Tours

Blaernavon

May 2, 2018 By Valerie Davies

Today I visited Blaernavon World Heritage Centre and Blaernavon Ironworks. The heritage centre is based in a converted school house and offers an insight into the industrial era and the production of iron ore that went on to be railway tracks and cannon balls. There are displays and presentations designed to bring this era to life.

A model of the ironworks shows how it looked at the height of its production period. A few of the buildings remain in which examples of the tools remain slowly rusting in the dusty old buildings.

The cottages on site have been staged with items that would have been relavent to different eras and give you an idea of what living there was like but without the pollution and heat the 6 large furnaces produced.

Penderyn Distillery

March 24, 2016 By Valerie Davies

Today I went on a tour of Penderyn Distillery with the Brecon Beacons Ambassadors. This is the only whisky distillery in Wales and started distilling in 2000, since when it has won many awards for it’s single malt. Our tour guide was both knowledgeable and humorous. A really interesting tour finishing in the tasting room! This tour could be combined with a walk to the waterfalls or maybe lunch in The Red Lion.

Dolaucothi Mine & Dinefwr

March 10, 2016 By Valerie Davies

Today we visited two National Trust properties just outside Llandeilo.

Firstly Dolaucothi Gold Mines famous for the rose coloured Welsh gold used in royal wedding rings. There is evidence of Bronze age mining followed by Romans, Victorians and Edwardians. 10 tons of shale and 1 ton of quartz produces 1 ounce of gold. Not commercially viable even if it’s value is three times that of other gold. Our guide Sam was entertaining and informative, a really interesting visit.

Then we went on to Dinefwr famous for their herd of white cattle, fallow deer and parkland. After a very satisfying lunch, it was blowing a gale, we had a tour of downstairs and upstairs including an amazing walk round the roof. Again two very friendly and informative guides. I will need to return in better weather to see the cattle on the parkland and walk up to the adjacent castle.