Getaway: South Wales Andria Massey finds a site between Newport and Cardiff the perfect base for exploring the area
AA campsiteit betweenbt Ccardiffdiff and d Newport is the perfect base for exploring South Wales, says Andria Massey
AFTER EASING OF the latest lockdown, we decided to take a short break touring in South Wales, basing ourselves at Ty Coch Camping and Caravanning, an adults-only site between Newport and Cardiff.
Our first port of call was Penarth, a fine seaside town across Cardiff Bay. We decided to make for the smart Marina, having first purchased take-away lunch and drinks, and wandered about gazing with some envy at the very impressive selection of expensive leisure craft moored there.
A bit further on, there are three bascule bridges over the locks between the sea and
Cardiff Bay, part of the Cardiff Bay Barrage system. During its construction in the 1990s, this was one of the largest civil engineering projects in Europe. The bridge was crowded with visitors walking or cycling between Penarth and Cardiff, and clearly making the most of being able to get out again after the various lockdown restrictions.
Later, we drove into the town centre to stroll around the shops before heading to the seafront. Although there was a cold wind, it was a sunny day and it looked rather like the whole population of South Wales was out and about, enjoying the fresh air.
We meandered along the waterfront past the Victorian pier and sat for a while in the sheltered gardens, to enjoy a drink before returning to the campsite.
The next day, we visited the Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve at Nash, which is a must-see for birders, and offering free access. The reserve lies between the Severn Estuary and the River Usk, on the Wales Coast Path. It is owned and run by Natural Resources Wales, working in partnership with RSPB Cymru, Newport City Council and others. It covers parts of Uskmouth, Nash and Goldcliff, and a huge area of the
Caldicot Levels. The visitor centre has a shop, café and toilets, guided tours, a picnic and play area, and an educational zone.
Walking and birding
There is a 6km circular walk around the reserve perimeter, very popular with hikers, cyclists and dog-owners. Accessed by a path from the car park, it heads alongside the power station, past the East Usk Lighthouse and the Wales Coast Path, along the Severn Estuary to bird hides overlooking the lagoons, then back to the visitor centre. A longer route continues to Goldcliff.
A daily list of bird sightings is displayed at the visitor centre, and while we were there, it included mute swans, little grebes, tufted ducks, ringed plovers, bearded tits and little egrets, to name but a few.
The Goldcliff Lagoons are the only place in South Wales where avocets breed, while in winter, you can spot flocks of wigeon, teal, dunlin, black-tailed godwits, curlews and lapwings. The reserve’s 438 hectares cover salt marsh, reed beds and salt-water lagoons. It is a lovely place to spend the day, where you can explore a wide variety of habitats along flat, well-maintained paths.
In the centre of the Wetlands is the East Usk Lighthouse, one of two located either side of the River Usk on the Severn Estuary. This one remains operational.
We still had some time left in the late afternoon, so we headed into Newport for the shops. The centre was busy, with plenty of socially distanced people sitting around the main square enjoying take-away food and drinks in the sunshine. We were most impressed by Newport
City Footbridge, linking the east bank of the River Usk to the new developments on the west side.
Pearl has family in Bristol, but has been unable to see them for some time because of pandemic restrictions. We had arranged to meet up at Ashton Court Estate, just outside the city centre.
These 850 acres of woods and grassland are open to the public, as is the magnificent mansion. A magnet for the locals, it was extremely busy with dog-walkers, cyclists and pram-pushers. Following a drink at the pleasant Courtyard café, we wandered along one of the footpaths until it was time for the grandchildren’s afternoon nap.
Legionaries and gladiators
On our way back, we stopped at the historic town of Caerleon, known as Isca in Roman times. This is a site of great archaeological importance, as the fortress held by soldiers of the Legio II Augusta.
After buying a delicious take-away lunch from Coffiology, we headed to the outdoor sites, which have the remains of the Roman amphitheatre and barracks. These areas are both free for visitors to stroll around.
