Browse content similar to Devil's Bridge and Margam. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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It's not Weatherman Walking this week. It's Weatherman Haunting. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
I don't believe in ghosts. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
Do you? DISTANT HOWL | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
Wales is full of history and hidden surprises, | 0:00:30 | 0:00:34 | |
so this week I'll be pulling over, parking up | 0:00:34 | 0:00:37 | |
and walking around two special sites that are well worth a stop. | 0:00:37 | 0:00:41 | |
Later on, I'll be having a spooky time visiting the magnificent | 0:00:43 | 0:00:46 | |
Margam Castle near Port Talbot. | 0:00:46 | 0:00:49 | |
But first, I'm taking a devilishly good walk | 0:00:50 | 0:00:53 | |
around some spectacular countryside | 0:00:53 | 0:00:56 | |
in the heart of Mid Wales. | 0:00:56 | 0:00:58 | |
There are so many beautiful and hidden places in Wales, | 0:01:00 | 0:01:03 | |
but this one is really special. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:06 | |
In fact, legend has it that the devil himself came here to take a look. | 0:01:06 | 0:01:10 | |
We're heading to Ceredigion and the beauty spot of Devil's Bridge, | 0:01:14 | 0:01:18 | |
or Pontarfynach - The Bridge on the River Mynach. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:21 | |
Starting on the famous bridge, we leave the village | 0:01:21 | 0:01:24 | |
and make our way through the Rheidol Valley | 0:01:24 | 0:01:26 | |
and wind our way down to the valley floor. | 0:01:26 | 0:01:29 | |
It's then a hefty climb up and out to Parson's Bridge, | 0:01:29 | 0:01:32 | |
and on to the tranquil Ysbyty Cynfyn, | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
before making our way back to Devil's Bridge, a limb-busting eight miles. | 0:01:35 | 0:01:40 | |
My guide is local girl Lisa Jenkins. | 0:01:45 | 0:01:47 | |
She loves a good walk and a good challenge, | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
and after tracking all over the hills here, | 0:01:50 | 0:01:53 | |
she then hiked all the way up to Everest base camp. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:56 | |
I hope she takes it easy with me. | 0:01:56 | 0:01:58 | |
It's an amazing place, isn't it? | 0:02:00 | 0:02:02 | |
It's beautiful, isn't it? And if we head over to the bridge | 0:02:02 | 0:02:05 | |
and have a look, you can see the sheer drop and the scale of it. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:09 | |
That's spectacular, isn't it? | 0:02:10 | 0:02:12 | |
The way the water's carved its way through the rocks. | 0:02:13 | 0:02:16 | |
It's just thousands and thousands of years of the water, | 0:02:16 | 0:02:20 | |
obviously such a steep drop, and the power of the water as well. | 0:02:20 | 0:02:24 | |
Creating this wonderful gorge. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:26 | |
Devil's Bridge is actually three bridges | 0:02:26 | 0:02:28 | |
built on top of each other, and gets its name from a local legend | 0:02:28 | 0:02:32 | |
claiming that the bottom bridge was built by the devil | 0:02:32 | 0:02:35 | |
in return for the soul of the first person that crossed it. | 0:02:35 | 0:02:38 | |
In reality, it was more the hand of God that helped, | 0:02:38 | 0:02:42 | |
as it was built by monks in the 11th century. | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
It's such a shame, Lisa, but I bet you half the people who drive | 0:02:46 | 0:02:49 | |
over this bridge have no idea what's below them. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:53 | |
-I know, they should get out of their cars more. -They should. | 0:02:53 | 0:02:56 | |
This area has also been attracting attention | 0:02:57 | 0:02:59 | |
through an award-winning Welsh detective series, | 0:02:59 | 0:03:02 | |
where the dramatic landscape | 0:03:02 | 0:03:04 | |
became the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:07 | |
So we've come to the Hafod Hotel. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:23 | |
You might recognise it from a TV programme. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:25 | |
-Yes, it featured in Hinterland. Y Gwyll. -Yeah, that's it. | 0:03:25 | 0:03:28 | |
So in the programme it was a bit of a mysterious old children's home, | 0:03:28 | 0:03:31 | |
but actually it was a former hunting lodge, | 0:03:31 | 0:03:33 | |
and is now a family-run hotel. | 0:03:33 | 0:03:35 | |
Great views looking towards the Cambrian Mountains. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
-Shall we carry on? -OK. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:39 | |
Built in 1787 by the squire of the Hafod Estate, | 0:03:42 | 0:03:46 | |
it was later converted into a Swiss style chateau, | 0:03:46 | 0:03:49 | |
and still has an air of the Swiss Alps about it today. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:52 | |
