Fun things to do in Gwent

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The Big Friendly fiery-eyed Dragon that spurts water instead of fire is a great attraction for children.

This steel Dragon was originally created for the Ebbw Vale - home of Welsh Steel - Flower Festival in 1992 .

The British Flower Festivals were a political attempt to kick start the regeneration of all those British towns and Welsh Valleys blighted be the Thatcher demolition of the countrys's industrial base.
This dragon with a tail so long it weaved in and out of the land behind needed a new home when the Festival ended and the then young Community Farm came to its rescue by providing a suitable home for it in the green and beautiful land of its birth.

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When we took our eldest 3 grandchildren to the Farm about 8 years ago and they stripped off and waited for the dragons eyes to close and flash, then waited for him to spurt water
( never fire!) all over them.
They had such a lot of fun!

In the meantime Health and Safety Regs. have moved on and enthralled children now have to stand behind a rail that prevents them from getting wet. Seems sad they can't enjoy being splashed as their cousins were.

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We arrived quite late at the playground so had it all to ourselves. The animals were forgotten as the children ran from one activirty to the next with boundless energy and fearless confidence.
The park is in an attractive setting in a quiet area of the farm and the views from the high spots really lovely.
Our final point of call was the Hay Barn where the children were allowed to handle thechicks and a gosling - only a few days old, covered in a beautiful soft down and alreadt quite large.

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Our grandaughter loves horses and is quite a competent rider so her favourite was the big horse - a crossbred Clydesdale, she thought. She would loved to have been able to take one of the Shetland foals home though.

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It was thanks to local people who campaigned against the sale of this old farm for development that local residents and visitors to the area can visit Green Meadow Community Farm.

It is an ideal attraction for family outings with things to interest all ages. Over the years we have taken all our grandchildren - the youngest 3 just a week ago.
We set off on the 12 mile journey for a "Mystery Adventure" throwing out a few clues as we went . None of them guessed where we were going and excitement was rising as we arrived in the carpark and they saw the signs.

The animals are the first and main attraction and most of them are so used to people they do not mind being touched, patted and stroked. There are warnings where it is unwise to do so - as with the wild boars. But there are chicks and goslings, duck ponds and rabbits; goats and sheep, cows and pigs, horses, ponies and donkeys and lots more including
-- a Welsh Dragon!
The farm manager and his team are always at hand to answer any questions about the anilmals or the farm.

For wet days there is a large hall in one of the barns where children can draw, do puzzles and learn.

For exercise and Fresh air you can take a walk to the deer park and wildlife ponds or through the extensive woodlands. Take a picnic or stop off in the Farm Cafe.

Childrens birthday Parties are catered for in a special Birthday barn.

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Tintern Abbey (Abaty Tyndyrn) is a magnificent monastery ruin at the Welsh Wye valley, close to the village of Tintern. The abbey has been founded by Walter de Clare at May 9th 1131 and the Cisterican monks that came to live and work here were sent from l'Aumône, France. The community grew fast and already in 1139 a subsidiary monastery had been built (Kingswood Abbey). A 2nd one followed in 1203, built in Ireland (Tinternparva).
In the course of the centuries Tintern Abbey has repeatedly been extended and renovated. The main part of today's ruin was built in the late 13th century.
In the middle of the 14th century Tintern was one of the few abbeys that had not been affected by the turmoil caused by the struggle between King Edward II and Queen Isabella. But in 1349 the number of inhabitants had been dramatically decimated at a great plague pandemic.
At 1536, after establishment of the Anglican state church by King Henry VIII, the order at Tintern had forcedly been resolved.
It's easy to understand why Tintern Abbey was one of the first places in Wales to attract visitors. The appeal of this exceptional religious house, the best preserved medieval abbey in Wales, remained unchanged throughout the centuries!

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Late medieval (1435) building and known as one of the last "true" castles. Raglan was built by Sir William ap Thomas, who gained fame fighting at the battle of Agincourt alongside Henry V. It is assumed that prior to the castle a simple motte-and-bailey fortification had existed on this site (around 1070). Designed as a military stronghold, continual additions and remodelling turned Raglan castle into a grand Tudor palace.
The castle is dominated by the so called Yellow Tower of Gwent (named after the pale sandstone from Wye valley), surrounded by a hexagonal curtain and broad moat still filled with (pretty stinking) water. :-)

Easily seen standing loud and proud from the A40 this is one of my favourite castles in Wales because it is such an extensive ruin with a really neat hexagonal great tower standing in its own moat, from the top are fantastic views of the surrounding countryside as well as the rest of the castle itself - not for those with a fear of heights... ;-)

Although there has been a castle here since Norman times, the ruins of this impressive 15th century castle represent one of the last castles built in Britain.

Built by Sir William ap Thomas a Welsh knight who had fought at Agincourt and his son William Herbert and modernised by William Somerset, the 3rd earl of Worcester. This was begun by building the Great Tower and its moat. To this a massive gatehouse and lavish apartments were added, followed by extensive improvements to the Great Hall.

Raglan's defining moment came during the Civil War when, held for the king, the castle was attacked by the roundheads led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and resisted a heavy bombardment for several weeks in one of the longest sieges of the war before finally surrendering...

After victory the castle was slighted to prevent further use, though apparently it was even more stubborn than its defenders as fortunately for us the job was only half finished.

In and near the gatehouse are a couple of exhibition rooms charting the history and there is a CADW shop for souvenirs. On the property next to the castle is a pleasant cafe...