The huge amphitheatre, built in 90 AD with seating for up to 6000, was where the legionaries stationed at the fort could watch gladiatorial combat, often involving wild animals. Much later, in the 12th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote in his History of the Kings of Britain that Arthur was crowned in Caerleon and the amphitheatre was the remains of the Round Table.
Next, we explored the barracks, where you can see the foundations of four of the original 60 blocks housing the 5500 soldiers of the legion. Nearby were communal toilets, a bread oven and cookhouses.
In Caerleon itself are the Roman Baths, with hot and cold chambers, exercise rooms and a pool. The changing rooms also had underfloor heating and when excavated, many gems were found in the drains.
Further along the High Street, the National Roman Legion Museum has displays about daily life in this far-flung outpost of imperial Rome. The museum’s fascinating collection includes many important artifacts, such as examples of currency and cooking utensils.
Later, we moved on to the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre at Rogerstone, also known as the Cefn Flight. This series of locks is one of the wonders of the Industrial Revolution, raising the water levels 160ft in half a mile.
We decided to follow the waymarked Fourteen Locks Circular Walk, walking on the towpath along the now derelict Crumlin Arm of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. Although the footpath goes under the M4 motorway, it was still a pleasant walk.
Castle and comic
With time available on a lovely sunny day, we travelled on to Caerphilly to view the town’s magnificent ruined castle, which was constructed by Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century. Nearby you can also see a statue of Caerphilly-born comic Tommy Cooper – wearing his trademark fez, of course!
We enjoyed a relaxing stroll around the impressive castle moat, admiring the views, before heading back to the campsite.
Our last full day saw us heading towards Newport to take a look at the spectacular
‘Near Caerphilly Castle is a statue of Tommy Cooper – wearing his trademark fez, of course’
Transporter Bridge, one of only six still operational worldwide. Newport’s bridge, designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin, was opened in 1906 and has dominated the skyline since then.
It was originally built to take workers to and from Lysaght’s steelworks and now carries motor vehicles, including buses and lorries, as well as cyclists and pedestrians, over the River Usk.
The bridge is open as a tourist attraction, and those visitors with a head for heights can buy tickets to climb the towers and walk across the upper deck. This is also where Route 4 of the National Cycle Network crosses the River Usk to meet Route 47.
Ironworks and experiments
From here, we drove to Blaenavon, stopping in Pontypool for coffee before exploring Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Blaenavon Ironworks, now a museum, was our first port of call.
The ironworks were crucial in developing the use of cheap, high-sulphur iron ore. They were also the site of important experiments by inventor Sidney Gilchrist Thomas and his cousin, Percy, eventually leading to the mass production of steel.
Now, the remains of the water tower, blast furnaces and cottages constitute part of the museum. The cottages featured in the BBC series Coal House, in which three families were taken back to life in the 1920s.
The buildings have now been furnished to represent life from the 1870s to the 1970s, and are open to the public.
Our next slice of history was the Big Pit National Coal Museum, another fascinating part of the Blaenavon World Heritage Site. This was a working mine from 1880 to
1980, and opened in 1983 as a museum.
The site is dedicated to the preservation of the Welsh coalmining heritage and its key role in the Industrial Revolution.
The museum’s above-ground attractions include the winding house, saw mill, pithead and baths. Visitors can also go below ground to tour the mine workings.
After our visit, we stopped off at Cwmbran Boating Lake to enjoy a good lunch at the café.
There is a pleasant, level walk around the lake and, being only a few minutes from the town centre, this is also very popular with locals and visitors. There is plenty of seating for picnics and people-watching.
After lunch, we strolled by the lakeside, admiring the wildfowl, before going back to the campsite.
We managed to cram a lot into our brief visit to South Wales, which impressed us with the variety of its attractions, celebrating the region’s major historical and industrial significance. There’s certainly a lot to enjoy here!