And just around the corner is another part of the valley's history | 0:03:52 | 0:03:56 | |
which is still going strong in the 21st century. | 0:03:56 | 0:03:59 | |
So here's the Vale of Rheidol Railway. | 0:04:00 | 0:04:03 | |
You can come all the way up from Aberystwyth on it. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:05 | |
-Bet it's a very popular tourist spot. -Yeah, it's brilliant. | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
It's a nice journey, but we're not going to take the train today, Derek. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:11 | |
-We're going to carry on walking, I'm afraid. -That's a shame. | 0:04:11 | 0:04:14 | |
The railway opened in 1902, | 0:04:16 | 0:04:19 | |
carrying minerals and timber to Aberystwyth. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:22 | |
But soon after, the mines closed, and instead of timber, | 0:04:22 | 0:04:25 | |
the train was soon loaded up with tourists, | 0:04:25 | 0:04:28 | |
and still is today. | 0:04:28 | 0:04:29 | |
Leaving the roads, we join the Borth to Pontarfynach walk, | 0:04:31 | 0:04:34 | |
and break out into the stunning Rheidol Valley. | 0:04:34 | 0:04:38 | |
-Ah, no more traffic. -No, peace and quiet. | 0:04:38 | 0:04:41 | |
For the next few hours, anyway. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:43 | |
-Look at those rolling hills. -They're beautiful, aren't they? | 0:04:43 | 0:04:47 | |
Look at the nice view of the Rheidol. We'll be down there soon, | 0:04:52 | 0:04:56 | |
-right next to it. -Quite high up, aren't we? -Yeah, we are, | 0:04:56 | 0:04:58 | |
and we've got to walk down and back up by the end of the walk. | 0:04:58 | 0:05:02 | |
-Oh, I don't like the sound of that. -So I hope you're ready for it. | 0:05:02 | 0:05:05 | |
-What was it like growing up around here, then? -Yeah, it was lovely. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:15 | |
It was a really nice childhood, and this was basically our back yard, | 0:05:15 | 0:05:19 | |
because my grandmother's farm is just the other side of that hill, | 0:05:19 | 0:05:22 | |
so yeah, we had all of this to play around in, which was wonderful. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:28 | |
-Ah, we're just in time for the train. -Ooh! | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
Shall we stop and wave at them? | 0:05:33 | 0:05:35 | |
As the train heads home to Aberystwyth, | 0:05:37 | 0:05:39 | |
we head downhill to explore more of this beautiful area. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:43 | |
-Nice spot. -It's lovely, isn't it? | 0:05:50 | 0:05:53 | |
How about a little sit down and a rest? | 0:05:57 | 0:06:00 | |
-Somebody's put it here just for us. -They have. And look at that view. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:03 | |
-Perfect. -Oh, it's gorgeous, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:06:03 | 0:06:06 | |
You know, I never tire of that view. It's just... | 0:06:06 | 0:06:08 | |
Yeah, even though I live in Llandeilo now, | 0:06:08 | 0:06:11 | |
this feels just like home. | 0:06:11 | 0:06:12 | |
You can see the shape of the valley here, the V-shaped valley, | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
all the trees, all the different colours. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:18 | |
It's lovely, isn't it? But we can't sit around here all day, Derek. | 0:06:18 | 0:06:21 | |
We've got to carry on walking, I'm afraid. | 0:06:21 | 0:06:23 | |
The Rheidol Valley is home to sessile oak trees, | 0:06:26 | 0:06:29 | |
or Welsh oaks as we call them | 0:06:29 | 0:06:31 | |
after being designated our national tree. | 0:06:31 | 0:06:33 | |
Next it's time to cross the railway track, | 0:06:35 | 0:06:38 | |
so please, follow the warnings and look both ways before crossing. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:42 | |
So we're just coming to the Rheidol River now, Derek. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
Flowing down from the mountains, from Plynlimon. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
The Rheidol is one of the swiftest rivers in Britain, | 0:06:54 | 0:06:58 | |
dropping 1,700 feet in 28 miles, | 0:06:58 | 0:07:01 | |
making it one of the shortest, steepest river descents in the world. | 0:07:01 | 0:07:05 | |
This area is bursting with natural resources, but it comes with a price. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:15 | |
-So what's going on here? -Well, we've got the nice spot at the river, | 0:07:16 | 0:07:20 | |
but unfortunately as well we have the remains | 0:07:20 | 0:07:22 | |
of the mining in the area, cos 100 years ago, | 0:07:22 | 0:07:24 | |
this area was big in lead mining. So you've got the set-up here - | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
the mines are still polluting the rivers, | 0:07:28 | 0:07:30 | |
