If you take the valley rocket from the city up to Merthyr Tydfil, jump off, (not literally) cross…read moreover the roundabout and head up Tywn Hill, somewhere between the terraced houses, snuggled into the winding hill is the Bali Glas. On first entering you feel like you're in someone's front room. Except this front room has a vast amount of alcoholic beverage choice, the most amazing welcome and a fantastic atmosphere that only comes with a well established local. There's a wide range of clientele in the Bali Glas, from young to old, to boring to bonkers to plastered to sober as hell. This pub really is a hidden gem. Charlotte, behind the bar is not only the prettiest barmaid ever but she's also the happiest. You never have to wait for a drink and when you get one, I'm brave enough to say, it's probably the best pint you'll ever drink in Merthyr Tydfil. Scott and Hywel are guaranteed to know your family History before you've taken three sips of your drink. Alan the landlord is possibly the driest person I've ever met and once you get past his frown he really is very nice and surprisingly happy! I looked upon my time in the Blai as a learning curve because over three pints of delicious Strongbow I learnt that elephants are pregnant for a whole twenty two months, that Merthyr Tydfil was once the largest town in Wales and I also learnt to cure hiccups! Yes, to cure hiccups. I would recommend everyone have at least one drink in the Bali Glas though you'll probably end up having at least five because the place is bloody marvellous! Well worth the trek up the hill.

Wonderfull, peaceful place with amazing views and walks. We visit on hot days, take a picnic with…read moreus a put our feet in the streams! Bliss! You do need to get here early on these days! You do have to pay for parking but that is it! The shop and cafe are nice and sometime there are books for sale!

Climbed up Pen y Fan yesterday and had an exhausting but lovely time…read more ~ NOTES: 1) There's several trails up this peak to satisfy beginners and experienced hikers alike, so if you're an experienced hiker, don't get immediately turned off when you hear about kids also going up Pen y Fan. 2) In a similar vein, if you're a beginner, don't get turned off when you hear that the SAS also train in the Brecon Beacons! There's plenty of easier trails that are more than manageable! --- ~ Scenery: Hiking up Pen y Fan was filled with some spectacular scenery of lakes nearby and towns below. There seemed to be a photo opportunity every 100 steps! There's also plenty of sheep along the trails for you to spot some of the local animals. If you're interested in being closer to nature and taking in some spectacular sights, Pen y Fan definitely ticks that box. ~ Safety: I would say this is generally a safe hike, although of course you should take extra precautions to be careful. There are well made footpaths, but due to train it could get slippery so take care and make sure you bring shoes that have decent grip. --- One thing I loved about this hike is the camaraderie you feel with all the others hiking. We've had pleasant conversations with plenty of strangers, cheering each other on. It's definitely a memorable experience. It's also a great starting point if you're just getting into hiking. I dragged my partner here and he's never hiked before, but he ended up loving it after we've done despite the aches and pains!

Like a beautiful woman this mountain will seduce you. Pen y Fan is a stunning mountain and it is…read morealso the highest in South Wales. But beware she is not only beautiful but hard, the military use this mountain for training! Bring proper walking boots, water, water proofs, a camera, a flask of something hot, flapjacks and check the weather before you leave. Choose a clear day if you can and snap away. I love walking the horseshoe ridge, getting red in the face scrambling on the way up and then sitting triumphant at the top with a well earned flask of tea. Tip: Do not attempt to climb Pen y Fan in bad weather, there are big drops that can be hidden in the clouds. Tip top: According to my outdoor instructor fella, from sea level to the top of Pen y Fan there is a 9 degree difference. Translated that means wrap up warm even if you feel warm before you set off!

This is a good place to spend a couple of hours, especially if you are looking to keep the children…read moreamused. The actual house probably wont 'do it' for the children and it may be a bit stressful trying to contain your runaway toddler in a house full of antiques! But there are some nice grounds and a small lake to walk around. There is also a farm with some real live animals (very smelly pigs!) and your children can have a go at milking a cow (or at least a pretend cow)! The staff are very friendly and informative as they often are in National Trust properties. There is a reasonable sized car park with free parking and a small cafe whcih serves a very good bacon butty and bowl of cawl!!

This is a delightful property owned and maintained by the National Trust. Llanerchaeron is unique…read morebecause it is an example of a gentleman's estate. It was in its time completely self sufficient. The property had its own farm to provide meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables. It also had its own brewery. John Nash designed the house and if you look carefully you can see some features that are not all that they seem. The house is open during the better months and is closed over the winter. They have lots of special days, including days to encourage children's participation. The property reopens the first weekend in December with a Christmas fair. The stalls are wonderful offering local meats, breads, cheeses, wine and beer to name but a few. There are also the usual craft/gift stalls. Father Christmas makes an appearance and there is a gift for every child. There is also a treasure hunt for children. There is a similar event at Easter time. They have a small cafe which offers a small menu choice. The cawl with bread and cheese is delicious and the bacon rolls are great as well. Problem is that you have to sit outside under a shelter to eat which occasionally is O.K. but most of the time it seems to be raining. When the sun is out there is also a grassy area with picnic benches where you are encouraged to bring your own picnic. Grounds around the property are superb, particularly the walled garden. I would recommend a visit to this delightful house.

