A Walk Through Welsh Archives 

James Southerby, Archives and Records Council Wales

Wales is a walker’s paradise, offering a diverse range of landscapes from craggy mountains to rolling countryside and dramatic coastlines. 

Wales attracts tourists from all over the world, many of whom come to enjoy hiking and walking. We have several famous routes: Pen Y Fan, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), not to mention the Wales Coast Path, which stretches for 870 miles along the entire coastline! 

Take a look at these images showcasing some local beauty spots from collections in Welsh archives to get an idea of what might be in your local archive. 

These images from Conwy Archive Service show parts of Bodnant Gardens. The gardens stand in the grounds of Bodnant Hall, near Conwy. The gardens were created over five generations of the same family, eventually being given to the National Trust in 1949. They remain incredibly popular, visited by well over 250,000 people a year! 

Dell and Terrace Walk, Bodnant Gardens, no date. Item from Conwy Archive Service at Conwy Culture Centre.
View of part of Bodnant Garden in the rain showing a bed of azaleas, c.1950. Item from Conwy Archive Service at Conwy Culture Centre.

This photograph, also from Conwy Archive Service, shows a stepping stone path over the River Conwy. A popular spot for Victorian visitors to Betws Y Coed, they were probably the earliest crossing of the river and were used until 1912 when someone had an accident and fell off them. They are no longer used. 

The stepping stones, Betws-y-Coed, no date. Item from Conwy Archive Service at Conwy Culture Centre.

This series of information sheets from 1975 on Ynyslas Dunes show that public interest in nature and conservation has remained consistent over time, though items nowadays often have quite a few more pictures! 

Information sheets Ynyslas Dunes (part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve), produced by the Nature Conservancy Council, 1975. Item from Ceredigion Archives.

There are also many items concerning wildlife in the archives. Items like these are important to preserve because they tell future generations how the public (and children) were informed about animals in the past, and what information they found interesting! 

A leaflet part of the Junior Series. Showing 15 common mammal tracks, 1979. Item from Pembrokeshire Archives.
A leaflet part of the Junior Series. Showing 15 common mammal tracks, 1979. Item from Pembrokeshire Archives.
A leaflet part of the Junior Series. Showing 15 common mammal tracks, 1979. Item from Pembrokeshire Archives.
A fold out picture map titled ‘The Great Nature Trail of Wales’, prepared by the Wales Tourist Board in their Environmental Heritage Year, 1984-1985. Item from Ceredigion Archives.
A fold out picture map titled ‘The Great Nature Trail of Wales’, prepared by the Wales Tourist Board in their Environmental Heritage Year, 1984-1985. Item from Ceredigion Archives.
A fold out picture map titled ‘The Great Nature Trail of Wales’, prepared by the Wales Tourist Board in their Environmental Heritage Year, 1984-1985. Item from Ceredigion Archives.

Of course, any blog about walking in Wales would be incomplete without mentioning our Coastal Path, which is the first path in the world to follow a country’s coastline in its entirety. 

Opened in 1970, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path was the first National Trail in Wales and is one of the major attractions in Pembrokeshire. It stretches from Amroth in the south to Poppit Sands in the north. These are the first and last cards of the PCNP’s Coast Path Series cards which map the route. On the reverse of the cards are details of some of the interesting sites along the walk. 

First and last cards of the PCNP’s Coast Path Series cards mapping a route from Amroth to Poppit Sands, the reverse show details of some of the interesting sites, c.1980. 
First and last cards of the PCNP’s Coast Path Series cards mapping a route from Amroth to Poppit Sands, the reverse show details of some of the interesting sites, c.1980. 
First and last cards of the PCNP’s Coast Path Series cards mapping a route from Amroth to Poppit Sands, the reverse show details of some of the interesting sites, c.1980. 
First and last cards of the PCNP’s Coast Path Series cards mapping a route from Amroth to Poppit Sands, the reverse show details of some of the interesting sites, c.1980. 

Pembrokeshire Archives & Local Studies also have an extensive collection of administrative documents and publications designed to educate tourists about the area. They include these documents about the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which was designated a national park in 1952. It covers over 200 square miles, predominantly along the coastline.  

Various documents relating to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Items from Pembrokeshire Archives.

Documents held in our archives remind us that, for both locals and tourists, the nature of Wales has long been popular, and that we should maintain that nature for future generations.

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