and this is to filter out the water and get it back clean. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:33 | |
It's good to know they're doing something positive about the pollution. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:36 | |
Well, yeah, they're working hard and making it safer for people to come down and enjoy. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:40 | |
-Which is what it's all about. -Exactly. | 0:07:40 | 0:07:42 | |
The Rheidol Valley is rich in history, | 0:07:44 | 0:07:47 | |
but sadly most visitors don't leave Devil's Bridge and the waterfalls. | 0:07:47 | 0:07:51 | |
So the locals have been working hard to change all that. | 0:07:51 | 0:07:54 | |
This area is absolutely stunning, | 0:07:56 | 0:07:59 | |
and yet you don't get many people coming out here. | 0:07:59 | 0:08:01 | |
They tend to stick around the waterfalls, don't they? | 0:08:01 | 0:08:04 | |
Yeah, it is a beautiful area, and some great walks as well. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
And it's been designated as a Walkers Are Welcome area. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:10 | |
It's just encouraging more people to get out there, | 0:08:10 | 0:08:12 | |
and a lot of hard work has been put in by local businesses | 0:08:12 | 0:08:15 | |
and local people to get people knowing more about it. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:18 | |
And after walking down into the steep valley, | 0:08:20 | 0:08:23 | |
it seems to me there is only one way out. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:25 | |
So there's something I haven't told you yet, Derek. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:29 | |
We've got a bit of a climb coming ahead of us. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:32 | |
-I'm not going up there! -You're going to have to. | 0:08:32 | 0:08:34 | |
And there's something else I didn't mention - this is where we used to practise to go to Everest base camp. | 0:08:34 | 0:08:39 | |
-Everest base camp? -Yeah. -SHE LAUGHS | 0:08:39 | 0:08:40 | |
So there are no Sherpas here, I'm afraid. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
-We're going to have to walk it. -Oh, go on, then. -Come on. | 0:08:43 | 0:08:47 | |
-Does it go on for long like this? -Erm...a little while. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:51 | |
Shall we have a little rest here before we head on? | 0:09:02 | 0:09:05 | |
I think we should. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:07 | |
By here? | 0:09:07 | 0:09:08 | |
-Yeah, and there's a lovely view of the hotel here as well. -Oh, yes. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:13 | |
Tell me, what was it like climbing up to Everest base camp? | 0:09:13 | 0:09:16 | |
Yeah, it was brilliant. And it was an experience, | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
so something my dad always wanted to do, and needed the company, | 0:09:19 | 0:09:22 | |
so I said I'd go along with him. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:25 | |
And here's perfect terrain for the training. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:27 | |
Got some pictures to show you here as well. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:30 | |
So there's me at base camp. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:33 | |
-Oh, yes. -And then me and Dad on the way. | 0:09:33 | 0:09:36 | |
-Bit different to Cwm Rheidol. -Yeah, just a little bit! | 0:09:36 | 0:09:38 | |
-Must have been an awesome experience for you. -It was, yeah, | 0:09:38 | 0:09:41 | |
and something I'd like to go back and do, really. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
You probably don't take it all in the first time, | 0:09:43 | 0:09:45 | |
so yeah, maybe one day. | 0:09:45 | 0:09:48 | |
I think we've caught our breath back. Shall we head on? | 0:09:48 | 0:09:51 | |
Yeah, where's my Sherpa? SHE LAUGHS | 0:09:51 | 0:09:53 | |
-We've left him at home, I'm afraid. -Come on, then. One last push. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:57 | |
-HE SIGHS -We've made it. | 0:10:05 | 0:10:07 | |
Well, it's not quite Everest base camp, | 0:10:08 | 0:10:11 | |
but it kind of feels like it. | 0:10:11 | 0:10:13 | |
-SHE LAUGHS -Come on. | 0:10:13 | 0:10:14 | |
Leaving the steep valley behind, we break out into the huge landscapes, | 0:10:16 | 0:10:20 | |
and this is what I really love about the Cambrian Mountains - | 0:10:20 | 0:10:24 | |
the rolling hills and vast open spaces. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:28 | |
# It's a beautiful day | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
# It's a beautiful day | 0:10:31 | 0:10:34 | |
# One beautiful mistake... # | 0:10:34 | 0:10:38 | |
Oh, look, there's the train. | 0:10:39 | 0:10:41 | |
Yeah, it's making its way to Devil's Bridge at the moment. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:44 | |
