South Wales Executive Car Hire To South Wales Tourist Destinations
South Wales includes the Welsh capital of Cardiff along with some of the UK’s best scenery and is a very popular holiday destination. We will group this article into a series of destinations that you may wish to visit in style using South Wales Executive Car Hire:
- Brecon Beacons
- Dan yr Ogof and the National Showcaves Centre
- Glamorgan Heritage Coast
- South Wales Valleys
- Wye Valley
If you are doing business in Cardiff or South Wales and have a few days to spare then visiting the picturesque valleys and old mining communities, which are have some excellent museums, and shops is a great way to immerse yourself in Welsh culture.
Cardiff to The Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons are about an hour’s drive north of Cardiff and are considered one of the most beautiful parts of the UK.
The 519-square-mile Brecon Beacons National Park were founded in 1957 and are famous for wild ponies, native deciduous trees, North American conifers and rough moorland.
Most of the park’s peaks are more than 1,000 feet high while many raise above 2,000 feet so are ideal for hiking.
Carreg Cennen Castle is situated on a great crag almost 300 feet above the River Cennen and offers outstanding views over the Brecon Beacons National Park and surrounding countryside.
Brecon is a bustling market town right at the top edge of the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park. It’s known for the Jazz Festival, military connections and the cathedral.
An option is to take the Brecon Mountain Railway which is a narrow-gauge heritage railway that travels from Merthyr five miles into the Brecon Beacons.
Another Merthyr attraction is Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery located in an impressive industrial age mansion built for William Crawshay II the local iron magnate.
Dan yr Ogof and the National Showcaves Centre
A must-see natural attraction is Dan yr Ogof. Located in the upper part of the Tawe Valley, near Swansea. The journey time is about one hour from Cardiff to Dan yr Ogof Caves.
Dan yr Ogof is full of stalagmites and stalactites, as well as many magnificent passages and chambers. The cave network stretches over 10 miles with some of the most accessible areas floodlit.
Part of a major tourist attraction called the National Showcaves Centre for Wales the site also includes; the Bone Cave, Cathedral Cave and a replica Iron Age village.
Glamorgan Heritage Coast
Extending from Porthcawl to Aberthaw the Glamorgan Heritage Coast is a 14-mile-long stretch of spectacular scenery which is easy to get to from Cardiff.
It has secluded coves, breathtaking views and delightful small villages.
The tidal range here is the second highest in the world after the Bay of Fundy in Canada. This, along with the dramatic cliffs creates stunning seascapes to rival any coastline in Britain.
South Wales Valleys Industrial Heritage
Rhondda Heritage Park
At the Heritage Park, some of the Rhondda Valley’s surviving colliery buildings have been converted into a fascinating heritage center where you can travel down one of the original mine shafts.
The Rhondda Heritage Park is constructed on the site of the Lewis Merthyr Colliery (which closed in 1983) and has a multi-media museum about the history of coal mining in the area. The Black Gold Experience Underground Tours are led by former colliery workers. The Rhondda Valley was once home for 54 mines which have now have all closed.
Above ground, a replica village street shows the lifestyles of residents who depended upon coal for their livelihoods.
Travelling time from Cardiff to The Rhondda Heritage Park is about 30 minutes.
The Big Pit National Coal Museum
Blaenavon is famous for the Blaenavon’s ironworks, also known as “Big Pit” (“Pwll Mawr”), the old blast furnaces and foundries of which are now part of the fascinating Big Pit National Coal Museum. Even the tower of the hydraulic lift used to raise the ore-laden iron wagons has survived.
Things to do at the Big Pit include touring the workshops, winding engines and visiting workers’ residential areas. Entry to the 328-foot-deep shaft as part of the Real Underground Experience gives visitors a first-hand impression of the tough life of a miner.
Travelling time from Cardiff to The Big Pit National Coal Museum is about 45 minutes.
The Wye Valley
Although not solely a Welsh area — it extends northwards from Monmouthshire into neighboring England — the Wye Valley has some of the most striking landscapes in the UK.
Stretching some 45 miles along a lower section of the River Wye, the most scenic parts of the valley are a mix of spectacular limestone gorges and thick forests. It is a popular bird-watching area as you may spot falcons and hawks.
The area also includes Tintern Abbey, a 12th-century abbey located in the quaint village of Tintern.
Another place to visit is the small market town of Hay-on-Wye which is best known as the site of Britain’s top book festival, Hay has 20 or so bookstores. Started in 1988 the 10-day Hay Literary Festival is held in late May, attracts visitors from far and wide along with some of the world’s leading writers.
Travelling time from Cardiff to Wye Valley is about 1 hour 15 minutes
South Wales Executive Car Hire
If you are staying in or around Cardiff the best way to visit these delightful places in South Wales is to use South Wales Executive Car Hire.
We can transport up to 7 people and can arrange to have more than one luxury vehicle if you have a large group.
Your on private executive taxi will come equipped with the following services:
- WiFi
- Refreshments
- USB charging points
- Leather interiors
- Air conditioning
- Satellite navigation
- Range of vehicles up to 7 seats
- Additional luggage space
- Extra leg room
Your driver will know exactly where to take you for a totally relaxing trip without having to worry about finding your way or the additional hassle of finding parking when you get to your destination.