Weekend in the Welsh Valleys: Discovering best days out in South Wales

*Ad – Press trip

Last weekend I was invited to explore the Welsh Valleys with the South Wales Valleys tourist board. I’ve been fortunate to enjoy many holidays in Wales although this was my first time experiencing this area of South Wales. Early Saturday morning I excitedly headed off on the M5 and over the (now toll free!) Severn Bridge to discover what the region has to offer for families.

The Valleys Wales team had put together an absolutely cracking itinerary for the weekend blogger trip to ensure our group explored the best places to visit in South Wales.  I was most looking forward to visiting Rhondda Heritage Park, the beach in Porthcawl and having dinner overlooking Caerphilly Castle, the largest castle in Wales.

Weekend in the Welsh Valleys: Discovering best days out South Wales

Rhondda Heritage Park, Welsh Mining Experience

We met at the Rhondda Heritage Park, for the Welsh Mining Experience, recently awarded as the ‘Family Venue of the Year’ at the Welsh Hospitality Awards.

Our guides, Peter and Anthony, had 49 years experience between them of working down the coal mines.  I’ve been to similar mining attractions before but I’ve never been somewhere where actual ex pit miners lead the tour.  I loved listening to their stories of days spent down in the pits with their ‘pals’, taking their lunch in ‘tommy boxes’ made of tin to keep the rats from eating their lunch and water in an old cider bottle.

Peter explained that he left school at 15 years of age one Friday, started work down the coal mines with his father the following Monday and worked for the next 33 years at 6 different coal mines in the area.  He still remembers his father giving him his own ‘tommy box’ and has kept all 6 of the gas lamps given to him the day he started working at each of the mines.

One of the stories that stood out and made me really stop and think was how wealthy coal mine owners often also owned all of the local houses where the coal miners lived, the local grocery store and public house.  Apparently before wages were paid, rent was taken out and anything left over would be spent in the owner’s shop on groceries and in the pub.  The owners would literally take every shilling back from the miners wages, which is quite a depressing thought.

When I questioned what the tiring and dangerous life was like down in the coal mines both were quick to point out that they loved the camaraderie with pals and would return down the mines again in a heart beat. “Working in the coal industry was one of the hardest jobs out there, but it was so rewarding and the friendships made underground were friendships that last forever.”  Even during the year long mining strike, they both felt supported by their fellow miners, living off “generous donations from around the world” and soup kitchens.

Our tour took us into the equipment room where we were equipped with hard hats and told about how canaries were taken underground to keep the miners safe.  Toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide or asphyxiant gases such as methane in the mine would kill canaries before affecting the miners.  They were used as a life saving early warning system. They also shared insights into how well cared for the pit ponies were and the importance of their lamp check tokens, numbered tags which were assigned to each miner and were the only way of knowing which miners were down the mines at any one time.

Being underground in the mines was quite an experience, our group went quiet as Peter told us about kids as young as 4 working down there, opening and shutting mine doors for the pit ponies to stop the air from circulating around the mine and potentially spreading harmful gases.  The second part of the Black Gold Underground Tour was a 3D cinematic experience which took us on a tour through the mine shafts, past running rats and falling coal.

Rhondda Heritage Park – Need to know

Who is the Rhondda Heritage Park most suited to? – There were a few young children in our group although I personally feel it is best suited from 7 years+.  My eldest son, 7, would have loved it.  My youngest son, 4, would have found the underground experience and travelling down in the lift shaft a little scary although of course it just depends on your child.  There were also a few people saying they were worried because they felt claustrophobic but they did stay with the group for the whole time and like me, found the tour fascinating.

Dining facilities at Rhondda Heritage Park –  We had lunch at the onsite cafe, Bracchi Café, which celebrates the Italian community that made south Wales their home.  They served homemade soup, cakes and sandwiches which were all lovely, well presented and tasty.

Rhondda Heritage Park Address and website – The Welsh Mining Experience, Lewis Merthyr Colliery, Coed Cae Road, Trehafod, CF37 2NP.  www.rctcbc.gov.uk

More information – Learn more about the fascinating Rhondda Valleys coal mining history here.

