BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY AND PARTNERS A DRAFT VISITOR EXPERIENCE PLAN FOR PENWYLLT

The Tourism Company 15 The Southend Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2EY

TellTale The Steps 2 Lightwood Road Buxton SK17 7BP

10th September 2015

CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 2 UNDERSTANDING THE AREA ...... 3 3 CURRENT AND FUTURE AUDIENCES ...... 6 4 ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT VISITOR EXPERIENCE ...... 10 5 REVIEW OF THE HERITAGE ASSETS ...... 16 6 ISSUES INFLUENCING THE APPROACH TO A PLAN ...... 24 7 APPROACH TO INTERPRETATION ...... 29 8 VISITOR MOVEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE ...... 35 9 ACTION PLAN ...... 45

1 INTRODUCTION

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA) commissioned The Tourism Company with TellTale to prepare a Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt in April 2015.

The Penwyllt area, based around a former industrial settlement on the eastern flanks of the Upper Swansea Valley (Cwm Tawe Uchaf), extends from the main A4067 across to rocky moorland to the east.

The area is largely in some form of protective ownership and includes the following tracts of land:  Craig y Rhiwarth and Allt Rhongyr nature reserves, managed by Brecknock Wildlife Trust (BWT)  South Wales Caving Club (SWCC) HQ and surrounding open access land  Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve (NNR), managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW)  Penwyllt Quarry (disused) subject to a restoration plan agreed between Lafarge Tarmac and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA)

Craig-y-nos Country Park adjoins the assemblage of sites, and is managed by BBNPA.

The brief described these conservation and access interests as having formed a partnership to oversee development of the Penwyllt area, outlining a shared vision for the area as “a resource for visitors to access and learn about the identified heritage assets, including the wildlife, geology, industrial archaeology and cultural heritage”.

Preparation of a Visitor Experience Plan presents an opportunity for the various parties to work together to elaborate that vision and agree a plan for investment in visitor infrastructure that will underpin development of the area in a coherent and coordinated manner.

The Penwyllt area is considered to be relatively less visited and to have suffered from the economic changes of the past 30 years. Encouraging more use of the area for quiet recreation and to gain experience of the wildlife and cultural heritage can in turn lead to greater economic value accruing to the area and more public engagement in conservation. Initial promotion may provide a platform for local people and local businesses to further their involvement, bringing increased community benefit.

In addition to encouraging a strong link to Craig-y-nos Country Park, the brief identified specific opportunities for links to a proposed cycleway using the old railway route, and to the privately operated Dan yr Ogof Showcaves.

The Visitor Experience Development Plan has been prepared as a collaboration between The Tourism Company and TellTale, based upon:  Eight site visits, accompanied and unaccompanied, to the Penwyllt area. TellTale also made two site visits.  One to one consultations, face to face and by phone, with interested parties, including representatives of the main parties, officers of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, and others with an interest in the area.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 1 The Tourism Company with TellTale  An engagement event held at Pen-y-Cae Inn on 20th May 2015; over 60 invitations were issued, resulting in 29 participants. A list of attendees is included as Appendix One.  Keeping interested parties informed, including distribution of a note outlining the ground covered by the engagement event to participants, non-participants and local residents, and informal contact with local residents and neighbouring landowners.  Web research and enquiries to clarify understanding of the composition of the area and its heritage assets.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed their knowledge, thoughts and enthusiasm to the process of developing this Plan.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 2 The Tourism Company with TellTale 2 UNDERSTANDING THE AREA

This Chapter considers what is known about significant interests in the Penwyllt area, especially through land ownership, and any designations and rights of access that pertain.

Four main parties have expressed an interest in preparing a Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt:

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has led the initiative to bring together the various parties implicated by a visitor experience plan for Penwyllt. BBNPA own no land in Penwyllt itself, but do have ownership of the significant neighbouring asset of Craig-y-nos Country Park. The Country Park is well connected to Penwyllt through a circular loop of bridleways leading from the far side of the Park. BBNPA are also responsible for ongoing negotiations with Lafarge Tarmac, whose licence to quarry at Penwyllt is currently being surrendered, subject to a package of restoration measures which are the subject of a Section 106 agreement. BBNPA have an additional interest in Penwyllt through their association with the Fforest Fawr Geopark.

Natural Resources Wales have responsibility for the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve (NNR) and, with the exception of a small area around the car park, are in ownership of the reserve. The reserve is within two separate SSSIs (Ogof Ffynnon Ddu is notified for its underground geological (karst/cave) interest; the larger adjacent Ogof Ffynnon Ddu-Pant Mawr SSSI is notified for both geological and biological features). The principal reason for the declaration of the reserve was to protect the underlying nationally important Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system, which is the deepest, 3rd longest and one of the best studied cave systems in Britain. An OFD Management Committee (OFDMC) brings together NRW, South Wales Caving Club (see below) and other caving representatives under the chairmanship of NRW. The whole of the NNR is recorded as Open Access Land, and the Beacons Way passes through the reserve. Car parking is provided for the NNR through a small area of land under lease from a private landowner. Grazing is let over parts of the reserve to a neighbouring farmer.

Brecknock Wildlife Trust have recently purchased two adjacent wildlife reserves, Craig y Rhiwarth and Allt Rhongyr, also within the SSSI. Access to the two reserves is permissive: access to Allt Rhongyr is actively encouraged and promoted by BWT, while a rather more cautious approach is taken to access to the steep scree slopes of Craig y Rhiwarth. The Beacons Way skirts Allt Rhongyr as it climbs up to Penwyllt, providing two of the three access points to the reserves. BWT indicate places where visitors to the reserve might park on the road. Grazing is let over parts of the reserve to a nearby riding stables and livery yard. A hillfort/enclosure at the top of Allt Rhongyr is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

South Wales Caving Club has been based in Penwyllt for the past 50 years. The club owns a row of terraced cottages, Powell Street, which form its HQ, provide accommodation and are actively used by its membership and by visiting caving clubs. SWCC also own the former Penwyllt Inn, leased in turn to two other caving clubs. Over the years, the club has acquired a considerable amount of land in the area, in various parcels, aimed at protecting its interests and, in one case, securing access to a particular cave entrance. SWCC is keen to restore the right of vehicular access which it holds to Powell Street; this runs over part of the quarry floor and access has been restricted during recent quarry operations. Access to the cave

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 3 The Tourism Company with TellTale system is strictly controlled. All visiting cavers must be authorised to access the cave system by means of an NRW permit. Permits are available to members of a club which is in membership of one of the Regional Councils of the British Caving Association. Three cave entrances are in regular use; all are gated, and keys can be collected from SWCC HQ on production of a permit. Some of the land owned by SWCC is subject to an agricultural tenancy.

Two other major landowners may be implicated by a Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt:

Hobbs Properties Ltd are the ultimate owners of the recently disused quarry and, once Lafarge Tarmac have completed restoration works to the satisfaction of BBNPA, the quarry area will revert to them. Hobbs Properties Ltd also own a number of other buildings and parcels of land in Penwyllt, including the railway station and the NNR car park. The exact and full extent of their land ownership is not currently available.

The Cnewr Estate has extensive holdings to the north and west of the National Nature Reserve. Much of this land is registered as Open Access Land, and parts are within one of the SSSIs. Its 12,500 acres are run along traditional lines. The farm is renowned for its Cheviot sheep and Galloway cattle, which were introduced by the family in the 1850s.

In addition, there are a small number of private dwellings in Penwyllt and a number of small parcels of land whose ownership has not yet been identified.

The following maps show the designations that apply to the area around Penwyllt and any rights of public access that pertain:

Map 2.1 Protected areas and special sites in and around Penwyllt

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 4 The Tourism Company with TellTale

Map 2.2 Rights of Way and Open Access Land in and around Penwyllt

Summary of spatial complexity

 The pattern of landownership in and around Penwyllt is complex.  Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA) owns no land in Penwyllt,  While three of the original named parties own extensive tracts of land in and around Penwyllt, in what could be described as protective ownership, their collective portfolio excludes significant parcels of land and/or property, both in the centre of Penwyllt and also on the periphery of the area.  In some cases, it has been possible to identify the relevant owners of these parcels of land or property, but there is uncertainty over exact boundaries and some owners remain unknown.  Through their ownership, these parties retain some control over important aspects of the visitor experience and of some of the heritage assets which form a significant part of the story of Penwyllt. They include Hobbs Properties Ltd and the Cnewr Estate, as well as private individuals.  The presence of the extensive underground cave system adds a further layer of complexity. Ogof Ffynnon Ddu SSSI is notified for its underground geological (karst / cave) interest. Access is limited to experienced cavers and controlled by volunteers as part of Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Management Committee.  There are also areas protected by some form of designation and areas of Open Access Land.  Many heritage assets, especially built heritage assets, are located on land in the ownership of individual partners whose management priorities lie elsewhere.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 5 The Tourism Company with TellTale 3 CURRENT AND FUTURE AUDIENCES

This Chapter reviews what is known about current visitors to the Penwyllt area and considers the prospects for future audiences and their relevance to plans to improve the visitor experience at Penwyllt.

