Dare Valley Country Park
Dare Valley Country Park near Aberdare in Rhondda Cynon Taf covers over five hundred acres of a reclaimed coalmining valley transformed over several decades into one of the finest country parks in the Welsh valleys. Centring on two small lakes and a network of paths through grassland, scrub, woodland and moorland on former spoil heaps, the park provides walking, cycling and wildlife watching within a post-industrial landscape of considerable natural interest. Moorland above the valley supports kestrel and peregrine, while the lake margins and woodland attract kingfishers and a range of woodland and waterside birds during the breeding season. The park includes a visitor centre, café and camping facilities, and represents one of the most significant examples of successful industrial land reclamation in Wales. Entry is free.