Index

From Rhydyfelin to Castell Coch along the Taff Trail


I've just started climbing from Nantgarw Road. In the foreground is Nantgarw. In the middle ground is Rhydyfelin. In the distance is Pontypridd, and beyond that . . . well, the tall mountain with the flat top looks like Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, but I wouldn't swear to that.
Looking back to where I just came. That's how far I got up the hill before stopping
And that's where I'm going
The village of Gwaelod Y Garth. The hill is Garth Mountain, most famous as the hill that Hugh Grant went up and the mountain he came down.
I've just started climbing from Nantgarw Road. In the foreground is Nantgarw. In the middle ground is Rhydyfelin. In the distance is Pontypridd, and beyond that . . . well, the tall mountain with the flat top looks like Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, but I wouldn't swear to that. Looking back to where I just came. That's how far I got up the hill before stopping And that's where I'm going The village of Gwaelod Y Garth. The hill is Garth Mountain, most famous as the hill that Hugh Grant went up and the mountain he came down.

Same view as before, first climb finished. It's now a nice flat ride for a mile, before the real climb starts
The signpost for the Ty Rhiw exit from the trail. I won't be taking it.
Looking back again. That's how far I got up this climb. A lot of pushing ahead.
Looking back. I'm now sitting on a welcome bench.
Same view as before, first climb finished. It's now a nice flat ride for a mile, before the real climb starts The signpost for the Ty Rhiw exit from the trail. I won't be taking it. Looking back again. That's how far I got up this climb. A lot of pushing ahead. Looking back. I'm now sitting on a welcome bench.

A junction. We want to go right, both to stay on the Trail, and to go down to Castell Coch. Left is a footpath over to the Rhymney valley.
A close-up of the juncion, and the Dream Machine.
Cruel, cruel, cruel. Castell Coch is down there. Which means I have to come back up here on the way back, and I was too scared to even ride down this slope.
We're here. This is Castell Coch, The Red Castle. Built in the 1870s on 13th century foundations by the 3rd Marquis of Bute, at the time one of the richest men in the world.
A junction. We want to go right, both to stay on the Trail, and to go down to Castell Coch. Left is a footpath over to the Rhymney valley. A close-up of the juncion, and the Dream Machine. Cruel, cruel, cruel. Castell Coch is down there. Which means I have to come back up here on the way back, and I was too scared to even ride down this slope. We're here. This is Castell Coch, The Red Castle. Built in the 1870s on 13th century foundations by the 3rd Marquis of Bute, at the time one of the richest men in the world.

Castell Coch again. The architect was William Burges, also the man behind Cardiff Castle.
The courtyard, from one of the alcoves
The balcony around the courtyard
One of the towers
Castell Coch again. The architect was William Burges, also the man behind Cardiff Castle. The courtyard, from one of the alcoves The balcony around the courtyard One of the towers

An arrow slit
The main entrance, from the courtyard. Decidedly non-mediaeval ticket office to the left, rather nice cafe to the right. This photo was taken about 5 minutes before I got on the outside of a cup of coffee and a jam-n-cream scone.
One of the three bedrooms, this one belonging to the Marquess's daughter. The other two bedrooms are even more impressive, but my camera decided to run out of batteries at this point.
An arrow slit The main entrance, from the courtyard. Decidedly non-mediaeval ticket office to the left, rather nice cafe to the right. This photo was taken about 5 minutes before I got on the outside of a cup of coffee and a jam-n-cream scone. One of the three bedrooms, this one belonging to the Marquess's daughter. The other two bedrooms are even more impressive, but my camera decided to run out of batteries at this point.