Cwmcarn Forest Drive to reopen six years after last closing

The forest drive was closed to vehicles in September 2014 after trees at the site were affected by the disease Phytophthora Amorum.

Since then, around 160,000 diseased trees have been felled, and new trees have been planted in their place.

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While the drive was closed to the public, Natural Resources Wales, which acts as custodians to the land, and Caerphilly County Borough Council took on a major renovation of the seven-mile forest drive.

Several new all-ability trails have been created along the route opening up access to the forest, along with new picnic seating areas.

The new seated area which can be used for outdoor learning at Cwmcarn Forest Drive. Picture: Natural Resources Wales

The site also boasts three play areas – in place of just one previously – sensory tunnels and a woodland sculpture trail.

The main play area along the Cwmcarn Forest Drive has been completely refitted

There are also spaces suitable for outdoor learning and wellbeing activities, encouraging schools to visit the drive, while information signs along the route will allow people to learn more about the history and the heritage of the woodland.

Geminie Drinkwater, project manager for Natural Resources Wales, said: “We did a lot of engagement with the public.

Geminie Drinkwater, project manager for Natural Resources Wales

“I came up here [to the main play area] with a few local families with children with additional needs, looking at what we could do to make the play areas more inclusive.”

Dav Letellier, NRW’s operations manager for the Gwent area, outlined the long journey to reopen the popular attraction.

Dav Letellier, Natural Resources Wales’ operations manager for the Gwent area

“The area was mostly larch which got infected by a larch disease called Phytophthora Amorum which spreads like wildfire and kills the trees,” he said.

“In order to prevent all the trees being infected elsewhere we had to fell the whole area.

“To fell it required heavy machinery and haulage, which meant we had to close the whole area, and unfortunately it was inaccessible for local people.

The view from one of the rest points along Cwmcarn Forest Drive. Picture: Natural Resources Wales

“We have a whole section replanted. We have diversified the replanting to make the area more climate change resilient and more enjoyable for people as well.”

Mr Letellier said the project involved around £2 million of investment from NRW, with the total cost of the project around £4 million.

“It is a significant investment, but I’d like to say there could be more,” he said. “This is phase one. We hope to be able to offer even more for our visitors.

“It’s been a long time coming, too long to be honest. I’m really delighted to come to this point where we can reopen it.”

The view from the gazebo out over the valley at Cwmcarn Forest Drive. Picture: Natural Resources Wales

Mike Owen, general manager, said at one point he wasn’t sure they would reopen.

“Before the harvesting, teams came in and removed everything from the drive.

“It was in a mess. We didn’t know at that time if we would ever reopen.

A warthog sculpture on the sculpture trail at Cwmcarn Forest Drive

“It was down to NRW, local community groups, and the support of Rhiannon Passmore.

“It’s all brand new up there now. There’s no reason to think if you’ve visited once, you won’t visit again. And there’s more and more that we are planning to add. It’s about thinking where we can invest over the next 10 years.”

One area that has been invested in is bike trails. There are currently two cross-county trails, two downhill trails, a family trail, and the forest drive roads.

Mr Owen said they now hope to work with local groups to incorporate ‘illegal’ trails.

A stag sculpture on the sculpture trail at Cwmcarn Forest Drive

“There’s a bike group that build their own ‘illegal’ trails,” he said. “What we are looking at doing now is incorporating them in to the network and making them safe.

“We need to work with them. Otherwise NRW brash them out and the group just build another one. We are just chasing out tails.”

The forest drive reopens to the public on Monday, June 21. Parking is currently free, in line with car parking fees across Caerphilly county borough.