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WHAT TO DO AND SEE: Cwmtillery Lakes and the upper Tyleri Valley

Cwmtillery Reservoir

You can walk or mountain bike along the bridleways that take you through areas that echo with history, close to Tudor farmsteads including the remains of Ty Nest Llywelyn, a farmhouse that played a vital role in the roots of the early non-conformist church movement in Wales.

The little church of St Paul's overlooks this lake. Adjacent to its graveyard, which has some fine Victorian and Edwardian obelisks, is a small nature area, Coed Blaentyleri Bach, again alive with a variety of wildlife. Just to the south of the lake is a monument to William Williams, killed by soldiers in the Chartist uprising of 1839.

The top end of the Tyleri Valley (Cwmtillery) is rightly considered as one of the jewels in the crown of Blaenau Gwent. It's hard to believe these days that just over twenty years ago, Cwmtillery housed a thriving colliery employing hundreds of men.

The top end of the valley though was largely unchanged by the industrial revolution, other than the reservoir and offers a superb and fascinating insight into how the valleys looked before the exploitation of coal and iron.

Its north-western end has one of, if not the highest beech woodland in the British mainland overlooking the reservoir (right), where licensed fishing is available, built in the early 1900s to supply the rapidly growing town of Abertillery.

The ruins of Ty Nest Llywelyn

The pathways trail over the reputedly-haunted mountains and moorland, past the cold-water springs of Twyn Ffynhonnau Oerion to the world-heritage site at Blaenafon. Southwards further down the valley towards Abertillery is the lower lake at Cwmtillery, where locals enjoy fishing and walking.

The little church of St Paul's overlooks this lake. Adjacent to its graveyard, which has some fine Victorian and Edwardian obelisks, is a small nature area, Coed Blaentyleri Bach, again alive with a variety of wildlife.

Just to the south of the lake is a monument to William Williams, killed by soldiers in the Chartist uprising of 1839.

The lakes area has now been designated as a local nature reserve whilst a new community-led project, called CALON, is seeking to provide a new base for locals and visitors to the area so they can enjoy its heritage, tranquillity and splendour.

From the lower lakes area (below), it is now possible to take the newly-established Cwmtillery-Rose Heyworth trail around the valley with spectacular views overlooking the town of Abertillery into the parallel Ebbw Fach valley, ending up at the Rose Heyworth Woodlands, which comprise the ancient deciduous woodlands of Coedcae Tyleri and Coedcae Tyle.

The area has a rich variety of wildlife and the only habitat in the UK of the Silurian Moth  (Eriopygodes imbecilla). There is an abundance of bird life and recently Red Kites have been spotted in the area.

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