People in Treforest are being encouraged to nominate local legends to be immortalised on benches planned for a series of new walking and cycling routes in the area.

Sustrans Cymru wants residents to select person’s of significant interest to be painted on the bench and people will have the opportunity to voice their opinion at an exhibition later this month.

Taking place at the Treforest Community Centre, the showcase will reveal plans to create a series of routes for shared use, allowing both walking enthusiasts and cyclists to enjoy them.

Rachel Lister, project manager for Sustrans Cymru, said that the aim of the project is to allow local people to enjoy the beauty of the area a bit more.

“We want to give Treforest and the surrounding area a great scheme that really works for the local people so that people can travel more on foot or by bike easier,” she added.

Sustrans recently announced that a bridleway in Fishguard, which forms part of the National Cycle Network, is to remain closed for nine months during the construction of a new school beneath it.

Those who enjoy walks in the Lake District could soon see a high-altitude zip wire running from the top of one of the fells after a local businessman submitted a planning application to build one.

Mark Weir, owner of the Honister Slate Mine, wants to install the wire from the top of Fleetwith Pike to his visitor centre.

However, the move has been met with some opposition, with Dr Malcolm Petyt, access officer with the Ramblers’ Association Lake District branch, telling the Westmorland Gazette that the area is not suitable for such a structure.

“I don’t object to people having a thrill but there are places to do that which are more appropriate than somewhere as exhilarating as Fleetwith Pike,” he added.

Ian Hawkins, domestic market manager at Tourism Cumbria, recently stated that the joys of walking in the Lake District are the majestic mountains and endless walking routes which run throughout the countryside.

Northumberland County Council has given a £500 cash injection to support the upcoming Berwick Waking Festival.

The organisers of the event, which takes place between May 28th and 30th, said the money will be used to develop and promote the occasion.

There are a number of walking routes in and around the Berwick area and the aim of the festival is to highlight these and the wonderful country and coastal scenery the region has to offer.

Rob Woods, the event’s lead officer, said there will be something for everyone to enjoy over the weekend.

"We aim to provide walks to accommodate all abilities and hope to attract plenty of local people and visitors along to take in some of Berwick’s finest scenery," he added.

Augmentra, the company which made the ViewRanger mobile phone application which provides instant walking route information, has launched a new website listing the various walking festivals taking place this year.

Augmentra, the firm behind the ViewRanger mobile phone application which provides instant walking route information, has launched a new website listing the various walking festivals taking place this year.

The company has listed a total of 18 events up to October, including the Caithness and Sutherland, the Isle of Wight and the National Forest walking festivals.

Craig Wareham, co-founder and chief executive of Augmentra, told Business Weekly that there are many walking routes for people of all abilities to enjoy and added that he hopes to expand the company’s range of services for walking enthusiasts.

"Walking is very sociable and these guided routes make it easy for people to enjoy some of the wilder parts of the countryside. In addition to publishing these dates, we are also talking to festival organisers about ways of capturing these routes to create a library of walks that would be accessible from our website," he added.

Augmentra recently released its ViewRanger application which allows those enjoying walks in Snowdonia and other parts of the country to read maps, locate their position and identify various features of the landscape such as lakes and mountains.

A celebrated adventurer, who scaled Mt Everest at the age of 63, has kicked-off the first annual Huntly walking festival.

Hamish Fulton led a two-hour co-ordinated stroll around the Aberdeenshire town on Saturday (April 17th) as part of the event, which is designed to promote the town as a base for walking holidays, the Press and Journal reported.

Mr Fulton, who during his five-decade career has walked for a week without sleep, will complete a 21-day solo walk across the Cairngorms over the next couple of weeks.

He described the region as a “special place” and revealed that he will not walk a determined route because “that’s not like normal life”.

According to the newspaper, he said: “It’s a bit of a treasure within the totality of the British Isles, being the largest, highest piece of ground.

