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The small county of Torfaen is the gateway to the valleys of southern Wales, a wonderful mixture of rolling hills and fascinating industrial heritage waiting to be discovered.
The valley was cut through the landscape by the Afon Lwyd river, also known as the Torfaen or 'rock-breaker' due the force of the water. Today it links the town of at its source, with Pontypool and then Cwmbran to the south.
The former coal mining village of Blaenavon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its importance in illustrating the 19th century industrial landscape which shaped a nation. Today there is an award-winning mining museum and the chance to decend 300ft into the Big Pit itself.
