THE VALLEYS REGIONAL PARK PARC RHANBARTHOL Y CYMOEDD Taff Trail‌.. Users of the popular Taff Trail between Nantgarw and Rhydfelin can now enjoy an improved experience thanks to a partnership between Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC, Sustrans and the Welsh Government, partners in the Valleys Regional Park (VRP) initiative. The newly improved 4km stretch has been resurfaced with new security barriers and also accommodates the requirements of a proposed Flood Alleviation Scheme to benefit the local community of Rhydfelin. It was officially launched in October by RCT Cabinet Member, Councillor Andrew Morgan, marking the first phase of the project to upgrade various sections of the Taff Trail. Plans are in place to commence phase 2 developments early next year between Dynea Road and Glyntaf in readiness for the link with the Connect 2 scheme from Tonteg to Pontypridd. The work, funded through the VRP initiative, is part of The Valleys Cycle Network, being delivered by Sustrans and local authorities, which will create an additional 100 miles of new walking and cycling paths across The Valleys to develop tourism, encourage active lifestyles amongst local people, and provide more sustainable transport links.
December 2011 Rhagfyr
Work on the historic Cyfarthfa Leat and old Tramway has now commenced. Due for completion in July 2012, the project has received funding from Valleys Regional Park ERDF project, CADW, the Heads of the Valleys Programme, and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. Scheduled ancient monuments that date from 1792 and 1825 respectively, the old Gurnos Tramway and the Cyfarthfa Leat lie in the Taf Fechan Gorge and are hugely important artefacts in the heritage of Merthyr Tydfil. The leat was built originally to convey water to Cyfarthfa Lake and Cyfarthfa Ironworks running for about a kilometre from its source on the banks of the Taf Fechan. The old tramway runs below the leat on a shelf hewn from the rock face and was built to transport limestone by horse-drawn tram from the Gurnos quarries to the An early 20th century image showing the leat ironworks. The Restoration & Enhancement scheme is a large construction project that will restore these major historic monuments and make them more accessible to the local community and visitors. In accordance with CADW guidelines, the project will restore the actual leat structure to prevent its collapse that would damage the old Tramway, so ensuring their continued longevity and preservation for the enjoyment of future generations. The tramway now forms a tree-lined avenue from which to view the leat walls above. Over the years, sections of it have been damaged and the project will repair these to ensure that the ancient watercourse supplies a continuous flow of water to the lake, situated in the main grounds of Cyfarthfa Castle and Park. The project also includes: Ÿ Selective tree removal and site clearance to improve access to the structures Ÿ A new access and footbridge to Lakeside Gardens Ÿ An imposing site entrance including landscaping, a new masonry wall capped with pillars and railings in the Cyfarthfa style, a replica tram and a symbolic gateway structure with visitor information boards Ÿ A footbridge and viewing platform at the Leat Waterfall Ÿ A new walkway to link the Leat and the Old Tramway which will form part of a new heritage trail between Cyfarthfa and the Taf Fechan Nature Reserve These enhancements will offer an added dimension to the Cyfarthfa heritage area and visitor experience. In addition to the rich cultural heritage, the area has been designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), providing a varied habitat for a profusion of plant and animal life. Along the tramway there is a wonderful waterfall cascading from the leat to the Taf Fechan, whilst closer inspection of the masonry walls, which are testimony to the skill of Watkin George, Crawshay’s engineer, and the majestic rock features, will reveal rare species of mosses and lichens. Architectural highlights include the old Cefn Bridge, dating from 1715, the new Cefn Bridge, built in 1911 to a design by the eminent French pioneer Francois Hennebique, and the magnificent Pontsarn Viaduct over the Afon Taf Fechan. completed in 1865. With thanks to Lyndsey Handley at Merthyr CBC for her help and information.
