Margam Park And The Glamorgan Ridgeway - ‘MUST DO’ Walks In Wales

[@Didda3]

Lovely place to spend the day at. My late wife had day there two months before passing, picture taken of her being showered by cherry blossom whilst wearing her lovely floral head scarf. Wonderful memories and all our children and grandchildren were there too. Back in 2009.

[@elaineflynn2862]

Loved this video..brought back so many memories of my great, great Grandfather. He was a head Gardener of the Estate and lived in the thatched roof cottage on Ten Acre wood lane until he died ( I think that’s the name now, on the right before turning onto the lane of the Abbey) I remember visiting the stone cottage as a child and having cucumber sandwiches ( crusts off) watching him attend his Bees without wearing protection. Even though I was a young child I remember the ceilings inside the cottage being so low and the walls were all stone. I often drive past the cottage while visiting ( Wales/ Margam) the Abbey to place flowers on the many graves of my family.

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you liked the video and it brought back memories. It is a very beautiful park. Currently, they are using the orangery as a vaccination centre.

[@colinhalliley111]

Your photography is marvelous. Thank you.

[@flydriveexplore]

Many thanks

[@colinhalliley111]

@@flydriveexplore 👍

[@nailedt0thecr0ss]

I really enjoy your documentaries.

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks, glad you liked it.

[@pauljones1350]

Very informative thankyou takes us out and about in wales seems many many hidden places to see thanks to your research well done we would have missed them like many moons ago when went to Margam castle only saw that and surrounds near by

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, there is a lot to see in and around Margam Park, definitely worth going again.

[@maj8301]

Beautifully done, once again. WALES is the land of my forefathers. My Great-Grandfather was from Kidwelly, and my Great-Grandmother was from Aberdare, Glamorganshire. They left that beautiful ancient country to come to America in 1902. I wonder if they ever regretted that decision.

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks. As your great grandfather was from Kidwelly do you know if he was a Welsh speaker? Apparently, there are Welsh heritage centres in Nebraska and Ohio

[@maj8301]

@@flydriveexplore Yes. He spoke both Welsh and English.

[@Lexthebarbarian]

The scenery, the sacred silence and the forsaken monasteries is so atmospheric poetic and a bit sad.

[@shaneiptv7644]

Ur videos brilliant thanks

[@geomorph]

As with other videos, thoroughly interesting.

[@flydriveexplore]

Thank you.

[@barrycrump6189]

Hi Marcus, your wonderful videos have convinced me that I want to move to South Wales. I am seriously thinking about relocating to the Valleys somewhere around Arbertillery so I can have access to the Brecon Beacons and to the wonderful beaches of South Wales. I had a quick scout around the area the other day and I caught a glimpse of the Gaudian of Six Bells statue as I was driving to Llanhilleth. Seeing this unexpected colossus out of the corner of my eye through the trees initially freaked me out, but once I got home and looked it up there is no way anyone could be frightened of a miner, they are like firemen who will always be there for you. I hate the way the miners were treated and even though I am English I always support the Wales rugby team. I will certainly be visiting Porthcawl to try out the capital of Fish & Chip shops.

[@flydriveexplore]

The Brecon Beacons is a great place to love. I remember Miner's Fortnight when I was a kid. It was when all the mines closed for the annual holidays and many came to Porthcawl, the beaches and the fairground were packed. Mel's family and the family on my dad's side were all from the valleys.

[@bryansmith5666]

Great film. So much history on that mountain, have you visited the site of the Bodvoc stone

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks, I was pretty close to it on my last stop but just ran out of time and had to get back before the park closed.

[@peterlewis5670]

very good and interesting Marcus. Im interested in artist JMW Turner he visited Margam in 1795 according to his sketchbook, wonder where he stayed, there is mention of Chapters House. any ideas what this means?

[@flydriveexplore]

I haven't heard of it but the name suggests it was close to the abbey. Apparently, there are only a few buildings which survived the demolition of old Margam village.

[@peterlewis5670]

@@flydriveexplore thanks i havent seen his sketch book but cannot imagine he didnt make some sketches given what you displayed in your excellent video

[@flydriveexplore]

@@peterlewis5670 Thanks, this time last year we were in London looking at some of his work and sketches in Tate Britain, wasn't aware of the Margam connection at the time.

[@peterlewis5670]

@Chris Wings It thank you Chris thats very kind of you and very interesting, You would of thought that the Margam Park estate would use the fact he stayed there as a form of publicity to future visitors, take care and thanks again Peter

[@flydriveexplore]

@Chris Wings It No problems here, the more info the better. talking of Turner, I'm thinking of visiting St Brides and Ewenny Priory which he painted, the problem is many of the places you still can't go inside.

[@dpaudits]

Danish Camp defended enclosure is an interesting example of an Iron Age (c. 800 BC - AD 74) defended farmstead, scooped into the hillside and with a partially surviving outer bank. The site lies at 220m above OD on ground falling to the west, just outside the north-east boundary wall of Margam deer park. The monument consists of a simple oval enclosure, about 42m long from north to south by 33m wide, though the west side is largely destroyed; the area is about 0.1ha. It is defined by a single bank, best preserved on the east where it is 3.5m wide and 0.7m high, an apparent external ditch probably being merely where material has been scooped out to form the bank. The position of the entrance is uncertain. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of late prehistoric agricultural and defensive organisation. The monument forms an important element within the wider Iron Age context (Mynydd Margam is particularly archaeologically rich) and may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to elements such as chronology, building techniques and social organisation. Excavation may reveal much in regard to Iron Age life, as the central enclosed area may be expected to have contained round houses, huts and storage pits. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

[@leighnisbett9691]

David's camp could mean David's stronghold , David's fort or David's home and the higher the camp , stronghold or fort is built the better /safer it's to defend against the other feudal lords of early Wales .

[@NatSatFat]

I thought the hills above Aberavon were all covered with fir trees? but its not great walking! about the ridgewaay marcus, I've followed several vids on youtube about this, seems very popular subject, its supposed to go all the way from Caerphilly to Margam? and its supposed to be very ancient. but I have a problem with this? it is definetly not the same as the south downs ridgeway on the south of england, which on the top of the hills continously for maybe 50 miles? the glamorgan ridgeway marked on maps (from C to M maybe about 30 miles as the crow flys) but yes there are still very old gouged out paths on the top of some hills? but these are not long, they drop down into a valley very frequently? so the whole ridgeway is an up and then down jount along the top of hills then down on the valley bottom to go up another hill, so I doubt this could be a usable important route, like the official explanation? it is too hard a walk, I've been on some of it, but not all. You need to do this research as you are brill at it.

[@dpaudits]

Hope this information helps my friend.

[@flydriveexplore]

Cheers 👍