Volume of visits to the area

It is estimated that around 4 million visitors come each year to the Brecon Beacons National Park, spending in total around 4.9 million visitor days in the area1. A limited amount of information is available about the volume of visits to attractions nearby to Penwyllt. The two nearby visitor attractions, Craig-y-nos Country Park (free entry) and the National Showcaves Centre for Wales (paid admission), each record relatively significant volumes of visitors and provide important reasons to visit the Upper Swansea Valley. Recorded visitor volumes elsewhere in this south western part of the Brecon Beacons National Park (Waterfalls Centre, Garwnant, Penderyn) appear to be generally lower. Numbers finding their way to Penwyllt, indicated by pedestrian counters on the National Nature Reserve, are lower again. Nevertheless, 12,000 visits are recorded although this figure includes a significant number of cavers making their way to and from the top cave entrance. Visitor attraction 2013 2012 Craig-y-nos Country Park - 123,289 National Showcaves Centre for Wales - 70,980 Waterfalls Centre, Pontneddfechan 22,634 20,357 Garwnant Visitor Centre 38,530 37,106 Penderyn Distillery 20,448 Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR 12,000+* Source: Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales, 2012, 2013; *based on NRW pedestrian counters

Around 40,000 vehicles are counted in and out of Craig-y-nos each year. For various reasons, including season ticket holders making repeat visits, less than half purchase a ticket. Amongst those that do, the ratio of short (<2hr) to long stays is just under 4 to 1. Peak months for ticket purchases are July and August, although the spread of actual arrivals is better distributed throughout the year.

The National Showcaves Centre for Wales has seasonal opening hours, generally from end March to end October, with additional opening in December and at February half term.

Profile of visitors to the National Park

Turning to what is known about visits to the wider Brecon Beacons National Park, visitors can be broken down as follows2:  Day visitors make up 92% of visitors, and spend 75% of visitor days;

1 Steam 2012 2 Steam 2012, GBTS 2013, Wales Visitor Survey, Powys Report 2013

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 6 The Tourism Company with TellTale  Domestic staying visitors make up around 6-8% of visitors, but spend 20-25% of visitor days;  Overseas (staying) visitors are less than 2% of visitors, and a little under 5% of visitor days).

It is also known that:  The day visitor market dominates in the Park, with two thirds of day visitors coming from within Wales;  There is a bias in overnight visits towards the east of the Park given the distribution of accommodation;  Around 60% of all visitors are repeat visitors.  The shorter the time available the more likely it is to be filled with pre-planned activities.  Around two thirds of all visitors have come to participate in outdoor activities and this is the main reason for visiting for around half of all visitors.  Around half of all visitors say they have or will walk more than two miles during their visit;  The most popular leisure activity undertaken by visitors (including people who live in the National Park) is walking along low level routes, closely followed by hill walking;  A number of more specialist activities such as cycling, fishing, climbing, horse riding and water sports are carried out by a much smaller proportion of visitors;  Around half of all visitors come to enjoy the landscape;  Around a third of all visitors visit a specific attraction;  Around a third of all visitors come as couples and around a quarter come with friends; families with children are in the minority;  A significant proportion of all visitors (around 15%) visit alone;  Visitors tend to be younger than the regional average and there is a higher proportion of visitors in the A-B socio-economic group.

There are of course also local residents. The Brecon Beacons’ Residents Survey found that “more interpretation and better access to information on the historic environment and cultural heritage” was particularly important to residents.

Profile of visitors to Penwyllt and the Upper Swansea Valley

While firmly located in the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Upper Swansea Valley has a visitor profile which may be a little different to that of the Park as a whole. It is located in the less visited south west quadrant of the Park, and looks south towards the valley communities and to Swansea. Participants in the engagement event held on 20th May 2015 as part of the consultation on the Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt provided an opportunity to invite participants to share their knowledge of current visitors to the immediate area. Full details are included in Appendix Two.

Main findings in relation to current visitors include:  The primary significance of walking, from regular dog walkers along the railway line to long distance walkers, including those using the Beacons Way.  The importance of special interests as a driver of visits, including caving, industrial heritage, geology and wildlife.  The strong presence of families with children at Craig-y-nos Country Park.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 7 The Tourism Company with TellTale  The obvious presence of organized groups around Penwyllt, including young people and special interest groups.  The preponderance of local visitors.

There is a reasonably good fit with the Cwm Tawe Sustainable Tourism Action Plan (revisited August 2012), which suggests that Cwm Tawe’s visitors tend to fall into one of five main groups:  Family day trippers with young children from within 1-2 hr drive  Short break/holiday couples aged 45-65 (‘light actives’ and ‘browsers’) attracted by the Brecon Beacons brand  Activity enthusiasts on short breaks, couples and small groups 25-45 (‘heavy/dedicated actives’)  Family explorers – staying on holiday with slightly older children (could include extended family groups/ reunions)  Educational groups – schools, colleges, universities, team building, U3A

Target audiences previously identified for the wider area

The Cwm Tawe Sustainable Tourism Action Plan (revisited August 2012) recommended a strategy of targeting more of the light actives/browsers (group 2 above) and the family explorers (group 4).

The Brecon Beacons National Park has also identified target markets for use in connection with its recent new branding for use across the National Park. A market segmentation exercise resulted in the selection of four key target markets:  Cosmopolitans - active, independent, sustainable, but like lots of destination types  Discoverers - enjoy learning about areas and cultures, enjoy physical activity, independent, like to experience a destination from a local’s perspective  Traditionals - value good service, like rural areas, enjoy history and heritage, relaxed pace of life  Functionals - independent, like countryside for activities, ‘fresh air is free’.

Target audiences for the Visitor Experience Plan

Participants at the engagement event gave consideration to future audiences that might be attracted to Penwyllt. Details can be found in Appendix Two.

The main findings in relation to future audiences for Penwyllt include:  The continued importance of walking, and the range of walkers that might continue to be attracted  The potential for cyclists to form an important audience in future, on delivery of the proposed extension of NCN43 from Coelbren to Penwyllt.  The potential for the industrial/cultural heritage of the area to drive future visits, amongst local residents and those from further afield.  The scope for more families to visit the area, especially those seeking natural, more remote experiences  The aspiration to attract more staying visitors to the area  The wish to find ways to engage with groups of young people who will continue to undertake organised activity in the area

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 8 The Tourism Company with TellTale  Trophy collectors, free/wild campers3; off-roaders/trail bikes; and militarists (extremists, hard core activities) were felt NOT to be welcome.

There is a good fit here with the three of the target markets for the Brecon Beacons (Discoverers, Traditional and Functionals), and also to the audiences identified as future prospects in the Cwm Tawe Sustainable Tourism Action Plan.

We have identified seven target audiences for the Visitor Experience Plan. These are shown below, each accompanied by a short description:

 Short stayers: people who visit Penwyllt for 30 minutes or less, maybe as a stop off on a walk or a cycle ride or who arrive by car for a casual visit.  Long stayers: people who visit Penwyllt as the start point for a longer walk.  Virtual visitors: people who access information remotely (possibly pre-or post an actual visit).  Families: adults visiting with children.  Intellectual visitors: people who are motivated by the desire to learn something from their visit (could be industrial history, community history, geology, wildlife, caving or other); may be novices or knowledgeable.  Social visitors: people who are motivated mainly by the social aspects of the visit and who take a passing interest in interpretation.  Sensualist visitors: people who are motivated mainly by the aesthetics and sense of the place.

3 This became a point of discussion as this view was not universally shared

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 9 The Tourism Company with TellTale 4 ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT VISITOR EXPERIENCE

This Chapter provides an assessment of the current visitor experience at Penwyllt, based on site visits and additional research. A number of elements of the visit have been covered in the assessment, including the central area of Penwyllt, the more open areas around Penwyllt, Craig-y-nos Country Park and the promoted walking route which connects Penwyllt to the Country Park.