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Rock climbing at Rock UK Summit Centre, Treharris

With only two days to showcase the Welsh Valleys our group were given a list of attraction options to choose from for the Saturday afternoon.  I wanted to make the most of being child free for the weekend (hurrah! Sorry kids!) and so purposefully chose an attraction which would be difficult to enjoy with my four year old.

Summit Centre is located in the heart of the Welsh Valleys, south of Merthyr Tydfil overlooked by beautiful hills and woodland. The centre has loads to do for kids of all ages including the indoor climbing walls which my group and I tried out, bouldering, a children’s outdoor play area, a man-made caving system, an Aerial Adventure course and over 20 instructed activities.

After putting on our harnesses and being shown the ropes (literally) my group had a go of scaling the 18m high walls whilst being overlooked by our instructor.  We were in a mixed group of ages from 7 – 40 and everyone enjoyed the experience (and the cake after in the onsite coffee shop was pretty awesome too!)

Rock UK Summit Centre – Need to know

Who is Rock UK Summit Centre most suited to? – The centre has something for all ages from the outdoor play area for tots to school age kids, to an aerial rope course, kayaking and bushcraft classes for older kids and adventurous adults.

Dining facilities at Rock UK Summit Centre –  We had hot drinks and cakes at the onsite cafe, Cafe On The Rock. Worth noting for parents of young children is that the cafe has huge windows and looks straight out onto a fenced in playground so perfect for letting kids run wild whilst you enjoy a hot drink.

Rock UK Summit Centre Address and website – The Old Drift Mine Trelewis, Treharris South Wales, CF46 6RD.  https://rockuk.org/centres/summit-centre/

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Casa Mia Restaurant, Caerphilly

We enjoyed dinner with the most incredible view of Caerphilly Castle, the largest castle in Wales and Britain’s second largest castle behind Windsor.  It was a lively, family run Mediterranean restaurant with a really lovely friendly atmosphere. The place was absolutely packed with locals, it was certainly THE place to be on a Saturday night!

The owner immediately came over to say hi and describe some of the speciality dishes ranging from tapas, to pasta & pizza, steaks and grills.  I opted for the king prawns which were huge and a lasagne, which was really tasty.

So that we could try some local produce the tourist board arranged a beer tasting session whilst we were waiting for our food, by a Monmouthshire based brewery – Untapped Brewing Company.  I’ve got to be honest I’m not a big beer drinker but I could see how passionate John was about their award winning beers and I love their philosophy – ‘Get the best ingredients, treat them with the greatest respect and make beers that are bursting with flavour.’ Surely every company would benefit from having a moto like this?!  I thought it was really interesting to find out that as they don’t use any nasty chemicals in their beer it helps drinkers avoid a headache when hungover.

Casa Mia Restaurant – Need to know

Menu prices – I thought the prices were really good value for money from just £8.75 for a margarita pizza through to £19.95 for a 8oz fillet steak.  I wouldn’t hesitate in taking my kids here, it’s friendly and bustling.  (The locals wouldn’t bat an eyelid if my boys were being rowdy at the dinner table.  Which is exactly what you want when dining with young kids!)

Riding ‘Fat Bikes’ in Porthcawl 

The highlight of my weekend was riding fat bikes along the beach and up and down the sand dunes of Porthcawl.  The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue and it was an utterly fabulous way to spend a  Sunday morning.

These bikes were originally designed to ride on snow and then modified to ride on sand.  It was so much fun to attempt to ride the dunes, it’s actually quiet tricky as the pedals can get stuck in the dunes if you don’t have them in the right position as you hit the bump but luckily the landing into sand is very soft!

We biked all the way along the coast line stopping to take photos of the various beaches.  Every person who passed us by pointed out the extra beefed up wheels, they were quite a talking point!

Ad. Thanks for a brilliant wkd @LoveTheValleys & for organising perfect weather!☀️💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Highlight has to be riding the sand dunes at #Porthcawl with @PBHFATTY @Splodz @Partimepassport Trickier than it looks but a very soft landing so great fun 🚲 #LoveTheValleys #FindYourEpic pic.twitter.com/CHH0x5qF01

— Travel Loving Family (@travellovinfam) March 25, 2019

Porthcawl bike hire – Need to know

Who are the fat bikes most suited for? – The bike hire shop had four adult fat bikes for hire plus a few for children too.  I know my eldest son, 7, would absolutely love to have a go at this activity and I would say it is suited for all with a fairly good standard of fitness.  The bikes had gears so this made it easier for navigating the wet sand and beach ramps too.

