Meadows Health and Wellbeing Route, Bangor

Plantlife’s Cass Crocker, who was involved in setting up the Meadows Health and Wellbeing Routes in Bangor and Cardiff, spoke about Magnificent Meadows at our 2022 NHS Forest conference. You can read more and watch a recording of the event here.

The Meadows Health and Wellbeing Route in Bangor, Wales is part of Magnificent Meadows Cymru, a programme funded by the Welsh Government. It is working to restore over 500 hectares of wildflower meadows and grassland in Wales while connecting communities to these environments for their own health and wellbeing.

Developed with our partners at Plantlife, the project created a 1.7km signed walking route from Ysbyty Gwynedd, a hospital in Bangor, North West Wales, to nearby meadows at Eithinog Nature Reserve. During all seasons, a walk through the meadows provides an array of colours, smells and sounds. This is a great opportunity for using nature as part of the care of patients while also benefitting the health and wellbeing of health staff. 

Scroll through the StoryMap above to virtually explore the Meadows Health and Wellbeing Route. This resource provides a virtual walk through the route, an alternative way in which hospital patients who are unable to visit the site in person can get to know the green space. They can learn about local wildlife, see beautiful and uplifting images of the site and hear birdsong from local species and the sounds of the meadow. Additionally, this resource is being used to introduce staff to the meadows route, with the intention of making it easier for them to use the route for their own health and wellbeing.

The StoryMap is also available here in Welsh.

The route is being promoted with a leaflet full of wellbeing suggestions, biodiversity information and a map.

Banner photo: Plantlife. All rights reserved.