Wales is renowned for its beautiful open countryside and its glorious landscapes.
Across Britain, national parks were created to protect the most beautiful and imposing of the landscapes. Wales already harbours three stunning national parks—Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Not only are our national parks the breathing spaces of our country, they also play a valuable role in supporting our local economies and are a considerable draw for the millions of tourists who flock to Wales each year.
But there is another national treasure which deserves to be promoted and protected as Wales’s newest national park – the Clwydian Range.
The Range is a magnificent gateway to north-east Wales and covers miles of undulating landscape, which is characterised by sweeping moorland, heather hills, Iron Age stone forts and limestone cliffs. The varied landscape of the Clwydian Range support a rich mix of wildlife and habitats (even the rare red kite and the red fox have been spotted here from time to time) and there are rich grasslands of orchids and other wild flowers.
The Range is a formidable, chain of glorious hills which stretch from the Vale of Clwyd in the west to the foothills of the Dee estuary in the east, from the Prestatyn hillside in the north to the Nant y Garth pass in the south.
Some of the most spectacular views of the Range can be enjoyed from the Offa’s Dyke national trail, which crests its highest hills. The Offa’s Dyke path runs from sea to sea - from the Severn estuary to Liverpool bay - following almost the entire length of the Clwydian Range ridge crest as it winds it's way through north-east Wales.
Furthermore, the Range has a wealth of archaeological and historic remains, dating from the early prehistoric period through to the second world war. In fact, many of these archaeological sites are scheduled ancient monuments and are protected by Cadw as Welsh historic monuments
The Clwydian Range has already been designated as an Area of Outstanding National Beauty, but in contrast to a National Park, whilst AONBs enjoy protected status, there is no requirement for them to be promoted for people to enjoy. It is for this reason alone that the Clwydian Range remains a largely undiscovered gem when compared with Snowdonia and other parts of Wales.
It's time to put this right. Not only would National Park status give the Clwydian Range the recognition it deserves, but the prestige associated with designation would be hugely beneficial for the economy in towns and villages in North East Wales, with tens of thousands of extra visitors spending money in the area and giving a much needed boost to tourism in the region.
For me, the Range truly is a national treasure. With a unique landscape, biodiversity and archaeology, it is every bit as special as other areas in Wales which already have National Park status. It deserves to be protected, promoted widely and enjoyed by all.
It's abundantly clear that the Range should be designated as Wales’ newest National Park and I for one will be working to see that this is the case.