[Rydym yn disgwyl cyfieithiad Cymraeg ar hyn o bryd.]

There are few better ways of unwinding from the pressures of everyday life than to spend a day, or even a few hours walking, cycling or riding through Monmouthshire's pleasant countryside.  There are many leaflets and booklets, which will assist you. Examples are provided below and can be provided by completing the attached request form or contacting Countryside Services.

Monmouthshire is a small County of only 300 square miles (780 kilometres) but it has a richness and variety of landscape that is well worth exploring.

Bounded by the Wye Valley in the east, the mountains and moorland of the South Wales Coalfield hills and the Brecon Beacons to the west and north, and the severn estuary to the south, Monmouthshire's character is as varied as its topography, soils and underlying geology.  The character of its foothills and valley landscapes has been determined by the traditional farming activities of stock rearing, dairying, arable crops and timber production.  Fortunately it has not been the subject of major farming intensification, all too common in some other areas.

Monmouthshire's countryside retains a strong local identity with its fine tapestry of hedgerows, copses and woodlands; its maze of narrow lanes, tracks, bridleways and paths; its distinctive market towns, villages and hamlets; and its extraordinary number of castles, which are a reminder of the turbulent history of this borderland between England and Wales.

The County Council maintains a network of over 1,300 miles (2106 kms) of Public Rights of Way.  This site describes some of the ways you can make the most of them.  It is also recommended that you purchase the relevant Ordnance Survey Land ranger/Explorer maps for that part of Monmouthshire you wish to explore.

Countryside Activities And Guided Walks, in Monmouthshire and Wye Valley, published twice a year, in spring and autumn.  These walks are a useful   introduction to walking in the countryside and are led by experienced leaders who know the area well.  A leaflet explaining these types of walks is available free from Tourist Information Centres and from Monmouthshire's Countryside Services Office.

Available Publications

Additional Useful Links

Needs to link in with web pages Countryside Guided Walks, Activities and events, Care of the Countryside, Long Distance Walks,  Public Rights of Way