-Is it always on time? -Like clockwork, every day. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:47 | |
Well, the sun may be shining, but it's really blustery today. | 0:10:47 | 0:10:50 | |
This wind has come from the west - | 0:10:50 | 0:10:52 | |
it's got a real chill to it, hasn't it? | 0:10:52 | 0:10:54 | |
I know, and as well as that, it's not doing my hair any favours today. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:57 | |
-You need the extra strong hairspray. -Let's go. | 0:10:57 | 0:11:00 | |
# It's a beautiful day | 0:11:00 | 0:11:04 | |
# Go and claim your place | 0:11:05 | 0:11:08 | |
# Oh, cos this is how you find your way... # | 0:11:08 | 0:11:12 | |
A few fans of Weatherman Walking here. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:17 | |
There is. And we're going to head off the track and into the field to join them now. | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
-Hello. -Seem quiet enough. | 0:11:28 | 0:11:30 | |
-This is a lovely old bridge. -It's called Parson's Bridge, | 0:11:49 | 0:11:52 | |
and it was used by the parsons as a short-cut | 0:11:52 | 0:11:54 | |
from Llanbadarn Fawr to Ysbyty Cynfyn. | 0:11:54 | 0:11:57 | |
And until 1950, it was just a wooden plank, | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
and a man was paid six pence a day in danger money to maintain it. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:04 | |
Just six pence a day? | 0:12:04 | 0:12:06 | |
Well, looking at that drop, I'm glad they replaced it. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:10 | |
Otherwise, I'd still be stuck on the other side. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:13 | |
Ooh, it's getting a bit steeper again. | 0:12:16 | 0:12:19 | |
I'm afraid we've got to get out of the gorge | 0:12:19 | 0:12:22 | |
-and tackle another Everest climb, I'm afraid, Derek. -HE SIGHS | 0:12:22 | 0:12:25 | |
Come on. We'll get there. | 0:12:26 | 0:12:28 | |
-My heart's still beating. -That's always a good sign! | 0:12:28 | 0:12:32 | |
And out in the open, we find ourselves surrounded by red kites. | 0:12:33 | 0:12:37 | |
During the Middle Ages, Ysbyty Cynfyn was a monastic hospice | 0:12:45 | 0:12:49 | |
run by the Knights Hospitallers of St John, | 0:12:49 | 0:12:53 | |
providing care for the pilgrims making their way to St David's. | 0:12:53 | 0:12:56 | |
But even in these beautiful surroundings, | 0:13:04 | 0:13:07 | |
the churchyard holds a tragic reminder | 0:13:07 | 0:13:09 | |
of how tough times could be. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:11 | |
It's a sad story, | 0:13:14 | 0:13:16 | |
and it's the grave of the first recorded quads, | 0:13:16 | 0:13:20 | |
which all died within six days of being born. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:24 | |
But within a month, they also lost her daughter, | 0:13:24 | 0:13:26 | |
her son and her husband. | 0:13:26 | 0:13:28 | |
It's very sad, isn't it? | 0:13:28 | 0:13:30 | |
What an ordeal for that woman, to lose all her family. | 0:13:30 | 0:13:33 | |
Basically, I think, you know, it's probably down to | 0:13:33 | 0:13:35 | |
something like typhoid, but no-one really knows. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:38 | |
And it's just a tragedy. How would you survive and carry on after that? | 0:13:38 | 0:13:42 | |
And with the sun setting, | 0:13:45 | 0:13:47 | |
we begin our final push back to Devil's Bridge. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:50 | |
So no more hills, and only a couple of miles to go, Derek. | 0:13:50 | 0:13:54 | |
Well, thanks very much, Lisa, for a fascinating and challenging walk. | 0:13:54 | 0:13:58 | |
I think my legs will be aching for a week after those climbs. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:01 | |
And I may not be heading to Everest base camp any time soon, | 0:14:01 | 0:14:04 | |
but who needs the Himalayas | 0:14:04 | 0:14:06 | |
when you've got all this right on your doorstep? | 0:14:06 | 0:14:09 | |
And if you fancy trying this, or any of our walks, go to our website... | 0:14:13 | 0:14:18 | |
It's got route information and maps for you to print off, | 0:14:21 | 0:14:25 | |
or you can download it onto your tablet and take it with you. | 0:14:25 | 0:14:29 | |
Next I'm at Margam Castle, just east of Port Talbot. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:36 | |
This was the home of the Talbot family, | 0:14:36 | 0:14:38 | |
who gave their name to the town. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:40 | |
As you can see, they weren't short of a bob or two. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
There's lots of history here, and some people say it's haunted as well. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:47 | |
Margam Park is just off the M4 near to Port Talbot. | 0:14:49 | 0:14:53 | |
The walk starts at the car park before visiting the ruined abbey | 0:14:53 | 0:14:56 | |
and the orangery next door. | 0:14:56 | 0:14:58 | |
