CCS Shepherds Hut guidebook

Sightseeing

Brecon Beacons

We have loads of walking guides in the shepherds hut that will give you ideas for walks for long distance hard core walkers or Sunday morning strollers! You can explore the industrial heritage of Abergavenny walking through the old ironworks on Blorenge mountain or relax and birdwatch along the river Usk, or walk the huge expanses of the Brecon Beacons.

279 habitants recommandent

Brecon Beacons

Beacons Park

279 habitants recommandent

We have loads of walking guides in the shepherds hut that will give you ideas for walks for long distance hard core walkers or Sunday morning strollers! You can explore the industrial heritage of Abergavenny walking through the old ironworks on Blorenge mountain or relax and birdwatch along the river Usk, or walk the huge expanses of the Brecon Beacons.

Blaenavon Ironworks/ Gwaith Haearn Blaenafon

9. 5 miles away from Chapel Cottage Studio Shepherds Hut: Blaenavon changed the world. These hills on the edge of the Brecon Beacons were rich with coal, limestone and iron ore — the fuel of the Industrial Revolution. From here Wales heaved and belched and blasted itself onto the global stage. Welsh iron fashioned trailblazing engines, tools and machines. It built bridges, ships and railway lines. In short it made the modern world. In 1789 Blaenavon Ironworks first harnessed the power of steam to blow air into its huge blast furnaces. A century later it was here that Sidney Gilchrist Thomas transformed the world’s steel industry by inventing a method to remove phosphorus from iron ore. The ruined furnaces are still visible today alongside the impressive remains of the foundry, cast house and water balance tower that raised wagons 80 feet into the air. Blaenavon was run by great, and often ruthless, industrialists. But it would have been nothing without its workers. Explore their authentically furnished cottages and the recreated ‘truck shop’ where they spent their meagre wages. Their story, told through cutting-edge interpretation, lies at the heart of an industrial landscape so unique it’s been made a World Heritage Site.

37 habitants recommandent

Blaenavon Ironworks/ Gwaith Haearn Blaenafon

North Street

37 habitants recommandent

9. 5 miles away from Chapel Cottage Studio Shepherds Hut: Blaenavon changed the world. These hills on the edge of the Brecon Beacons were rich with coal, limestone and iron ore — the fuel of the Industrial Revolution. From here Wales heaved and belched and blasted itself onto the global stage. Welsh iron fashioned trailblazing engines, tools and machines. It built bridges, ships and railway lines. In short it made the modern world. In 1789 Blaenavon Ironworks first harnessed the power of steam to blow air into its huge blast furnaces. A century later it was here that Sidney Gilchrist Thomas transformed the world’s steel industry by inventing a method to remove phosphorus from iron ore. The ruined furnaces are still visible today alongside the impressive remains of the foundry, cast house and water balance tower that raised wagons 80 feet into the air. Blaenavon was run by great, and often ruthless, industrialists. But it would have been nothing without its workers. Explore their authentically furnished cottages and the recreated ‘truck shop’ where they spent their meagre wages. Their story, told through cutting-edge interpretation, lies at the heart of an industrial landscape so unique it’s been made a World Heritage Site.

Musée national de la mine de charbon de Big Pit

10 miles from the CCS Shepherds Hut: Big Pit National Coal Museum. Discover Wales's rich mining heritage in this amazing, award winning, interactive museum complete with underground tour.

174 habitants recommandent

Musée national de la mine de charbon de Big Pit

174 habitants recommandent

10 miles from the CCS Shepherds Hut: Big Pit National Coal Museum. Discover Wales's rich mining heritage in this amazing, award winning, interactive museum complete with underground tour.

Brecon Mountain Railway

20 miles from CCS Shepherds Hut: The line runs from Pant, 3 miles North of Merthyr Tydfil, to Torpantau following part of the route of the original Brecon & Merthyr Railway which closed in 1964. Travel from our Main Station at Pant in one of our all-weather Observation Carriages, behind a vintage Steam Locomotive. The journey takes you into the Brecon Beacons National Park, through Pontsticill and along the full length of the Taf Fechan Reservior before climbing to Torpantau high in the Brecon Beacons and the summit of the original line.At our main station in Pant you can visit our Licensed Tearooms for refreshments, gifts and souvenirs are available from our Shop. You can also visit our Workshop where the Steam Locomotives and Carriages are repaired. All trains travel non stop from Pant to Torpantau. All returning trains from Torpantau stop at our intermediate station in Pontsticill where you can visit our Lakeside Cafe, admire the view or go for walks alongside the reservoir, there is also a children's play area here.

