0:00:02 > 0:00:05It's not Weatherman Walking this week. It's Weatherman Haunting.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07I don't believe in ghosts.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Do you? DISTANT HOWL
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Wales is full of history and hidden surprises,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37so this week I'll be pulling over, parking up
0:00:37 > 0:00:41and walking around two special sites that are well worth a stop.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Later on, I'll be having a spooky time visiting the magnificent
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Margam Castle near Port Talbot.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53But first, I'm taking a devilishly good walk
0:00:53 > 0:00:56around some spectacular countryside
0:00:56 > 0:00:58in the heart of Mid Wales.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03There are so many beautiful and hidden places in Wales,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06but this one is really special.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10In fact, legend has it that the devil himself came here to take a look.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18We're heading to Ceredigion and the beauty spot of Devil's Bridge,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21or Pontarfynach - The Bridge on the River Mynach.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Starting on the famous bridge, we leave the village
0:01:24 > 0:01:26and make our way through the Rheidol Valley
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and wind our way down to the valley floor.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32It's then a hefty climb up and out to Parson's Bridge,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35and on to the tranquil Ysbyty Cynfyn,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40before making our way back to Devil's Bridge, a limb-busting eight miles.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47My guide is local girl Lisa Jenkins.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50She loves a good walk and a good challenge,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and after tracking all over the hills here,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56she then hiked all the way up to Everest base camp.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58I hope she takes it easy with me.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02It's an amazing place, isn't it?
0:02:02 > 0:02:05It's beautiful, isn't it? And if we head over to the bridge
0:02:05 > 0:02:09and have a look, you can see the sheer drop and the scale of it.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12That's spectacular, isn't it?
0:02:13 > 0:02:16The way the water's carved its way through the rocks.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20It's just thousands and thousands of years of the water,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24obviously such a steep drop, and the power of the water as well.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Creating this wonderful gorge.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Devil's Bridge is actually three bridges
0:02:28 > 0:02:32built on top of each other, and gets its name from a local legend
0:02:32 > 0:02:35claiming that the bottom bridge was built by the devil
0:02:35 > 0:02:38in return for the soul of the first person that crossed it.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42In reality, it was more the hand of God that helped,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45as it was built by monks in the 11th century.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49It's such a shame, Lisa, but I bet you half the people who drive
0:02:49 > 0:02:53over this bridge have no idea what's below them.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56- I know, they should get out of their cars more.- They should.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59This area has also been attracting attention
0:02:59 > 0:03:02through an award-winning Welsh detective series,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04where the dramatic landscape
0:03:04 > 0:03:07became the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23So we've come to the Hafod Hotel.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25You might recognise it from a TV programme.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28- Yes, it featured in Hinterland. Y Gwyll.- Yeah, that's it.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31So in the programme it was a bit of a mysterious old children's home,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33but actually it was a former hunting lodge,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and is now a family-run hotel.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Great views looking towards the Cambrian Mountains.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39- Shall we carry on?- OK.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Built in 1787 by the squire of the Hafod Estate,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49it was later converted into a Swiss style chateau,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and still has an air of the Swiss Alps about it today.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And just around the corner is another part of the valley's history
0:03:56 > 0:03:59which is still going strong in the 21st century.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03So here's the Vale of Rheidol Railway.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05You can come all the way up from Aberystwyth on it.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- Bet it's a very popular tourist spot. - Yeah, it's brilliant.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11It's a nice journey, but we're not going to take the train today, Derek.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14- We're going to carry on walking, I'm afraid.- That's a shame.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19The railway opened in 1902,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22carrying minerals and timber to Aberystwyth.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25But soon after, the mines closed, and instead of timber,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28the train was soon loaded up with tourists,
0:04:28 > 0:04:29and still is today.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Leaving the roads, we join the Borth to Pontarfynach walk,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and break out into the stunning Rheidol Valley.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- Ah, no more traffic. - No, peace and quiet.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43For the next few hours, anyway.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47- Look at those rolling hills. - They're beautiful, aren't they?
