Adventures, The Cambrian Way

Our Ambassadors Matt Johnson and Fiona Phillips visited Wales to walk The Cambrian Way - a 298-mile route stretching the length of the country. There, they discovered how dedicated volunteers are making sure the trail is clearly indicated for all to enjoy.

Matt and Fiona were with wellbeing and walking charity The Ramblers, helping to fix way markers to posts along the route to help guide walkers. The project is supported directly by People's Postcode Lottery players, who have raised over £8.2 Million for the Ramblers since 2016.

Despite being drawn up about 50 years ago by rambler Tony Drake, official waymarking of the route only began for the first time in September 2018.

Tony Drake died in 2012 and money from his legacy, along with support from our players, has enabled The Ramblers Cymru to work with landowners, councils and national parks on access rights.

Volunteers Show The Way

Matt joined volunteers Colin Bobbett, Dawn Drewitt and James Williams from the Lampeter Ramblers along one section of the route in the remote Doethie Valley to lend a hand with the waymarking project.  

Colin became involved with the Ramblers after his wife passed away. He views volunteering as his way of giving back to the landscape that he gets so much enjoyment from. He said, "I love hillwalking. It's good for the soul and I think people are starting to appreciate the health benefits of walking.

"It's all about getting out from behind your desk, pausing the automated world for a little while and getting close to nature."

Health Benefits

Matt, who comes from Caerphilly, didn't know about the route until it was introduced to him by The Ramblers. He said, "Being outside, finding new pathways and doing something special like marking the route so others can enjoy it gives you a wonderful sense of achievement. It's so beneficial not just for your physical health, but for your mental health too.

"Taking in the beauty of the landscape gives me a really special feeling and it makes me proud to be Welsh. Cymru Am Byth!"

Fiona, who is no stranger to Wales thanks to her Welsh ancestry, walked another part of the route along the Brecon Beacons. She said, "The great thing about the Cambrian Way is that it takes in so much of Wales and it's split into stages so you don't need to walk all of it to still be able to take in some of the most beautiful parts of Wales.

"It's wonderful to see that thanks to support from players of People's Postcode Lottery this route is really being embedded into the Welsh landscape."

Oliver Wicks from Ramblers Cymru is responsible for waymarking the trail, and said, "The path is steeped in Ramblers history and its legacy is continued through the dedicated volunteers who monitor the route. This is no mean feat given that the path is around 74,000 feet of climbing, the equivalent of summiting Everest two and a half times through the middle of Wales."

Superb Causes

If you're passionate about helping amazing charities like the The Ramblers, why not sign up to play People's Postcode Lottery and join the fun? Players can win amazing Prizes as well! If you'd like to know more, check out How It Works.