South Wales Accommodation:
Abercraf
Aberdare
Abergavenny
Abertillery
Barry
Blackwood
Brecon
Bridgend
Bwlch
Caerleon
Caerphilly
Caldicot
Cardiff
Chepstow
Cowbridge
Crickhowell
Cwmbran
Ebbw Vale
Ewenny
Hensol
Hirwaun
Kidwelly
Kilgetty
Laleston
Llandovery
Llanelli
Llangennith
Llantrisant
Llantwit Major
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouth
Mumbles
Neath
Newbridge
Newcastle Emlyn
Newport
Oxwich
Parkmill
Pen Y Cae
Penarth
Pencoed
Pontardawe
Pontypool
Pontypridd
Port Talbot
Porthcawl
Raglan
Rhoose
Swansea
Talybont On Usk
Tintern
Tonypandy
Tredegar
Usk
Whitebrook

South Wales

Black Mountains

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Information

County Town: Cardiff
South Wales Jobs
South Wales Tips Page
County Reviews
Rather interesting South Wales facts
South Wales weather
Visitor reports
Your opinion of South Wales
Famous Dates
Famous People
Food Legends:Caerphilly Cheese
Crusty Swansea
Glamorgan Sausages
Laverbread
Penclawdd Cockles
Carmarthen Ham
Monmouth Pudding
Folk Customs:
Mari Lwyd
Welsh Love Spoons
Haunted Britain:
Good to the Last Drop - The Skirrid Mountain Inn
Cultural Britain:
Dylan Thomas Country
Lore & legend:
Double Discretion at Coity Castle
Twm Sion Cati - The Happy Highwayman
Natural Britain:
Brecon Beacons
Bristol Channel
Cambrian Mountains
Cynon Valley
Dan yr Ogof
Gower Peninsula
Oxwich Bay
Pen Y Fan massif
Rhondda Valley
Rhossili Bay
River Clun
River Tywi
River Usk
River Wye
Sugar Loaf
Taff Valley
The Black Mountains
The Vale of Neath
Vale of Glamorgan
Wye Valley

Events

January
Abertawe Festival of Young Musicians

February
Abertawe Festival of Young Musicians
Annual Auto Jumble

March
Crickhowell Walking Fesitval

April
RHS Show Cardiff
South Wales Model Show
Tredegar House Folk Festival
Welsh Heartlands Vintage Festival

May
Abergavenny Steam/Veteran/Vintage Rally
Devauden Music Fest
Horticultural Weekend
Tata Steel Cardiff Bay 5
Wyastone Summer Concert Series
Wye Valley River Festival

June
Abergavenny Borough Band Annual Concert
Armed Forces Day
Escape Into The Park
Music and theatre festival
Rockfield Country Music Festival

July
Abertillery Blues Festival
Beyond the Border
Cardiff Festival
Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival
Cardiff International Street Festival
Cardiff MAS Carnival
Childrens Festival
Flower Festival
Gower Rock Festival
Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Festival
Monmouth Festival
Rheola Festival
Small Nations Festival
Tafwyl Fair
The Big Cheese Festival
Valleys Heritage Tour
Welsh Proms

August
Autumn Hay Rake and BBQ
Bedwellty Agricultural Show
Brecon Jazz Festival
Caldicot Town Festival
Cardiff Big Weekend
Cardiff Festival
Family Fun Weekend
Madonna @ Millennium Stadium
Medieval Fair
Mermaid Quay Cardiff Harbour Festival
Monmouthshire Show
Pontardawe Festival
St Cadoc's Music Weekend
Summer Sounds Music Festival
Surf Cult
Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountains
Welsh Cheese and Cider Weekend

September
Abergavenny Food Festival
Barry Waterfront Tall Ships Festival
Bridgend Feastival
Cardiff Mardi Gras
Charity Pampering
George Thomas Hospice Care
MerthyrRock
Monmouthshire Seafood Fayre
Mountain Trail Challenge
National Amateur Gardening Show
Owain Glyndwr Festival
Porthcawl Elvis Festival
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Show
Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts
Usk Agricultural Show
Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music
Vintage Engines & Steam Fair
Welsh Festival of the Horse