“I’ve done quite a few walks in the Cairngorms, something like 15 seven-day walks, and one two-week walk, so the next one up is 21 days.”

Earlier this month, Moira Halstead, spokeswoman at Walking for Health, claimed that the activity is a fun and convenient way to exercise and enjoy the countryside.

With the highest mountain in Wales, the country’s largest natural lake and a wonderful collection of rare birds, it is no wonder people fall in love with Snowdonia.

It is 823 square miles of pure, unadulterated joy, with thousands of visitors descending on the area each year to enjoy its walking routes.

Snowdonia acquired national park status in 1951 and is one of the most glorious examples of the UK’s natural beauty, with its dramatic peaks and jaw-dropping waterfalls making it a vast and varied terrain.

Flora and fauna

While exploring walking routes in Snowdonia, visitors are surrounded by several hues of green, with an abundance of plant life growing all around.

Rising from the Conwy Valley and stretching to Penmachno is the Gwydir Forest.

In this dense expanse of woodland some beautiful flowers can be found, growing beneath the majestic trees which rise high into the sky.

Douglas Fir and Norwegian spruce trees are common in this area, as they are along many of the walking routes in Snowdonia.

In the spring time, swathes of bluebells stretch as far as the eye can see, adding some wonderful colour to the surroundings.

Gwydir Forest is also home to a rich variety of animal life, with grey squirrels, foxes and various birds including robins, merlins and peregrine falcons all calling this their home.

A trip to northern Snowdonia is a must as well, as this is the only place in Britain where one can find the Snowdon Lily, which grows on a few high cliffs.

There are hundreds of forests spread across this vast region, with buzzards and ravens soaring through the sky, squirrels and badgers rustling through the undergrowth and beautiful flowers in bloom, Snowdonia walks promise a very special experience.

Wonderful waterfalls and lovely lakes

There are few places in the UK way where people can lace up their walking boots and see such an array of waterfalls.

One of the most glorious examples is Swallow Falls.

Located near the village of Betws-y-Coed, this stunning series of falls has featured in films, on postcards and in paintings, with nature lovers, art enthusiasts and those enjoying walks in Snowdonia all attracted by its majesty.

Dolgoch Falls is another favourite of those on Snowdonia walks, as the route takes visitors through some of the most luscious countryside in the Tal-y-Llyn valley.

The various falls that cascade down the rocky wooded ravine make this one of the most beautiful sites and a photographer’s dream.

Snowdonia is also home to an extensive collection of lakes

Located at the very heart of the park are Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris, two lakes separated by a narrow strip of land in the wonderful Llanberis.

Those enjoying walks in Snowdonia should also pay a visit to Lake Bala, the largest body of water in Wales and a wonderful place to sit and have a picnic or paint the wonderful landscape.

Its name in Welsh is Llyn Tegid, which translates to ‘lake of serenity’ and sums it up perfectly.

Mountain top adventures

Snowdonia’s walking routes are vast and allow visitors to take in the beautiful countryside around them.

However, there is another way to enjoy what this fantastic region has to offer – by rail.

The Snowdon Mountain Railway takes people on an adventure high into the hills and mountains and travels through some of the most spectacular greenery to be found anywhere.

Beginning at Llanberis Station, the train moves along the two viaducts crossing Afon Hwch and passes a beautiful waterfall before reaching Hebron.

Here, visitors will see the small ruined chapel and journey through the passing loop.

At the halfway point the steam trains will take on water before heading to Rock Valley, famous for its massive boulders.

The mountains were formed by volcanic forces nearly 450 million years ago and once stood as high as the Himalayas before the elements wore them down to their present size.

Clogwyn Station is the next port of call, where the view of Llanberis pass below is a sight to behold, with one of the world’s most spectacular panoramas at one’s feet.

Finally, the train reaches the summit, where those on board can head to the new visitor centre and enjoy the views of the surrounding area.