A £53,000 project to make woodland in the Elan Valley more accessible to visitors has been completed thanks to grant funding secured by Powys County Council.

The work has included creating accessible paths, with better surfaces, accessible gates and steps to the top of Pen y Garreg Dam, in Penbont Woods, along with a viewing platform and an accessible picnic table.

Two shelters, providing more information on the Celtic rainforest in the Elan Valley and the recently reopened Devil’s Gulch, have also been built.

The work was made possible thanks to the 80 per cent grant funding secured by the county council’s Economy and Climate Service from Welsh Government, as part of its Brilliant Basics scheme.

“Tourism is very important to the Powys economy. We, therefore, want to do everything we can to protect the assets we have and make our beautiful county a more attractive place to visit,” said Cllr David Selby, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys. “I hope many more people will now be encouraged to explore the Elan Valley.”

The improvements have been managed by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, which also provided the rest of the funding.

“We are very grateful that the Brilliant Basics funding, through Powys County Council, has supported us again this year to improve access for visitors to the Elan Valley said Mike Booth, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Visitor Attractions Manager for the Elan Valley.

“We run tours and education visits throughout the year and hold regular open days throughout the summer to give visitors the opportunity to see inside one of our spectacular dams, providing a unique experience.

“The addition of the information shelters provides visitors an insight into the special quality and importance of the Elan Valley which people come to enjoy”

Powys County Council was successful in securing £300,000 of this, which is being spent on 10 projects covering better access, car parks, trails, electric vehicle charging points, signage and interpretation, and toilet upgrades at various locations.

The Devil’s Gulch reopened to the public at the beginning of last year, after repair work was completed.