Notification of recent enforcement action against an activity provider

AdventureRMS has announced that an un-named UK Local Authority has served an enforcement notice under the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations against an activity provider offering licensable activities to children without a valid licence, which should serve as a warning to any providers offering licensable activities without a licence! See Notification of recent enforcement action against … Read more

Proposals for improved visitor infrastructure in Pontneddfechan

Neath Port Talbot Council has published proposals for improved visitor infrastructure in Pontneddfechan (the area by the Angel). Details of the proposals are at Waterfall Country Pontneddfechan – Visitor Infrastructure Investment – Neath Port Talbot Council (npt.gov.uk), where there is also a link to a feedback questionnaire which SWOAPG Members might wish to complete. And/or … Read more

Climbing & Abseiling at Dinas Rock ‘left hand end’ – Workshop for Providers?

Updated & re-posted with clarification: this is intended to cover both abseiling and climbing at the left-hand end of the crag. Following our recent posts on this subject (Abseiling at Dinas Rock – UPDATE 17 July and Abseiling at Dinas Rock – Update / clarification from Adventure RMS 1 August), we have a climbing TA lined-up … Read more

Sychryd Gorge Access Update

SWOAPG has received several troubling reports regarding the Sychryd gorge recently. Continued gorge-walking access to the Waterfall Country gorges depends on everyone doing their bit, so please make every effort to comply with the concordat arrangements – and do keep reports coming so we can nip issues in the bud wherever possible… Please could all … Read more

Economic and Social Evaluation of the Outdoor Activity Sector in Wales

Wales Adventure Tourism Organisation (WATO) (including SWOAPG) has in partnership with Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) conducted extensive research to explore the socio-economic value of outdoor activities in Wales. The study, entitled Economic and Social Evaluation of the Outdoor Activity Sector in Wales was undertaken by Miller Research and funded by the Welsh Government Coastal Capacity … Read more

River Wye Glasbury-Hay update

It’s been a long time since we provided a general update to SWOAPG Members on the situation for paddlesport launching at Glasbury Bont – because nothing much has changed since April 2021 (!) when launching was prohibited while Powys County Council undertook a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) to ascertain whether paddlesport might cause damage to the … Read more

Abseiling at Dinas Rock – UPDATE

Further to our recent post (below), we are investigating the possibility of running a workshop for all SWOAPG Members to explore / recommend / train possible ‘solutions’ for this issue. Watch this space for further updates – or feel free to contact us in the meantime to express interest… The following advice has recently been … Read more

Abseiling at Dinas Rock

The following advice has recently been given by AdventureRMS to providers undergoing AALA licence renewals: ‘It is highly likely that the big abseil on the bolted slab at Dinas Rock (i.e. not the main face but the highest point on the left side of the slab) is outside the scope of RCI, as RCI excludes … Read more