Once, flashes of light from great blast furnaces illuminated the hills of Monmouthshire at night, roaring along to the thud of monster steam hammers.
Now, all is quiet in the Brecon Beacons, save for the tramp of the hiker’s boot, the whistling wind and the whirr of cyclists.
Apparently, Shakespeare was inspired to write A Midsummer Night’s Dream after a visit to the caves at Cwm Clydach or Clydach Gorge.
Enjoy a view of the river as it descends almost 700ft over little-visited waterfalls and cascades, leading to the eerie ruins of Clydach Ironworks and an old iron tramway bridge, beneath which a hardy few enjoy peaceful swims.
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The Warkworth Hermitage is a cave where a hermit lived as penance for an accidental double killing. Annunciata Elwes explains
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Annunciata Elwes looks at the myths and legends surrounding St Lythans chambered long barrow.
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What is everyone talking about this week? Is this British wine’s best year yet?Wineries are expanding and tourism is booming.
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The not-so-ugly duckling: What to know about the quirky Irish water spanielWith its curly topknot, ‘rat-tail’ and boundless energy for water, the Irish water spaniel is a breed apart. Quirky, clever and affectionate, it has been winning hearts for centuries — even if it still gets mistaken for a poodle.
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Covehithe beach, Suffolk, where the cliffs crumble like cakeThe most eroded beach in Britain has a post-apocalyptic feel.
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Royston Cave, Hertfordshire: A mysterious site full of sacred energyOur Secret Britain series continues with a Hertofrdshire cave whose true nature remains unknown.
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John Bunting War Memorial Chapel, Scotch Corner: The painstaking transformation of rubble to War MemorialAnnunciata Elwes celebrates the effort that turned a derelict house into a memorial.
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The Garden of Cosmic Speculation: The surreal space where Lewis Carroll and Willy Wonka meet Capability BrownSurrealism, philosophy, nature and gardening come together at the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, as Annunciata Elwes explains.
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The Airman’s Grave, Ashdown Forest: A touching and little-known memorial to victims of war and fateA wartime tragedy in East Sussex's Ashdown Forest is among our Secret Britain picks, as chosen by Annunciata Elwes.
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St Lythans chambered long barrow, Vale of Glamorgan: A place to make a Halloween wishAnnunciata Elwes looks at the myths and legends surrounding St Lythans chambered long barrow.