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Look at the nice view of the Rheidol. We'll be down there soon,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58- right next to it.- Quite high up, aren't we?- Yeah, we are,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02and we've got to walk down and back up by the end of the walk.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- Oh, I don't like the sound of that. - So I hope you're ready for it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- What was it like growing up around here, then?- Yeah, it was lovely.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19It was a really nice childhood, and this was basically our back yard,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22because my grandmother's farm is just the other side of that hill,
0:05:22 > 0:05:28so yeah, we had all of this to play around in, which was wonderful.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- Ah, we're just in time for the train.- Ooh!
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Shall we stop and wave at them?
0:05:37 > 0:05:39As the train heads home to Aberystwyth,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43we head downhill to explore more of this beautiful area.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- Nice spot.- It's lovely, isn't it?
0:05:57 > 0:06:00How about a little sit down and a rest?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- Somebody's put it here just for us. - They have. And look at that view.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- Perfect.- Oh, it's gorgeous, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08You know, I never tire of that view. It's just...
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Yeah, even though I live in Llandeilo now,
0:06:11 > 0:06:12this feels just like home.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15You can see the shape of the valley here, the V-shaped valley,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18all the trees, all the different colours.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21It's lovely, isn't it? But we can't sit around here all day, Derek.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23We've got to carry on walking, I'm afraid.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29The Rheidol Valley is home to sessile oak trees,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31or Welsh oaks as we call them
0:06:31 > 0:06:33after being designated our national tree.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Next it's time to cross the railway track,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42so please, follow the warnings and look both ways before crossing.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50So we're just coming to the Rheidol River now, Derek.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Flowing down from the mountains, from Plynlimon.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58The Rheidol is one of the swiftest rivers in Britain,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01dropping 1,700 feet in 28 miles,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05making it one of the shortest, steepest river descents in the world.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15This area is bursting with natural resources, but it comes with a price.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- So what's going on here?- Well, we've got the nice spot at the river,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22but unfortunately as well we have the remains
0:07:22 > 0:07:24of the mining in the area, cos 100 years ago,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28this area was big in lead mining. So you've got the set-up here -
0:07:28 > 0:07:30the mines are still polluting the rivers,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and this is to filter out the water and get it back clean.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It's good to know they're doing something positive about the pollution.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Well, yeah, they're working hard and making it safer for people to come down and enjoy.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- Which is what it's all about. - Exactly.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The Rheidol Valley is rich in history,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51but sadly most visitors don't leave Devil's Bridge and the waterfalls.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54So the locals have been working hard to change all that.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59This area is absolutely stunning,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and yet you don't get many people coming out here.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04They tend to stick around the waterfalls, don't they?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Yeah, it is a beautiful area, and some great walks as well.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10And it's been designated as a Walkers Are Welcome area.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12It's just encouraging more people to get out there,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15and a lot of hard work has been put in by local businesses
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and local people to get people knowing more about it.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23And after walking down into the steep valley,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25it seems to me there is only one way out.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29So there's something I haven't told you yet, Derek.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32We've got a bit of a climb coming ahead of us.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34- I'm not going up there! - You're going to have to.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39And there's something else I didn't mention - this is where we used to practise to go to Everest base camp.
0:08:39 > 0:08:40- Everest base camp?- Yeah. - SHE LAUGHS
0:08:40 > 0:08:43So there are no Sherpas here, I'm afraid.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- We're going to have to walk it. - Oh, go on, then.- Come on.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- Does it go on for long like this? - Erm...a little while.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Shall we have a little rest here before we head on?
0:09:05 > 0:09:07I think we should.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08By here?
0:09:08 > 0:09:13- Yeah, and there's a lovely view of the hotel here as well.- Oh, yes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Tell me, what was it like climbing up to Everest base camp?
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Yeah, it was brilliant. And it was an experience,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22so something my dad always wanted to do, and needed the company,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25so I said I'd go along with him.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27And here's perfect terrain for the training.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Got some pictures to show you here as well.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33So there's me at base camp.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- Oh, yes.- And then me and Dad on the way.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Bit different to Cwm Rheidol. - Yeah, just a little bit!