Then we walk up past Margam Castle into the woods, | 0:14:58 | 0:15:02 | |
and an old iron age hillfort. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:05 | |
Then we follow the woodland trail up to a ruined church, | 0:15:05 | 0:15:08 | |
before retracing our steps back to the castle where we started. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:11 | |
It's just over 3.5 miles in total. | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
My guide is James Cowan. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:21 | |
He used to haunt the Welsh Assembly, | 0:15:21 | 0:15:23 | |
but now concentrates on organising walks, | 0:15:23 | 0:15:26 | |
especially the spooky variety. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:28 | |
The first stop on our walk takes us to the ruins of Margam Abbey. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
It dates from about 1147, | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
and was once one of the most powerful monasteries in south Wales, | 0:15:47 | 0:15:52 | |
with 50,000 acres of land and hundreds of monks. | 0:15:52 | 0:15:55 | |
Well, this is the chapter house. | 0:15:57 | 0:15:59 | |
I mean, this was the business heart of the abbey, if you like. | 0:15:59 | 0:16:02 | |
Very important abbey in its day. So every day, | 0:16:02 | 0:16:05 | |
the monks would be brought in here in the morning. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:07 | |
The abbot would be seated, | 0:16:07 | 0:16:09 | |
and they would be given their orders for the day. | 0:16:09 | 0:16:11 | |
Sometimes punishments if they hadn't been seen to be pulling their weight | 0:16:11 | 0:16:15 | |
and worshipping with the fervour that they were supposed to. | 0:16:15 | 0:16:18 | |
-And when did it all come to an end? -Well, it was the 1530s. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:22 | |
King Henry VIII decided to split from the Roman Catholic Church, | 0:16:22 | 0:16:26 | |
and he became head of the Church in this country, | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
and shortly after that, all the abbeys and monasteries | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
throughout the land were dissolved, including Margam. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:34 | |
-And I have to ask - is it haunted? -Well, it could well be. | 0:16:34 | 0:16:38 | |
You see, the bodies of the abbots were laid to rest | 0:16:38 | 0:16:41 | |
underneath where we're standing. For many, many years | 0:16:41 | 0:16:44 | |
people are said to have seen what looked like spirits of monks | 0:16:44 | 0:16:47 | |
standing in this area or wandering around. So who knows? | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
-I should avoid coming here at night then? -Ah, you'd love it. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:55 | |
This corner of Margam Park is full of wonderful old buildings. | 0:17:00 | 0:17:04 | |
Next door to the abbey is one with a fruity history. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:08 | |
# Follow me, don't follow me | 0:17:08 | 0:17:11 | |
# I've got my spine I've got my orange crush | 0:17:11 | 0:17:15 | |
# Collar me... # | 0:17:15 | 0:17:17 | |
-Well, this is lovely. What is it? -This is the Margam Orangery. | 0:17:17 | 0:17:21 | |
Built in the 1780s, | 0:17:21 | 0:17:22 | |
and it is the longest orangery in the whole of Britain, | 0:17:22 | 0:17:25 | |
and possibly one of the longest, if not the longest, in Europe. | 0:17:25 | 0:17:28 | |
And it was built by the Mansel Talbot family | 0:17:28 | 0:17:31 | |
as part of their pleasure garden that they designed for this place. | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
And it would have been filled with orange and lemon trees. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:37 | |
-So where are the orange trees now? -Not in this building, | 0:17:37 | 0:17:40 | |
but they are kept just around the corner in the greenhouses. | 0:17:40 | 0:17:43 | |
-Do you want to see? -OK. -Come on. | 0:17:43 | 0:17:45 | |
The citrus house was built in 1800, | 0:17:47 | 0:17:49 | |
and has recently been restored to its original condition. | 0:17:49 | 0:17:53 | |
-Here we are. -The citrus house. -This is the citrus house, | 0:17:53 | 0:17:57 | |
and the first thing that hits you is the heat, doesn't it, in here? | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
All this glass keeping in the heat, | 0:18:00 | 0:18:03 | |
because this place is for propagating orange trees, | 0:18:03 | 0:18:07 | |
lemon trees, and so it needs the shelter from the elements. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:10 | |
-But can you smell it as well? -Smells fruity. -Certainly is. | 0:18:10 | 0:18:14 | |
Any ripe oranges here today? | 0:18:15 | 0:18:17 | |
Not yet, but there are some well on the way to being ripe. | 0:18:17 | 0:18:20 | |