October
Dylan Thomas Festival
Halloween at Dyffryn
Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts
Tydfil Arts Festival
Wordplay Childrens' Literature Festival

November
Cardiff Christmas Market
Cardiff Screen Festival
Cwmcarn Forest Christmas Market
Dylan Thomas Festival
Sparks in the Park
Wales Rally GB

December
Caerphilly Medieval Market
Cardiff Christmas Market
Cardiff Christmas Market
Christmas Kingdom
Magical Christmas Fayre
Winter Wonderland

South Wales - 421 places to stay

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At one time South Wales was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution , it was where the men of the Valleys worked in the depths of the earth wrenching coal from the earth in conditions that were inhospitable and dangerous. It was Welsh coal that powered steam engines for the mills, coal for the trains, the steel mills and for the production of electricity, the coal provided power for shipping, in fact coal was the currency of the Industrial Revolution. At one time Welsh pits supplied one third of the worlds’ coal. Today the valleys could not be considered beautiful but, and this is an important but, what there is remaining is a harsh industrial landscape that is in perfect contrast to the countryside in which it sits.

South Wales though is more than valleys and stark grey views, at the heart of South Wales today is Swansea Bay birthplace of Catherine Zeta Jones and poet Dylan Thomas , the picturesque resort of the Mumbles and some of the UK’s finest coastline on the Gower Peninsula which is designated an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With pretty villages clean and expansive sandy beaches all add to the charm of the area and account for its popularity with many people returning year on year. Swansea is today known as Wales’ Waterfront City and home to Wales’ largest marina and the National Waterfront Museum – here you can experience what life was really like at the height of the coal mining industry.

Pembrokeshire on the South West tip of Wales is surrounded on three sides by sea and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park takes in the whole of the coastal strip – the only National Park in the UK to be wholly coastal.

Then there is Camarthenshire - its not just farmland and sheep although historically it did have a heavy reliance on this industry but there is more to Camarthenshire than you first think. It is close to the capital and the beautiful Glamorgan Heritage Coast and its countryside with Llyn Llech Owain Country Park or the Gelli Aur Country Park and others in close proximity. Southerdown beach has some of the best surf in the country and in the summer the backdrop of the cliffs provide and energising view of the action below.

For those who prefer the challenge of retail therapy in some of the oldest towns in Wales then a trip to one of them, the medieval town of Cowbridge is definitely worth considering. It was in 1254 that Cowbridge received its first borough charter from Richard de Clare the Lord of Glamorgan, one of the most powerful barons of the day. With a diverse mix of museums, art galleries attractions and events Camarthenshire has an enduring popularity that appeals to all.

Synonymous with South Wales is the Rhondda, and for a taste of the area a trip to the Rhondda Heritage Park is an experience as it was one a working mine that today provides a flavour of what life at the coalface really meant or if you prefer to experience the real thing then a trip to the appropriately named Big Pit at Blaenavon should be on your list of things to do. For two centuries this pit produced coal and with your cap lamp and helmet you will go down 300 metres to the coalface with an ex-miner as your guide.

Further along the Heads of The Valley (A465) the road passes though Merthyr Tydfil which played a vital role in the industrial past, it had the largest ironworks at Dowlais, there is Cyfarthfa Castle , an impressive 19th century castle that was built by local steel magnate William Crawshay who lived in luxury while his workers endured extreme poverty.

Finally, whilst we have tried to provide a sample of what South Wales can offer, we must mention Cardiff – capital of Wales, home of the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff University which was founded in 1883, with an international airport and Cardiff Castle . South Wales is an area where within a short trip one can travel from the former industrial heartland into some of the most pretty countryside and beaches in the UK.

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On this day:
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