The Valleys,
South Wales,
UK |
|
The
Valleys of Wales is a region of mining valleys and colliery towns
set within an area of mountainous ridges north of Cardiff.
The Valleys
formed the heart of the coal and iron industries of the 18th and
19th centuries, and although the heavy industry has now gone, there
are many sites remaining which provide a vivid insight into the
industrial heritage which shaped the region. In the Eastern Valley
is the iron and coal town of Blaenafon, which is now a recognised
World Heritage Site.
As well as containing one of the largest 18th century ironworks in
Britain, it is home to the Big Pit National Mining Museum, where you
can descend underground on a guided tour.
Nearby, the
Pontypool and Blaenafon Steam Railway is the steepest standard gauge
steam railway in Britain. The Rhondda Heritage Park based at the
former Lewis Merthyr Colliery, Trehafod, is another fascinating
place, while the town of Pontypridd boasts an excellent museum. At
the head of the Taff Valley is Merthyr Tydfil, which in the 19th
century was the largest iron-producing town in the world. For
history unrelated to the industrial revolution, the Tudor manor
house of Llancaiach Fawr lies north of Pontypridd, and the restored
13th century Caerphilly Castle is just north of Cardiff.
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