These are summarised in Table 4.1 summarises our observations, taking each of the following aspects in turn:

 Points of entry  Links and connections with communities  Public transport  Parking  Accessibility  Route finding  Ground conditions  Welcome  Orientation  Information  Visitor services  Highlights  Low points  Existing interpretation

Table 4.1 Assessment of current visitor experience of Penwyllt and its surrounding area Strengths Weaknesses Points of  Penwyllt can be accessed on foot  Although pedestrian access is quite entry from the far side of Craig-y-nos possible, it is not obvious from Country Park, with a choice of Craig-y-nos that Penwyllt is there, Rights of Way in two directions. but hidden behind the face of the  One of these two routes is steep cliffs which are themselves promoted, signed and managed as visible. the Beacons Way.  Vehicle access to Penwyllt is via a  Penwyllt can also be approached relatively steep minor road with from Storey Arms via the Beacons passing places. Way.  The route along the Beacons Way from Storey Arms is 23.7km/14.75 miles and involves 555m/1820ft of ascent. Good route navigation skills and the ability to read a map and use a compass are essential. Links and  Pen-y-Cae and Abercraf are the  Penwyllt itself is a tiny community connections nearest communities, both to the consisting of five households. with south of Penwyllt along the A4067, communities with Glyntawe to the north.  The larger settlements of Coelbren and Ystradgynlais have longstanding connections with Penwyllt via industrial associations

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 10 The Tourism Company with TellTale and the former Neath and Brecon Railway.  South Wales Caving Club HQ is the base for a significant community of interest, hosting regular visits from members and other caving clubs. Public  Craig-y-nos Country Park is served  X63 runs along the main road and transport by X63, with 6-8 buses a day does not serve Penwyllt itself. operating between Swansea and Brecon along the A4067. Parking  Craig-y-nos Country Park has a  There is a charge for parking at large car park which offers short Craig-y-nos Country Park. Long and long term parking (currently stay charges would apply in order to £1.50 up to 2hours, £2.50 over 2 allow time to visit Penwyllt on foot. hours).  Once cars leave the metalled road  There are no restricted hours for car at Penwyllt, the access road to the parking at Craig-y-nos Country Park car park is in very poor condition, – the gates are left open. with many large potholes and liable  A car park is also available at to subsidence. Penwyllt, provided by NRW in  The car park at Penwyllt is leased association with Ogof Ffynnon Ddy by NRW from Hobbs Properties Ltd. National Nature Reserve.  The car park is not overlooked and there may be security concerns.  Brecknock Wildlife Trust have no formal parking arrangement for visitors to Allt Rhongyr, although the road is sufficiently wide to accommodate a number of parked cars.  Elsewhere in Penwyllt, cars are parked at random along the road, especially around the station and entrance to the disused quarry. Accessibility  Bridleways leading to Penwyllt from  Small but significant parts of the Craig-y-nos are in the main area are in private hands with no relatively accessible, with gates in right of access. places for stock management.  There is one steep and rocky  Once access is gained, the former section at the lower end of The railway line offers relatively easy Pant. and level walking which is enjoyed  Although appearing on the on a regular basis by mostly local Definitive Map as a bridleway, The walkers. Task (leading from Pwllcoediog  Once access is gained, remnants of Farm to Penwyllt) includes two the Brecon Forest Tramroad offer stiles. There is a steep pull up the easy and enjoyable walking on hill. grassy tracks.  The ground is rough in many parts of the area around Penwyllt, with rocky outcrops, sinkholes, small caves and half hidden remains of industrial activity.  Access is not advised to Craig y Rhiwarth Nature Reserve due to the nature of the terrain.  Routes currently used by

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 11 The Tourism Company with TellTale pedestrians are not suitable for those with limited mobility. Access is constrained by changes in level in places; stiles and kissing gates; and unsuitable surfacing and ground conditions in others. There are few seats and places to rest.  Lone users might feel a little uncomfortable in some parts of the area due to the alien nature of the environment. Route finding  Once the correct exit from Craig-y-  Visibility can quickly become nos Country Park is obtained, the restricted by poor weather Rights of Way connecting to conditions. Penwyllt are clearly signed.  Signing is very limited and, where it  The Beacons Way is well signed in exists, gives no indication of its lower sections, encouraging destination or distance. confidence.  Some older signs on Rights of Way  Certain parts of the tram network may reduce confidence amongst are very visible in the landscape users. and easy to follow.  There are extensive areas of Open Access Land with limited indication of Rights of Way or other suggested routes.  There is nothing to indicate which is, and which is not, Open Access Land.  The Beacons Way has very limited signing where it crosses Open Access Land.  The network of former tramroads, especially its subtle changes over time, can lead to confusion.  No routes are currently indicated on Allt Rhongyr; there is permissive access to the entire reserve. Ground  Sections of the route are on clearly  Ground conditions on parts of the conditions defined tracks. Rights of Way network require, and  As a promoted route, The Beacons receive, ongoing maintenance. Way is subject to regular condition  Small stretches of the Rights of checks and maintenance when Way network can become wet and required. muddy.  The rocky section at the bottom of The Pant can become slippy following persistent wet weather.  In places, the ground can be subject to some trampling by stock or horses.  Ground can become churned up by vehicles required for major maintenance works (observed on NNR; limited occurrence). Welcome  Craig-y-nos Country Park provides  Whether arriving in Penwyllt on foot a well organised welcome to its or by car, the environment at

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 12 The Tourism Company with TellTale visitors. present is at best unwelcoming and  Visitors on foot will encounter can be intimidating. It is not clear welcome/orientation panels which where visitors should go, or indeed have been installed by Brecknock if they should be there at all. Wildlife Trust as they enter and leave the reserves en route to Penwyllt (although these have been subject to damage by horses). Orientation  Mention is made of the opportunity  While being welcomed to the to visit Penwyllt on the main Country Park, many users will orientation panel in the car park at remain unaware of the opportunity Craig-y-nos. to visit the neighbouring area of  NRW have installed an orientation Penwyllt. panel in the NNR car park, and also  The map included in the general at entrances to the Ogof Ffynnon leaflet for Craig-y-nos Country Park Ddu reserve. indicates the bridleway that  Brecknock Wildlife Trust have connects to Penwyllt but gives no installed welcome/orientation indication of destination. panels at entrances to their  Fingerposts give no indication of reserves, with a pictorial map and distance or destination indication of special features of the reserve. Information  Information outlining a visit on foot  A charge of £1 is made for the to Penwyllt is provided in the leaflet ‘The Rise and Fall of BBNPA leaflet ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’, restricting its distribution. Penwyllt’.  Limited availability of leaflet ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’. At Craig- y-nos Country Park, can be bought from Bob Grainger Photography when the studio is open, but is not on sale (or even visible) in the Changing Seasons café.  The leaflet is obtainable by post in advance but its existence is not widely promoted.  The leaflet is not available to download.  The leaflet is not on display at Craig-y-nos Country Park, nor is the useful map that it contains. Visitor  Visitor services, including toilets, a  No visitor services are available at services café and shelter, are available at Penwyllt, or en route. Craig-y-nos Country Park.  Lack of shelter at Penwyllt  There is a strong mobile phone  Mobile phone signal is absent at signal on arrival at Penwyllt. Craig-y-nos Country Park, and deteriorates with increasing distance from the centre of Penwyllt. Existing  A number of organisations including  The interpretation is disjointed; each interpretation BBNPA, NRW and BWT have element stands alone rather than produced on-site interpretation for them being linked into a bigger Penwyllt picture.  The interpretation panels highlight  The interpretation is topic rather the geological and biodiversity than theme-based.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 13 The Tourism Company with TellTale interest of the site  There is no introduction to the site  The ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ as a whole (except maybe the ‘The gives an evocative introductions to Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ leaflet the industrial past of Penwyllt which is difficult to obtain (see  Three podcasts capture memories above)) from former members of the  The panel interpretation makes little Penwyllt community reference to what people can see and do on site  Some of the information is over- technical, other information is only relevant in certain seasons  There is no fixed interpretation of the industrial heritage Highlights of  The extensive views, which can be the visit obtained with relatively little effort.  Lots of fresh air: invigorating.  The intriguing remains of past community and industrial activity  The impressive but invisible cave system under your feet  Flora of the limestone pavement  The link with Craig-y-nos Castle and Adelina Patti Low points  Arrival at Penwyllt – intimidating; lack of welcome or directions  Aggregate quarry workings  ‘Danger’ signage related to abandoned quarry workings  Sense in places that visitors are not welcome: fencing; ‘Keep Out’ or ‘Private’ signage.  Very poor state of road to car park – would cause some drivers to turn back  To reach the best viewpoints, visitors may need direction  Poor condition of the historic environment  Interpretation is required in order to understand the meaning of the remnant heritage  To achieve any impact, the cave system needs to be made visible through interpretation  Wildlife interest in general is not spectacular or even obvious to a non-specialist audience  Limestone flora are clustered in specific places and seasonal  Passing through the buildings at Pwllcoediog Farm: old signage; gates through yard; noisy dog kennels.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 14 The Tourism Company with TellTale An interpretation audit is included as Appendix Three.

