I've walked past this statue many times over the years but only recently tried to find out some…read moreinformation about it! It appears to be a mermaid of sorts, in some kind of yoga position (at least, that is how it has always looked to my uneducated eyes). It is indeed a mermaid, carved in Portland stone by Peter Nicholas FRBS, ARCA, and weighing three tons. The dimensions are: 152cm in height, 122cm width and 122cm in depth. The circular form represents the cycle of life, its evolution from the sea to dry land and is also symbolic of Porthcawl's long association with the sea. It is signed at the bottom, P.W. NICHOLAS. 1993. Peter studied at the Cardiff Art School and the Royal College of Art and has exhibited all over Britain. He works mainly in marble and stone creating both small and large works. This sculpture is found on the grass in Seabank Gardens in West Drive (across the road from the Seabank Hotel) and beside a public seating area.

Initially a Norman castle, this great building appears to have been refortified by Henry II in the…read more1180s, which can be spotted in the very high quality of the masonry. Like many historic buildings in Wales, this castle is looked after by Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service. Free to visitors, the monument is set in a picturesque location overlooking the River Ogmore and the town of Bridgend. Established in the early 1100s by Robert FitzHamon, first Norman lord of Glamorgan, it's visited by quite a few tourists staying in Cardiff - often combining this site with visits to nearby Coity and Ogmore Castles, packing three monuments into one day. For those living in Cardiff these castles are also worth a day trip if you're interested in Welsh history and monuments, and on a fine day it makes a nice spot for a picnic or taking photos. If you have an OS map, the reference is 170: SS 902801

Coity Castle is a magical place full of distant battle cries and that incredible sense that…read moreimportant things have happened there. Built in 1100 and then rebuilt after a siege by Owain Glyndwr, this is a castle often overlooked by visitors to Wales, despite its extremely important part in Welsh history. Although other castles, such as Cardiff Castle, Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch, are more visited, I would argue that it's the lesser known relics which are more interesting. This Medieval castle is built up on a hill, with clear evidence of moats, and looks almost like a half-rotten tooth sticking up into the sky. It has just as much grandeur and fairy-tale quality as a person could ask for in a castle. This historic site is well worth a visit; sunset will reward you will specular photographs and views.

This is another of South Wales's impressive Norman Castles, standing in ruins near the town of…read moreBridgend in South Wales, not far from Cardiff. It was built by Sir Payn "the Demon" de Turberville, one of the legendary Twelve Knights of Glamorgan who are supposed to have conquered the area under the leadership of Robert FitzHamon, Lord of Gloucester. Although it was originally built soon after 1100, a lot of the castle actually dates from the fourteenth century and later. Parts of it were rebuilt following the siege by Owain Glyn Dr in 1404-05. Despite being in ruins, there are still plenty of interesting features to see - including the remains of the central octagonal pillar for the vaults of the castle. If you have OS map 170 the reference is SS 923815. Nearby you can also visit Newcastle and Ogmore Castles in a day trip.

'Y Garreg Siglo' in Welsh, a great place to visit, not far from Pontypridd Hospital and with a…read moremarvellous view over the town. The central stone is over 5 feet high and placed there in Neolithic times. It does indeed 'rock' slightly back and forth if you sit or stand on it and push a bit! The stone circle surrounding it is much more recent, having been arranged there only one or two hundred years ago (there appears to be some dispute about the exact date). There are various other stones dotted about the Common. There are several places to park nearby along the road side.

This is a wonderful place for a walk! Not only is Richard Burton's childhood home here (a terraced…read morehouse on the main road) and one of the entrances to the massive Afan Argoed Forest Park, but there is an impressive, mile long circular walk you can do here which will take you over both a tall 19th century viaduct and a disused aqueduct! Start opposite the shop in Pontrhydyfen (there is only one!) and take the left hand fork facing you (Station Road) instead of going down the steep hill. Walk along here past the cemetery and a little further on turn right onto the aqueduct. After appreciating the marvellous views of the Afan Valley, cross to the other side, turn right into the village of Oakwood and walk to the end. Follow a grassy track which winds down some steps and then turn right onto the viaduct. This is another great place for views back over the village of Pontrhydyfen and the aqueduct, although the sides are high - you might need to stand on tiptoe! Keep going until a woodland 'crossroads' then turn right and follow the river back to the road, where you will turn left and left again up the steep hill to take you back to where you started. Not far from where we live and a walk we often enjoy at all times of year.

This is one of Wales' best kept secrets. The best family day out in Wales. For sure. Margam Country…read morePark has so much going on all year around, that I feel a list may be in order: 10 REASONS TO GO TO MARGAM PARK: 1) 1000 acres of amazing scenery and parkland 2) Historic buildings and stunning architecture: picturesque Tudor-Gothic style Victorian Mansion House 3) Park train, taking you all around the place (save energy for point 4) 4) Children's adventure playground! Complete with a zip swing. 5) Fairytale Land; for children of any age, complete with a miniature castle/maze. 6) The hedge maze. 7) Outdoor giant chess/drafts, by the ice cream outlet. 8) Margam deer herd wandering peacefully around the play. 9) Mountain biking... 10) Walking, crazy golf, farm trails, canoes, fishing, camping, pony trekking... There are incredible events running throughout the year, including craft fairs, battle reenactment and Halloween haunted tours. This really is an amazing and magical place with secrets and surprises quite literally around every corner. Enjoy!

Addicted to eighteenth century related houses and their history? Then this park is the most…read moreglorious place to visit. You will be surprised at every corner that you take; there is an eighteenth Century Orangery, the twelfth Century Chapter House, the most cutest deer herd within the whole of Wales and there are so many of them that photographers won't know what to do with themselves. A Tudor-Gothic style, Victorian Mansion House and Ornamental gardens also take place at the stunning area, where Margam Park lie's. I love this place it is so beautiful it is hard not to want to live there; if it was available to do so and it you could afford such fantastic house and it's ground. It would be a brilliant day out for all, which would be great for parents and children too. You can find out all that you need to on the companies fantastic website. There is so much to see and do there that you will have to go back there more than once, a fabulous summer holiday, day out. Fun for all the family! It is a place that is situated near Port Talbot which is about half an hour away from Cardiff. So I recommend it to all...

My undying memory of Castell Coch is being in the dungeon as an eight year old on school trip and…read morebeing pretty scared by a man dressed as knight! Since then it hasn't lost any of its magic. It's like the typical disney princess castle set high up on the hill over looking the city, complete with draw bridge, turrets and perfectly preserved rooms. This is of course a Faux castle. It's not even 100 years old, so don't expect too much history but ask about the original fortress of your interested. Its perfect for a day out as its only a 15 minute drive from the city centre and impossible to miss. Kids would love a day out here, and once your bored of the castle you take one of the many routes behind the castle that lead into the woodland where you can stop and have a picnic. Alternatively you can give the cafe a go and get some lovely cake. It only costs £3.60 for an adult to get in, and if you just fancy a walk its free. Personally I'm waiting for my knight in shining amour to come back and marry me in this fairy-tale castle (not that I could ever afford it!). NB. Opens later in the peak of summer, and closes earlier in the winter. It also closes completely in January for renovations.

This attraction is well worth a visit. If you pass Castle Coch on the M4 you might be fooled into…read morethinking that its fairytale tower is the tip of an iceberg which the surrounding woodlands are covering up. In fact, this castle is not as big as you may think it to be. Located on the northern outskirts of Cardiff it sits just above Tongwynlais, it is very easy to get to if travelling by car but you can also jump on a bus from Cardiff centre and take a short but picturesque walk up past the golf course and through the woods. The castle you see now was actually built on the ruins of a Norman period castle as a kind of weekend holiday home for the Marquis of Bute and his household. He wanted to make use of the site and funded this erection which enabled him to escape the bustle of Cardiff. If you have ever visited Cardiff castle then you will know what to expect from the interior design of the building as it follows similar taste. Once you cross the working draw bridge and pay a small entry fee you can get straight onto exploring the rooms which are amazingly well kept. The castle was designed so that the servants could come and go around the building without disturbing the guests as they tended to their needs. This means there are numerous nooks, crannies, and passageways to explore. As with Cardiff castle, there is an audio guide available which will offer you much information about the castle history. It wouldn't take you a whole day to take in everything but if you are not in a rush you might decide to take a break and visit the cafe which is situated in one of the rooms just opposite the entrance.

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.

The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

This striking lifesize sculpture depicts Truith the Boar (or in Welsh, 'Twrch Trwyth'), from the…read moreold Welsh tale 'Culhwch and Olwen' found in the collection of folklore known as 'The Mabinogion'. In fact the second half of the story is mainly concerned with the hunting of the enchanted boar which strangely enough has poisonous bristles, a pair of scissors, a comb and a razor, between his ears! After many adventures, he is finally driven into the sea and drowned. The sculptor, Chris Crane, was born in Cumbria in 1976. He studied Fine Art in Lancaster and obtained his B.A.(hons) from University of Wales Institute, Cardiff in 2000. These days, he lives and works in Carmarthenshire. He works mainly with old bits of scrap metal, old farming equipment, and other remnants of the industrial past. One of many interesting sculptures in the area which I enjoyed during my time there until last year when I relocated to Scotland.