Getting out there...

In Wales, we're lucky enough to be only a stone's throw away from the countryside - even if you live in a town or city, excitement and tranquility are easily found in equal measure...

A simple stroll through glorious surroundings. Abseiling down the craggy flanks of steep summits. The elements of mountain, air and water combine to provide ample opportunity to get out and interact with the landscape.

Visit Cwm y Wydden reserve in Powys and experience the wide variety of wildlife that dwells in the quiet solitude of the wood, or spy on a heron in the Flatwoods Meadows at the Sirhowy Valley Country Park in Caerphilly.

There are National Nature Reserves, like Cwm Idwal Reserve in Snowdonia, with its vivid landscape and hidden lake.  These sites have some of the most important habitats, landscapes and wildlife in Wales.

There are also Local Nature Reserves, which are often striking and full of local character, with lots of wildlife to see.  Visit, for example, Pwllycrochan Woods in Conwy, where you can hear the sound of the Great Spotted Woodpecker in the quiet of this ancient wood.

Whatever, you decide to do - enjoying the countryside can improve your fitness and physical health. Walking, cycling and riding whilst enjoying nature and wildlife is good for both body and mind.

Outdoor Wales onLine maps..

Check out Outdoor Wales onLine’s interactive maps for planning your time outdoors in Wales. Outdoor Wales onLine shows routes and places where you can walk, cycle, climb and enjoy nature. The Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and Welsh Government have been working together to provide additional information on access to rivers, lakes and canals in Wales to be shown on the maps.

You can use Outdoor Wales onLine to find everything from short or long hikes to boating, and bird watching and picnic areas. You can use several ways to search for places where you can take part in activities by:

• entering a place name or a post code into the website's search line;
• searching within a given distance of a specific location;
• manually zooming in to a specific area on the map;
• searching by the name of a route or site.

There are links to useful information such as weather forecasts, travel or where to find accommodation. You can also link to web pages about safety information and codes of conduct about how to enjoy the land and water safely and responsibly in a way that won’t damage the environment and ensures respect for other users.