This is a mixed picture. The Penwyllt area has some great strengths and unique selling points, but it also has a number of weaknesses.

A session at the engagement event at the Pen-y-Cae Inn invited participants to consider the changes that might be required to encourage visitors, existing and new, to explore Penwyllt, and to be successful in meeting the needs of additional visitors.

These can be summarised as:  Creating a welcome and reassuring visitors that they should be there  Improving the sense of security  Providing clear directions and improved signage  Improving access, especially the condition of the access road  Offering visitor facilities, including toilets (water supply may be a limiting factor)  Making more of the railway station and its links to Craig-y-nos  Increasing the visibility of land ownership and understanding of its management  Introducing a code of conduct  Managing the level and speed of traffic  Addressing anti-social behaviour and encouraging respect for the community  Being cautious about increasing numbers; considering safety and carrying capacity  Conserving the industrial archaeology and addressing owner concerns about issues of liability  Making provision for dogs, especially at boundary crossings, and improving their management  Designing public transport services to support walks in the area  Encouraging and managing access by bicycle  Managing challenge events  Changing attitudes away from conquering and competing against the landscape to enjoying the landscape  Increasing provision for group visits  Increasing economic benefit to the area, while reducing unwelcome impact  Keeping young people in the area with fresh ideas

Summary of the visitor experience

 A small number of visitors, especially walkers, currently find ways to enjoy this relatively accessible but remote feeling area.  It is currently difficult to promote the area to new visitors, due to the poor visitor reception and environment in the immediate vicinity of the point of arrival.  Improvements to the physical environment and basic visitor facilities will make it easier to invite visitors to the area and be of benefit to all future users.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 15 The Tourism Company with TellTale 5 REVIEW OF THE HERITAGE ASSETS

This Chapter considers the natural, built and cultural heritage assets of Penwyllt. It includes a review of the ownership of, access to and designations covering each of these assets.

Table 5.1 presents a list of heritage features that we have identified in and around Penwyllt. This has been compiled through combination of guided site visits, personal recommendation, site inspection, and a review of documents and web material.

A number of asset categories have been identified, as follows:  Geological  Cave system  Industrial heritage  Cultural  Natural

In the table, each feature has been classified into one or more of these categories. Wherever possible, ownership of the feature has also been identified, together with any designation that applies to its location, information about the right of access that pertains to view or visit the feature, and a comment on its potential value to the visitor experience.

Table 5.1 Heritage features of the Penwyllt area Named Asset Ownership Designations Access Comment feature category Pant Mawr Geological/ Cnewr Estate Ogof Ffynnon Open Access Remote, risk to pot cave Ddu - Pant Land public, permission Mawr SSSI required Pwyll Byfre Geological/ Cnewr Estate SSSI Open Access Remote but sink hole cave Land significant. Mentioned to Cnewr. Ffynnon Ddu Geological/ Unknown SSSI Visible from Significant feature (resurgence) cave minor road past Y Greithig OFDI - lower Geological/ SWCC SSSI No public Significant feature entrance cave access worthy of mention Cwm Dwr Geological/ Hobbs leased SSSI Visible Significant feature Quarry cave to NRW through worthy of mention. entrance access to NNR. Not OAL OFDII - top Geological/ NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Significant feature entrance cave Land. Close worthy of mention proximity to Beacons Way. Powell's Geological/ SWCC SSSI No public Supervised Cave cave access. access could be Visible from offered on an Penwyllt road occasional basis

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 16 The Tourism Company with TellTale Pant Canol Geological/ SWCC? SSSI No public Played a part in cave access. opening way into Visible from OFD1 road. OFD cave Geological/ Various SSSI Individuals Recent 3-D survey system cave surface (happen to of cave system owners be SWCC available members) appointed by NRW to control access Natural Geological Various (NRW, Most within Mostly open Multiple occurring BWT, private) SSSI. Part NNR access or by opportunities to rocks and invitation of look for particular building BWT rock types, material formations and naturally occurring features in the rock. Opportunity to demonstrate examples within quarry restoration. Shake/sink Geological Various (NRW, Most within Mostly open Multiple holes BWT, private) SSSI. Part NNR access or by opportunities to invitation of look for examples. BWT General Geological Various (NRW, Most within Mostly open Multiple views BWT, private) SSSI. Part NNR access or by viewpoints offer invitation of opportunity to BWT demonstrate wider geological context View over Geological/ BWT SSSI Permissive Specific viewpoint Craig-y-nos cultural access offers excellent view of C-y-N estate Silica sand Geological/ Cnewr Estate SSSI Open Access Remote but quarries industrial Land significant. heritage Mentioned to Cnewr. Wern Quarry Geological/ NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Off main thrash. industrial Land Supplied heritage limestone for the brickworks from 1903. Drystone Cultural/ Mark boundary SSSI/boundary Open Access Culturally walls 1 geological between of NNR Land significant in Cnewr Estate relation to John and NNR. Christie. Also Owned by provides Cnewr Estate? opportunity to see variety of local stone. Drystone Cultural/ BWT SSSI Permissive Along bridleways walls 2 geological access from C-y-N, (except RoW) including The Pant. Field boundaries within Allt Rhongr Reserve.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 17 The Tourism Company with TellTale The Task Cultural Pwllceidiog Final (top) part Right of Way Culturally of route is SSSI (dispute over significant - route status) to school for children of Penwyllt, and also to Chapel. View over Penwyllt on arrival at top of pass. Route passes between farm buildings. The Pant Cultural Private + BWT Right of Way Pant = hollow. (although (bridleway) Drystone walling, ownership not sunken lane. clear) Enclosure on Cultural BWT SSSI/SAM Permissive Outstanding views Allt Rhongyr access of Craig-y-nos, Upper Swansea Valley, former industrial community of Penwyllt Penwyllt Inn Cultural SWCC leased SSSI Approached Culturally and Garden to by RoW or significant. WCMS/Swind over OAL to on CC south Powell Street Cultural SWCC SSSI Approached Culturally by RoW. significant. OAL to south Security concerns. Reading Cultural SWCC SSSI Private Culturally room/Missio premises. significant but no n hall (#9 access. Podcasts Powell include memories. Street) Reference to inquest being held in Reading Room.

Patti Row Cultural Private. SSSI Informal Culturally Unknown access only - significant. tolerated? Terraced and back to back. State of dereliction. No right of access. Craig-y-nos Cultural/ Believed to be SSSI Visible from Culturally Station industrial Hobbs road. significant. Properties Ltd. Informal Central location. access from Building in good road. condition. Strong link to Patti. Remains of Cultural SWCC SSSI Right of Way Culturally other passes significant but dwellings in nearby. remaining front of Security evidence is poor Powell Street concerns. (Kershaw Terrace etc.) Billiard hall Cultural SWCC SSSI Open Access No evidence Land remains

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 18 The Tourism Company with TellTale Ty Mawr, Cultural Private SSSI No public Known importance Maes-y-Crug ownership access other in history of than nearby community. Right of Way Occupied. Remains of Cultural BWT SSSI Permissive Significance platform of access unknown. other Remaining dwelling(s) evidence is poor? Line of Cultural/ Various SSSI in Various. Part Culturally former Neath industrial immediate owned by significant. Large and Brecon vicinity to north NRW is parts are walkable Railway and south of accessible as in vicinity of station NNR. Penwyllt. Continuing Ambition to south is convert to cycle Open path, driven by Access. Part Powys County leased to Council Tarmac is not accessible. Further north is Open Access Land NB boundary change expected Site of Cultural BBNPA (west None Within C-y-N Thought to be former (1905 bank); Country Park. former route used map) unknown (east RoW to either by Patti from footbridge of bank) side. station to C-y-N River Tawe Castle Adelina Cultural BBNPA Registered Within C-y-N Patti likely to have Patti's Historic Park Country Park brought guests Pavilion and Garden from station to Pavilion Beacons Cultural Various Partly Right of Way Recent Way SSSI/NNR (minor contribution to variations) opportunities to enjoy and explore the BBNP - BB Park Society Limestone Natural NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Highly seasonal pavement Land and on but botanically Beacons important and Way attractive. Strong link to geology. Peregrine Natural Hobbs leased SSSI No public Nest site possibly falcons to Tarmac access. will be visible from viewpoint to be provided through restoration of quarry workings. Special Natural NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access To be advised by biodiversity Land Jon features of Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR - to be further

