With three playgrounds, sculptures, picnic tables, stunning views, woodland walks, and even a brief hike to see an iron age hill fortress, Cwmcarn Forest Drive is nicely price a go to.
Only a half hour drive from Cardiff, and a 10-minute drive from Junction 28 of the M4, guests pay £8 to take their automotive (extra for buses) across the seven-mile drive, with seven areas to park up at and discover.
We’ve been to the adjoining Cwmcarn Customer Centre just a few instances beforehand and had a good time (you may learn extra about that right here) however sadly the Forest Drive was closed between 2015 and 2021 when round 150,000 disease-infected bushes wanted to be felled.
Now, nevertheless, it’s re-opened and we had been thrilled to lastly get to expertise it for ourselves on a latest household time out.
Travelling a technique across the hillside roadways, you may cease off at as much as seven totally different areas, every with its personal distinctive allure.
Some areas are extra tranquil, with beautiful views throughout the valley to understand, whereas others are aimed extra at households with play amenities and sculptures.
There are three totally different playgrounds, all with beautiful views. The most important playground is on the fourth cease and has a lot to do for youngsters of all ages, together with climbing frames, slides, basket swings, zip wires and extra. There are many picnic tables on this spot too and, as with elsewhere on the forest drive, lots of them have built-in stands for disposable barbecues.
A few of the areas have sculptures too. The primary stopping level has an oak chair with the story of Culwch and Olwen from the Mabinigion carved into it, whereas the third cease has a number of woodland animals created from wire and crammed with pine cones, in addition to a den constructing space and a wood gazebo overlooking the valley.
The ultimate cease affords a gateway to the Twmbarlwm iron age hillfort. The uphill stroll is round a mile however it’s slightly steep in components. It’s price it for the beautiful views throughout Newport and Cwmbran and even out to the Bristol channel, in addition to to see the stays of the hillfort, which is believed to have been constructed by the Silures, the Celtic tribe who inhabited the realm earlier than and through Roman instances. When you’re planning on together with the hill climb then bear in mind to pack applicable footwear and clothes.
It’s price selecting up a map on the entrance so you may familiarise your self with what to anticipate alongside the way in which. The drive is a technique so when you miss a spot you may’t return sadly. There are bathrooms at 4 of the stops in addition to the customer centre, and the bulk is accessible for wheelchairs and buggies (aside from the Twmbarlwm climb).
The typical go to lasts two hours based on the web site however the picnic tables and barbecue spots in addition to the totally different stops imply you would simply spend for much longer there, particularly when you mix it with a visit to Cwmcarn Customer Centre. Right here you’ll discover a café, reward store, bathrooms, a big pond, bug motels, and one other playground. It’s also the start line for a number of walks, with one thing to swimsuit all ranges, together with a 1.2 mile round wildlife explorer problem stroll the place youngsters can discover 21 particular posts devoted to wildlife discovered within the space, a one mile stroll across the Nantcarn Lake, a 1.2 mile bluebell stroll, in addition to longer walks of six and 9 miles.
When you’re on the lookout for one thing a little bit extra adventurous then Cwmcarn can be house to mountain bike trails. Two are pink graded ‘tough’ trails and one ‘excessive’. Within the phrases of the web site, “they don’t seem to be for the faint hearted” however they’re free to journey and open all yr. The web site additionally has particulars of water sports activities accessible on the lake.
You possibly can even ebook one of many glamping pods or lodges on the Cwmcarn Customer Centre website and keep for a few days. Extra info on availability and costs on the web site.
Have you ever visited Cwmcarn Forest Drive? Let me know within the feedback under, on the Cardiff Mummy Says Fb web page or you may tweet me on @cardiffmummy
I’ve additionally posted about Cwmcarn Forest Drive on the Cardiff Mummy Says Instagram channel. Look out for my Reel and grid publish.
For extra concepts of native family-friendly days out, go to the Cardiff part of Cardiff Mummy Says, or verify on Instagram try my Reels, grid posts and Story highlights (Native Occasions and Native Days Out specifically).
Go to the Cwmcarn Forest Drive web site for extra info.
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