The Llantysilio mountains of North East Wales have never been a popular destination for walkers who come to north Wales for their upland fix. Reaching no more than 1700', the undulating spine of heathery hills which contains the Dee valley to the east between the market towns of Llangollen and Corwen, offers no craggy features to speak of, or dramatic rock architecture which might capture the imagination. Sadly, the range's very gentleness and rolling mass has led it to suffer an all too common form of ecological vandalism. The blight of 4x4 off roaders but more seriously in this case; Motor Bike scramblers who have torn a great gaping wound across it's brow in the form of a wide rutted highway, Now Denbighshire Countryside Services are urging walkers,riders and any low impact user of the range to report illegal activity to the police via a special hot line number.
Burial chambers, hill forts and rare species are under threat from off-roaders churning up heather moorland. Now field Officer Nick Critchley has pleaded with lovers of the Llantysilio range to carry the number with them every time they venture onto the range.
" We have a fantastic natural environment here which is under threat but we are fighting back. We are urging people who go out in our countryside to carry this number with them so they can blow the whistle on this illegal, dangerous and damaging menace.'
The area covered by the project provides habitat for rare species like the black grouse as well as important grazing for sheep.
Mr Critchley said Wales had lost 40% of heather moorland since World War II.
He added: "On Llantysilio Mountains, illegal bikers have created a race track that is damaging the ramparts of an iron age hill fort at Moel y Gaer that was here before the Romans arrived, and the track crosses a bronze age burial mound that is over 4,000 years old."
The scheme covers the Clwydian range area of outstanding natural beauty, the Horseshoe Pass and Llantysilio Mountain, part of the Ruabon/Llantysilio Mountains and Minera site of special scientific interest.
It also includes the Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains special area of conservation.
The number campaign, featuring the phrase "don't leave home without it", is backed by North Wales Police, Countryside Council for Wales and Forestry Commission Wales.
The police telephone number is 0845 6071002 for English language callers or 0845 6071001 for Welsh language callers. Post Title
→Mountain off roaders targeted by campaign.
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