In reply to Gentleman Antiquarian:
> (In reply to parkovski)
> Absolutely agree with you. As a landscape archaeologist, it makes me chuckle when people go on about how wild and natural Snowdonia is. It's very largely an industrial landscape full of old mines and workings. You only have to look at the results of the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments (Wales) [RCAHMW] project, The Uplands Initiative, to see just how much industrial activity was taking place in Snowdonia (or is that just because mine working are easier to spot than prehistoric cairns..?). Anyway, I think Cwm llan is an excellent place for such a scheme and I applaud the NT for doing it.
>
> Now, if we want Snowdonia to return to something approaching biodiverse natural beauty, how about massively reducing the numbers of grazing animals on the hills? Look at the difference removing grazing animals has made to the plant, insect and animal communities in Cwm Idwal! Much of Snowdonia is overgrazed and supports a very poor ecosystem. Managed grazing, or better still, no grazing would encourage the growth of trees (look at the number of place-names that mention trees where there are none now) and more delicate plants that would, in turn, encourage a wider range of animal, bird and insect species. Personally, I get bored of trudging through monotonous brown, overgrazed heather and tussock grass in British mountains.
Eh? Sheep numbers are at an all time low..
The area is now grazed far less than before. Us runners know that as lines off the paths are now much slower than before when it was all short cropped grass, but it will take decades to return to pre grazing levels.
Secondly the industrial paraphernalia add to snowdonia's beauty. It's always been a place for nature, animals and people. It's history should be enjoyed not scourned at.