PROBUS CLUB of
Cardiff Llanishen

Wednesday October 10 - The Marvels of Merthyr

A ride on the Brecon Mountain Railway along the beautiful Taf Fechan Gorge

followed by lunch at the Morlais Castle Golf Club

and an afternoon at Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery

COST: £26 to include train ticket, lunch and guided tour of Cyfarthfa Castle

transport is not included and car sharing is encouraged.

This event is open to members and partners.

Merthyr Tydfil, surrounded by beautiful countryside, steeped in history and the one-time iron capital of the world is still recovering from the Great Depression and has many sites which deserve to be seen. This visit takes us along the Taf Fechan valley on the track of the old Merthyr to Brecon Railway, passing the 13th century Morlais Castle and the reservoirs at Pontsticill and Dolygaer to reach the entrance to the now closed Torpantau Tunnel. The Brecon Mountain Railway (BMR) narrow gauge line which now follows this track first opened in 1980 and by 2014 had reached Torpantau. Steam engines lovingly restored in the BMRs workshops haul trains carrying up to 160 passengers up the final 1-in-37 gradient up to Torpantau, puffing vigorously.

Please email meurig@probusllanishen.org.uk to reserve your place by September 30th,
stating your menu choice.

Click on the links to find out more

ITINERARY

10.00	Assemble at Pant Station café for the Brecon Mountain Railway and collect tickets.
10.30	Depart on the train to Pontsticill, Dolygaer and Torpantau, viewing the Taf Fechan below. The train stops on the return journey for 35 minutes at Pontsticill, where there will be a brief talk as part of a visit to the steam museum; there is also a shop and café
12.10	Arrive back at Pant Station. Cross the road towards Morlais Castle
12.30	Lunch at Morlais Castle Golf Club: 2 courses + coffee
14.15	Arrive at Cyfarthfa Castle and see the grounds
14.30	Introductory talk followed by freeflow tour of the castle's ground floor to include historical context, a guide to exhibits, the Crawshay family, the Cyfarthfa works and the art collection.
16.00	Cyfarthfa Castle closes

 

LUNCH MENU

Homemade Beef Lasagne. Homemade Chicken Curry & Rice Mixed Meats, Salad & Coleslaw Fish & Chips All served with a choice of chips, jacket potato or new potatoes. (please state choice when ordering). A selection of desserts followed by coffee.

DIRECTIONS BY CAR

To Pant railway station for the Brecon Mountain Railway (BMR) Take the A470 north from Cardiff through the Abercynon roundabout. Take the fork towards Abergavenny and climb the hill to meet the A465 Heads of the Valleys road at Dowlais Take the A465 in the Direction of Hirwaun and Neath and take the first exit after this to Pant; the road to the Brecon Mountain Railway is signposted with brown signs from here. When exit road meets the road up the hill, turn right and proceed to the roundabout. Turn right at the roundabout (brown sign), crossing the A469 and continue to the village of Pant. Turn left when you reach the T junction (brown sign indicates); pass the Pant Cad Ifor inn to reach the Brecon Mountain Railway car park on your right. To Morlais Castle Golf Club from the BMR The entrance to the drive to the clubhouse is opposite the BMR. To Cyfarthfa Castle Retrace your steps to the A465, rejoin it and follow it to the next exit (Cefn Coed y Cymer). Turn left when you meet the main street in Cefn Coed and follow thr road down the hill and across the bridgeuntil you reach the railings of Cyfarthfa Castle. Look out for the gates and drive in through them, up the hill and park in front of the castle. Enter by the main door.

Morlais Castle	Cyfarthfa Castle

Images: http://www.alangeorge.co.uk

Limestone from the hill was used by Gilbert de Clare, Noman Lord of Glamorgan and Earl of Gloucester to build Morlais Castle in 1288, on the site of an iron age hill fort, as he assserted his power to his neighbour, Humphrey de Bohun, Lord of Brecknock and Earl of Hereford. The eventual outcome of this skirmishing was the brief imprisonment and subsequent fining of Gilbert by Edward I in the Tower of London and then the imposition of a substantial fine. The castle was abandoned in 1295 and has since fallen into ruin although a vault remains, originally part of one of two round towers.

Cyfarthfa Castle was built in 1825 in Cyfarthfa Park by Robert Lugar for William Crawshay II whose grandfather (Richard) and father William I developed the Cyfarthfa Iron Works, parts of which remain on the hillside opposite the castle. Cyfarthfa Works were the largest in the world in 1800 and supplied the increasing demand of the Royal Navy's warships for canon. By 1889, the family had abandoned the house which was purchased by the local council in 1908 and opened part as a museum and art gallery in 1910 and the other part as Cyfarthfa Grammar School in 1913.

Download timetable and directions

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