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- Must have been an awesome experience for you.- It was, yeah,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43and something I'd like to go back and do, really.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45You probably don't take it all in the first time,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48so yeah, maybe one day.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I think we've caught our breath back. Shall we head on?
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Yeah, where's my Sherpa? SHE LAUGHS
0:09:53 > 0:09:57- We've left him at home, I'm afraid. - Come on, then. One last push.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- HE SIGHS - We've made it.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Well, it's not quite Everest base camp,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13but it kind of feels like it.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14- SHE LAUGHS - Come on.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Leaving the steep valley behind, we break out into the huge landscapes,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24and this is what I really love about the Cambrian Mountains -
0:10:24 > 0:10:28the rolling hills and vast open spaces.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31# It's a beautiful day
0:10:31 > 0:10:34# It's a beautiful day
0:10:34 > 0:10:38# One beautiful mistake... #
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Oh, look, there's the train.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Yeah, it's making its way to Devil's Bridge at the moment.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Is it always on time? - Like clockwork, every day.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Well, the sun may be shining, but it's really blustery today.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52This wind has come from the west -
0:10:52 > 0:10:54it's got a real chill to it, hasn't it?
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I know, and as well as that, it's not doing my hair any favours today.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- You need the extra strong hairspray. - Let's go.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04# It's a beautiful day
0:11:05 > 0:11:08# Go and claim your place
0:11:08 > 0:11:12# Oh, cos this is how you find your way... #
0:11:15 > 0:11:17A few fans of Weatherman Walking here.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20There is. And we're going to head off the track and into the field to join them now.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- Hello.- Seem quiet enough.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- This is a lovely old bridge. - It's called Parson's Bridge,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and it was used by the parsons as a short-cut
0:11:54 > 0:11:57from Llanbadarn Fawr to Ysbyty Cynfyn.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00And until 1950, it was just a wooden plank,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04and a man was paid six pence a day in danger money to maintain it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Just six pence a day?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Well, looking at that drop, I'm glad they replaced it.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Otherwise, I'd still be stuck on the other side.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Ooh, it's getting a bit steeper again.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I'm afraid we've got to get out of the gorge
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- and tackle another Everest climb, I'm afraid, Derek. - HE SIGHS
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Come on. We'll get there.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- My heart's still beating. - That's always a good sign!
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And out in the open, we find ourselves surrounded by red kites.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49During the Middle Ages, Ysbyty Cynfyn was a monastic hospice
0:12:49 > 0:12:53run by the Knights Hospitallers of St John,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56providing care for the pilgrims making their way to St David's.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But even in these beautiful surroundings,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09the churchyard holds a tragic reminder
0:13:09 > 0:13:11of how tough times could be.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16It's a sad story,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20and it's the grave of the first recorded quads,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24which all died within six days of being born.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26But within a month, they also lost her daughter,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28her son and her husband.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30It's very sad, isn't it?
0:13:30 > 0:13:33What an ordeal for that woman, to lose all her family.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Basically, I think, you know, it's probably down to
0:13:35 > 0:13:38something like typhoid, but no-one really knows.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42And it's just a tragedy. How would you survive and carry on after that?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47And with the sun setting,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50we begin our final push back to Devil's Bridge.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54So no more hills, and only a couple of miles to go, Derek.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Well, thanks very much, Lisa, for a fascinating and challenging walk.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01I think my legs will be aching for a week after those climbs.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04And I may not be heading to Everest base camp any time soon,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06but who needs the Himalayas
0:14:06 > 0:14:09when you've got all this right on your doorstep?
0:14:13 > 0:14:18And if you fancy trying this, or any of our walks, go to our website...