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 19 The Tourism Company with TellTale advised by Jon

Special Natural BWT SSSI Permissive To be advised by biodiversity access Brecknock Wildlife features of Trust Allt Rhongyr and Craig y Rhiwarth reserves - limestone specialists Biodiversity - Natural NRW SSSI No public various access specialists resident or visiting caves Confluence Natural BBNPA Registered Within C-y-N Afon Llynfell is the of Tawe and Historic Park Country Park river which Afon Llynfell and Garden emerges from the cave of Dan yr Ogof. The two cave systems come together when the resurgence from Ogof Ffynnon Ddu joins the Tawe a little downstream (outside the CP boundary) (see above) Nant yr Natural/ind Cnewr Estate ?SSSI?? ?Open Remote point to Wydd ustrial access? north on Brecon Noted as Forest Tramroad. permitted Considerable access with distance; risk due seasonal to remote location restriction and uneven (lambing) ground and structures. Brecon Industrial NRW/Cnewr SSSI Open Access Sleeper blocks Forest past Estate/SWCC Land visible in places Tramroad (Powell Street, ascending track). Grassy track forms good walking surface. Pwll Byfe Industrial NRW/Cnewr SSSI/NNR Open Access Complex evolution Tramways past Estate Land and evidence can (various be confusing. stages) Tramroad Industrial NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Very clear in incline past Land landscape and easy to walk

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 20 The Tourism Company with TellTale The 'zig- Industrial Cnewr Estate Northerly Open Access Significant feature. zags' past extremities not Land Little remote. within SSSI Mentioned to Cnewr. Winding Industrial NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Significant feature engine past Land at significant location. Building has been reduced to few layers of brick and entrance blocked up.

Cwm Dwr Industrial Hobbs leased SSSI/NNR Accessible as Visible and Quarry past to NRW part of NNR central. Sheltered, fairly flat area. Pen-y-Foel Industrial Private land - Grade II Listed. Open Access Visible and Limekilns past local owner On SSSI Land central. Structure deteriorating. Liability issues? Remains of Industrial Private land - SSSI Open Access Pen-y-Foel past local owner Land railway siding and weighbridge Recent Industrial Hobbs leased SSSI Private land, Visible and aggregate past to Lafarge limited central. quarry Tarmac permissive Programme of workings access under works in planning. negotiation via S106 Limekiln in Industrial Hobbs leased SSSI Private land Visible and recent quarry past to Tarmac central. working Programme of works in planning. To be retained and made safe - detailed specification under negotation. Significance? Stone set in the front wall with an inscription and date of 1878 Twyn-y-Ffald Industrial Private land SSSI Private land. Drawhole of Twyn- quarry and past (Ty Mawr?) Access ffald lime kiln has lime kiln tolerated? been restored.

Limestone Industrial SWCC/NRW SSSI/NNR Open Access Change at top of quarry by past (part) Land quarry face from brickworks dark grey limestone to paler Twrch Sandstone

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 21 The Tourism Company with TellTale Silica brick Industrial SWCC SSSI Open Access Remains of works past Land crushers, mixing pans, moulding and drying sheds, nine round brick kilns in two groups. Penwyllt brick wall visible. Ruins unstable in many places. Silica Industrial SWCC (except SSSI Open Access Hard quartzite quarries by past small part) Land crushed to form brickworks principal ingredient for bricks prior to Pwyll Byfre sand quarries. Peter Burgess book (Walk 3) suggests a visit Various Industrial limestone past quarries Craig-y-nos Cultural Private Within setting of BBNPA have Theatre. Castle Castle connection ownership Registered access as Patti's home. Historic Park agreement to Accessible. and Garden grounds from Welcome public C-y-N unless wedding in Country Park progress. Tours available. Gwyn Arms Cultural Private Licensed Strongly connection ownership premises associated with early days of South Wales Caving Club Tafarn y Cultural Private Licensed Identified as Garreg connection ownership premises resting point for haulier traffic on Brecon Forest Tramroad The Outdoor Cultural Dulwich Private Former Glyntawe Centre connection College premises. School National Geological Private Visitor Showcaves connection ownership attraction of Wales with charged (Dan yr admission. Ogof) Absolute Geological Private Novice caving Adventure connection ownership experience can be offered on land leased other side of valley

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 22 The Tourism Company with TellTale In addition, one session of the engagement event at the Pen-y-Cae Inn was devoted to a map-based exercise for participants to identify key places of interest. Map 5.1 indicates the main sites that were mentioned.

Map 5.1 Key places of interest mentioned at engagement event

Analysis of the output from this session shows that an overwhelming number (21) of the sites that were identified were of cultural significance or related to the industrial past of the area. Just seven geological features were identified, and two features relating to biodiversity. While this exercise was not designed to be a popular vote, it does suggest that features relating to the past industrial and community life of the area hold particular significance in the minds of the audience present at the workshop.

Factors affecting the choice of features to be highlighted to visitors

In addition to the inherent value of each heritage feature, a number of external factors govern the usefulness of each feature in adding value to the visitor experience:  A right of access must be provided to a point where the feature is, at a minimum, clearly visible  The feature must be in the hands of a willing owner if any intervention is desirable or required  The safety of the public must be considered if the feature is to be approached  The feature itself must be able to withstand any new pressure from visitors  The design of any intervention required to encourage or provide access to visitors must take full account of any special designations that are in place.

It can be seen from Table 5.1 that there is considerable variation in the combination of conditions that apply to each individual feature. Our approach to planned improvements to the visitor experience at Penwyllt has given careful consideration to these factors.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 23 The Tourism Company with TellTale 6 ISSUES INFLUENCING THE APPROACH TO A PLAN

This Chapter summarises some of the issues involved in taking an overall approach to a visitor experience plan for Penwyllt, and proposes an overarching vision and a way forward. A plan that will change the visitor’s experience of Penwyllt requires a more proactive and co-ordinated approach that will appeal to visitors and meet their needs.

6.1 Summary of the issues

Progress is being made towards a partnership

 The original parties4 named in the brief for this work are taking their first steps in working together.  This is not as yet a fully functioning partnership but separate organisations that are prepared to consider the advantages of co-operation and co-ordinating their approach to the management of the visitor experience of Penwyllt.  The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has brought the parties together and has demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment to seeing positive outcomes from their association.  The Fforest Fawr Geopark Development Officer has also dedicated time and enthusiasm in support of developing a Visitor Experience Plan  Beyond this, and its general influence as the National Park Authority, the direct influence of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority is restricted to its ownership of neighbouring Craig-y-nos Country Park and its responsibility for negotiating a restoration plan for the aggregate quarry where Tarmac plc has recently ceased operations.  The shared interest in the site is geographic. The partners actually have distinct and different interests in the site (or parts of it). The industrial and community heritage is not the main interest of any of the partners or landowners, but is of considerable interest to the local community who have a clear desire to see that it is not lost.

The area is spatially complex

 The pattern of landownership in and around Penwyllt is complex.  Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA) owns no land in Penwyllt,  While three of the original named parties own extensive tracts of land in and around Penwyllt, in what could be described as protective ownership, their collective portfolio excludes significant parcels of land and/or property, both in the centre of Penwyllt and also on the periphery of the area.  In some cases, it has been possible to identify the relevant owners of these parcels of land or property, but there is uncertainty over exact boundaries and some owners remain unknown.  Through their ownership, these parties retain some control over important aspects of the visitor experience and of some of the heritage assets which form a significant part of the story of Penwyllt. They include Hobbs Properties Ltd and the Cnewr Estate, as well as private individuals.

4 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales, South Wales Caving Club and Brecknock Wildlife Trust

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 24 The Tourism Company with TellTale  The presence of the extensive underground cave system adds a further layer of complexity. Ogof Ffynnon Ddu SSSI is notified for its underground geological (karst / cave) interest. Access is limited to experienced cavers and controlled by volunteers as part of OFDCMC (Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Cave Management Committee).  There are also areas protected by some form of designation and areas of Open Access Land.  Many heritage assets, especially built heritage assets, are located on land in the ownership of individual partners whose management priorities lie elsewhere.

