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News and inspiration for visitors to our woodlands and National Nature Reserves.
We’ve picked five short walking trails in our woodlands and reserves which are perfect for an autumn stroll.
They range from level routes ideal for families with young children to steeper climbs with views full of seasonal colour.
Every trail is waymarked and graded to give an indication of its difficulty, and there is an information panel at the start of the route.
There are full details on our website to help you pick a walk that’s right for you.
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A new long distance off-road cycle route in North Wales is now open to riders.
The Traws Eryri weaves its way for 122 miles through the less visited parts of the Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri (Snowdonia National Park), taking in the Mawddach estuary, the forests of Coed y Brenin and Gwydir, and remnants of North Wales’ slate mining heritage.
The route blends the best of public rights of way and existing tracks to offer a long-distance and more wild-feeling ride. It also connects existing local mountain bike trail centres including Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre.
We funded the creation of the Traws Eryri and Cycling UK created the route. Read full details and download maps, .gpx files and a route guide on the Cycling UK website.
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A natural play exploration area has recently opened in one of our woodlands in the Wye Valley, 10 miles north of Chepstow.
The Whitestone play area features stepping stones, tunnels, secret log circles and balancing logs. There is a mound with a fort on top, reached via a spiral path that is accessible for all users, and there are picnic benches within the play area.
Several of our other woodlands across Wales have play areas that make the most of their natural setting and you can find out more about them on our website.
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Aardman’s baa-rilliant animated character, Shaun the Sheep, is championing the Countryside Code to encourage everyone to respect, protect and enjoy the outdoors.
Shaun and his friends at Mossy Bottom farm are busy sharing tips from the Countryside Code, such as how to care for nature, follow signs and share the space with others.
Keep an eye out for Shaun on our social media channels or catch up on YouTube below.
If you can share Shaun’s adventures with a wider audience, please get in touch with the Countryside Code team.
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Many of our woodlands and reserves have accessible trails designed for wheelchair users, but these barrier-free, level routes are also suitable for visitors with pushchairs.
Our accessible trails go through many different landscapes, and include boardwalks over wetlands and paths around lakes or alongside rivers. They are waymarked from start to finish and there is an information panel at the start of each one.
Find out more about our accessible walking trails on our website.
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Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth is the venue for the Cambrian Mountains Food, Drink and Craft Fair on Saturday 28 October.
The fair will feature businesses based in and around the Cambrian Mountains and some of the local products on sale include tea, chocolate, preserves, cheese and spirits.
After all that retail therapy you might fancy a bike ride or walk along one of the trails that start from the visitor centre so don’t forget to bring along your mountain bike or walking shoes!
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There is a full programme of half term events for children of various ages at Ynyslas Visitor Centre near Borth. Topics include owl pellet dissection; a shark egg case hunt; Halloween stories and bookmaking; creating a wildlife poster; making window stars; and examining numbers in nature.
Ynyslas Visitor Centre is also hosting a series of one-day workshops aimed at adults including Mandala painting (17 November); dyeing workshop (25 November); crochet workshop (2 December) and upcycled Christmas stockings (15 December).
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As the clocks go back this weekend and days feel shorter, many people feel their mood take a dip. But there are some easy things you can do help your well-being.
Read our health advisor’s blog to find out how spending time outside can improve your mental health.
We hope this snapshot from the places we look after across Wales has given you some inspiration to get out into the great outdoors.
Please do let us know what you think of this newsletter and share any ideas for content for future issues.
And why not forward it on to friends and family who would like to discover more of Wales?
For information about our woodlands and National Nature Reserves with visitor facilities, go to our Days Out website.
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