I can't say that I'm convinced that notice boards would ruin the place; what with its farming and quarrying it is a man-made environment after all and not a truly wild place ...
I would disagree with that. There seems to be a desire (by urban-based planners?) to urbanise and sanitise the landscape with information boards, way marks, signposts, paved paths etc.
Cwm Idwal is, to my mind, a terrible example of somewhere that used to be a relatively wild place. It’s been very much tamed by wide flagged footpaths with steps etc. The creation of a visitor centre at Ogwen Cottage and street lamps in the car park there all detract from the wildness of the place, particularly in winter or at night. The paths on Snowdon (not just the summit) are even worse.
I'm not keen on the conservation of buildings. I think the main thing is to record what exists. Conservation, no matter how carefully and sympathetically done, adds new material or makes changes to the existing structure and adds an element of artificiality – like a 'ruin' specially built as a landscape feature to 'improve' the view.
Whilst I don't condone vandalism or demolition of such buildings, I would prefer to see their gentle decay, or even rebuilding and reuse, rather than conserving them in their dilapidated state.
I came across the following (Gwilym R. Tilsley, Extract from ‘Cwm Carnedd’)
A gwaith dyn, fel brethyn brau
Yn braenu rhwng y bryniau.
Which I translated as:
... and a man’s work, like rotten cloth
Decaying amongst the hills.
It summed up my feelings on this subject perfectly.
Dave