What's on in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent looks out over the South Wales Valleys from the edge of the Brecon Beacons. With rugged landscape in every direction, Blaenau Gwent itself is a region of jaw-dropping contrasts, quickly changing from desolate moorland to green hills to wooded valleys and from nature reserves to miles and miles of bluebells, from country parks to stately homes.

Blaenau Gwent borders Monmouthshire and Torfaen in the east, Powys to the North and Caerphilly to the west. Its main towns are the beautiful Tredegar, Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr, and Abertillery. It is a region that is not only packed with stunning natural landscapes but also a rich historical heritage, with sites stretching back to the Bronze age as well as hundreds of medieval ruins and a vast selection of sites recalling Wales’ industrial heritage. Particularly worth checking out are places such as Bedwellty House and Park in Tredegar, which is a wonderful example of an old Iron Master’s Residence, set in lush Victorian parkland and also boasting one of the last Iron Houses in Wales. In addition, Bedwellty House and Park boasts the Long Shelter, a block of coal that was shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851, a leafy grotto and an impressive arboretum. Another attraction worth visiting is the Aneurin Bevan Stones, a monument to Aneurin Bevan (the politician behind the NHS and public housing) set on the hill in between Ebbw Vale and Tredegar.

Blaenau Gwent also boasts some incredible outdoor attractions; Festival Park in Ebbw Vale (which was created on the hills of the National Garden Festival in 1992) is a delight to stroll around and includes a Japanese Pavillion, lakes and ornamental gardens as well as wetlands and woodlands; also worth a look is Parc Bryn Bach, a 340 acre country park with a 36 acre artificial lake surrounded by acres and acres of woodland.

Finally, for those who want to get out into the wild there are over 160 miles of walking trails and public rights of way – highlights include the Ebbw Valley Walk from the Festival Park and the 26 mile Sirhowy Valley Walk which begins at the Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones. Whichever walk you choose, long or short, you’re guaranteed some beautiful sites in this incredible county.