Groundwork Bridgend Neath Port Talbot have secured from funding from CADW to match the VRP contribution for the Parc Tondu project to improve the access to Tondu Ironworks, considered to be the best preserved Victorian ironworks in the UK. The works, which began production in 1836, are noteworthy for their early coke ovens and lime kilns. The surrounding area is now a heritage park attraction for local people and visitors with excellent access to cycling and walking routes including the Celtic Trail. The project will open up public access through the provision of a safe walkway to the coke ovens and create a timber board walkway over some of the important archaeological features. Near to Tondu, progress is ongoing also at the Parc Slip nature reserve where the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) have been working on the designs for the renovated visitor centre and have been fortunate to enlist the support of two volunteers to help them. Confirmation of match funding from BIFFA is expected soon and then WTSWW can really push forward with the plans.
The Valleys Regional Park hosted its second annual Community Tourism Conference in October, organised by the Community Tourism Officers (CTOs), this time at the magnificent Llanhilleth Miners’ Institute. Over 100 delegates from local authorities, community groups, Communities First partnerships, VRP partner organisations, tourist attractions, and local businesses heard from a variety of speakers about successful projects right across the valleys that involve community tourism, including Coed Gwilym Park Heritage Centre and the Ebbw Fach Trail. There were also over over 20 information displays from a variety of public, private and voluntary sector organisations.
TAXI FOR… Visitors who take a taxi in Merthyr Tydfil will now be given a guide to the sights and unique history of the area as part of their journey. Nine taxi drivers with Funky Kabs have been trained as Community Tourism Ambassadors. They completed the “Our Place” course module and are amongst school teachers, hotel owners, ex-miners, park wardens and young people who make up the 100 Community Tourism Ambassadors who have successfully completed the Level 2 World Host Award in the Principles of Customer Service in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel & Tourism.
Following the morning’s formal conference, delegates enjoyed a unique Valleys ‘visitor experience’ with a walking tour taking in the now iconic Guardian miners' memorial at Six Bells, just up the valley. They then visited nearby Ty Ebbw Fach, a former pub now run as a bistro run by a community enterprise, which acts as a hub for visitors to Guardian. There they learned more about the memorial, grabbed a drink and had the opportunity to purchase Guardian merchandise. Like last year, the conference was a great success and the Ebbw Fach excursion showed again what the valleys can offer to visitors.
135 Community Tourism Ambassadors (CTAs) have now been trained under the CTA scheme whilst four local 'embassies' have been designated in different localities in the valleys. One of the most recent groups to receive training was at Cyfarthfa Castle, which included a variety of front of house staff including some from Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr TIC, and Merthyr Leisure Centre, and the Friends of Cyfarthfa Castle. For more details on the scheme, contact the CTOs via the VRP website.
The Valleys Regional Park CTOs have worked with Visit Wales to create and develop an online interactive toolkit on community tourism and the Community Tourism Ambassadors training, based on their experiences. It includes: ŸBackground on Community Tourism and the role of a Community Tourism Ambassador ŸIdentification and Communication - real life examples of how to engage with the community tourism ambassador training programmes in the early stages ŸTraining - what is required to deliver the training processes, i.e. WorldHost & Our Place ŸItineraries with examples of the Ambassador itineraries that have been developed through the training ŸEmbassies - identify a network of virtual embassies and what role the embassies can play in improving the visitor experience.
Working closely with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council where the taxi driver training idea originated, the ‘Merthyr born-andbred’ drivers saw the area through the eyes of tourists, anticipating the sights they might want to see on a visit. Andrew Barry, proprietor for Funky Kabs in Merthyr, took part in the scheme himself along with call centre staff and the drivers. He said: “Cabbies are usually the first people visitors come into contact with and therefore it’s really important we make a good first impression and make sure they feel welcome. We’re all from Merthyr and are really proud to be Ambassadors and share what makes it a great place to visit. “ “We often get asked for recommendations of places to eat, drink and sleep and now we know exactly where to take them. I know the drivers especially love reeling off the quirky facts we learnt to their passengers! We’ve already had positive feedback from customers and hope we’re helping to ensure visitors come back to Merthyr and tell their friends about it.”