Porthcawl bike hire address and website – Porthcawl Bike Hire, Buccaneer Complex, 80 Mackworth Rd, Porthcawl CF36 5BT.  porthcawlbikehire.co.uk/ (although this website seems to be temporarily down).

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Woodlands Bistro, Tondu Farmhouse 

After a few hours of biking and exploring the beaches in Porthcawl I was ready for a good Sunday lunch.  The last stop on our press trip was to Woodlands Bistro, a social enterprise set up high in the valleys in Tondu.  The Sunday roast was great, with the best roast potatoes ever!

The views were also pretty amazing and I was really impressed to hear about their lodge, Farmhouse Bunkhouse which sleeps 12 people and is available on Air BnB for just £360 per night.  I loved the idea of having the 37 acre site to explore whilst staying onsite with friends and genuinely intend to keep it in mind for my next girly weekend!

Woodlands Bistro, Tondu – Need to know

Woodlands Bistro Address – Tondu House Farm, Tondu CF32 9HF

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Other recommended days out South Wales

Whilst I was scaling rock climbing walls and throwing myself down sand dunes, (in a rather un elegant manner!) fellow bloggers were discovering other popular days out in South Wales.  I’ve listed them below as they may help you plan your trip to the Welsh Valleys…

The Royal Mint Experience – an attraction which explores over 1100 years history of coin making and gives visitors the chance to have a go at striking their own coin.

The ancient town of Llantrisant which apparently is well worth a couple of hours to explore (I hear the cream tea in the cafe is great too).

Tredegar and Bedwellty House and Park – which is located in the town that inspired Aneurin Bevan, who went on to set up the NHS 70 years ago.  Here you can apparently enjoy a walking tour of the town, visit the council chamber where he started his political career, enjoy a cream tea and drive on to the moors where he practised his speeches.

Guided walk around Blaengarw which boasts of fabulous views across to Devon and into Wales.

Parc Slip Nature Reserve – a former coal mine now filled with numerous plants, birds and animals.

Mountain Ranch, Caerphilly Mountain which is firmly on my list of places to go as it looks fab for kids.  It is set on 100 acres with jumping pillows, a goat walk, campfires to toast marshmallows, archery and Wales only licensed Gruffulo Trail.

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Heritage Park Hotel, Pontypridd 

My group and I stayed at The Heritage Park Hotel a 3* Hotel located next door to the Rhondda Heritage Museum in the beautiful South Wales Valley.  Just minutes from the historic town of Pontypridd it’s a great spot to base yourself for a visit to The Valleys Wales.

I’ll hold my hands up and say I had quite low expectations of The Heritage Park Hotel.  Being a 3 star hotel I didn’t expect a fancy bar, luxurious room or bistro style breakfast and so I was very impressed from the minute I stepped foot into the hotel lobby.  As I shared on my twitter page, I was also really impressed with the rather cool welcome I received as I opened my room door too… (Don’t you agree that every hotel should have music playing as you enter your bedroom?!).

(Ad). Just checked into the @TheHeritagePark Loved this funky welcome 🙌 Made me want to strut around my room & invite everyone on the press trip in for a party 😆💃🏼🍾 @BloggersBristol @Heathercowper @Splodz @laurasidestreet @placeswithed @LoveTheValleys #LoveTheValleys #Ukftb pic.twitter.com/gKCwd2BwAP

— Travel Loving Family (@travellovinfam) March 23, 2019

Heritage Park Hotel – Need to know

Heritage Park Hotel address and website – Coedcae Road, Pontypridd CF37 2NP, UK. www.heritageparkhotel.co.uk

Heritage Park Hotel room rates – Click here for current room rates.

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I hope this guide to the Welsh Valleys helps you plan your trip and choose the best places to visit in South Wales for your family.  If you have any other recommendations for our next visit please do let me know!

Disclaimer – I was kindly invited to spend a weekend in the Welsh Valleys by the tourist board.  All words and opinions are, as always, my own.

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