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Household surveys in Wales
Natural Resources Wales and its predecessors (Countryside Council for Wales and Forestry Commission Wales) commissioned a Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey (WORS) in 2008, 2011 and 2014. The survey provides data on Welsh residents’ participation in informal outdoor activities and visits to the outdoors, including woodland. Further information on the survey, including copies of reports and data tables, is available at https://www.gov.wales/national-survey-wales.
Table 6.4 shows the main characteristics of recreation visits where the main destination of visit was woodland, from the Welsh Outdoor Recreation Surveys. Walking was reported as the main activity in around two thirds of visits to woodland. Car or van was the main mode of transport for around three fifths of visits to woodland. Around one quarter of visits to woodland in 2014 were within 1 mile and around one third were for less than two hours. Respondents were accompanied by a dog in around one half of visits to woodland.
Table 6.4 Woodland visit characteristics1– Wales, 2008, 2011 & 2014
| Woodland visit characteristics | 2008 | 2011 | 2014 |
| per cent | |||
| Main activity during visit | |||
| Walking | 68 | 68 | 64 |
| Off road cycling, mountain biking | 8 | 7 | 3 |
| Horse riding | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Running | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Sightseeing or visiting an attraction | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Main transport | |||
| Car/van | 47 | 57 | 56 |
| On foot | 43 | 37 | 37 |
| Bicycle/mountain bike | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Distance travelled (one way) | |||
| 0 distance, up to 1 mile | 44 | 48 | 25 |
| Over 1 mile, up to 5 miles | 26 | 30 | 47 |
| Over 5 miles, up to 20 miles | 18 | 14 | 20 |
| Over 20 miles | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Duration of visit (round trip) | |||
| Up to 1 hour | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Over 1 hour, up to 2 hours | 29 | 34 | 26 |
| Over 2 hours, up to 3 hours | 25 | 21 | 24 |
| 3 hours or more | 36 | 37 | 45 |
| Accompanied by a dog | 60 | 53 | 54 |
Source: Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey 2008, carried out by Ipsos-MORI, and Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey 2011, carried out by TNS, for Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and Forestry Commission Wales, and Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey 2014, carried out by TNS for Natural Resources Wales.
Notes:
1. Visits where the main destination was woodland.
These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics. For further information see the Source chapter.
Sources chapter: Recreation
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