Visitor Appraisal Study

Descriptions

1Cyflwyniad1.1Mae Arfordir Sir y Fflint yn ymestyn am 25 milltir / 40km o Gaer i Gronant. Mae Aber Afon Dyfrdwy yn leoliad arbennig llawn lle bo'r hen ddiwydiannau a’r newydd yn bodoli wrth ymyl trysorau hanesyddol a bywyd gwyllt sydd o bwysigrwydd rhyngwladol. Gall yr ymwelwyr fwynhau golygfeydd ffres, trawiadol sy’n newid bob dydd gyda’r llanw a’r tymhorau.Llwybr Arfordir Cymru yw’r ffordd orau o grwydro arfordir Sir y Fflint dros 2 neu 3 diwrnod. Mae nodau llwybr ar hyd y llwybr ac mae digon o lefydd i gael gorffwys ar y daith. Mae gan nifer o’r golygfannau baneli gwybodaeth yn adrodd hanes yr arfordir a'r rhai a'i luniodd.Mae Llwybr 5 Rhwydwaith Beicio Cenedlaethol Sustrans (NCN 5) yn mynd yr holl ffordd o Gaer i Gaergybi. Mae’n cynnig rhywbeth i bawb - o lwybrau ysgafn a gwastad ar hyd hen reilffyrdd, i lwybrau gwledig i fyny'r bryniau, lle gallwch weld golygfeydd hyfryd ar draws Aber Afon Dyfrdwy.Yn Sir y Fflint, mae NCN 5 yn mynd â chi o Sealand yn y dwyrain, drosodd i lan y môr Gronant yng ngogledd y sir. Rhwng Caer a Chei Connah, mae wyth milltir o lwybr heb draffig i’w fwynhau gan feicwyr, cerddwyr a defnyddwyr cadeiriau olwyn.Mae Llwybr Rhanbarthol 89 yn rhan oddi ar y lôn pwrpasol sy'n mynd rhwng Pont Penarlâg a Chaer am dros chwe milltir ac yn dilyn glannau gogleddol yr Afon Dyfrdwy. Mae’r llwybr yn cysylltu i Queensferry a Saltney, drwy’r droedffordd yn Higher Ferry. Wedi’i gyfuno gyda NCN5, mae hwn yn lwybr cylchol gwych.2 Cefndir2.1 Mae Arfordir Dyfrdwy Sir y Fflint yn ardal 40km yn ymestyn o Saltney i Dalacre / Gronant. Mae ei leoliad agos at Swydd Gaer a Glannau Merswy a Gorllewin Canolbarth Lloegr yn ei wneud yn leoliad gwych ar gyfer ymweliadau dydd drwy’r ddau brif leoliad cychwynnol - Talacre a Saltney.Mae gwerth ymweliadau i’r arfordir i’n hiechyd a’n lles hefyd wedi’i nodi – gydag anweithgarwch corfforol yn costio oddeutu £1biliwn y flwyddyn i’r GIG.Mae cyfrifwyr ymwelwyr mewn safleoedd allweddol ar draws Arfordir Dyfrdwy Sir y Fflint yn dangos cynnydd graddol mewn ymwelwyr dros y 5 mlynedd diwethaf ac mae'r duedd yn parhau i gynyddu.Yn aml ein safleoedd mwyaf poblogaidd yw'r rhai mwyaf bregus gan olygu eu bod yn agored i niwed o ganlyniad i effaith pwysau ymwelwyr.3Amcanion3.1Y briffNod yr astudiaeth yw mesur ac asesu buddion lles economaidd a chymdeithasol y ddau safle cychwynnol i Arfordir Dyfrdwy Sir y Fflint tra’n deall yr effaith amgylcheddol, sef:•Talacre•SaltneyBydd yr astudiaeth yn llunio argymhellion ar leihau effaith amgylcheddol nifer yr ymwelwyr tra’n gwneud y mwyaf ac yn lledaenu buddion economaidd a chymdeithasol i'r ardal ehangach.Bydd yr astudiaeth yn hysbysu ymateb Cyngor Sir y Fflint a Phartneriaeth Rheoli Cyrchfan Sir y Fflint i'r cynnydd yn nifer yr ymwelwyr yn y ddau safle cychwynnol ac yn nodi dull cynaliadwy o reoli gan sicrhau bod capasiti a gwydnwch y safleoedd hyn wrth wraidd y dull hwnnw.Elfen allweddol o'r astudiaeth fydd archwilio faint yn fwy o fudd economaidd y gellir ei gyflawni a sut y gellir ymestyn y buddion economaidd a chymdeithasol yn ehangach.1Introduction1.1Flintshire’s Coast stretches for 25 miles/ 40km from Chester to Gronant. The Dee Estuary is a very special place where industry old and new sits alongside historic gems surrounded by internationally important wildlife. Visitors can enjoy fresh, bracing views that change every day with the tide and seasons.The Wales Coast Path is the perfect way to explore Flintshire’s coast over 2 or 3 