The current visitor experience is poor; while opportunities exist to improve the environment, options for new facilities are very limited

 A small number of visitors, especially walkers, currently find ways to enjoy this relatively accessible but remote feeling area.  The characteristics of the natural environment create an enjoyable place to spend time.  A small amount of effort can be rewarded with extensive and uplifting views across the landscape.  It is currently difficult to promote the area to new visitors, due to the poor visitor reception and environment in the immediate vicinity of the point of arrival.  Improvements to the physical environment and basic visitor infrastructure will make it easier to promote the area to visitors and be of benefit to all future users.  Visitor facilities such as toilets, refreshments and shelter are not available at Penwyllt, neither are they justified by current visitor numbers.  The lack of facilities such as toilets and refreshments at Penwyllt should not be seen as an obstacle to encouraging additional visits, including families with older children.  In the absence of facilities, some form of shelter would be highly desirable, especially as the weather can deteriorate quickly.  No suitably buildings are currently available to provide a base for visitor orientation or interpretation of the area.  The railway station is highly visible and well located to provide shelter and/or a base or launch point for interpretation. Although the building is not currently in use, it is in private ownership.  The South Wales Caving Club currently has no aspiration to offer space in Powell Street; on the contrary, they would prefer to discourage the public from approaching the buildings.

Evidence of Penwyllt’s past can be confusing and is incomplete

 Economic activity in and around Penwyllt not only developed rapidly but went through a period of frequent and rapid changes, often with crucial decisions taken at some distance, searching by turn for new capital, technologies, resources, and market opportunities. Remaining evidence is layered and can be confusing.  The material evidence and the research immediately available emphasises the physical, technological and industrial processes. Rather less seems to be known about the human processes, about who lived and worked here and where they came from, especially in the earlier days. This is a significant challenge to presenting a rounded interpretation of the site.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 25 The Tourism Company with TellTale There is a clear desire to acknowledge a past community

 Many people living locally feel a sense of connection to Penwyllt and a responsibility to acknowledge and commemorate a ‘lost’ community.  This may have come about through a direct or family involvement with a former resident, or through a sense of curiosity or proximity.  Some individuals are very knowledgeable about aspects of past activity, and others have specific experience or memories to share.  It is beyond the scope of this project to ascertain whether it is appropriate to preserve the material remains, but it seems clear that there is a will to commemorate the people who lived and worked there and their activity.

There is a need to prioritise stories to share with visitors

 Any attempt to interpret the full complexity of the area and to demonstrate connections between the different aspects of its heritage is likely to lead to a fragmented and rather artificial experience and to add to, rather than reduce, confusion.  It is therefore important to prioritise those aspects of Penwyllt that are most strongly represented in the visitor experience of the site.  There is very little visible evidence of the extensive cave system underlying the area, and nothing at all obvious to the uninformed eye.  Almost all visitors will encounter evidence of past economic activity. Some will see this as a positive experience but others may react negatively to the feeling of neglect.  Some visitors will be curious about the evidence that they see, but currently there is no support for them to gain an understanding of what once happened here.  The story of past economic activity and the arrival and loss of a thriving community is judged to be the one that will deliver the most immediately meaningful experience to visitors while on site.  It is also a distinct story that is not told elsewhere in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

This is an opportune moment to plan for change

 The cessation of quarry operations, with a restoration plan under development, marks the end of an industrial era for Penwyllt. This is an opportunity to plan for change.  Restoration plans for the quarry are currently in negotiation between Lafarge Tarmac and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. Not only will they represent a complete change in the physical environment and feel of the area, but it is anticipated that they will include some limited public access, including a short pedestrian loop walk, viewing platform and interpretation.  Hobbs Properties Ltd have indicated that, on return of the lease on the quarry, they will wish to consider their options for after-use of property in their ownership in the area.  The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority are preparing a bid for submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘Parks for People’ programme, with the intention of obtaining new investment to build on recent success in the operation of Craig-y- nos Country Park.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 26 The Tourism Company with TellTale 6.2 Recommended approach

The vision

Having given careful consideration to all of these issues, the following vision is proposed to guide the Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt:

“Parties responsible for the management of land in and around Penwyllt are (increasingly) working together to welcome visitors, encouraging them to explore the area and to discover connections between the geology and the wider natural heritage, economic activity and a changing community.”

The Visitor Experience Plan can be expected to bring benefits to individuals (residents and visitors), to local businesses and to wider society, through:  increasing public awareness and engagement;  involving the community around Penwyllt;  reaching out to those with past connections;  attracting new visitors; and  promoting health and wellbeing through new opportunities for recreation in the natural environment.

A way forward

In the remainder of this report, we set out our recommendations based on the following approach to taking this vision forward.

 Landowners and others with an interest in the area should take an integrated approach to the welcome of visitors and the management of their movement around the area. Additional landowners should be invited to work with, or join, the partnership as appropriate.  The approach to interpretation should be agreed and co-ordinated.  To attract visitors to the area and offer an enjoyable and rewarding experience, priority should be given to developing two distinct stories: i. The story of past economic activity; ii. The lost community of Penwyllt.  This should be based on the development and promotion of three walks: a lower walk (a circular walk linking Craig-y-nos to centre of Penwyllt); a central walk (visiting sites in immediate vicinity of centre of Penwyllt); and an upper walk (based on the inclined tramway, including Cnewr Estate, as a longer walk).  The central walk will be designed to be taken on its own, or combined with the lower or upper walks. The central walk will also be available to visiting walkers, including those on the Beacons Way, and to cyclists once the planned extension of the cycle path from Coelbren can be delivered.  Appropriately designed fixed interpretation should be installed at key locations in Penwyllt, bearing in mind any concerns about security.  Existing fixed interpretation on other topics should be retained and opportunities sought for face-to-face interpretation of biodiversity and geological themes that can be linked to, or as an alternative to, the industrial and social history themes.  Opportunities should be sought to enlist and build community support in researching, revealing and sharing new stories.  The story of the cave system, its discovery, exploration and enjoyment, should be made available at Craig-y-nos Country Park rather than at Penwyllt itself.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 27 The Tourism Company with TellTale  In the short to medium term, there will be a need for a project manager to refine the Visitor Experience Plan, identify sources of funding and to oversee its delivery.

Chapter 7 gives further details of the approach to interpretation, while Chapter 8 goes on to look at the implications for visitor management.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 28 The Tourism Company with TellTale 7 APPROACH TO INTERPRETATION

This Chapter will set out some considerations that underpin our approach to interpretation at Penwyllt. The location presents a number of challenges including its remoteness, the aesthetics of the site, the complexity of its history and its many layers of significance. All of these combine to make it an evocative, enigmatic and potentially confusing place. Our aim is to maintain its alluring aspects whilst removing the confusion.

7.1 Principles for interpretation at Penwyllt

The interpretation should:  be appropriate for people who are making a short visit (including people using Penwyllt as a stop-off on the Beacons Way or the loop walk from Craig-y-nos) as well as for those who want to take a longer walk beginning at Penwyllt;  be firmly associated with what visitors can see on site and relevant to their experience of the site;  be well themed and organised to create a coherent story;  encourage and reward discovery of the site, including for people who want to self- select a route around the site and not follow a pre-determined route;  not assume previous knowledge of, for instance, geology, site history or the industrial revolution in Wales;  be available in some way at all times to everyone i.e. fixed interpretation will be an essential element of the interpretation;  be discrete and not intrude on the visual experience of the site including its sense of isolation and abandonment - this implies using fixed interpretation only where necessary and ensuring it is as discrete as possible, including by associating panels with existing built structures as far as possible, positioning them so that they do not break silhouettes or horizons and making them out of materials that will blend in e.g. metal rather than GRP.  be as small as possible and give only the minimum, baseline information;  direct those visitors who want it to further sources of information, including on-line materials that can accessed before, during or after the visit;  be low maintenance and made of materials that are durable and robust as well as appropriate to the site;  be enhanced by providing visitors with additional opportunities for face-to-face experiences.

