Things to do in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough

Discover one of the best days out in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) with the Brecon Mountain Railway. Starting from our main station at Pant, just north of Merthyr Tydfil, the railway offers a scenic 9.5-mile return journey through the heart of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. The line follows part of the historic Brecon & Merthyr Railway, which originally opened in the 19th century and closed in 1964. Travel in comfort in our all-weather observation carriages, hauled by a beautifully restored vintage steam locomotive. The route winds past Pontsticill, alongside the full length of the Taf Fechan Reservoir, and climbs towards Torpantau, one of the highest railway summits in Britain. At Pant Station, visitors can enjoy our licensed Tearooms, browse the railway shop for gifts and souvenirs, and take a look inside our engineering workshop, where our locomotives and carriages are maintained. All trains run non-stop from Pant to Torpantau. On the return journey, trains stop at Pontsticill Station, where you can relax at our Lakeside Café, take in the views across the reservoir, enjoy walks into Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), or make use of the children’s play area. Whether you’re planning a family day out, a scenic journey through Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), or a visit for heritage railway enthusiasts, the Brecon Mountain Railway offers a memorable experience for all ages.

Cyfartha Castle in Merthyr Tydfil is a remarkable Gothic Revival castle built in 1824 for William Crawshay II, one of the most powerful ironmasters in the world at the peak of the Industrial Revolution, overlooking the vast Cyfartha Ironworks that made Merthyr Tydfil the iron capital of the world in the early nineteenth century. The castle, now a museum and art gallery managed by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, reflects the extraordinary wealth generated by the iron industry and the ambitions of the Crawshay dynasty who shaped the industrial development of south Wales. The museum interprets the history of the castle, the Crawshay family and the industrial heritage of Merthyr Tydfil from medieval times to the present day. Merthyr is one of the most historically significant industrial towns in the world, and Cyfartha Castle provides the finest expression of the ironmaster culture that drove the first Industrial Revolution.