84 habitants recommandent

Brecon Mountain Railway

Pontsticill Road

84 habitants recommandent

20 miles from CCS Shepherds Hut: The line runs from Pant, 3 miles North of Merthyr Tydfil, to Torpantau following part of the route of the original Brecon & Merthyr Railway which closed in 1964. Travel from our Main Station at Pant in one of our all-weather Observation Carriages, behind a vintage Steam Locomotive. The journey takes you into the Brecon Beacons National Park, through Pontsticill and along the full length of the Taf Fechan Reservior before climbing to Torpantau high in the Brecon Beacons and the summit of the original line.At our main station in Pant you can visit our Licensed Tearooms for refreshments, gifts and souvenirs are available from our Shop. You can also visit our Workshop where the Steam Locomotives and Carriages are repaired. All trains travel non stop from Pant to Torpantau. All returning trains from Torpantau stop at our intermediate station in Pontsticill where you can visit our Lakeside Cafe, admire the view or go for walks alongside the reservoir, there is also a children's play area here.

Abergavenny Museum

Abergavenny Museum is open every day 11am - 4pm (except Wednesdays). The castle grounds are open 11am - 4pm every day. We look forward to welcoming you! Abergavenny Museum houses a wonderful collection of artefacts, permanent displays and temporary exhibitions, detailing the history of the town and wider area. The museum, which was founded on 2nd July 1959, is located in a Regency building, built on top of a Norman motte within the grounds of Abergavenny Castle. Today, the combination of a wonderful museum and picturesque castle represents a fantastic attraction for those looking to learn more about the area, explore the castle grounds, or find a great spot for a picnic. The museum’s displays tell the story of this historic market town from prehistory through to the present day. The displays are on several levels, with some help most areas are accessible to wheelchair users.

32 habitants recommandent

Abergavenny Museum

Castle Street

32 habitants recommandent

Abergavenny Museum is open every day 11am - 4pm (except Wednesdays). The castle grounds are open 11am - 4pm every day. We look forward to welcoming you! Abergavenny Museum houses a wonderful collection of artefacts, permanent displays and temporary exhibitions, detailing the history of the town and wider area. The museum, which was founded on 2nd July 1959, is located in a Regency building, built on top of a Norman motte within the grounds of Abergavenny Castle. Today, the combination of a wonderful museum and picturesque castle represents a fantastic attraction for those looking to learn more about the area, explore the castle grounds, or find a great spot for a picnic. The museum’s displays tell the story of this historic market town from prehistory through to the present day. The displays are on several levels, with some help most areas are accessible to wheelchair users.

Château de Raglan

Welsh fortress-palace transformed into regal residence The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen. We can thank Sir William ap Thomas, the ‘blue knight of Gwent’, for the moated Great Tower of 1435 that still dominates this mighty fortress-palace. His son Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, created the gatehouse with its flared ‘machicolations’. These stone arches allowed missiles to be rained down on attackers. But Raglan came 150 years later than the turbulent heyday of castle-building. It was designed to impress as much as to intimidate. Under various earls of Worcester Raglan was transformed into a magnificent country seat with a fashionable long gallery and one of the finest Renaissance gardens in Britain. But loyalty to the crown was to prove its undoing. Despite a garrison of 800 men and one of the longest sieges of the Civil War, it fell to parliamentary forces and was deliberately destroyed. Among the looted treasures was a piece of Tudor wooden panelling, now proudly displayed in the visitor centre after being rescued from a cow shed in the 1950s.

134 habitants recommandent

Château de Raglan

Castle Road

134 habitants recommandent

Welsh fortress-palace transformed into regal residence The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen. We can thank Sir William ap Thomas, the ‘blue knight of Gwent’, for the moated Great Tower of 1435 that still dominates this mighty fortress-palace. His son Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, created the gatehouse with its flared ‘machicolations’. These stone arches allowed missiles to be rained down on attackers. But Raglan came 150 years later than the turbulent heyday of castle-building. It was designed to impress as much as to intimidate. Under various earls of Worcester Raglan was transformed into a magnificent country seat with a fashionable long gallery and one of the finest Renaissance gardens in Britain. But loyalty to the crown was to prove its undoing. Despite a garrison of 800 men and one of the longest sieges of the Civil War, it fell to parliamentary forces and was deliberately destroyed. Among the looted treasures was a piece of Tudor wooden panelling, now proudly displayed in the visitor centre after being rescued from a cow shed in the 1950s.