0:14:21 > 0:14:25It's got route information and maps for you to print off,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29or you can download it onto your tablet and take it with you.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36Next I'm at Margam Castle, just east of Port Talbot.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38This was the home of the Talbot family,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40who gave their name to the town.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42As you can see, they weren't short of a bob or two.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47There's lots of history here, and some people say it's haunted as well.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Margam Park is just off the M4 near to Port Talbot.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56The walk starts at the car park before visiting the ruined abbey
0:14:56 > 0:14:58and the orangery next door.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Then we walk up past Margam Castle into the woods,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and an old iron age hillfort.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Then we follow the woodland trail up to a ruined church,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11before retracing our steps back to the castle where we started.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14It's just over 3.5 miles in total.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21My guide is James Cowan.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23He used to haunt the Welsh Assembly,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26but now concentrates on organising walks,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28especially the spooky variety.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45The first stop on our walk takes us to the ruins of Margam Abbey.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47It dates from about 1147,
0:15:47 > 0:15:52and was once one of the most powerful monasteries in south Wales,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55with 50,000 acres of land and hundreds of monks.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Well, this is the chapter house.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02I mean, this was the business heart of the abbey, if you like.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Very important abbey in its day. So every day,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07the monks would be brought in here in the morning.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09The abbot would be seated,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and they would be given their orders for the day.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Sometimes punishments if they hadn't been seen to be pulling their weight
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and worshipping with the fervour that they were supposed to.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- And when did it all come to an end? - Well, it was the 1530s.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26King Henry VIII decided to split from the Roman Catholic Church,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28and he became head of the Church in this country,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31and shortly after that, all the abbeys and monasteries
0:16:31 > 0:16:34throughout the land were dissolved, including Margam.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- And I have to ask - is it haunted? - Well, it could well be.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41You see, the bodies of the abbots were laid to rest
0:16:41 > 0:16:44underneath where we're standing. For many, many years
0:16:44 > 0:16:47people are said to have seen what looked like spirits of monks
0:16:47 > 0:16:51standing in this area or wandering around. So who knows?
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- I should avoid coming here at night then?- Ah, you'd love it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04This corner of Margam Park is full of wonderful old buildings.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Next door to the abbey is one with a fruity history.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11# Follow me, don't follow me
0:17:11 > 0:17:15# I've got my spine I've got my orange crush
0:17:15 > 0:17:17# Collar me... #
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- Well, this is lovely. What is it? - This is the Margam Orangery.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Built in the 1780s,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and it is the longest orangery in the whole of Britain,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28and possibly one of the longest, if not the longest, in Europe.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31And it was built by the Mansel Talbot family
0:17:31 > 0:17:34as part of their pleasure garden that they designed for this place.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37And it would have been filled with orange and lemon trees.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- So where are the orange trees now? - Not in this building,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43but they are kept just around the corner in the greenhouses.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Do you want to see?- OK.- Come on.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49The citrus house was built in 1800,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53and has recently been restored to its original condition.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57- Here we are.- The citrus house. - This is the citrus house,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00and the first thing that hits you is the heat, doesn't it, in here?
0:18:00 > 0:18:03All this glass keeping in the heat,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07because this place is for propagating orange trees,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10lemon trees, and so it needs the shelter from the elements.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- But can you smell it as well? - Smells fruity.- Certainly is.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Any ripe oranges here today?
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Not yet, but there are some well on the way to being ripe.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Now, the thing is, this building, beautiful though it is,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26is only one of the outbuildings of this park.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Where we're going to go now is the most striking building,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Margam Castle, at the top of the hill.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33- You ready for a climb?- OK. - Come on, then.
0:18:33 > 0:18:39# It's looking like a beautiful day... #
0:18:39 > 0:18:43And high on the hill, in the middle of some gorgeous parkland,
0:18:43 > 0:18:44is Margam Castle.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54It's not strictly a castle, but a stunning 19th century des res.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Well, this building is so grand and impressive. Who built it?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Well, it was built by a man called Christopher Talbot,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and he inherited a vast fortune
0:19:07 > 0:19:10from the land that his predecessors had acquired.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Also, he invested in the railways down here in south Wales
0:19:13 > 0:19:16in the early 19th century. And he wanted this building.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's grand because he wanted a building that would be grand,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21to make a statement. In fact, it was called
0:19:21 > 0:19:23the Versailles Palace of Wales.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It was built around about 1827 to 1830.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29He brought one of the top architects in the land to design it,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32a man called Thomas Hopper, employed by the royal family.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35He was the richest man in Britain not to have an aristocratic title,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and he wanted to make a statement to show that success
0:19:38 > 0:19:40didn't just come through having titles.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51You mentioned Christopher Talbot earlier on.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Is there a link to the town, Port Talbot?
