If you think there’s no better way to burn off the festive excesses than a nice countryside walk, then you’ll be pleased to know that three brand new walking trails have been opened in Cwm Taf Bargoed. The Red Kite Trail is a series of three circular walks designed for walkers of all ability. Starting at the Rock UK Summit Centre the trail takes in quite lanes before rising up to Gelligaer and Merthyr Common where you can get magnificent views of the Taf Bargoed area.
Mark Ward the ranger for the common said “Gelligaer and Merthyr Common is a vital green lung of the valleys, we developed these trails because we wanted to encourage people to use and enjoy the rich heritage, biodiversity and landscape here responsibly. We have a short route at 2Km a medium route at 5 Km and a longer 7Km trail, all routes cross open agricultural land so we ask people to wear appropriate clothes and footwear and to respect the countryside code. The short route also incorporates a series of Geocaches to explore”
Gelligaer and Merthyr Common is a living and working landscape. All common land is owned and owners can be private individuals, organisations or public bodies. Commoners are usually farmers who hold registered Rights of Common, which allows them to graze their animals (mainly sheep but also cattle, pigs, horses and even ducks) on a shared piece of land – the common – without fences or boundaries between them. Only registered Commoners have grazing rights, no one else should graze livestock on a common.
Dawn Bowden AM for Merthyr Tydfil said "I look forward to visiting and walking this trail in the New Year when Covid restrictions allow and seeing the results first hand that the Tirwedd y Comin project has delivered to this important agricultural landscape"
The Red Kite Trail was developed by the Tirwedd Y Comin project and jointly supported by Rural Action Cwm Taf and Cwm a Mynydd Local Action Groups through the European Union’s LEADER programme. LEADER is part of the Wales Rural Development Plan 2014-2020 and is funded by the European Union fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.