We heard the news last week that one of Snowdonia’s most iconic footpaths is facing closure, under local council cost-cutting plans.

Locals and visitors alike will know of the historic Barmouth Bridge that spans the Mawddach Estuary between the coastal resort of Barmouth and the headland of Morfa Mawddach on the other side. It forms part of the Wales Coast Path, as it allows walkers easy access across the estuary, and for many years the bridge has been open to walkers and cyclists alongside the railway line.

However, the local council has stated that the beautiful bridge could be closed to walkers and cyclists next year because of budget cuts. The council currently has to pay Network Rail £30,000 a year for rights to allow foot passengers to use the bridge, and the council claim they just can’t afford the fees any more.

This iconic structure was first built in the railway boom of the mid nineteenth century. By 1869 an important new railway line linked the Welsh coast with the Midlands, the North West of England and London. Barmouth’s previous history as a sleeping fishing village was about to be changed forever. Residents of the smoggy, busy cities of industrial England cried out for clean, restorative seaside air. With the fast new railway links in place, Barmouth was the perfect destination for the holidaying city dwellers and it soon became a fashionable holiday hotspot. It tempted Wordsworth away from his beloved Lake District and was a draw for Victorian celebrities such as Shelley, Darwin and Tennyson.

And these happy tourists were greeted by the iconic Barmouth Bridge, opened in 1867 and now as much a part of the town as colourful rock or donkey rides. It’s the longest viaduct in Wales at almost 2,300 feet, and featured some ground-breaking technology for the time; each iron column had to be sunk 120 foot below the sea bed and a clever sliding section was included at the northern end so that ships could pass.

If you’ve ever walked across this beautiful bridge then you’ll know that the views are some of the most stunning in Snowdonia as you pass across the gorgeous mouth of the Mawddach Estuary, and look out over the coastline as it stretches away ahead of you. The bridge forms an essential part of the Wales Coast Path, and without it, walkers would be forced to take an inland diversion that would add 18 miles to the route. The Wales Coast Path is a hugely successful initiative for the Welsh tourist industry, bringing in approximately £18 million in revenue every year.

Gwynedd Council will now put the issue to public consultation, although the matter has already raised a storm on social media and within the local community, and an online petition has gathered thousands of signatures protesting the closure. For more details and to sign the petition, click here