tourism brochure 2011_Layout 1 - Destination RCT - Rhondda ...

WWW.DESTINATIONRCT.CO.UKBlazing a trailRhondda Cynon Taf has a rich heritage, and our walking and driving trails have been speciallycreated to help visitors uncover as much of the past as possible. Along the way you willdiscover castle ruins, fascinating facts and our series of Blue Plaques, dedicated to renownedfigures such as the eccentric druid Dr William Price and boxing champ Freddie Welsh.WalkingLlantrisantHeritage TrailThe ancient town ofLlantrisant centres aroundthe Bull Ring, an imposingsquare with a statue ofcremation pioneer DrWilliam Price. From herethe trail winds pastfascinating buildings suchas ‘Y Pwysty’, or the Weighing House, andthe Guildhall, which was used for the‘Hundred Court’. It also stops at CastleGreen, where visitors can see the stocks anda memorial plaque to the local longbow menwho fought in the Battle of Crecy in 1346.AberdareHeritage TrailAberdare dates back tomedieval times, whileartefacts from the Neolithicand Bronze Ages andRoman times have beenfound locally. In 1801 thepopulation stood at just1,486, but by 1921 hadexploded to more than 55,000 thanks to theincrease in iron manufacture in places likeHirwaun and Abernant and the rapidlyexpanding Cynon Valley coal industry.Aberdare’s walking trail starts at the MarketHall, next to which used to be the town’sslaughterhouse! The route also includesQueen Mary’s Cottage, a miner’s cottagevisited in 1912 by King George V andQueen Mary.PontypriddHeritage TrailAlthough not an old town,Pontypridd has aninteresting history stemmingfrom the building of itslandmark bridge over theRiver Taff in 1756.Pontypridd reaped thebenefits of the coal industryand in 1818 opened its chainworks to meetthe demand for chain cable. The last chainmade here was destined for the QE2! Thetown trail takes in the Brunel Viaduct, theMusicians’ Mural and the railway station,which for many years had the longestplatform in Britain.Driving trailA series of four drivingtrails that will enable theuser to discover theheritage of the area.Find the terminus ofRichard Trevithick's firstever steam rail journey,-twenty years beforeStevenson; the grave of thelegendary runner, Guto Nythbran; theremains of the Powerhouse which were thefocal point of the Tonypandy Riots and manymore interesting locations that are part of therich heritage of the area.Brochures for all walking and driving trails are free and are available byemailing tourismenquiry@rctcbc.gov.uk 01443 42405227