From bark to park: Unleashing a new doggy playground in a community woodland

Dog enthusiasts have welcomed the opening of a new activity trail in The Spirit of Llynfi Community Woodland near Maesteg.

A dog trail was one of the initial ideas when Natural Resources Wales (NRW) worked with the local community to transform the former colliery and industrial site in the Upper Llynfi Valley into an idyllic place for people to enjoy and for nature to thrive.

Developed with the Kennel Club and built by NRW’s South Central operations teams over the last two years, the trail is a great way for people and their dogs to keep fit while enjoying the outdoors.

There are five activities to try, including weaving through wooden posts, running through a tunnel, jumping over hurdles and balancing along a log walk.

There are information boards beside each activity for tips to make sure dogs and their owners are safe while using the trail.

The Spirit of Llynfi Woodland also offers local people a range of facilities for all to enjoy, including walking, cycling and running trails that meander through a landscape of woodland, ponds, marshland and heathland. More than 60,000 trees were planted at the site, including a mixture of broadleaves, fruit and ornamental trees.

Aneurin Cox, Operations Manager for NRW, said:

“I’m very excited to officially open this fantastic new dog activity trail. It’s a great addition to this community woodland, which was designed by and for the local people to use and enjoy.

“The main reason for developing this woodland was to provide much needed green space in an urban community to improve the health and well-being of the residents.

“Turning old industrial sites into woodlands also helps us in our goal to plant more trees and restore habitats to tackle the climate and nature emergencies.

“This is a great example of how working collaboratively can benefit everyone, including our four-legged friends!”

NRW developed this community woodland in partnership with residents of the Upper Llynfi Valley and also incorporated ideas of local children.

The woodland is managed through a partnership between NRW, Llais y Goedwig and several local volunteers.

Creation of the woodland and the new dog activity trail was funded through the Welsh Government Nature Fund and the Ford Motor Company Fund.

Visit the Spirit of Llynfi Woodland page for more information about the new dog activity trail.