A haunted weekend at Margam Castle, a dog walk through Cwm Du Glen or two days on the bike from Aberavon seafront to Waterfall Country: Neath Port Talbot now has six ready-made short breaks to pick from.
The county’s tourism brand, Dramatic Heart of Wales, has put together six self-guided itineraries. Each one strings places to visit, things to do, somewhere to stay and somewhere to eat into a two-day trip.
They are on the Dramatic Heart of Wales website now.
Margam Castle and Neath Abbey on the haunted trail
The Haunted Histories itinerary is pitched at fans of “dark tourism”. It takes in Margam Abbey, Margam Castle, Neath Abbey and the ghost stories that go with them.
Margam Castle is said to be haunted by a white lady, ghostly children and the angry spirit of a gamekeeper, and it made our list of south west Wales’ spookiest spots last Halloween.
Neath Abbey has its own tales of ghostly monks.
The trail arrives just as Scream Time is back at Margam Country Park, running until Sunday 1 November.
Bikes, waterfalls and a dog-friendly break
The Road Cycling itinerary is a two-day route that starts at Aberavon Seafront, climbs into the Afan Valley and carries on to Waterfall Country in the Vale of Neath.
Mountain bikers get a plan of their own built around Afan Forest Park, with where to hire a bike, get it fixed and refuel.
The Dog-Friendly break takes in Cwm Du Glen and Margam Country Park.
Families are pointed to Gnoll Country Park in Neath, Margam Country Park and Aberavon Beach. The Gnoll is getting 100 more parking spaces, with the work due to finish in early December.
And there’s a Girls’ Getaway, mixing outdoor adventure and waterfalls with food and spa days.
‘Start the morning by the sea’
Cllr Cen Phillips, the council’s cabinet member for tourism, said: “What makes our area special is the variety of experiences you can enjoy in just a couple of days.”
“Visitors can start the morning by the sea, follow one of our canal paths, discover some local history, head into the Afan Valley and stop at some great places to eat along the way,” he said.
With air fares rising, Dramatic Heart of Wales says searches for UK staycations have boomed this autumn. It wants the itineraries to tempt visitors beyond Wales’ best-known spots.
The project is backed by the Welsh Government through the UK Local Growth Fund in Wales.
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