Save the Date! SWOAPG AGM Tue 5 Dec

The 2023 SWOAPG Annual General Meeting will be held on Tue 5 Dec, 6.30-8pm, online via Teams. All SWOAPG Members are invited to attend! The agenda will include the usual ‘formalities’ and discussion / decisions around Glasbury-Hay Concordat Arrangements and future Membership Fees, but please do let us know if you have any other suggestions … Read more

SWOAPG Membership Fees: Would you rather…

…pay a single fixed-price for your SWOAPG membership that provides access to venues ‘managed’ by SWOAPG (as you do now for the gorges); or …pay a smaller ‘core’ membership fee with optional ‘add-ons’ for access to individual venues? NB this question relates only to ‘Full Membership’, not ‘Associate Membership’, which carries a lower fee but … Read more

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

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