In Gwynedd there are 1,342 miles of paths that could be lost forever.

That’s according to the Ramblers who have been conducting research into rights of way missing from official maps.

More than 7,000 miles of historic paths are missing from such maps in Wales, a search by the Ramblers has found.

Powys tops the list for Welsh counties, with 1,623 miles of lost rights of way to potentially be added to the map.

In Ceredigion there are 584 miles of paths that could be lost forever.

The Ramblers said: “These paths are a vital part of our heritage, describing how people have travelled over the centuries within their communities and beyond, yet if they are not claimed for inclusion on the definitive map (the legal record of rights of way) by January 2026, we risk losing them forever.

“At a time when more than ever, we recognise the importance of being able to easily access green space and connect with nature, it is really important that we create better walking routes to enable everyone to explore the countryside and our towns and cities on foot.”

The figures were released on Monday by the Ramblers, Britain’s biggest walking charity.

They follow a mass ‘citizen geography’ project launched in February this year ? part of their Don’t Lose Your Way campaign which saw thousands of volunteers join forces to find all these lost rights of way.

The Ramblers are now calling on people to join their team of dedicated volunteers, researching historic evidence and submitting applications to local authorities ahead of the 2026 deadline, to get the most useful paths restored to the map.

They are also calling on the Government to extend the deadline for registering historic paths by at least five years. To find out how many lost paths there are in your local area and to make a donation to help save them before they are lost forever, visit www.ramblers.org.uk/DLYW.