IN AN AGE where appreciating the serene embrace of nature has become not only a leisure activity but a crucial component for mental and physical health, the disappearance of hundreds of miles of public rights of way in Pembrokeshire comes as a stark revelation.

Recent meticulous analysis by The Ramblers, a prominent charity advocating for walkers, reveals a considerable 378-mile deficit in protected footpath within the former boundaries of Pembrokeshire since the dawn of the 20th century. This reduction, unveiled by comparing historic and modern maps, posits a significant decline in spaces legally available for the public to engage in activities such as walking, cycling, and horse riding.

On a broader scale, The Ramblers, in collaboration with the New Economics Foundation think tank, divulged that the average postcode in Pembrokeshire is endowed with a mere 3,000 metres of footpath accessible within a 10-minute walk. In comparison, the average across Welsh postcodes slightly edges higher, offering approximately 3,500 metres.

Despite the available footpaths, the charity accentuates a pervasive inequality in access, wherein nature’s offerings tend to be more readily accessible to “the old, the healthy, the wealthy and the white”, according to Jack Cornish, Head of Paths at the Ramblers. Cornish underscores the “massive impact” that accessible walking routes can wield on health outcomes.

This revelation becomes even more poignant considering that almost 50,000 miles of public right of way have vanished across England and Wales over the last century. With the Welsh Government recognising and exploring the substantial benefits of “social prescribing” – advocating for physical activities such as walking and cycling as either alternatives or companions to medical treatments – the loss of such public pathways is particularly detrimental.

The plight is palpably present in the figures as well, with data from the Welsh Government revealing a dip from 60% to approximately 50% in the proportion of people walking over 10 minutes to a destination weekly, comparing 2019-20 to 2022-23.

In light of these findings, The Ramblers has articulated a robust call for a £650 million investment in paths across England and Wales, a move they argue could yield remarkable dividends in amplifying the nation’s health and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs responded to these revelations stating, “We are committed to increasing access to nature and our Environmental Improvement Plan sets out our ambition for every household to be within a 15-minute walk of a green or blue space.”

The Department further elucidated efforts towards enhancing access via a £14.5 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which encapsulates a suite of targeted measures aimed at elevating the accessibility of protected landscapes, national trails, and the wider countryside for all demographics.

In a world progressively aware of the integral relationship between nature and wellbeing, the restoration and preservation of public footpaths emerges not merely as an environmental concern, but a pivotal health and societal one.