So who IS behind the Snowdonia sign snatching? Locals are baffled and variously blame vandals, tourist-hating residents and even people looking to resell the waymarkers which are swiped by quad bike-riding thief with mystery motive
- Four 6ft waymarkers were stolen from the 83-mile long trail last week
Locals are baffled as they variously blame vandals, tourist-hating residents and even people looking to re-sell the waymarkers which were swiped by a thief with a mystery motive.
Four 6ft waymarkers were stolen from the 83-mile long Snowdonia Slate Trail (SST) last week – some of which had only recently been replaced.
Following the thefts, a roundel was found in a nearby river and tyre marks were spotted near where the posts once stood – indicating the thieves getaway vehicle was a quad bike.
The disappearance of the signposts which mark the path from the coast at Bangor into the heart of the national park has left locals scratching their heads.
Gwynedd Council has said there is ‘no clear motive’ and founder of the trail Aled Owen says he has ‘no idea’ who’s taken the posts – but others are pointing fingers.
Ramblers Cymru, who helped establish the trail in 2017, said the theft of signposts is a ‘common occurrence’
A trustee of the Snowdonia Slate Trail spotted tyre marks between the first two missing posts
At Mynydd Llandygai, close to the where some posts have vanished, a villager speculated: ‘It must be someone who doesn’t like walkers. Someone is going out of their way to take them – it’s not a well-used path.’
Another anonymous source told MailOnline: ‘There’s no hard evidence but I do know that some landowners don’t want people walking on their land.
‘One way of stopping this is to take the signs away. There’s a chance this is part of the problem with the disappearing signposts.
‘With some posts you would have to walk quite a long way to do this, so it’s a lot of effort for someone to walk up and take it, it’s likely to be someone targetting these specific posts.
‘They are hard to get out and someone has gone to the post specifically to take it out.’
One local queried whether a wooden post had been removed for its value, while another villager said: ‘I don’t think it’s just vandalism, it’s not the local kids.
‘What has happened is a complete mystery. Perhaps somebody doesn’t like tourists.’
Mieko Yamaguchi, a trustee of the SST, said it had ‘crossed her mind’ the theft could be landowners, but added she was leaving the investigating to Gwynedd Council.
A roundel from one of the missing posts was found in a nearby stream, but no sign of the wooden beams
A roundel from one of the missing posts was found in a nearby stream, but no sign of the wooden beams
She said: ‘If you want to deter walkers from the area you would remove signs before they enter the area, such as on the road nearby, and not on the moorland itself.
‘The posts have been there several years. Why should landowners get angry now?’
Visiting hiker Mike Jones, 56, from London, said: ‘Sometimes a direction sign may disappear from a metal post, but I assume that’s because of gales. But these signposts were too heavy to be blown away.
‘It’s a mystery in such a lovely but remote spot. Why would anyone go to such trouble to take the posts?’
The route across hills where cattle and sheep graze has panoramic views of the coast on a clear day.
The thefts follow the installation of two new signposts which were replaced by volunteers just six weeks ago
The loss of the signs could compromise the ‘safety and enjoyment’ of those venturing through the stunning landscape, Ramblers Cymru say
It crosses common land – which a group of farmers have permission to use – in addition to areas belonging to around 75 landowners.
Ramblers Cymru, who helped establish the trail in 2017, said the theft of signposts is a ‘common occurrence’.
Other sources say there is ‘no animosity towards the trail’ or the people that use it.
A man with expert knowledge of the mountains said: ‘We have people who remove the stone cairns. There is an extensive amount of piles of stones marking footpaths all over the place.
‘That’s OK by me so long as they leave key markers. But landowners should be glad there are signposts to show paths.’
The path crosses common land – which a group of farmers have permission to use – in addition to areas belonging to around 75 landowners
A spokesman for the Snowdonia National Park Authority said they are ‘deeply concerned’ about the thefts as the signs protect ecosystems and communities within the National Park.
Trustee Ms Yamaguchi described the thefts as ‘very disappointing’ as she had recently organised for them to be replaced after a similar incident in June.
Fears are also mounting for the safety of hikers, as without the signs people may get lost. Angela Charlton, director of Ramblers Cymru, said the loss of the signs could compromise the ‘safety and enjoyment’ of those venturing through the stunning landscape.
Trustee and founder Mr Owen said the signs are there for a purpose due to the indistinct path and boggy moores. Despite this, he said the trail in the North Wales beauty spot will be safe for those venturing it this bank holiday weekend.
He added: ‘I think that as they are so heavy, if they were vandals they would have been left on the side.
The disappearance of the signposts which mark the path from the coast at Bangor into the heart of the national park has left locals scratching their heads
‘It would need a quad bike or a similar sort of transport to remove them,’ he added.
He has rejected the idea that the thefts might be linked to a possible opposition to tourism.
When speaking to The Telegraph, he said the thefts were a ‘nuisance’, a ‘pain in the neck, and ‘very frustrating’.
A spokesperson for Snowdonia National Park said: ‘Waymarkers serve as essential guides for outdoor enthusiasts, ensuring they follow designated routes and minimising their impact on the delicate ecosystems and communities within our National Park.
‘We urge all visitors to Eryri to recognise the importance of waymarkers and collectively ensure that we leave no trace, respecting the natural beauty and cultural significance of this area for generations to come.’
The route across hills where cattle and sheep graze has panoramic views of the coast on a clear day
Gwynedd Council said: ‘There is no clear motive for the removal of the posts at this stage, and we will be liaising with all stakeholders in an attempt to resolve the matter.
‘It is extremely disappointing that these were removed, particularly when Ramblers members had given their time voluntarily to install them and improve the footpath.’
The council is expected to make local enquiries to get to the bottom of the disappearances.
The trail is protected by the SST, Gwynedd Council, Conwy Council, Snowdonia Society, National Trust, and Ramblers Cymru.
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