Top 6 Castles around Cwmllynfell

Free Car Parking available (donations welcome) and information signage provided about the general area.

Wow just wow, didn’t expect the cave below the castle !!!

Tucked away in a dreamy, isolated location in the upper Swansea Valley, Craig-y-nos Country Park is a gorgouous 40-acre park that was once owned by Adelina Patti. Now it is a Victorian garden set in woodlands, surrounded by meadows and ponds, dissected by the River Tawe. It is in a gorgeous location, and there is a great cafe there to boot.

There are great views of Castell Carreg Cennen from here, looking north-west across the valley. The castle is perched gloriously on a rocky limestone outcrop, and its outer walls and towers look majestic and are a reminder of its former glory.

Carreg Cennen Castle is erected sometime after 1284 by Baron John Giffard and his son on the site of an earlier Welsh fortification. In 1462, Carreg Cennen flies the Lancastrian flag. Taken on behalf of the Yorkist king Edward IV, it is slighted by pick and crowbar, ending its life as a stronghold. Carreg Cennen castle is spectacularly located on a great limestone crag about 90m above the river Cennen, offering views miles around.

Ruin of a late thirteenth-century castle, on a limestone rock where there may already have been a fort in the Iron Age. The earliest castle was most likely the work of the dynasty of Welsh princes. The oldest found written mention of the castle dates "only" from 1248 when Rhys Fychan (died 1271), great-grandson of Lord Rhys, conquered the castle from the English. In 1277 the castle was captured by Edward I of England in his first campaign against Llewelyn ap Gruffudd of Gwynedd (died 1282).[1] The castle was briefly reconquered in 1282 and 1287. In 1282–83 Edward I completed his conquest of Wales and granted Carreg Cennen Castle in 1283 to his loyal supporter John Giffard (d. 1299), baron of Brimpsfield (Gloucestershire). The current castle was most likely built by Baron Giffard and his son John (died 1322), not too long after 1284. Being a resident of Ghent myself, I thought it was a nice fact that the castle was in the hands of John of Gaunt (yes, John of Gaunt), Duke of Lancaster, for a while in the 14th century. During the War of the Roses (1455-1485), Carreg Cennen Castle was initially in Lancaster hands, but was later conquered by the York supporters. In the late 18th century the castle became popular among amateur archaeologists and artists, with William Turner visiting the castle in 1798. In the 19th century the second Earl of Cawdor began restoration work on Carreg Cennen Castle. In 1932 the castle came under state management. In the 1960s the castle became the property of the Morris family, owners of the Castell Farm farm near the castle. Source: Wikipedia The castle can be visited 364 days of the year. Just not on Christmas Day. 9:30 am - 4:30 pm (from April to October until 5:00 pm) The ticket desk is located at the tea room / gift shop ("downstairs", where the parking is also located). In high season and on weekends, tickets can also be purchased near the entrance to the castle. Entrance prices range from £6.50 for adults, £4.00 for discount holders, to £20.00 for a family ticket.

This 40-acre country park forms part of the historic grounds of the Victorian Craig-y-nos Castle and is managed by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. The park offers a fun & safe day out for all the family. Easy to follow paths will take you on a gentle stroll past towering beech trees and alongside rushing rivers. There is a large car park with a compacted stone surface with disabled car parking spaces which have a tarmac surface. This is a pay and display car park with free parking for disabled parking badge holders only.

Craig Y nos Country Park, The Castle is surrounded by the Brecon Beacons mountains, it is also close to Henrhyd Waterfalls and backs on to Craig Y Nos Country Park where there are acres of fields to play in. We are described by many of our guests as the most dog friendly accommodation in Wales, if not the whole of the UK!! The Castle is well renowned' for being the Most Haunted Castle in UK 🇬🇧