‘How green are our valleys?’: in the footsteps of miners on south Wales’s new forest trail
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EN: Use the conjunction 'and' to join two simple sentences into one compound sentence. Both parts have their own subject and verb.
He bought a new bike, and he rides it to school.
EN: Wales is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, including rugged mountains, coastlines, and historic woodlands. Hiking (often called 'walking' in the UK) is a very popular outdoor activity across the country.
EN: To describe the length, height, or age of something, place the measurement (number + unit) before the adjective (e.g., '50 miles long', 'two meters high', 'ten years old').
This bridge is 200 meters long.
EN: In the UK, road signs and hiking distances traditionally use miles, but metric units (kilometers) are commonly provided alongside for international visitors and European familiarity.
EN: Use 'starts at/ends near' + location to describe the beginning and end points of a journey or route. Note the third-person singular '-s' on both verbs connected by 'and'.
The bus tour starts at the station and ends near the museum.
EN: Porthkerry Park is a coastal country park in the Vale of Glamorgan, known for its iconic viaduct. Glynneath is a town situated at the head of the Neath Valley, historically famous for coal mining.
EN: Use 'much' before comparative adjectives (like 'longer') to emphasize a big difference, meaning 'a lot more'.
This book is much better than the movie.
EN: We use 'hope to + base verb' to talk about plans, desires, or things we want to happen in the future.
She hopes to visit her grandparents next month.
EN: The 'National Forest for Wales' is a long-term environmental project initiated by the Welsh Government to create an interconnected network of woodlands across Wales, boosting biodiversity and outdoor recreation.
EN: Use 'go + preposition of direction' (like 'up into') to describe where a road, path, or person leads or moves.
The path goes down into a quiet village.
EN: The 'valleys of south Wales' (often referred to simply as 'The Valleys') are historically famous for coal mining and industrial heritage, surrounded by picturesque hills and moorland.
EN: We use 'there is' or 'there are' to say that something exists. Use 'there are' before plural nouns (like 'villages').
There are many trees in the park.
EN: South Wales was once the center of the world's coal mining industry during the Industrial Revolution. Many towns and hiking trails in the valleys still reflect this rich industrial heritage.
EN: Use the idiom 'follow in the footsteps of (someone)' to mean doing the same thing as someone before you, or walking the exact same path they walked.
She wants to follow in the footsteps of her mother and become a doctor.
EN: South Wales was historically famous for coal mining during the Industrial Revolution. Many scenic walking trails in the region now repurpose the old railways and paths once used daily by miners.
EN: Use the adverb 'once' before a past tense verb to show that an action or situation happened in the past but does not happen now.
He once lived in London.
EN: Barry docks in south Wales was once one of the largest coal-exporting ports in the world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as coal mined from the Welsh valleys was transported there by rail.
EN: Use 'but' to connect two independent clauses showing a contrast between common habits and an exception.
Many tourists visit London, but this small town is also lovely.
EN: In the UK, walking and hiking along the coast or in designated National Parks (such as Snowdonia or the Pembrokeshire Coast) are extremely popular outdoor pastimes. Contrasting this new trail with those traditional spots highlights its unique historical and inland woodland appeal.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
a marked path through a natural area used for walking or hiking
to pass through or travel across an area
to do the same thing that someone else did previously; to walk where someone else walked
an area of countryside, or occasionally sea or fresh water, protected by the state for the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife