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.

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.

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 long winding serpent of stone terraces, steep streets and views to die for. 'The Valleys' used…read moreto be the lifeblood of Cardiff, pumping coal and steel out of the hills and down to the Capital. Magaret Thatcher put a stop to that. The Valleys are now quieter, a lot of people are still out of work, but the community is strong. I love travelling there by train - babies, bikes, lively lads, easy chats, kids hop on and off like it was a game, everyone knows each other, the landscape you pass is bold, tall and on the surface barren. But if you step off the train and walk in the hills you find streams, stooping oaks, many pines, sheep, frogs an ice cream van on top of a quiet mountain. Most of my experience of the Valleys has been through visiting my great friend Heather in Treorchy. I asked her to write something about her experience of living there, this is what she said: "I began living in the Valleys 7 years and 8 months ago, it was a big gamble. I had been living in cities, all my life (23 years) including, directly previously Cardiff for 5 years. I had a love hate relationship with Cardiff, my main motivation for leaving was that I needed something different. I wanted to look out the window of the house I lived in and see something other than more houses. I wanted to be able to take a walk to a natural space and observe wildlife and vegetation, without having to walk through streets of houses to get to it. I was committed to living in Wales, but not Cardiff anymore, if there was an alternative. Possibly there was. However I had been warned about the areas outside Cardiff - those places outside Cardiff, at higher altitude known as 'the Valleys'. The stories inspired fear - violence, aggression, (bestiality?). Being a girl from the not-so-safe streets of Dublin, I reckoned I could cope with it. I will be forever grateful that I paid no heed to the voices and opinions in Cardiff who would have had me stick to it's 'safe' (albeit lovely) streets. I am a person who likes ruggedness - if you agree, we can proceed together. If, however, you are an individual who takes comfort and inspiration from the soft, rolling Southern English hills - you are in for a shock - but then you probably aren't going to be into Wales at all. I'm Irish - so it's a bit like home to me. It's become more of a home to me than Ireland ever was in the time I have been here."

Pontypridd Market is found in the centre of Ponty town…read more Like most markets these days, Ponty Market goes largely unnoticed by most shoppers in the town centre, with most of the attention being reserved for the main street of branded retail shops. The market is a great place to go to pick up random bits and bobs you can't find anywhere else in the shops. If you're having trouble tracking down a set of allen keys, you'll find them in Ponty Market. If you're looking for a CD or DVD you can't find this side of eBay, you'll find it in Ponty Market. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why they're combing the deserts of Afghanistan for Osama Bin Laden, chances are, he's somewhere in Ponty Market. With a great selection of stalls from butchers and babywear to comics and curtains, there is a huge variety on offer in the market. A great place to go if you want to browse some unusual items or if you just want to kill an hour's shopping.

Had my key cut at Pontypridd market, took literally a minute and cost £3. Was served by a friendly…read moreand polite gentleman who told me that if I had any problems he'd give me a full refund or a no charge replacement. The key worked perfectly. His shop was a bit hidden though so ask someone inside and they'll tell you where the locksmiths is located.

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

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.