At the start of the nineteenth century The Taff Bargoed Valley was home to a few scattered hill farms

By 1925 the population had risen to over 10,000, mostly miners attracted by the expansion of the coal
mining industry into the valley as the British Empire demanded ever more coal, iron and steel.

It is probably no exaggeration to say that the British Empire was built on the sweat and blood of the Welsh coal mining industry.

At its height the three main pits in the valley (Deep Navigation; Taff Merthyr; and Trelewis Drift) worked day and night producing coal, the Bargoed Taff river ran black with coal dust and the area was surrounded by heaps of mine waste. When mining finished in the mid nineties the valley was left a black waste-land, a scar not only on the landscape but in the minds of the community who had been intimatly involved with the mines for generations.

Parc Taf Bargoed was developed with all the communities involved from the very begining, the community saw an opportunity to create a living green space for themselves and their children, Parc Taf Bargoed was born from this desire.
                                          



The coal mines have gone, the once black river is home for dippers and wagtails, the pit heaps that marred the skyline have been replaced with wooded hillsides. Climbers come from around the country to the Welsh International Climbing Centre located on the old site of the Taff Merthyr Colliery between Trelewis and Bedlinog. The centre has one of the largest indoor climbing walls in the country and offers all sorts of other sports and activities.
With help from European and millennium funds the three pit sites have been transformed into a country park, lakes, walks and bike trails. Increasingly the valley attracts a new type of visitor.
The Taff Bargoed Valley is situated within the Brecon Beacons National Park and comprises the town of Treharris and the villages of Trelewis and Bedlinog.

Recent news - 18 Dec 2009

Lottery Success for Parc Taf Bargoed

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council is delighted to announce that it has secured two major grants for a project, which aims to develop environment and heritage activities in Parc Taf Bargoed, Trelewis. 

A sum of £321,173 has been secured from the Big Lottery Fund’s People & Places Programme and a further £350,000 is expected from the Heads of the Valleys Programme. 

The Communities Changing Landscapes project will create three new full-time jobs and extend the existing Parc Pavilion to establish a Heritage, Environment and Visitor Centre.  It will also fund a pilot project to develop informal play to involve children more in what happens in the Park.  It will also benefit the local community by improving the offer of nature activities and by promoting the local network of trails to encourage people to walk and cycle more.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council developed the Taff Bargoed Regeneration Strategy in 2006, and this project is a key part of that strategy.  The project will be delivered in conjunction with Taff Bargoed Regeneration Partnership and the Tri County Play Association and will work closely with the Friends of Parc Taf Bargoed and the Taff Bargoed Communities First Partnership. 

Tony Rogers, Deputy Leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Portfolio Councillor for Customer Community Services, said: “This is wonderful news which will bring benefits and opportunities to the people of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough.  It will attract visitors from afar to enjoy our wonderful countryside and is yet another fine example of the good work being carried out by the Council to secure investments to bring 21st century facilities to the County Borough”.   

For further information contact: Taff Bargoed Regeneration Manager, Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN, call 01685 725474, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit:

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