Total focus activities in Caerphilly
As part of the enhanced joint Fly-tipping Action Wales-VRP initiative, five 'Total Focus' weeks have now been held in the valleys during the summer and autumn in Merthyr, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Caerphilly, and Torfaen, which have all proved highly successful. The most recent was the Total Focus week was in Torfaen working with the local authority and other partner agencies including Keep Wales Tidy, Bron Afon Housing, Communities First, The Common People, and Forgotten Landscapes on a series of activities. These included: • A litter pick supported by Keep Wales Tidy and McDonald’s staff members outside its New Inn outlet in Pontypool; • A co-ordinated clean-up and improvements to a footpath to the recently refurbished Pontymoel Basin Canal, a project funded through the Valleys Regional Park initiative; • A clean-up of fly-tipped tyres on Cefn Crib Common led by Keep Wales Tidy as part of a project with the Countryside Council for Wales, supported by volunteers; • Working with Torfaen County Borough Council to visit shop owners in Pontypool and Cwmbran and discuss the correct methods of disposing of commercial waste; • Free guidance and advice given to builders and sole traders on the legal obligation of holding waste carrier licences during a visit to Travis Perkins Builders Merchants, Pontypool; • Giving advice on getting rid of waste safely, legally and responsibly at Torfaen Sustainability Week’s launch event As part of the hi-tech intelligence-led approach to prevent fly-tipping in the valleys, GPS units have been distributed to nine Local Authorities across the valleys. These have allowed fly-tipping incidents to be plotted so identifying hotspot areas and trends with the data shared with all the local authorities. The VRP FtAW team has also been working with construction and demolition businesses. Companies visited in Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, and Caerphilly, whilst over 800 letters and information leaflets were sent to businesses in the VRP across the valleys Education and intervention are also key features of the FtAW valleys campaign. Nine colleges have been offered education and advice to students on waste, and planning is currently ongoing for an extensive campaign in Bridgend involving 720 students. For more information on the campaign, including a brief film featuring Gary Evans, the VRP FtAW Project Manager, visit: www.flytippingactionwales.org/en/valleys.php
NEW HERITAGE ROOM GETS ROYAL APPROVAL More than 40 interpretation projects and events have been approved under the VRP ERDF project. One of the most recent projects to be completed is the heritage room at Ty Ebbw Fach in Six Bells, Abertillery, which was offcially opened last month by HRH Prince Charles on a visit to south Wales. The visit, which took in Guardian, and the opening was a great success thanks to all the hard work put in by Communities First partnership, Six Bells Regeneration, and the Ebbw Fach trail group in conjunction with Blaenau Gwent CBC.
Whisper it quietly or better still shout it from the hills. More and more visitors are coming to the valleys to enjoy unique outdoor experiences, which is creating more business opportunities. Here Mark Soanes of award-winning Call of the Wild, based in the Dulais Valley, gives us his quick personal view on how he feels the landscape of the valleys has changed in recent years and the new opportunities for businesses as a result………… “The valleys I feel has always suffered when it comes to attracting tourists from both within the UK and overseas. With the UK it is an image problem whilst for overseas visitors it is often an awareness issue. Many Americans still have only a limited knowledge of Wales, let alone the valleys, as a country with a rich cultural heritage. I have still heard our green and pleasant land referred to as ‘Waleshire’. This situation is not helped by the London-centric national media who often perpetuate outdated misconceptions of a scarred industrial landscape, the legacy of heavy industry. Such views are detrimental, misleading and bear no relation to reality of the situation. But there is now a new mood of confidence in the valleys which has been growing over the last few years. There have been marked physical, environmental and cultural improvements, whilst Cardiff is now a vibrant cosmopolitan city, attaining a status to rival both Dublin and Edinburgh, which should have obvious spin-offs for the neighbouring Valleys. Blaenafon has been designated as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its historical importance associated with the Industrial Revolution, which again places it firmly on the world tourist map. This has led to a new self-confidence and self-belief that success can be achieved. At Call of the Wild, we always turn the Welsh angle around to make it work to our advantage when we are seeking to attract new clients. We are a different country, with our own language, distinct cultural and social characteristics with a landscape to make your jaw drop – we have a story to tell and boy can we tell it! This provides a far more rewarding and different experience for our activity groups. We find that our groups often say that their only experience of the valleys is driving along the M4 heading west towards