Craig y Nos Country Park

Craig-y-nos Country Park is a 40-acre Victorian garden with shady woodlands, meadows, ponds, lawns spead along the banks of the River Tawe.

The historic grounds of Craig-y-nos Castle were once home to the internationally famous opera singer Adelina Patti, are spread on the banks of the River Tawe. It is a place where natural and man-made features mingle to great effect. The river meanders through the park, but just as at home here is the designed landscape of tall trees, lush meadows, woodland plantations, fishpond, lakes, lawns and woodland walks.

The park has many gentle, easy-to-follow paths, a visitor centre and tea room with benches and picnic areas. It's a great place to spend an afternoon.

Mature trees are found throughout the Country Park and offer opportunities for gentle walking and picnics are relaxing in the sunshine. Two rivers through flow the Country Park. The smaller Llynfell that emerges from the nearby Dan Y Ogof National Showcaves Centre for Wales and the River Tawe flowing onwards from its source high in the Black Mountains.

The country park includes a wide variety of habitats including two lakes (one brimming with mini beasts) and a meadow which is accessible to visitors. Woodland flora flourish in the Spring and Summer whilst fungi can be found in the Autumn.

STARGAZING
Craig-y-nos Country Park & Castle is one of the National Park's top ten sites for stargazing.

UNESCO GEOPARK DISCOVERY POINT
Fforest Fawr UNESCO Global Geopark have opened a new Geopark Discovery Point at Craig-y-nos Country Park. The Discovery Point was created as a starting point for help visitors plan their exploration of the Geopark, which covers the Western half of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The Discovery Point consists of a tactile bronze relief model, three informative monoliths and three interpretation tables. The bronze model, designed by local artist Rubin Eynon, depicts the mountains and valleys of the Geopark around Craig-y-nos.

The monoliths, also designed by Rubin, raise awareness and understanding of the Geoparks UNESCO designation and introduces visitors to the Geopark’s key stories of ice, industry and people.

The interpretation tables, the first of their kind in the Park, were designed by Ingleby Davies Design, with each telling a different Geopark story. You can journey from the Big Bang to present day at the timeline game table where you will encounter millions of years of adventure, learn about how Cribarth (the hill above Craig-y-nos) was shaped by industry and find out how humans re-made the Geopark’s landscape over the centuries.

HISTORY OF THE PARK
In its heyday, Craig-y-nos had all the features that any fashionable Victorian parkland needed: walled kitchen gardens, glasshouses, rock gardens, a croquet lawn, a rose garden, ornamental and exotic trees including walnut, acacia, mulberry and eucalyptus, as well as oaks and beech.

As you stroll around, imagine that you are following the footsteps of Adelina Patti (pictured right) as she walked around her sumptuous landscaped garden. A wander around the fishpond might lead to a walk to a stand of Scots pine; according to local stories Patti used to walk among these trees to inhale their scent to assist in clearing her voice before a performance.

Craig y Nos Country Park is a Registered Historic Park and Garden managed by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.

VISITOR FACILITIES
Facilities for the disabled include access to the visitor centre and toilets. A wheelchair is available free of charge. Dogs are welcome but please note that dogs are not permitted in the Hay Meadow area while sheep are grazing (winter months only – see local signs). Fishing permits can be purchased at the centre.

Parking: There is a large car park with a compacted stone surface with disabled car parking spaces which have a tarmac surface. This is a pay and display car park with free parking for disabled parking badge holders only.

Toilets: The main toilet block and disabled access toilet is next to the visitor centre.