Facilitating the safe enjoyment of the slate landscape of north west Wales (2020)

Funded by Gwynedd Council

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales was included on the United Kingdom’s Tentative List of World Heritage Nominated Properties in March 2011 and was formally announced in October 2018 as the next nomination to be presented to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre by the UK Government.  In July 2021, UNESCO decided that the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales Nomination merited World Heritage Site status.

This study was undertaken in 2019/2020, in order to develop a preliminary communication strategy to facilitate the safe enjoyment of the slate landscape of Northwest Wales, informed by consultation with landowners and key user groups. The strategy provides a proportionate approach to the communication of safety according to landscape and terrain; level and type of access; the level of visitor skill, self-reliance and personal responsibility.

It identifies different types of access/activities/hazards/users which occur within the slate landscape and assesses which issues could be alleviated via effective communication of safety messages. Not all issues can be adequately addressed via a communication approach. Some issues will require a mixture of communication and physical interventions and will need to be addressed via individual visitor safety plans.