days. The path is well waymarked and there are plenty of places to stop along the way. Many of the viewpoints have interpretation panels telling the story of the coast and people who shaped it.The Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 5 (NCN 5) goes all the way from Chester to Holyhead. It offers something for everyone - from gentle, flat routes along converted railways, to country lanes up in the hills, where you can take in fantastic views across the Dee Estuary.In Flintshire, NCN 5 takes you from Sealand in the east, over to the seaside at Gronant in the north of the county. Between Chester and Connah’s Quay, there are eight miles of traffic-free path for cyclists, walkers and wheelchair users to enjoy.Regional Route 89 is a purpose built off road section which runs between Hawarden Bridge and Chester for over six miles and follows the north bank of the River Dee. This route links into Queensferry and Saltney, via the footbridge at Higher Ferry. Combined with NCN5, this makes an excellent circular route.2 Background2.1 The Flintshire Dee Coastline covers an area of 40km stretching from Saltney to Talacre/ Gronant. Its close proximity to Cheshire and Merseyside and the West Midlands makes it a good location for day visits via the two key entry sites at Talacre and SaltneyThe value of visits to the coastline to our health and wellbeing is also well documented – with physical inactivity being estimated to cost the NHS over £1billion per year.Visitor counters at key sites across the Flintshire Dee Coastline have shown a steady increase in visitors over the last 5 years and the trend is continuing to rise.Often our most popular sites are also our most fragile making them vulnerable to impacts of visitor pressure.3Objectives3.1The briefThe objective of the study is to measure and assess the economic and social wellbeing benefits of the two visitor entry sites to the Flintshire Dee Coastline whilst understanding the environmental impacts, namely:•Talacre•SaltneyThe study will make recommendations on reducing the environmental impacts of visitor numbers whilst maximising and spreading the economic and social benefits to the wider area.The study will inform Flintshire County Council’s and Flintshire Destination Management Partnership’s response to increasing visitor numbers at these two entry sites and will set out a sustainable approach to management ensuring that the capacity and resilience of these sites are at the heart of that approach.A key element of the study will be to explore how more economic benefit can be captured and social and economic benefits can be spread wider.•Carry out visitor questionnaires as well as draw on existing data in order to assess the visitor profile at the two entry sites.•Make an assessment of the average visitor spend and assess the impact of this spend to the local area and surrounding towns, in particular Holywell, Mold, Flint and Saltney.•Use visitor profile data to make and assessment and quantify the contribution that these sites make to the health and wellbeing of the communities of Flintshire.•Identify current and potential environmental threats from recreation at each site and make an assessment of the capacity of the site to sustain current visitor numbers.•Explore the potential to spread the economic benefits of high foot fall at key sites to other areas.•Engage with key partners and stakeholders.•Draw on existing visitor data for the area.•Draw on best practice from other Protected Landscapes