Taff Bargoed
Encyclopedia
The Taff Bargoed Valley is a river valley
near Pontypridd
in South Wales
, and lies off the Abercynon
roundabout on the A470 road
, and is approximately 14 miles from Cardiff
. The main settlements are Nelson, Edwardsville
, Quakers Yard
, Treharris
, Trelewis
, and Bedlinog
. The valley is situated where the three County Boroughs of Caerphilly
, Rhondda Cynon Taff
, and Merthyr Tydfil
meet.
Originally a collection of farms, from the early 1800s the valley was industrialised through coal mining
, developing a rich Industrial heritage
. During the Industrial Revolution
the area was home to the Trelewis Drift Mine, the Taff Merthyr and the Deep Navigation
colleries.
Since the coal mines closed in the 1980s, the valley has been extensively redeveloped, becoming a haven for wildlife such as Red Kites and otters. At the heart of the valley is Parc Taf Bargoed which is popular with visitors and locals alike. As well as rugby
and football facilities, there are a Trim Trail and heritage walks. The park also has a popular fishing lake, used by the Taff Bargoed Anglers and weir
pools which are used by the Aberfan Canoe
Club and rapidly becoming an internationally recognised venue for canoe polo
and canoe slalom.
River Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
near Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, and lies off the Abercynon
Abercynon
Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering...
roundabout on the A470 road
A470 road
The A470 is a major long-distance connective spine road in Wales, running from Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast. It covers approximately 186 miles , over a zig-zagging route through the entirety of the country's mountainous central region, including the Brecon Beacons and...
, and is approximately 14 miles from Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. The main settlements are Nelson, Edwardsville
Edwardsville
Edwardsville is the name of several places in the United States:*Edwardsville, Alabama*Edwardsville, Illinois*Edwardsville, Indiana*Edwardsville, Kansas*Edwardsville, Pennsylvaniaand a place in Wales*Edwardsville, Merthyr Tydfil...
, Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard
Quakers Yard is a village in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, situated where the Taff Bargoed Valley joins the Taff Valley. Quakers Yard is part of the community of Treharris.-History:...
, Treharris
Treharris
Treharris is a small town and community in the Taff Bargoed Valley in the south of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. It is located around 1 km west of Trelewis, from which it is separated by the Taff Bargoed river, and 1.5 km from Nelson in Caerphilly county borough and...
, Trelewis
Trelewis
Trelewis is a small village in the Taff Bargoed Valley of south-east Wales, currently located in the southern part of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council area...
, and Bedlinog
Bedlinog
Bedlinog is a small village located in the Taff Bargoed Valley 10 km north of Pontypridd, 10 km west of Caerphilly and 10 km south east of Merthyr Tydfil in south-east Wales...
. The valley is situated where the three County Boroughs of Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Rhondda Cynon Taf, or RCT, is a county borough in the South Wales Valleys of Wales. It consists of 3 valleys: the Rhondda Valley, Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely Valley...
, and Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
meet.
Originally a collection of farms, from the early 1800s the valley was industrialised through coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
, developing a rich Industrial heritage
Industrial heritage
Industrial heritage is an aspect of cultural heritage dealing specifically with the buildings and artifacts of industry which are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations, often forming a significant attraction for tourism.The...
. During the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
the area was home to the Trelewis Drift Mine, the Taff Merthyr and the Deep Navigation
Deep Navigation Colliery
Deep Navigation Colliery was a coal mine in South Wales, that operated from 1872 until 1991.Located next to the co-developed village of Treharris in the borough of Merthyr Tydfil, on development it was the deepest coalmine in South Wales Coalfield by some...
colleries.
Since the coal mines closed in the 1980s, the valley has been extensively redeveloped, becoming a haven for wildlife such as Red Kites and otters. At the heart of the valley is Parc Taf Bargoed which is popular with visitors and locals alike. As well as rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and football facilities, there are a Trim Trail and heritage walks. The park also has a popular fishing lake, used by the Taff Bargoed Anglers and weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
pools which are used by the Aberfan Canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
Club and rapidly becoming an internationally recognised venue for canoe polo
Canoe polo
Canoe Polo is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak...
and canoe slalom.