7.2 Themes and stories for interpretation at Penwyllt

Interpretation is frequently defined as being concerned with communicating the significance of a site. However, at Penwyllt, a number of ‘significances’ coincide. The unique remains of the Brecon Forest Tramroads, the limekilns and brickworks and associated industrial archaeology overlie a geologically significant National Nature Reserve, within a Geopark that highlights its importance for geodiversity, geological education and tourism within a National Park, denoting landscape significance. In addition to these formal designations, Penwyllt has associations with the famous singer Adelina Patti.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 29 The Tourism Company with TellTale There is a wealth of possible stories to consider here and choices to be made about how to communicate them effectively. There is a real risk of trying to include too much information and of presenting too complex a story for leisure visitors.

The interpretation needs to focus on the visitors, their motivation for visiting and their knowledge and interest of the subject. The on-site interpretation is not for specialist visitors. The cavers (the most frequent specialist visitors) for instance will get the information they require from the South Wales Caving Club and do not need additional interpretation of the caves. Other visitors cannot see the caves so there is no first-hand experience and therefore limited justification for on-site interpretation.

What people can see and otherwise experience at first hand is not only important for how and where key messages (or themes) are delivered; at Penwyllt this is also the deciding factor in choosing which topics and stories should take priority.

The most obvious features at Penwyllt, and the ones most likely to attract a naive visitor’s attention and curiosity, are the abandoned buildings. Visitors are unlikely to gain much insight into what once happened here from the site itself. Interpretation is needed to explain these buildings and the associated features in the landscape and hence to tell the story of Penwyllt.

We therefore recommend that on-site interpretation should focus on telling the untold story of Penwyllt’s industrial past. This is a rich story that includes both technological and human aspects and spans a century of change on the site. It has strong site and local relevance and is intimately connected with a wider context of South Wales, its industrial past and present.

7.3 Geological and biological interpretation at Penwyllt

Recognising that the untold story at Penwyllt is that of the local industry and the community that grew up around it does not preclude interpretation of other areas of interest. There are opportunities for covering the biological, geological, caving stories and the connections with Adelina Patti both on- and off-site.

There are however clearly limitations on the amount of fixed permanent interpretation (i.e. panels and the like) that can be used at Penwyllt. We have considered this carefully in developing our recommendations, which advocate the minimum use of panels, supported by off-site materials (both virtual and physical) and portable options (both digital and print).

Our recommendation is that new fixed interpretation is restricted to the industrial theme as outlined in 6.2. This will sit alongside the NRW panels that explain the significance of the caves and the limestone pavement and the BWT panels about the wildlife of the reserve. We would strongly suggest that this is sufficient physical intervention into the Penwyllt landscape and emphasise that the design, size and location of the panels will need to be carefully managed.

The thematic links between the geology and the industry are clear, as is the connection with Adelina Patti. The links with wildlife are less specific and immediate and we would emphasise the importance of presenting the wildlife as a constant that runs through the site’s timeline; it both preceded and outlived the industrial period. The sights and sounds of wildlife would always have been a backdrop to the industry of Penwyllt. They should therefore feature in the interpretive materials, including the soundscapes and the reconstruction drawings.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 30 The Tourism Company with TellTale The off-site, portable and face-to-face interpretation of Penwyllt can include other themes. As explained in 7.5 below we recommend that both the caving story and the Adelina Patti story should be interpreted primarily at Craig-y-nos. The audio, the leaflets and the website can all carry references to the other interests at Penwyllt which should ideally be linked to the industrial past and the community. Further research into these links would be valuable.

The best interpretation of Penwyllt is likely to be face-to-face. It will be people who bring this place to life. Face to face activities, including walks, talks, demonstrations and activity days, will enable partners to draw attention to and explain the many significances of Penwyllt.

7.4 Development of interpretative themes for Penwyllt

The interpretation at Penwyllt should therefore focus on two inter-related stories: the past industrial activity and the lost community of Penwyllt, which are linked in the overarching theme:

For a time Penwyllt was a vibrant community and a cog in the great machine of the Welsh Industrial Revolution.

This theme should provide the focus for the interpretation. It should be presented in ways that provoke visitors’ interest and encourage questions about both the industrial processes and the people of Penwyllt.

The material evidence and the research we have been given emphasise the physical and industrial processes at Penwyllt. Much less appears to be known about the human aspects, about who lived here and where they came from. This is a significant challenge to presenting a rounded interpretation of the site and one that should be addressed in future plans for interpreting the site. Including people stories alongside the technological will increase the range of people who can be interested in the site and its heritage. In Table 7.1, these two aspects are presented as separate strands; in practice they should be interwoven so that the technical aspects of the industrial development is told through its impact on people.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 31 The Tourism Company with TellTale Table 7.1 Thematic structure for Penwyllt

MAIN THEME: For a time Penwyllt was a vibrant community and a cog in the great machine of the Welsh Industrial Revolution

STRAND A: The community of Penwyllt

SUBTHEMES INDIVIDUALS LOCATIONS A1 Exploitation of the local Workers including both local All industrial sites minerals created new people and incomers Railway industries and new jobs and Silica sand quarry brought new people into the Limestone quarries area A2 Penwyllt became a place to Non-working members of the Powell Street live as well as work, a community – wives, children Site of Butler’s Terrace, community of workers and Others – nurse? shopkeeper? Brick Row, Kershaw their families. Publican, postman Terrace etc. Visiting tradesmen/salespeople The Stump The Mission Hall Site of water source Site of football field A3 The railways built to move Adelina Patti Penwyllt/Craig-y-nos minerals also connected Local people who moved out Railway Station people, including the great Adelina Patti, to the wider world.

A4 The people of Penwyllt Penwyllt descendants near and Local villages dispersed as the industry far Former industrial declined. communities along southern margins of the National Park

STRAND B: The industrial processes and activity of Penwyllt

SUBTHEMES INDIVIDUALS / SPECIFICS LOCATIONS B1 The abundance of raw Silica sand and rock materials, limestone and silica quarries sand and rock brought Limestone quarries (old and industry to Penwyllt. new) B2 Transport - for moving the Brecon Forest Tramroad The railway line raw materials around the site Neath and Brecon Railway The tramway and taking away the finished The incline products - was a challenge The zig zags and both the tramroad and The sidings later the railway were vital. The station

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 32 The Tourism Company with TellTale B3 The fast-growing iron and Specific industries and locations The brick works steel industries of South The lime kilns Wales required large amounts of silica firebricks (for furnaces) and lime. B4 Creating the industry at John Christie The tramway Penwyllt required initiative, Joseph Claypon The incline innovation and massive The zig zags investment. The lime kilns The stone walls at the margin B5 Changes in industrial Sites of the demolished processes reduced the buildings demand for firebricks and Penwyllt steadily declined until it was abandoned.

The interpretation should be co-ordinated so that it presents a coherent experience and an authoritative, consistent voice. This should be reflected in all aspects of the presentation, from theming to media selection and design style. This consistency should run across all landownerships.

7.5 Linking Craig-y-nos to Penwyllt

There is a good case for strengthening the connection between Penwyllt and Craig-y- nos. The Country Park can play an important role in encouraging people to explore further afield and should highlight Penwyllt as a place to visit as a key part of that. This could include directions on how to reach Penwyllt by car as well as on foot, once improvements have been made to car access and parking at Penwyllt.

The Parks for People bid currently being prepared for the Country Park is an opportunity to redefine and strengthen the links between Craig- y-nos and Penwyllt. The crags that hide Penwyllt from view can be clearly seen from Craig-y-nos, for example on the terrace at the Country Park. Craig-y-nos Country Park and the Craig-y-nos Castle hotel are both well-visited. Both present opportunities to tell parts of the Penwyllt story to a wider audience and to encourage people to visit.

There are three distinct avenues for strengthening the connection between Penwyllt and Craig-y-nos.

 Connecting communities The route of ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ provides a link between Penwyllt and the Country Park. This includes a steep slope rising from Pwllcoediog Farm to Penwyllt, which was an important route between Penwyllt and the valley communities. It was walked daily, for instance, by Penwyllt children attending school in Callwen, who referred to the route rather tellingly as ‘The Task’. The walk follows in the footsteps of the lost Penwyllt community and traces their links with the agricultural community and villages. There is an opportunity here to highlight the human stories of Penwyllt, maybe of local people who went to work in the brickworks, lived near their work but walked to visit relatives, or of strangers to the area attracted by the industry but looking for company.

