"Ecodyfi, the Dyfi Valley community regeneration company, has a longstanding interest in promoting walking and cycling and other forms of sustainable travel and transport.

This year it also launched the local Mentro Allan outdoor activity and health research project, which promotes opportunities to be active outdoors.

Together with the Head Countryside Warden for Powys, Rab Jones, I have been finding out which walking routes local people use or would like to use, so that they can identify where improvements are needed in order to get people out walking.

15 Mentro Allan projects across Wales, funded through a Big Lottery grant and with funding from the Countryside Council for Wales, are working with local partners to build up a national picture of exercise patterns and what the barriers to becoming more active are.

Local project partners for Mentro Allan Bro Ddyfi are CAMAD, Coed Lleol, US Mach, Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin, Sir Trefaldwyn Play Montgomeryshire, NPHS Inequalities in Health project, Bro Ddyfi Communities First, Powys County Council, Tir Coed, NCH Sure Start and PAVO.

It's a health research project - we want to know what gets inactive people more active outdoors. So we put on activities - gardening, cycling, woodland skills, walking, survival skills, for example - and give people the support and opportunities they need to change their activity patterns.

One reason that people don't walk in their local area is because they don't know where to go. Another is that they don't find it easy to get there. That's why we're working with the council: Rab and his team have been putting in high quality, easy access, self-closing gates and making sure that the rights of way are way-marked, as well as doing clearance work.

This year they have created accessible circular routes in Aberhosan, Melinbyrhedyn and Glantwymyn, as well as around Machynlleth. We'll now do our bit to inform people about where they are and encourage them to use them.

Anyone wishing to get active and involved in the project, or to become a research participant (which means logging your weekly exercise once every six months) can contact Teresa at ecodyfi by phoning 01654 703965 or emailing mentro.allan@ecodyfi.org.uk or calling in to ecodyfi's office at Ty Bro Ddyfi, Machynlleth (opposite Maengwyn Café).

Article by Teresa Walters