Cambrian Mountains Society
CYMDEITHAS MYNYDDOEDD CAMBRIA
Senedd debate designating Mid-Wales’ unique Cambrian Mountains an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty!
The full Senedd debated our Petition seeking designation of the Cambrian Mountains as Mid-Wales’ first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on Wednesday 30 November 2022. You can watch the debate, which lasts about 25 minutes, here. Although no actual decision to do anything was taken, this was not unexpected since the legal responsibility for designation lies with Natural Resources Wales. Significantly, 43 out of the total of 54 Members of the Senedd who were present voted to note the Petition, with 11 abstentions and no votes against: a solid indication of a good level of cross-party support. The Society’s Trustees subsequently met with officials from the Government and Natural Resources Wales’ Designated Landscapes teams to discuss the proposition, and the way forward, in more depth. Designation is now a live possibility although no work will be undertaken during the current Senedd’s term, as the programme for Government is already in place for this period.
The Society is therefore moving on to develop the proposition further so that it works for the benefit of all those who have an interest in these hills. Whatever your relationship to the Cambrian Mountains, if you would like to tell us your views, please get in touch at: secretary@cambrian-mountains.co.uk
The Cambrian Mountains are a remote, tranquil area, so sparsely populated as to have been described by writers in past centuries as the “Green Desert of Wales” – yet one of the most beautiful, colourful and varied landscapes in southern Britain!
Originally the term “Cambrian Mountains” was applied in a general sense to most of upland Wales. Since the 1950s, the name has become increasingly localised to the geographically homogeneous Mid Wales uplands of Pumlumon, Elenydd, and Mynydd Mallaen. The designation Cambrian Mountains is perhaps something of a misnomer: the highest point in the region, Pen Pumlumon Fawr, is 752m/2468′.
These uplands almost fill the space between their better-known neighbours, the Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons National Parks. The area is largely moorland over 300m high, and the boundary generally follows the bases of the steeper hillsides. It is characterised by:
- the integrity and high quality of its landscape;
- land use typically for upland farming (~85%, mainly comprising hill sheep farms) or forestry, with evidence of small scale mining in past centuries; and
- a well defined Welsh heritage of tight-knit rural communities focussed around farming and the Christian religion.
Watch our video, Secret Wales, to see why we find the region so inspiring.
The area includes parts of the unitary authority areas of Powys (50%), Ceredigion (40%) and Carmarthenshire (10%), and of 17 electoral wards, whose total population is 30,000 (2001 census). But there are no towns or even villages within the boundary of the Cambrian Mountains themselves, so the number of people living actually within the Mountains is probably only around 10% of that figure.
In 1965, a process was started to designate the Cambrian Mountains as a National Park. That attempt ultimately failed, but fifty years later, despite many changes, the Cambrian Mountains are still one of Wales’ most special places – a peaceful, largely unspoiled landscape with a rich cultural history and vibrant natural beauty.
Today, the Cambrian Mountains Society seeks designation of the uplands as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and works to keep this unique area just as open, accessible and inspiring for future generations. You can read all about the region, the opportunities it offers and the issues it faces here on our site – and, if you agree with us what a unique and special place this really is, then join up as a member and urge your County Councillor and Senedd Member to support the campaign.
