Merthyr Tydfil (Welsh: Merthyr Tudful) is a town and County Borough in South Wales in the historic county of Glamorgan on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Understand

Merthyr Tydfil is often abbreviated to "Merthyr".

Merthyr was a major centre of coal mining and steel manufacturing and the location of the invention of the steam locomotive. In the 19th century, its population exceeded that of Swansea and of Cardiff. In the latter half of the 20th century, it suffered from serious industrial decline. In the 2010s, it started to undergo regeneration as a dormitory town for Cardiff and Swansea, and exploiting its potential for tourism based on its history and location near the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Get in

By car

Merthyr Tydfil can be reached by A470 located 22 miles north of the M4 Junction 32 which is just north of Cardiff. The A470 connects with the "Heads of the Valley road" which connects Swansea with the M5. The road is a good-quality dual carriageway between Merthyr and Cardiff and a good trunk road to Brecon and the North.

The A465 now provides equally good road conditions east to the M5 and west towards Swansea.

By train

1 Merthyr Tydfil station has a twice-hourly service to Cardiff Central station and a route to Cardiff Queen Street station.

See

• 1 Cyfarthfa Castle. The former home of the Crawshay family, historical ironmasters of Cyfarthfa Ironworks. This castellated house, constructed in the early 1800s now houses a small museum covering local history and containing a curious variety of antiques including several sarcophogi and a Sinclair C5. The grounds of the 'castle' are a popular attraction during drier weather, covering 158 acres of land, containing woodland, a miniature railway, children's park areas for sporting and a small lake.  
• Joseph Parry's Cottage: this row of iron workers' cottages off Bethesda St A4102 was the humble birthplace of composer Joseph Parry (1841-1903). They're part of the castle estate.
• 2 Brecon Mountain Railway, Pant Station, CF48 2DD, ☏ +44 1685 722988, enquiries@bmr.wales. The Brecon Mountain Railway runs from a station in Pant, Merthyr Tydfil into the Brecon Beacons national park. It runs along a restored private line past the Pontsticill reservoir to Dolygaer using restored steam locomotives. (updated Apr 2018)

Do

Merthyr Tydfil makes an excellent base camp for those wishing to see the Brecon Beacons with easier access to transport links and services.

• Bike Park Wales. Bike Park Wales is the UK’s first full-scale mountain bike park. It's in the heart of the South Wales valleys making mountain biking accessible to everyone from extreme to serene. (updated Jan 2016)

Buy

There is a retail park in Merthyr with a wide variety of shops and food outlets. The town centre is mainly pedestrianised and there are some sandwich shops and small cafes with restaurants opening in the evenings.

Eat

The town has a variety or restaurants and takeaways mainly around the town centre or in one of the retail or leisure parks. It mainly offers the usual chains but there are a number of good restaurants offering Indian food, for example, in the evenings.

• 1 Stables View Restaurant, Market St, Dowlais, ☏ +44 1685 373281. (updated Nov 2016)

Sleep

• The Bessemer Hotel, Glynne Jones Ct, Dowlais, ☏ +44 1685 350780. 

Go next

• Brecon Beacons National Park is just outside the town - amazing scenery and walking opportunities.
• Cardiff and its museums and excellent shopping is a stone's throw away from the town.
• Swansea offers excellent leisure and cultural amenities, and a stunning coastline. Wales' second city is less than an hour's drive from Merthyr.