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Yes, there is, absolutely.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57The town Port Talbot is named after the family.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59They invested in the port,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01they invested in the town's growth as well,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04so it's only natural that eventually it took their name.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06I'll tell you what I do like about the building
0:20:06 > 0:20:09is the chimneys and the design of the windows.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Well, funny you should say that,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14because the style of this building is called Tudor Gothic,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17and those are the two styles you see in the windows and the chimney.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20If you look at the windows, you've got these lovely arched tops
0:20:20 > 0:20:23to the windows there. That's very much the Gothic style.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26And the Tudor style comes from the chimneys.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28These chimneys with their wonderful designs
0:20:28 > 0:20:31first were seen in Britain in the Tudor era.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34So they combined those two styles in a 19th century building
0:20:34 > 0:20:36to make it look much older than it actually was.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- They did a good job. - They did a wonderful job.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- Can we go inside?- We can go inside. You'd be a little bit disappointed
0:20:42 > 0:20:45if you were expecting to see the palace that I described, though.
0:20:45 > 0:20:491977, this place was hit by a massive fire.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52In just five hours, all the interiors were destroyed.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54What you see inside now is just a shell
0:20:54 > 0:20:58and a glimpse of what it might have been like in its heyday, sadly.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00It's a shame about the interior,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04but Margam Castle is still a magnificent building,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06and right on the doorstep of Port Talbot.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Hang on a minute, James. I just want to take a photo for my mum.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Well, you're in good company doing that here,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14because it's believed where we're standing right now
0:21:14 > 0:21:19the first ever photograph in Wales was taken, way back in 1841.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24Reverend Calvert Jones took this photograph of Margam Castle.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28- It hasn't changed much at all over the years.- This angle, barely at all.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30But there's another historic connection here as well.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Talbot family lived in Margam Castle,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36related to Henry Fox Talbot, the pioneer of British photography,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40who also visited this place in the 1840s to photograph it.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43But anyway, I've got more history to show you. Come with me.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47We're leaving the house behind now.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51We are, but don't forget, this country park is 850 acres,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54so it's a maze of different walks and paths.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58So I'm going to take you on one of them right now.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07It's really different up here, isn't it? Green and wild.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Absolutely. Just over that hill,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11the manicured landscape of the castle grounds.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Here is a much more primitive landscape.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16This is how it was for many, many thousands of years.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22And just around the corner is a trace of Margam's ancient past -
0:22:22 > 0:22:24the remains of an iron age hillfort.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29So we're actually walking through the hillfort now.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Yes, we are, and remember, it was seven acres in size,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34so quite a substantial hillfort,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36and while you can't see anything of the hillfort apart from
0:22:36 > 0:22:39the odd mound of earth which could have been a defensive line,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42the most important thing is the position that we're in.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Cos an enemy would have to climb the hill to get inside the fort.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48There's not much to see of the iron age fort,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52but at the top of the hill, there is something that's worth a look.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55What's this? Don't tell me - it's an iron age swimming pool.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Yeah, they should be so lucky.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00This actually dates from around about 1890.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Emily Talbot inherited the house from her father Christopher then,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and she was quite an innovative lady. She introduced electricity.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And she used this reservoir that she created here
0:23:09 > 0:23:12to create a hydroelectric scheme to power the house.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14She also introduced telephones to the house as well.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17And a great view of the steelworks from here.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Commanding view of the area, as they say. Now, let's leave the iron age.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I want to take you to the 15th century.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26# It keeps on raining
0:23:27 > 0:23:29# Every day
0:23:31 > 0:23:33# Just keeps on raining... #
