We spent a day going around the valleys of South Wales. We stared off at Blaenavon in the neighbouring valley to our cottage to visit the Ironworks and then went on to Myrthyr Tydfil where we had hoped to take a ride on their Mountain Railway. However, it was closed that day so we went off and visited Tredegar House and Gardens on the outskirts of Newport.
The drive across the hills to Blaenavon was quite exciting as our Sat Nav took us through some of the narrowest and picturesque lanes I have ever visited with great views across the valley. I first heard of the town whist watching a Time Team episode relating to finding a viaduct that had completely disappeared under the slag. It was most interesting to visit the former Ironworks which is now a World heritage site dedicated to the history of the works.
Blaenavon - Wikipedia
The Blaenavon Website for the Iron Works Museum
The Jackhammer in the car park
The view of the site from the car park
A model of the site as it was
The foundry and Blast Furnaces
The Blast Furnaces
The top of the balance Tower with the cottages in the background
As we were not able to ride the railway, here is their website:
Tredegar House, Newport
The Stables
In the gardens
The next day Viv and I departed for Pembrokeshire. On the way through we stopped at Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsular
A mysterious wreck
