WALKING charity Ramblers Cymru is working with Newport City Council to improve access to the countryside through its Paths to Wellbeing project.

The organisations are creating five new walking routes in Maindee to improve urban access to the countryside.

Rhys Wynne-Jones, regional officer of South East Wales Paths to Wellbeing said: “Maindee is a tricky one as it’s so urban, so we are trying to put hedgerows, boulders and other features along Wharf Road and other areas.

“This will have a knock-on effect on the rest of the city, and it will impact the community massively as there has been so many studies that show that access to green space improves health and wellbeing."

The organisation is looking to link up Beachwood Park, the Glebelands and St Julians Wood, as well as creating walks out of the city.

Mr Wynne-Jones said: “Over the course of the pandemic, we noticed a huge uptake of people accessing the website and using the walks we created across the country. I think it has meant people appreciate nature more.

“We are trying to promote access to green spaces for Maindee residents but unfortunately due to the urban area these walks do have to go through streets.

“Newport has always been an industrial city, when town planning was happening that was the focus, now it is having to shift."

Ramblers Cymru is planning to improve access to existing walks, add accessible gates, benches, information boards, and way markers, as well as improve biodiversity.

The charity is working alongside Wales' 22 local authorities, Wildlife Trust Wales and Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales to plant trees, sow wildflowers and host wildlife activity days.

After 64 Welsh communities applied to be part of the project, the Ramblers chose 18 who would benefit most, with Grosmount in Monmouthshire and Six Bells in Abertilley being the other two successful South East communities.