Thank you for your support to date to our petition to help ensure access to the forestry above Vicarage Terrace is maintained. At the time of starting this petition, just 6 days ago access was still available but unfortunately earlier in the week the gates were erected and the public was prevented from traversing either off the mountain or up to the mountain.

We recognise there are dangers to the safety of people who are already on the mountainside who wish to have egress to Vicarage Terrace and are doing our best to highlight these to organisations and politicians alike.

Our engagement strategy has had some success with both our local councillors (for Treorchy, Cwmparc and Ynyswen), two of our our local Senedd members and our local council looking into this issue of huge concern to people both locally and those from afar who may one day wish to walk along our beautiful scenery. 

So far we have reached over 2600 signatures in under a week, which is a great effort on your part and we thank you immensely. The work of our group however does not stop with people being interested in a happy outcome and we the words to be met with a positive outcome so we can all, once again, enjoy the benefits of our local forestry walk. 

We would like to create a single, good quality application for a Right of Way and are seeking to work with the council and anyone who can help us to achieve that next step. For that we need your stories and statements of how long you have used the mountainside above Vicarage Terrace, what you used it for, as well as confirmation of dates you have enjoyed free access to that route. Please email any evidence you have including photographs to David Williams at daiw76@yahoo.com and allow some time for this to be assembled and reviewed in a format that may be acceptable to the relevant authority for consideration.

Please also continue to share this petition far and wide, whether you are local who has had this right restricted or from some distance away but would like to visit one day. Let's see if we can get those numbers up to even greater heights and awareness of this campaign in peoples minds.

If you want more details of the work being done then why not join the Facebook group called "GateGate: Keep Access to Cwmparc Forestry".

We are planning a peaceful walk to demonstrate our frustration about our restricted access on Sunday, 23rd February 2025 at 2pm arriving at the Gate in Vicarage Terrace, Cwmparc sometime later. More details on our Facebook group. (South Wales Police has been made aware to comply with relevant provisions in the Public Order Act).

Thank you once again for your continued and future support. With your help we may be able to bring about change in a positive, peaceful and constructive way that could reintroduce the benefit we have enjoyed for decades. We hope to send you any key updates on our progress as any significant milestone is reached.

David Williams & Richard Clarke
#GateGate campaigners