Country diary: I always dreamed of a safe, scenic footpath. Finally, my wish has been granted | John Gilbey
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- John Gilbey describes walking a newly completed village footpath for the first time, more than 30 years after he first dreamed of a safe alternative to a perilous trunk-road verge he once used for his daily commute.
- The footpath is carved into the top of fields below a hedge, safely separated from the road with traffic barely visible, and opens up views eastward toward wooded valleys and the Cambrian mountains.
- The disturbed ground around the path has been seeded with plants that attract pollinating insects, and Gilbey reports bees and butterflies are already active among the flower heads.
- Well-protected hardwood saplings have been planted alongside the path with the aim of one day replicating the mature trees in the hedgerow above.
- The village path network is intended eventually to connect to a railway station in the next village, adding extra options for car-free travel.
Why it matters: The path converts decades of road-walking risk along a trunk-road verge into a safer active-travel route, with the author reporting bees and butterflies already active among seeded pollinator plants. For rural communities, the scheme delivers a tangible alternative to car commuting, with a future rail link extending its reach beyond the current section.
