New from the Wales Tourist Board are a pair of brochures that are more like quality outdoors magazines with contributions from top ooutdoor photographers and writers. Nice and free too...
Here's a bit of an inside tip for you - the Wales Tourist Board
actually produces two excellent free publications aimed at walkers
and adventure sport enthusiasts considering a trip to the
principality. And the great thing is that they're far more like
proper magazines than promotional brochures with articles by
specialist outdoor writers alongside the information pages.
Walking Wales is, doh, the magazine aimed squarely at
walkers. It's an accompaniment to the excellent Walking
Wales web site and is a 52-page, full coour magazine. The
pictures are simply lovely, many of them taken by Trail and Country
Walking regular snapper Matthew Roberts, and the stories aren't far
behind.
There's a nice piece on Welsh waterfall's by ex-Trail writer Maria
del Carmen Clegg, an extract from Bob Bibby's book on walking Offa's
Dyke and more plus the information you'd expect on National Trails,
rights of way, a nice collection of Wales walking books chosen by the
owners of an independent book shop in Cardiff and loads more.
The information you want is there - guides to each Welsh walking
are for example - but the magazine-style approach and originality of
the booklet means it's anything but dry. And it's free?
Adventure
Wales is, surprise, surprise, aimed at enticing general adventure
sport people to Wales. Again it's much more than a simple information
brochure with a selection of magazine-style features backed up with
useful practical information. It has its own web
site too.
There's a cracking Ed Douglas story about Snowdon and scrambling
Crib Goch in particular, pieces on coasteering and learning to surf
on the Gower Peninsular - 'Until I found myself wedged into a wet
suit on the sands of Caswell Bay, the closest I had ever been to
surfing, was leering over Keanu Reeves in the film Point Break,'
writes Cath Janes - then there's paragliding and paddling and, well,
I'm sure you get the picture.
Again, the entertaining writing is backed up with useful
information on areas, activites and operators.
The great thing is that both magazines are FREE. You can
get hold of them by visiting www.visitwales.com and clicking
here
for the adventure brochure or here
for the walking one. You can also download PDF versions of either.
Alternatively call 08701 211252 and ask nicely.