Pembrokeshire and the ferry terminals to Ireland. They never had cause to take a turn right as they didn’t know what existed apart from coal tips! Well, we certainly put them right on this. When they leave us they are amazed by the quality of the landscape, the range of activities available, the value for money offered, and above all the welcome and hospitality of the locals. It is important to capitalise on these important assets and to ensure that word is spread far and wide. When we started trading in 1998 many people thought we would fail as they felt visitors wouldn’t come to the valleys. However, we recognised the valleys had something different to offer and capitalised on these assets. Thirteen years later, we are still here and have grown into an multi-award winning company employing 25 people. This year we were voted in the Top 50 Valleys Essentials for our canyoning activity. To ensure the profile of the valleys continues to grow and attract increasing numbers of visitors, the lessons to be learned are that if we offer value for money, with high-quality hospitality and customer care, the future is bright.” Dark Sky Discovery Sites are places that local organisations have identified as great spots for stargazing. Whether you are in a town or the countryside, they tell you exactly where to go on a clear night for the best local view of constellations, planets, shooting stars and satellites – with just your naked eyes! Many areas in the valleys are perfect sites for watching the heavens. The Valleys Regional Park WECAN project is working with Dark Sky Wales to identify Dark Sky Discovery Sites across the valleys (www.darkskywales.org) and create a dark sky map. The VRP WECAN project is working with Dark Sky Wales to identify 'Dark Sky Discovery Sites' across the valleys (www.darkskywales.org). If you are a community group actively involved in the local environment and have a site with low levels of light pollution or where it’s possible to see the stars of Orion, then your site could be nominated as a ‘Dark Sky Discovery site’. If you have a potential site you would like to nominate, then contact Jemma Bere on jemma.bere@groundwork.org.uk or 07554 015 780.
In October 1977, Terry Campbell, a journalist with the South Wales Echo bemoaned the apparent demise of the south Wales brewery: “Just look at the breweries south Wales has lost over the years...There were the Taff Vale and Giles and Harrop which kept the Merthyr Tydfil areas bubbling. Over the mountain the Black Lion slaked the thirsts of Aberdare. Then we had Evan Evans Bevan rolling out the barrels in Neath and the Bridgend Brewery kept busy keeping everyone’s pints foaming. Also in a glass of their won at Cardiff were the redoubtable Hancock’s and Ely breweries. Sparkling up at Aberbeeg were Webb’s while Phillips, and Lloyd and Yorath in Newport kept a cool head.” In fact there were even more breweries that existed in the in the valleys which author omitted to mention, such as Fernvale, Chivers, and Andrew Buchan’s brewery at Rhymney. Far from a brewing desert nowdays, local ale production is making a big comeback in the valleys. Newman and Celt, sister breweries in Caerphilly with a microbrewery in a cellar at the Wheatsheaf in Llantrisant Rhymney Otley Bryncelyn Brewery Cerddin Brewery
Since the update in the last VRP newsletter, Cardiff Metropolitan University, KESS PhD student Jane Thompson has been busy working with a number of other exercise groups across the south Wales. One of these is the new walking group established by St Illtyd's Communities First in Llanhilleth, run by Eva Parry. The group recently increased the frequency of its community walks from fortnightly to weekly, providing an excellent opportunity for Jane to assess the impact that this increased activity will have on the health of the individuals involved. The second group of participants that Jane is working with are members of a Pedometer Challenge that is being run across Cardiff Council. The aim of the challenge is for employees to increase their number of steps-per-day in an attempt to walk a number of steps that is equivalent to walking the distance of the Pembrokeshire Coastal path (186 miles) or the distance of John O’Groats to Lands End (1,465 miles). This has provided an opportunity for Jane to assess how much one needs to increase their steps-per-day by in order to impact beneficially upon their health. Jane has had consultations with each volunteer from each of these programmes twice so far, with the third and final health checks scheduled for November. The final health checks will mark ‘Week 8’ of adherence to the exercise programme that each volunteer embarked upon. Consultations and data collection from these two groups will be completed by the end of November. The health check results of these groups (and previous groups; see August 2011 newsletter) will then be compiled by January 2012. These results will hopefully indicate the multi-faceted health benefits of exercising in natural settings! Jane is looking to work with more green exercise groups from February 2012 onwards. Importantly, she needs to recruit individuals who are new to the group and were sedentary prior to joining the exercise group. This is essential as it will allow Jane to infer what effect the exercise is having on the markers of health being examined.