Now, the thing is, this building, beautiful though it is, | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
is only one of the outbuildings of this park. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:26 | |
Where we're going to go now is the most striking building, | 0:18:26 | 0:18:29 | |
Margam Castle, at the top of the hill. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
-You ready for a climb? -OK. -Come on, then. | 0:18:31 | 0:18:33 | |
# It's looking like a beautiful day... # | 0:18:33 | 0:18:39 | |
And high on the hill, in the middle of some gorgeous parkland, | 0:18:39 | 0:18:43 | |
is Margam Castle. | 0:18:43 | 0:18:44 | |
It's not strictly a castle, but a stunning 19th century des res. | 0:18:49 | 0:18:54 | |
Well, this building is so grand and impressive. Who built it? | 0:18:58 | 0:19:02 | |
Well, it was built by a man called Christopher Talbot, | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
and he inherited a vast fortune | 0:19:05 | 0:19:07 | |
from the land that his predecessors had acquired. | 0:19:07 | 0:19:10 | |
Also, he invested in the railways down here in south Wales | 0:19:10 | 0:19:13 | |
in the early 19th century. And he wanted this building. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:16 | |
It's grand because he wanted a building that would be grand, | 0:19:16 | 0:19:19 | |
to make a statement. In fact, it was called | 0:19:19 | 0:19:21 | |
the Versailles Palace of Wales. | 0:19:21 | 0:19:23 | |
It was built around about 1827 to 1830. | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
He brought one of the top architects in the land to design it, | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
a man called Thomas Hopper, employed by the royal family. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
He was the richest man in Britain not to have an aristocratic title, | 0:19:32 | 0:19:35 | |
and he wanted to make a statement to show that success | 0:19:35 | 0:19:38 | |
didn't just come through having titles. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:40 | |
You mentioned Christopher Talbot earlier on. | 0:19:49 | 0:19:51 | |
Is there a link to the town, Port Talbot? | 0:19:51 | 0:19:53 | |
Yes, there is, absolutely. | 0:19:53 | 0:19:55 | |
The town Port Talbot is named after the family. | 0:19:55 | 0:19:57 | |
They invested in the port, | 0:19:57 | 0:19:59 | |
they invested in the town's growth as well, | 0:19:59 | 0:20:01 | |
so it's only natural that eventually it took their name. | 0:20:01 | 0:20:04 | |
I'll tell you what I do like about the building | 0:20:04 | 0:20:06 | |
is the chimneys and the design of the windows. | 0:20:06 | 0:20:09 | |
Well, funny you should say that, | 0:20:09 | 0:20:11 | |
because the style of this building is called Tudor Gothic, | 0:20:11 | 0:20:14 | |
and those are the two styles you see in the windows and the chimney. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
If you look at the windows, you've got these lovely arched tops | 0:20:17 | 0:20:20 | |
to the windows there. That's very much the Gothic style. | 0:20:20 | 0:20:23 | |
And the Tudor style comes from the chimneys. | 0:20:23 | 0:20:26 | |
These chimneys with their wonderful designs | 0:20:26 | 0:20:28 | |
first were seen in Britain in the Tudor era. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:31 | |
So they combined those two styles in a 19th century building | 0:20:31 | 0:20:34 | |
to make it look much older than it actually was. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:36 | |
-They did a good job. -They did a wonderful job. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:39 | |
-Can we go inside? -We can go inside. You'd be a little bit disappointed | 0:20:39 | 0:20:42 | |
if you were expecting to see the palace that I described, though. | 0:20:42 | 0:20:45 | |
1977, this place was hit by a massive fire. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:49 | |
In just five hours, all the interiors were destroyed. | 0:20:49 | 0:20:52 | |
What you see inside now is just a shell | 0:20:52 | 0:20:54 | |
and a glimpse of what it might have been like in its heyday, sadly. | 0:20:54 | 0:20:58 | |
It's a shame about the interior, | 0:20:58 | 0:21:00 | |
but Margam Castle is still a magnificent building, | 0:21:00 | 0:21:04 | |
and right on the doorstep of Port Talbot. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:06 | |
Hang on a minute, James. I just want to take a photo for my mum. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:10 | |
Well, you're in good company doing that here, | 0:21:10 | 0:21:12 | |
because it's believed where we're standing right now | 0:21:12 | 0:21:14 | |
the first ever photograph in Wales was taken, way back in 1841. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:19 | |
Reverend Calvert Jones took this photograph of Margam Castle. | 0:21:19 | 0:21:24 | |
-It hasn't changed much at all over the years. -This angle, barely at all. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:28 | |
