All walks › Caerphilly and the Eastern Valleys
Caerphilly and the Eastern ValleysPontypool Park and the Folly
Up through a landscaped park to a tower on the hill, past a shell grotto that is one of the oddest buildings in Wales.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 50
- Ascent
- 220 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
Climb through the park and up the hillside to the Folly Tower, with the grotto on the way. Return by the same route or the ridge path.
Worth knowing
- The Shell Grotto is lined with shells, bones and minerals and is open on limited days.
- The Folly Tower was demolished in 1940 in case it guided German bombers, and rebuilt in 1994.
- The view from the tower takes in the Severn estuary and the Bristol Channel.
What you’ll see
The park and its trees, the Shell Grotto, the Folly Tower, and a huge view east and south.
Background
The park was the estate of the Hanbury family, ironmasters who pioneered tinplate manufacture at Pontypool from the 1690s.