White Castle

The shape of things to come? An early glimpse of Edward I’s Welsh castle-building project White Castle is the best preserved and most imposing of the trio of Monmouthshire fortresses known as the ‘Three Castles’ – which includes Grosmont and Skenfrith – built to control the border. Originally constructed from wood and earth, a series of renovations transformed it into the significant defensive structure we see today. Its medieval name might derive from the white rendering used on its masonry. The large outer ward is as big as a football pitch, while the pear-shaped inner ward sits behind a deep, steep-sided, water-filled moat.

31 habitants recommandent

White Castle

31 habitants recommandent

The shape of things to come? An early glimpse of Edward I’s Welsh castle-building project White Castle is the best preserved and most imposing of the trio of Monmouthshire fortresses known as the ‘Three Castles’ – which includes Grosmont and Skenfrith – built to control the border. Originally constructed from wood and earth, a series of renovations transformed it into the significant defensive structure we see today. Its medieval name might derive from the white rendering used on its masonry. The large outer ward is as big as a football pitch, while the pear-shaped inner ward sits behind a deep, steep-sided, water-filled moat.

Castle House, Usk

Unlike most castles, Usk Castle has been a private family home since 1908. Before this, it has been a farmhouse, a dame school, home to a fern collector and now is open to the public to share it’s beautiful, historic setting. The Inner Ward of the castle is a large grassy area which has played host to many marquee receptions, picnics, plays, concerts and pageants. The Castle House itself is a family home and is not open to the public except in May each year (see opening times). The gardens immediately around the house and tithe barn are private, but open once a year as part of the National Open Gardens scheme. Usk Castle is open 3 days a week to visitors (min £4 donation) and members Usk Castle Friends (Free). Please see our visitors page for more information or to become an Usk Castle Friend.

18 habitants recommandent

Castle House, Usk

Monmouth Road

18 habitants recommandent

Unlike most castles, Usk Castle has been a private family home since 1908. Before this, it has been a farmhouse, a dame school, home to a fern collector and now is open to the public to share it’s beautiful, historic setting. The Inner Ward of the castle is a large grassy area which has played host to many marquee receptions, picnics, plays, concerts and pageants. The Castle House itself is a family home and is not open to the public except in May each year (see opening times). The gardens immediately around the house and tithe barn are private, but open once a year as part of the National Open Gardens scheme. Usk Castle is open 3 days a week to visitors (min £4 donation) and members Usk Castle Friends (Free). Please see our visitors page for more information or to become an Usk Castle Friend.

Sugarloaf Vineyards

Situated on the south facing slopes of The Sugar Loaf Mountain, Abergavenny, we grow seven varieties of vines over five acres of land. There are 5000 vines producing white, rose, red and sparkling wines. Our first vines were planted in 1992. The Wines A range of wines are available to taste at the vineyard shop. They've won awards in Regional and National competitions and have achieved quality status from the European Wine Standards Board. Available to taste daily, there's no need to book, prices start at £3. Visit us Take a self guided tour of the vineyard anytime during our opening hours, there's no need to book. Enjoy a stroll around the Vineyard, it'll give you a fascinating insight into growing vines in our cool climate. After you tour, try a tray of tasters, available to purchase from as little as £3. Sit and relax whilst enjoying the glorious views in a tranquil setting listening to the soothing sound of the babbling brook.

40 habitants recommandent

Sugarloaf Vineyards

Pentre Lane

40 habitants recommandent

Situated on the south facing slopes of The Sugar Loaf Mountain, Abergavenny, we grow seven varieties of vines over five acres of land. There are 5000 vines producing white, rose, red and sparkling wines. Our first vines were planted in 1992. The Wines A range of wines are available to taste at the vineyard shop. They've won awards in Regional and National competitions and have achieved quality status from the European Wine Standards Board. Available to taste daily, there's no need to book, prices start at £3. Visit us Take a self guided tour of the vineyard anytime during our opening hours, there's no need to book. Enjoy a stroll around the Vineyard, it'll give you a fascinating insight into growing vines in our cool climate. After you tour, try a tray of tasters, available to purchase from as little as £3. Sit and relax whilst enjoying the glorious views in a tranquil setting listening to the soothing sound of the babbling brook.