But there's another historic connection here as well. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:30 | |
Talbot family lived in Margam Castle, | 0:21:30 | 0:21:32 | |
related to Henry Fox Talbot, the pioneer of British photography, | 0:21:32 | 0:21:36 | |
who also visited this place in the 1840s to photograph it. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:40 | |
But anyway, I've got more history to show you. Come with me. | 0:21:40 | 0:21:43 | |
We're leaving the house behind now. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:47 | |
We are, but don't forget, this country park is 850 acres, | 0:21:47 | 0:21:51 | |
so it's a maze of different walks and paths. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:54 | |
So I'm going to take you on one of them right now. | 0:21:54 | 0:21:58 | |
It's really different up here, isn't it? Green and wild. | 0:22:03 | 0:22:07 | |
Absolutely. Just over that hill, | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
the manicured landscape of the castle grounds. | 0:22:09 | 0:22:11 | |
Here is a much more primitive landscape. | 0:22:11 | 0:22:14 | |
This is how it was for many, many thousands of years. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:16 | |
And just around the corner is a trace of Margam's ancient past - | 0:22:18 | 0:22:22 | |
the remains of an iron age hillfort. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:24 | |
So we're actually walking through the hillfort now. | 0:22:27 | 0:22:29 | |
Yes, we are, and remember, it was seven acres in size, | 0:22:29 | 0:22:32 | |
so quite a substantial hillfort, | 0:22:32 | 0:22:34 | |
and while you can't see anything of the hillfort apart from | 0:22:34 | 0:22:36 | |
the odd mound of earth which could have been a defensive line, | 0:22:36 | 0:22:39 | |
the most important thing is the position that we're in. | 0:22:39 | 0:22:42 | |
Cos an enemy would have to climb the hill to get inside the fort. | 0:22:42 | 0:22:45 | |
There's not much to see of the iron age fort, | 0:22:45 | 0:22:48 | |
but at the top of the hill, there is something that's worth a look. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:52 | |
What's this? Don't tell me - it's an iron age swimming pool. | 0:22:52 | 0:22:55 | |
Yeah, they should be so lucky. | 0:22:55 | 0:22:57 | |
This actually dates from around about 1890. | 0:22:57 | 0:23:00 | |
Emily Talbot inherited the house from her father Christopher then, | 0:23:00 | 0:23:03 | |
and she was quite an innovative lady. She introduced electricity. | 0:23:03 | 0:23:06 | |
And she used this reservoir that she created here | 0:23:06 | 0:23:09 | |
to create a hydroelectric scheme to power the house. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:12 | |
She also introduced telephones to the house as well. | 0:23:12 | 0:23:14 | |
And a great view of the steelworks from here. | 0:23:14 | 0:23:17 | |
Commanding view of the area, as they say. Now, let's leave the iron age. | 0:23:17 | 0:23:20 | |
I want to take you to the 15th century. | 0:23:20 | 0:23:23 | |
# It keeps on raining | 0:23:23 | 0:23:26 | |
# Every day | 0:23:27 | 0:23:29 | |
# Just keeps on raining... # | 0:23:31 | 0:23:33 | |
Typical weatherman's luck. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:35 | |
The only hailstorm all day, and I get caught in it. | 0:23:35 | 0:23:38 | |
When it passed, we carried on walking, | 0:23:38 | 0:23:41 | |
and James had another hill climb in store for me. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:45 | |
We're just going to turn up here now, follow this road up, | 0:23:45 | 0:23:48 | |
because there are some 15th century ruins tucked away at the top. | 0:23:48 | 0:23:51 | |
Another view down on the castle. | 0:24:00 | 0:24:01 | |
Yes, we're never very far from the castle on this walk, are we? | 0:24:01 | 0:24:04 | |
No, not at all. Come on, let's move on. | 0:24:04 | 0:24:06 | |
It's a bit of a climb, but the view from the top was really worth it. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:10 | |
Well, this is fantastic. A wonderful little church. When was it built? | 0:24:31 | 0:24:35 | |
Well, built around about the 15th century. | 0:24:35 | 0:24:38 | |
It's got various names as well. Yr Hen Eglwys, The Old Church. | 0:24:38 | 0:24:42 | |
Capel Mair, St Mary's Chapel. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:44 | |
Basically, this place was built for the locals to worship. | 0:24:44 | 0:24:48 | |
They weren't allowed to worship in the abbey. | 0:24:48 | 0:24:50 | |
That was preserved for the monks. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:52 | |
But they had this wonderful spot here, | 0:24:52 | 0:24:54 | |
and I want to show you something. | 0:24:54 | 0:24:55 | |
You've got two wonderful contrasting views. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:59 | |
If you look over here, | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