It's recently been repainted... instead of choosing the now commonplace two-tone Grey that the…read moreTredegar Arms, Pharmacy and Cambrian have now taken they've opted to repaint it the ugly yellow and red yet again despite the fact not one other building in The Circle is that colour, it now clashes with the rest of the area. People threw up a stink when the club up the road repainted itself Purple & Black yet are silent when this big yellow eyesore is brought up. If it were repainted it would honestly be a 5.

The idea for this clock - the emblem of the town - was conceived by the wife of the manager of the…read morelocal ironworks in 1857. They donated £400 (the proceeds of a bazaar) which was a lot of money in those days but unfortunately, Mrs Davies died before the clock was finished in 1858. This lovely clock is made of cast iron and designed by James Watson. 72 feet high, it stands these days gracefully in the middle of a mini roundabout. It always reminds me of a lighthouse but with a clock face instead of a light! Apparently it has had two major overhauls, in 1992 and 1996, with many of its interior corroded parts replaced and the exterior was then regilded and repainted. On its west side is an effigy of Wellington, on the north, the Royal Arms of England (why??) and on the east, the name of the founder: Charles Jordan of Newport. Occasionally it's permitted to climb to the top of the clock tower (on the inside, that is) on special days. I must say I'd like to do that, especially to see the views from all four sides!

Ystradfellte is the Brecon Beacon's Waterfall country and its also were I grew up so its a place I…read moreknow well and love very much. Its a place that a lot of people in Wales know of just because of the fall and the caving complexes. The most famous of the waters is Sgwd Y Eira. If you have seen the advertising posters for Brecon Water this is the waterfall in the picture. Its a fairly easy walk apart from the steps as you get near and its one of very few waterfalls that you can actually walk underneath, though do expect to get sprayed a bit. I personally prefer some of the walks around the other falls which are much quieter in the summer and offer refreshing pools to swim in or picnic by. In all my years of living here I have never got bored of walking the area, its different all the time. Just a note to vistors the two main car parks charge a daily fee and a national parks ranger goes between them. If you want to avoid the fee park in the village itself and walk a bit further, tempting as it may be to pull up on the verges near the car parks I have seen so many break in's that you really are risking it a bit.

A great mini-mining experience in the opinion of our family…read more This is one of the larger of the 1,500 or so freeminers mines in the Forest of Dean. You get rigged up at the start with helmet and head torch following which you're taken on a short walk to the mine and then gradually around 200 feet under ground. Our guide, a freeminer himself, provided a very interesting and entertaining commentary. He took into account the fact that we had young kids with us and explained in simple terms our our 5-year-old, how kids his age would have worked in the mine with their fathers, opening and closing ventilation doors to let the ponies through and to keep the fire that drives the ventilation. We experienced the total darkness at the bottom of a mine and saw the hardworking conditions in which freeminers did (and still do) work underground. All in, a fascinating, fun and informative visit.

Very interesting. Worth a visit. The gardens are spectacular (although the East gardens were a…read morelittle on the wild side), the house is fantastic and the restaurant is great. There's plenty to do here to keep your family occupied for a half day out. Not great for wheelchairs as the paths are all cinder, gravel or non-existent.

We came to visit Puzzelwood and really wanted this to be a magical experience. This, after all, is…read moreclaimed as an inspiration for Tolkien's middle-earth! The geography and paths through the moss covered rock formations are amazing. The people managing the site also do a great job of letting the natural beauty speak for itself, but include some tasteful activities that help younger children stay interested. To be clear, we did the whole site with a three and a six year old, involving a lot of going up and down rough hewed stone stairs. There were no complaints ; a magical feat in and of itself! Beyond puzzelwood forest, the site offers pens of farm yard animals, a small play area and a nice little cafe with some very good home-made soup. Our experience was a bit marred by Puzzelwood's close proximity to a motocross course. During 90% of our stay, there was a race going. The thick smoke/odor from the two-stroke motorcycle engines and the constant noise from the bikes made the experience decidedly less magical. Also given the steep £23 entry price for the family and the crowds of other visitors, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had fallen into a bit of a tourist trap. All in all, I was glad I went, but perhaps wished I'd spent my time visiting another part of the Forest of Dean.

What a great family, outdoorsy day trip Puzzlewood was. The forest is beautiful; staff was so…read morefriendly; farm animals were really enjoyable; so many photo ops. Between us 4 adults and 2 toddlers...we all had a great time!