Letters

Wales can teach us about walking trails

A welcome in the valleys

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.
Mon Jun 03 2024 - 00:05

Sir, – I read Sadhbh O’Neill’s excellent article on returning from a family holiday in Wales (“Walking can be transformative and should not be a luxury”, Climate, May 23rd). As chairperson of Keep Ireland Open, which advocates for legally protected access to the Irish countryside, I want to thank her for highlighting the importance of our work. On our holiday in Wales, we stayed in a remote valley. Numerous legally accessible off-road walks were all around us. We also encountered the Welsh Coastal Path which follows the entire coast of Wales. Apart from the health benefits they offer walkers, these paths greatly benefit the Welsh economy because they draw tourists from far and wide. At the same time Welsh farmers and forestry workers go about their daily tasks. What a lot we could learn from our small neighbour just 60 miles to the east of us! – Yours, etc,

ROBERT DOWDS,

Chairperson,

Keep Ireland Open,

READ MORE

Dublin 22.