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Typical weatherman's luck.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38The only hailstorm all day, and I get caught in it.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41When it passed, we carried on walking,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45and James had another hill climb in store for me.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48We're just going to turn up here now, follow this road up,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51because there are some 15th century ruins tucked away at the top.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Another view down on the castle.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Yes, we're never very far from the castle on this walk, are we?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06No, not at all. Come on, let's move on.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10It's a bit of a climb, but the view from the top was really worth it.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Well, this is fantastic. A wonderful little church. When was it built?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Well, built around about the 15th century.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42It's got various names as well. Yr Hen Eglwys, The Old Church.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Capel Mair, St Mary's Chapel.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Basically, this place was built for the locals to worship.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50They weren't allowed to worship in the abbey.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52That was preserved for the monks.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54But they had this wonderful spot here,
0:24:54 > 0:24:55and I want to show you something.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59You've got two wonderful contrasting views.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01If you look over here,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05there we have modern, urban, M4 corridor,
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Port Talbot steelworks.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10But look in this direction - uninterrupted countryside.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Magnificent, isn't it? We can see for miles.- Absolutely.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Now, you can also see the castle.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18That's where we are going to go now.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Who knows what may be waiting for us inside?
0:25:24 > 0:25:26So with the sun setting over the old church,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31we retraced our steps back through the woods to Margam Castle.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35James had special permission to go inside after closing time.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38He takes groups here on ghost walks,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41because he thinks it's one of the most haunted places
0:25:41 > 0:25:44in the whole of Wales.
0:25:46 > 0:25:47Right, then, Derek, this is it.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51This is the central hallway and staircase of Margam Castle.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54It's the centrepiece of the building.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57It's also the centrepiece of the many ghost stories
0:25:57 > 0:25:59that this building has.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Well, it's very spooky in here, but I'm not sure I believe in ghosts.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Well, I never try and convince people or convert them
0:26:07 > 0:26:09to the idea that ghosts exist.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13But all I can tell you are the many experiences that people have had
0:26:13 > 0:26:14in this building at this spot,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17including myself when I've brought groups in.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19So if you just take a few steps up here with me,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I'll just share some of those experiences with you.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Well, this seems as good a place as any to stop.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Several things have been experienced at this very spot.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40First of all, a white, misty, vaguely female form
0:26:40 > 0:26:43has been seen for many years descending the staircase,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46floating down, and there's some speculation
0:26:46 > 0:26:50that it could be an echo or a ghost of Emily Talbot,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53the lady who owned this building at one point, who loved this building,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57and would have descended the stairs just like that to greet her guests.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Far more sinister, and rather more frightening than that, though,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04is a face seen looking over the banister there.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Now, I've experienced this when I've had groups with me -
0:27:07 > 0:27:10several people have claimed to have seen a face,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13a very angry looking face, staring over the banister,
0:27:13 > 0:27:14quite frightening.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Some say it could be the ghost of a murder victim -
0:27:17 > 0:27:21the gamekeeper who was murdered here in 1898.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23He was shot in the grounds by a poacher,
0:27:23 > 0:27:24and it's said to be his spirit.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27What do you think the chance is we'll see or hear something tonight?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Well, I never like to promise people that we will see or hear something,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34but I always live in hope that something unusual happens.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37But if anything does happen, Derek, don't look to me for help,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40because I'm usually the most frightened person around. Come on, let's go up.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44So with my heart in my mouth,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46I walked around the castle with James.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50I've got to say, it was pretty spooky there,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52but I didn't see or hear anything strange.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54There were some odd sounds,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57but I think that was just my stomach rumbling.
0:27:57 > 0:27:58DISTANT SHRIEK
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Well, nothing spooky happened,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06but thanks for a wonderful walk around Margam Park and Castle,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- and for showing me around. - It's a pleasure, Derek.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Right, it's getting a bit dark now.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- I think we had better get out of here.- I think so too. Come on.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19MUSIC: Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.