoW) or a part of NRW’s walking trail network and is therefore not routinely managed or inspected by NRW or the council.
The motion from councillors Scott Emanuel and Will Jones which got the support of full council read: “Unfortunately, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) last week erected signage on the Pen-pych woodland path warning hikers that no public access was permitted due to the route being unsafe through ‘multiple landslips.’ The Treherbert ward is proudly the home to some of the most beautiful landmarks and views in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, with the Pen-Pych table top mountain being the jewel in the crown.