there we have modern, urban, M4 corridor, | 0:25:01 | 0:25:05 | |
Port Talbot steelworks. | 0:25:05 | 0:25:06 | |
But look in this direction - uninterrupted countryside. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:10 | |
-Magnificent, isn't it? We can see for miles. -Absolutely. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:14 | |
Now, you can also see the castle. | 0:25:14 | 0:25:16 | |
That's where we are going to go now. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:18 | |
Who knows what may be waiting for us inside? | 0:25:18 | 0:25:21 | |
So with the sun setting over the old church, | 0:25:24 | 0:25:26 | |
we retraced our steps back through the woods to Margam Castle. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:31 | |
James had special permission to go inside after closing time. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:35 | |
He takes groups here on ghost walks, | 0:25:35 | 0:25:38 | |
because he thinks it's one of the most haunted places | 0:25:38 | 0:25:41 | |
in the whole of Wales. | 0:25:41 | 0:25:44 | |
Right, then, Derek, this is it. | 0:25:46 | 0:25:47 | |
This is the central hallway and staircase of Margam Castle. | 0:25:47 | 0:25:51 | |
It's the centrepiece of the building. | 0:25:51 | 0:25:54 | |
It's also the centrepiece of the many ghost stories | 0:25:54 | 0:25:57 | |
that this building has. | 0:25:57 | 0:25:59 | |
Well, it's very spooky in here, but I'm not sure I believe in ghosts. | 0:25:59 | 0:26:03 | |
Well, I never try and convince people or convert them | 0:26:03 | 0:26:07 | |
to the idea that ghosts exist. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:09 | |
But all I can tell you are the many experiences that people have had | 0:26:09 | 0:26:13 | |
in this building at this spot, | 0:26:13 | 0:26:14 | |
including myself when I've brought groups in. | 0:26:14 | 0:26:17 | |
So if you just take a few steps up here with me, | 0:26:17 | 0:26:19 | |
I'll just share some of those experiences with you. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:22 | |
Well, this seems as good a place as any to stop. | 0:26:27 | 0:26:30 | |
Several things have been experienced at this very spot. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
First of all, a white, misty, vaguely female form | 0:26:34 | 0:26:40 | |
has been seen for many years descending the staircase, | 0:26:40 | 0:26:43 | |
floating down, and there's some speculation | 0:26:43 | 0:26:46 | |
that it could be an echo or a ghost of Emily Talbot, | 0:26:46 | 0:26:50 | |
the lady who owned this building at one point, who loved this building, | 0:26:50 | 0:26:53 | |
and would have descended the stairs just like that to greet her guests. | 0:26:53 | 0:26:57 | |
Far more sinister, and rather more frightening than that, though, | 0:26:57 | 0:27:01 | |
is a face seen looking over the banister there. | 0:27:01 | 0:27:04 | |
Now, I've experienced this when I've had groups with me - | 0:27:04 | 0:27:07 | |
several people have claimed to have seen a face, | 0:27:07 | 0:27:10 | |
a very angry looking face, staring over the banister, | 0:27:10 | 0:27:13 | |
quite frightening. | 0:27:13 | 0:27:14 | |
Some say it could be the ghost of a murder victim - | 0:27:14 | 0:27:17 | |
the gamekeeper who was murdered here in 1898. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:21 | |
He was shot in the grounds by a poacher, | 0:27:21 | 0:27:23 | |
and it's said to be his spirit. | 0:27:23 | 0:27:24 | |
What do you think the chance is we'll see or hear something tonight? | 0:27:24 | 0:27:27 | |
Well, I never like to promise people that we will see or hear something, | 0:27:27 | 0:27:31 | |
but I always live in hope that something unusual happens. | 0:27:31 | 0:27:34 | |
But if anything does happen, Derek, don't look to me for help, | 0:27:34 | 0:27:37 | |
because I'm usually the most frightened person around. Come on, let's go up. | 0:27:37 | 0:27:40 | |
So with my heart in my mouth, | 0:27:42 | 0:27:44 | |
I walked around the castle with James. | 0:27:44 | 0:27:46 | |
I've got to say, it was pretty spooky there, | 0:27:46 | 0:27:50 | |
but I didn't see or hear anything strange. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:52 | |
There were some odd sounds, | 0:27:52 | 0:27:54 | |
but I think that was just my stomach rumbling. | 0:27:54 | 0:27:57 | |
DISTANT SHRIEK | 0:27:57 | 0:27:58 | |
Well, nothing spooky happened, | 0:28:01 | 0:28:03 | |
but thanks for a wonderful walk around Margam Park and Castle, | 0:28:03 | 0:28:06 | |
-and for showing me around. -It's a pleasure, Derek. | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
Right, it's getting a bit dark now. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
-I think we had better get out of here. -I think so too. Come on. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:15 | |
MUSIC: Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:19 |