All walks › Caerphilly and the Eastern Valleys
Caerphilly and the Eastern ValleysBlaenavon Industrial Landscape
Around the World Heritage landscape above Blaenavon, taking in the coal mine, the ironworks quarries and the tramroads that linked them.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 10
- Ascent
- 200 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Tracks and paths cross the open ground between Big Pit and the ironworks, following old tramroads and quarry levels. Open moorland with ponies.
Worth knowing
- Big Pit is free and the underground tour with a former miner is the best industrial museum experience in Britain.
- The whole landscape is the World Heritage Site, not just the buildings: the tips, quarries and tramroads are all part of it.
- Exposed ground with ponies and no shelter.
What you’ll see
The pithead gear, ironworks and Stack Square, quarry faces and tramroad inclines.
Background
Blaenavon ironworks began in 1789 and the Bessemer process was refined nearby. Big Pit closed in 1980 and reopened as a museum three years later.