Mid Wales is an ideal destination for a short break this autumn and winter as people look to boost their wellbeing by escaping to the countryside and seaside.
That’s the view of the woman who heads up the independent organisation representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and the Meirionnydd region of Gwynedd.
Val Hawkins, chief executive of MWT Cymru, believes the glorious Mid Wales countryside and seaside beaches are the perfect places to recharge the batteries and boost mental and physical wellbeing.
The region has a wealth of things to see and do, from the fantastic autumn colours of woodland and forests and rare animals, birds and plants in wildlife reserves to calming lakes, rivers and canals and fabulous, sandy beaches.
That’s not to mention wild moorland areas that are crying out to be explored, mountains and hills to climb and scenic walks and cycle rides to follow.
For the more adventurous, there are adrenalin pumping mountain bike courses, fascinating mine exploration trips that delve into the region’s rich industrial history and exhilarating coasteering.
For those seeking a more chilling break, there are numerous castles and ruins to discover, relaxing trips on steam railways, interesting market towns with independent shops to explore for Christmas gifts and lots of great country hotels and pubs with cosy log fires and quality self-catering accommodation to enjoy.
If you want to bring your dogs with you, check out the many dog-friendly places on the Visit Mid Wales website visitmidwales.co.uk/ which is a rich source of information about the region. Visitors are literally spoilt for choice.
“The autumn and winter months are the perfect time of the year for people to escape to our Mid Wales countryside for a short break to boost their wellbeing,” said Val.
“There is no better place to recharge the batteries than Mid Wales. Visitors have been escaping to our rural region, when they have needed to get away from the challenges of urban life, for decades.”
Emphasising that there is so much for visitors to see and do in Mid Wales, she added: “You don’t need to be a mountaineer to take advantage of our wonderful outdoor space.”
She highlighted the opportunities for visitors to enjoy riverside, canal and woodland walks and cycle rides as individuals, couples, families and groups.
One of the most attractive walks takes visitors from Hafren Forest, near Llanidloes, which has riverside boardwalks for those in wheelchairs, to the source of the River Severn on the Plynlimon mountain range.
Research has shown that spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit mental and physical wellbeing.
It can improve your mood, reduce feelings of stress or anxiety, help you feel more relaxed, improve your physical health, confidence and self-esteem and help you become more active, make new connections and provide peer support.
Charity Mind has pages on its website dedicated to how nature can benefit mental health.
It suggests trying a range of outdoor activities including walking and exercising in green space, letting animals and nature inspire painting, poetry and song lyrics, outdoor picnics, watching the stars, which is great in Mid Wales where light pollution is low, following a woodland trail, beachcombing, geocaching and being mindful of nature.
