After all, with our fantastic countryside, rugged
coastline, rolling hills and majestic mountains why would you not
want to lace up your boots, put on your rucksack and head off into
the great outdoors?
There are countless paths and routes throughout the region each
varying in length and difficulty. If you really want a
challenge, how about the Offa's Dyke Path which winds it way
through the Wye Valley and upwards through Wales, all the way to
the north coast.
Another great way of seeing our fabulous country is by
bike. Again there are many routes of varying length and
difficulty criss-crossing the region including the Celtic Trail,
which runs from Chepstow in the east, through the Southern Wales
valleys and onwards towards west Wales.
Information on our walking and cycling routes can be obtained
from one of the Tourist Information Centres in the region.
If all this is a bit tame for you then you need to pay a visit
to Cwmcarn Forest near Caerphilly. The Twrch Trail (The Boar
Trail) is a 15km cross country track, tackling some of the most
rugged terrain in the region with hair raising descents and some
tricky, technical sections. The trail has been given a red
rating, meaning it is officially difficult!
If that's not daunting enough for you then you need the Mynydd
(Mountain) downhill track. Whilst the Twrch Trail has a
mere Difficult rating, the Mynydd is classed as
extreme. It is considered as one of the best downhill tracks
in Europe with plenty of terrifying turns, drops and huge
jumps. This is certainly not for the faint hearted.
Watersports
If the surf's up then it's time to head for Rest Bay in
Porthcawl. The waves here and regarded as some of the best in
the country as they come crashing in straight off the Atlantic
Ocean. And don't worry if you don't know
your barrel from your wipe out as there
are plenty of surf schools in the locality who will happily give
you a few lessons to get you started.
Sea Kayaking…………
Wye Valley Canoeing………..
Cardiff White Water…………
Golf
It's not surprising that the Celtic Manor at Newport, home to
the 2010 Ryder Cup, is probably our best known golfing venue, but
there are plenty of other courses throughout the region waiting to
challenge you.
Royal Porthcawl certainly does just that when the wind starts
blowing in off the sea. You can also try the course with the
longest hole at Dewstow (690 yards and the only par 6 in the UK) or
the highest course at West Monmouthshire which reaches 1518ft above
sea level.
Watching Sport
There's plenty on offer too if you'd rather watch than play
sport. Rugby is of course a national obsession with the
magical atmosphere of international day a highlight. There's
top class football, cricket and ice hockey on offer in Cardiff
while Chepstow Racecourse is the place to be for a spot of horse
racing.