Responsible Moorland Access Campaign

Ride North Wales and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB will be launching an online campaign highlighting the sensitive nature of some of our most sensitive habitats in the AONB.

Ruabon Moor, which stretches from the Horseshoe Pass towards Coed Llandegla and along to World’s End is one of the UK’s finest examples of heather moorland and blanket bog in Wales. Around 80% of the Welsh Black Grouse population live on this moorland, alongside many other ground nesting birds such as skylark, golden plover and hen harrier. The moorland is sensitive to recreational access and this can sometimes have a negative impact on the entire area.

Degradation of heather and bilberry through trampling can lead to the loss of ground cover, which in turn leads to the loss of soil particularly in winter through the harsh conditions faced at altitude. In spring, the area is teeming with ground nesting birds, breeding, nesting and raising their young.

The responsible access campaign will highlight the routes to access the moorland by foot, bike and on horseback in order to minimise the impact to the habitat. Look out for the videos, photos and facts on our social media pages @RideNorthWales and @Clwyd_Dee_AONB to find out more about this fascinating and fragile landscape.