We have received the following message from the owner of the land river-left of the Sychryd (upstream of the road bridges), which he has asked us to pass on to SWOAPG Members:

“After speaking to some of your members about access to our land, wormhole mines and rock, we have suggested that they pay £200 plus vat for this year. If they then send us bookings this year for high season for 2 pods two nights or one pod 4 nights we will then give them access next year with no further fee. This will be our final offer and any adventure company that doesn’t accept it this year will be permanently banned from our land. We think this is a fair proposal. Anyone wishing to take up our offer will need to contact me. Kind Regards, Ron Ferguson: Waterfall Country Pods, Pontneddfechan 07738 052041 ron@waterfallcountrypods.co.uk.”

We asked him whether those who don’t have any need or desire to use his land this year might be able to do so in the future, to which he responded that “our offer is only open to your providers for a limited time”.

As we have advised previously (see Sychryd Gorge access update: river-left landowner new payment proposal), SWOAPG therefore suggests that all gorge-walking groups who don’t wish to take-up this offer should endeavour to operate only in the right-hand-side of the river and on the right bank of the Sychryd upstream of the Dinas Rock road bridges; and if challenged should respond calmly and politely, move clearly to the right-hand side by the shortest route possible and avoid returning to the left-hand side – and please let us know at coordinator@swoapg.com so we can continue to monitor and advise on the situation.