Calls are being made for a new National Park to be created in Mid Wales.

The Cambrian Mountains Society has written to Welsh Government ministers asking them to consider giving protected National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty protection to an area from near Machynlleth in the north to Llandovery in the south and Talybont in the west, across to Rhayader in the east.

Described by writers over the centuries as “the green desert of Wales”, the Cambrian Mountains uplands include Pumlumon, Elenydd and Mynydd Mallen.

The sparsely populated sprawl of Mid Wales has in recent years been highlighted for its ability to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through its swathes of grassland.

And now, a society set up to protect and promote the area’s natural beauty has written to the Welsh Government asking it to consider giving the area protected National Park status in a post-Covid Wales.

This isn’t the first time the idea has been put. A bid in the 1960s and ’70s got as far as the Welsh Office, before finally being rejected in 1973.

Acting chairperson for the Cambrian Mountains Society, Peter Foulkes, has written to ministers Julie James and Hannah Blythyn outlining the society’s views.

Mr Foulkes writes: “As Wales now starts to resurface from the pandemic this is the time to celebrate its glorious landscapes and what better way to do this than in designating a new Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Park – the Cambrian Mountains.

“Not only would this acknowledge the natural beauty of the Cambrians, but it would also be a major boost to the economy of the area and its necklace of small towns such as Tregaron, Rhaeadr, and Llanwrtyd.

“Cambrian Mountains Society recognises that the Welsh Government, working through National Resources Wales, has already put in place some visitor attractions in the area including the Nant yr Arian visitor facility, with its red kite feeding station, the Cwm Rhaeadr Forest trails system (close to Rhandirmwyn and Llandovery), and, working alongside the Hafod Trust, the ’picturesque landscape’ of Hafod.

“But now is the time for WG/NRW to invest further in the area.

“How much better served would be facilities and attractions such as those below be if their custodians could promote them as being located in either an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Park?

“And Pontarfynach with its devil-defying bridge(s), its Swiss chateau-style hotel and Vale of Rheidol steam train terminus?

“In addition to the hotels, guest houses and B&Bs across the area, in recent years many in the farming community have diversified into providing holiday accommodation such as converted barns, shepherd’s huts and campsites.

“How beneficial to all these businesses it would be if they could promote themselves as being in either the Cambrian Mountains AONB or Cambrian Mountains NP?

"It is well documented that both types of designation attract visitors - and visitor cash - to Wales. In 2013 Wales’ National Parks attracted 12 million visitors who spent £1bn during their stay.

“CMS hopes that you see its vision for the Cambrians as very much part of the Well-Being of Future Generations Act and, of course, this promotion of the Cambrian Mountains links in well with the Mid Wales Growth Plan. The society’s trustees hope that they can further discuss their ideas for the Cambrians with you in the near future.”

The Welsh Government has been asked to comment on the proposals.