Access to a south Wales woodland at the gateway to some of the most popular bridleways in the area has been made easier after Forestry Commission Wales improved the car park.
Coed Coesau Whips woodland, between Caerphilly and Cardiff, is an access point for the Ridgeway Rides, a selection of horse routes run by Safety and Facilities for Equestrians (SAFE), Forestry Commission Wales and Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The Forestry Commission, which manages the 108 hectare Welsh Assembly Government-owned mixed woodland, has re-surfaced the car park at Llwyn Celyn and made a number of other improvements.
A horse step has been installed so that riders do not have to dismount to open the gate, along with a kissing gate which allows wheelchair access to the woods.
This was the latest in a string of car park improvements to be carried out by Forestry Commission and means that all the forest car parks around Caerphilly now have an asphalt surface.
Forestry Commission Community Ranger Emma Louise Felkin said: “This work will allow better access for everybody to enjoy this woodland, as well as improving the appearance of the area.
“The car park is large enough for a horse box and by re-surfacing and painting in parking bays we hope more people will be able to use this as a base to gain access to what is a lovely woodland.”