Some Powys paths remained closed

Its closure for most of 2001, along with thousands of other footpaths across Powys, was a severe economic blow for the area.

But, after Friday, only six footpaths will remain closed across the whole of Wales.

Tourist chiefs estimate that the closure of the Brecon Beacons cost the Welsh tourism around �50m in lost revenue.

Pen-y-fan is the jewel in the Beacons' crown but was unable to escape the ravages of the outbreak, which hit Powys harder than any other part of Wales.

Belated opening

After being closed soon into crisis, the summit was reopened in June - only to be closed down after just one day due to a new outbreak in the area.

Since November, the mountain has been partially open for business - but the erratic nature of path openings has led to confusion.

A rambler in the countryside

While Wales was declared free of the disease in December, a number of significant walkways on Pen-y-fan remained off limits to visitors.

The problem was that 20,000 sheep were brought down from the surrounding hills at the height of the crisis and slaughtered on land close to popular tourist trails.

Veterinary officials at theDepartment for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, were unable to sanction the reopening of those routes until de-contamination measures on the affected sites were completed.

In January 2002, Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones called on local authorities to work more closely with Defra officials to speed up the reopening process.

Farmers are now allowed to restock the land with livestock, clearing the way for walkers to return to the mountain.