National Trails are long distance walking, cycling and horse riding routes through the best landscapes in Wales. After World War II the desire to keep areas of Britain 'special' and to protect them from post-war development led to the establishment of Long Distance Routes (now called National Trails). Each Trail has a Trail Partnership made up of the local authority or national park responsible for the path on the ground. There is a dedicated National Trail Officer with responsibility for keeping the Trail up to the high standards set for National Trails. Maintenance work is carried out by the local highway authorities together with landowners often with the help of volunteers.
The approved line is the route that went through an establishment process under sections 50A-55 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and generally follows public rights of way and adopted highways.
Over the years the route that is walked/signed may have altered (e.g. a landowner gives permissive access so that a road can be avoided, sections have eroded or, simply, a path is created by footfall that is away from the legal line). This is the walked line (the route as it appears on the ground).
