Torfaen a rich and varied countryside
Torfaen is a beautiful area occupying the most eastern of the South Wales valleys, well known as an area that holds a warm welcome with great diversity in terms of its landscape, biodiversity, history and cultural heritage.
The area has lots to offer whether you are a visitor, or are fortunate enough to live in the County Borough.
The landscape is certainly one of contrasts with steep sided valleys, rolling agricultural fields, heather moorland, unimproved grasslands and diverse post industrial land in the north and mid valley areas. We have ancient woodlands; interesting water bodies, such as the Afon Lwyd, Garn Lakes and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal; wildlife; rich urban greenspace; and parkland, one famous example being Pontypool Park.
There are also great opportunities to interpret the area's rich historical and cultural heritage with traditional agricultural field patterns at Cwmavon; the industrial landscape of the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon, including Blaenavon Ironworks, Big Pit and the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway; Griffithstown Railway Museum and Pontypool Museum in Pontypool; and Greenmeadow Community Farm and Llanyravon Mill in Cwmbran.