The WECAN Project team has recently been bolstered by two new members; Becky Ayers (Administration and Finance Officer), who has joined from Environment Agency Wales, and Project Manager, Phil Burkhard who previously led the Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme which was the UK Enterprise Support Initiative of 2010. The project is now getting into full swing with a number of new projects and initiatives being supported, one major aim of which is to analyse and value the economic and social benefits of the ecosystems goods and services provided by the natural environment. Jemma Bere, one of the v, has been working with partners in Blaenau Gwent including the local authority, BTCV, and several community enterprises interested in the establishment of a Native Tree Nursery. Following a competitive tender process, Coed Cymru has been appointed to conduct a feasibility study investigating the potential for community engagement, viability and wealth creation. Jemma has also been workibng with Forestry Commission Wales and consulting with local community groups to explore the economic and social opoortunities offered by the HoV Woodland Plan. In conjunction with Western Valleys Regeneration area, the WECAN project is supporting the Caerau and Brynglas market garden through the planned sustainable draining scheme (SUDS) which will help prepare the area needed for the nursery, working with Groundwork Bridgend Neath Port Talbot, the local authority and community groups. This is being encouraged to link with the food growing project at Maesteg Comprehensive, which is also being supported by WECAN. WECAN has also supported strategic community engagement projects to value the local economy in the Llynfi valley and the Upper Lynfi and Ebbw Fach valley where BTCV-led project is assessimg the economic opportunity for food growing in the area with the potential support of Coleg Gwent. Two preferred bidders have been invited to develop a joint private and third sector proposal to market test and pilot the ‘Blue Green Gym’ concept. This is based on corporate and community products providing ‘memorable outdoor experiences’. ********We wish to congratulate Julie Hannam, the WECAN project officer in the western valleys area, on the birth of her daughter Freya and we look forward to welcoming Julie back in the new year.*********
The Big Pitch was initiated as part of the former Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme when one of the aims was to improve the links between the business community and the four further education Colleges in the Valleys. The inaugural event challenged the students involved to generate ideas for the planned new visitor centre for Rhymney Brewery when it opens in early 2012, adjacent to the Big Pit. This year’s challenge is focused on the Rock UK Summit Centre in Trelewis. Rock UK is a charity and strategic inward investor to Wales whose vision includes transforming the lives of young people through the outdoors. It has just received planning permission for a £2.5 million refurbishment and was keen to hear ideas on their customer offer and marketing, including community engagement, from the 265 students involved in Big Pitch 2011, which was double the number involved in 2010. Support for elements of this year's initiative came through Capita Symonds, Rhymney Brewery, UHOVI (University of the Heads of the Valleys Initiative), the Welsh Government through their Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy, and WECAN. In preparation for the event, teams from Coleg Gwent, Coleg Morgannwg, Merthyr Tydfil College and The College Ystrad Mynach received professional training in marketing, presentation and public relations techniques to develop the skills needed to complete the task ahead of them and visited the Summit Centre to fire their imagination. The Rock UK Summit Centre is on the site of a former drift mine and we look forward to hearing the students’ presentations with the whole initiative enhancing their employability and enterprise skills and addressing WECAN’s aims to engage the private sector and communities to use the environment as a driver for social and economic regeneration. More updated WECAN news can be found at the VRP website which will be periodically updated with our latest news becky.ayers@groundwork.org.uk.