Dare Valley Country Park and Gravity Family Bike Park — Attraction in Aberdare West

We stayed at the campsite recently and we were pleased with it. The toilets were clean and the campsite was small but nice with everything you needed. The visitor centre with the cafe and seating area was great, the food in the cafe was good, especially for a cafe in a park. The toilets were clean and free to use. Although we never noticed the Ranger team the whole park was fairly clean and tidy and seemed pretty well looked after.

The park itself was a lovely place to walk around with a variety of trails for different abilities and plenty of space and facilities for kids to play and explore. We didn't use the large off road cycling track but it looked really great and fantastic to have that feature there and it seemed popular. Bike rental and extra cafe too. Parts of the park feel very rural and wild and there were some very nice little wooded paths with lovely old trees as well as pieces of newer woodland. The small section of ancient woodland at the end of the park under the Cwm is wonderful. Fantastic views and enough space to be alone but knowing facilities were never too far off. Campsite and Park dog friendly.

Minuses would be that the map of the site needs updating. It includes features that no longer exist but missed off several key features that did like the mining artifacts like the wheels which are key landmarks. Many of the paths also weren't on the map so it was slightly confusing to navigate as the map only shows the 3 official trails! Very odd. The perigrin viewing platform also no longer exists but is still labelled on the map...

I have been using Dare Valley Country Parc for decades, the park itself has some amazing view if you walk behind and off the beaten track towards the sealed entrance to pit number 5. There is also the show of the resident birds of pray with full details located towards the upper end of the park, to get there, at the cascade take the left track and follow it until you get to a switch back road just down from the wheel, then stay left and continue until the end upon which you will see a small bridge slightly to your right, go up that and take a seat in the tranquility of the location. Here you will find an amazing detailed table left by the parks watchers. Only wear daps aka trainers if the ground is bone dry otherwise you will need good quality mountain boots to protect your ankles on the uneven ground. If you leave the bridge area and continue to the left or right as you come down from the area, and continue around until you are faced with a near vertical hump rising to approximately ten feet; climb this and you will be met with a beautiful area and a cracking view of the valley leading back towards the cascade! In essence, go explore, just make sure you take plenty of fluid with you and make sure that your mobile is...

A little gem found in South Wales. 3 walks (photos posted from the yellow walk) for different abilities. Lakes are pushchair and wheelchair accessible. 2 play areas - 1 for littlies and a larger one for bigger children (my son is 9 and enjoyed it) - unfortunately they are not together. Cafe - hot and cold snacks and drinks at reasonable prices. Reception has lots of leaflets. Unfortunately the staff in this part were quite brusque. We stayed at the campsite - don't bother trying to find reception, just phone the number on the gate when you arrive to get through to the lovely staff. Choose your own pitch. New shower and toilet blocks - gender specific plus family bathrooms. Washing up facilities and laundry (1 washing machine and 1 tumble dryer) which you need to purchase tokens for but nothing to say cost. They could do with more signage as facilities aren't obvious (behind the grey double doors which look like staff only 😂)! Very quiet campsite - when we stayed there was no noise after 9pm and then quiet in thr morning. Obviously this depends on the other campers. Worth booking as a one night so over or good to explore...