 Adelina Patti

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 33 The Tourism Company with TellTale Adelina Patti could provide a strong thematic links between Craig-y-nos and Penwyllt. We suggest her story is better told at Craig-y-nos, the place where she lived and entertained, than at Penwyllt. Penwyllt Station is of course a part of this story, which is indicative of her wealth, influence and strong attachment to the valley, and her estate included parts of the industrial workings. The contrast between the two sites is evocative and highlights the contrast between the world of the fêted international singer and the industrial community she chose to live in. The story of Adelina Patti at Craig-y-nos should include a reference to Penwyllt, just as the interpretation of the station at Penwyllt should reference Adelina Patti and the road to Craig-y-nos.

 The limestone caves of Ogof Fynnon Ddu The lack of visible evidence of the cave system in and around Penwyllt, the fact that entry is permitted only to experienced cavers and the absence of a suitable, secure building mean that Penwyllt and its immediate environs are not considered to be a realistic location for interpreting the cave system. There is a strong argument for telling the attractive story of the discovery, exploration and enjoyment of an unseen underground world at nearby Craig-y-nos Country Park, with its captive audience and the possibility of identifying a suitable building. The space requirement would not be great if the story is told through visual images, video footage and online access to SWCC’s recent cave survey. There is also an opportunity to direct people to the National Showcaves of Wales at Dan yr Ogof, where there is good provision for visiting some of the caves and their story, from discovery to the modern day, is well told. The fact that this is within a paid attraction may of course limit the appeal.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 34 The Tourism Company with TellTale 8 VISITOR MOVEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

This Chapter sets out recommendations relating to the approach and arrival of visitors, their welcome and orientation, routes to be followed, and any improvements required to infrastructure and access and wayfinding.

An enhanced visitor experience

An integrated approach should be taken to the welcome of visitors and the management of their movement around the area. Interpretation is influential but will only ever be a part of the visitor experience of Penwyllt. Managing visitor expectations, presenting Penwyllt’s industrial heritage as part of a wider experience and improving the general appearance of the site will also be important.

Visitor approach and arrival

Visitors are able to make their way to Penwyllt in a number of ways, including:  Arrive by X63 bus from Brecon or Swansea, stopping at Craig-y-nos Country Park or request stop at bottom end of minor road to Penwyllt.  Arrive by car at Craig-y-nos Country Park, continuing to Penwyllt on foot  Arrive by car at Penwyllt, via minor road with passing places  Arriving on foot via the Beacons Way at Craig-y-nos from Llanddeusant (10.5m), continuing on foot to Penwyllt  Arriving at Penwyllt on foot via the Beacons Way from Storey Arms (approx. 13m)  Arriving at Penwyllt on foot via the former railway line (northern approach currently closed due to landslide).  The planned extension of NCN43 from Coelbren to Penwyllt, once delivered, would allow visitors to arrive at Penwyllt on a traffic free cycle route.

Map 8.1 shows the different points of approach to, and arrival at, Penwyllt. A high priority will be an improved access road to a car parking facility at Penwyllt. If the current car park remains in operation, this will require the former approach road over which SWCC have a right of access to be reinstated. Alternatively, a new car park included as part of the restoration plan would immediately improve access from the public highway. In either case, SWCC will still require, and have a right to, vehicular access. A stretch of existing access road will become redundant and measures should be taken to regrade and re-seed this area to return it to grassland.

The planned extension of NCN43 from Coelbren to Penwyllt represents an important opportunity to open Penwyllt to a completely new audience and will also support leisure cyclists in making a combined visit to Henrhyd Falls and Penwyllt along a traffic free route. Powys County Council have prepared detailed plans5 for delivery of this, and other sections, of the route. Identifying funding to develop the section from Coelbren to Penwyllt is an obvious next step which should be actively pursued.

5 Development of National Cycle Network Route 43: Route for Cyclists and Pedestrians from Coelbren to Brecon – Feasibility Report, Central Wales Infrastructure Collaboration Engineering Design Services, November 2013

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 35 The Tourism Company with TellTale Map 8.1 Visitor approach and arrival at Penwyllt

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 36 The Tourism Company with TellTale Welcome and orientation

On balance, our thinking about Penwyllt has led us to believe that the restored quarry could provide an alternative and better site for the car park than its current location. The former quarry is visible on approach from all directions, whether on foot, bike or by car, and lies at the heart of Penwyllt. It is our view that this would work better as an arrival point and would anchor the site. However, this option may not be available. Wherever the car park is located, it should provide a clear point of arrival and a welcome for visitors at its entrance. Once people have left their vehicles, they will need a basic introduction to Penwyllt and its significance (as defined by the interpretive themes) as well as information on options for exploring the site.

A route or routes for visitors to follow

With a wide choice of access and places that visitors can explore, we have planned the promoted flow of visitors around the area based on three primary factors:  The right of access and ease of finding and following a route;  The visibility of features which contribute to a story;  Public safety and the ability of features to withstand additional pressure.

We recommend the development of three interpreted walking opportunities around Penwyllt:

 A lower loop walk linking Craig Y Nos to centre of Penwyllt, following the route of the existing ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ leaflet. This is for reasonably fit and confident countryside users as it involves a steep climb up the dauntingly named ‘The Task’ and follows rights of way that, although clearly described in the leaflet, are not always obvious on the ground. Map 8.2 shows the route of this walk.

Map 8.2 Lower loop walk - Craig-y-nos to Penwyllt and return

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 37 The Tourism Company with TellTale  A central walk, which may be experienced as a self-selected route around the immediate vicinity of Penwyllt. This is designed to make people’s explorations of the site more rewarding by giving basic information about a number of key buildings and other features. It can be taken on its own, or combined with the lower loop or the upper level walk.

This walk is likely to appeal to visitors who for various reasons do not want a long walk from Penwyllt and who will spend a relatively short time, possibly 20-30 minutes actively looking at the remains. This could include people arriving by car, walkers using it as a stopping off point on the lower loop or on the Beacons Way and similarly cyclists once the cycle path is extended from Coelbren.

 An upper level walk based on the inclined tramway and including Cnewr Estate, leading to the silica sand quarry at Pwyll Byfre. This walk ties the industrial activity into the mineral resources of the area; the route passes a number of small quarries and industrial remains. The route is suitable for reasonably fit people but because the route is more obvious than the lower loop walk, it requires less in the way of navigation skills. It would be suitable for families and could be developed as a simple activity or quest trail. Map 8.3 shows the route of this walk.

Map 8.3 Upper level walk – Penwyllt to Pwyll Byfre and return

Map 8.4 indicates the key sites and features for interpretation for both the upper and central walks, colour coded green and red respectively. Although numbered for convenience, they will not necessarily be presented in this order in any final interpretation. Brief details for each of the numbered sites are given in Table 8.1 below, including a number of recommendations for improvements (shown in italics).

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 38 The Tourism Company with TellTale Map 8.4 Locations to be featured in interpretation for middle and upper walks

For details of recommended interpretation media for these walks, see Chapter 9, Projects 4b, 4c.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 39 The Tourism Company with TellTale Table 8.1 Brief details of candidate locations on central and upper walks

No. Location 1 Silica sand quarry – opportunity to see and feel the silica sand that made Penwyllt important 2 Silica sand and limestone quarries - the raw materials of the Penwyllt story 3 Dismantled railway – conveying lime to the north 4 Sleeper – transporting sand to the brickworks, look for evidence 5 Water container – steam engines require water and water supply was always a challenge for Penwyllt. Water therefore had to be carefully conserved 6 Limestone quarry with spoil heaps – limestone was quarried for burning to make lime at Penwyllt - important as a soil improver, for construction and, from 19th century, industry. Change in scale of quarrying. 7 View towards Crai and route to north of original tramroad and railway 8 Demolished building (to be identified) 9 Best view of zig-zags – a not entirely successful transportation innovation 10 Crossing point in boundary wall - entrance to / exit from Cnewr Estate. The opportunity should be taken to improve this important crossing point by carrying out repairs to the drystone wall on either side. 11 Several features in close proximity: a. Signal post b. Winding house for the incline c. Wern Quarry d. Locomotion shed – originally site of friction clutch control mechanism 12 Incline cutting - a major piece of work 13 Junction of routes– a good point to overlook Penwyllt and its transport systems 14 Limestone quarry – limestone was quarried for burning to make lime at Penwyllt -important as a soil improver, for construction and, from 19th century, industry. Change in scale of quarrying. 15 Brickworks – the need for firebricks to build the great furnaces of the iron and steel industries was the basis of Penwyllt’s growth. The wall of Penwyllt bricks is a particularly striking feature. Improvements and safety fencing may be required. 16 Silica quarry – silica rock had to be crushed until high quality sand located and transported from Pwll Byfre 17 View from bridge over railway – the railway linked Penwyllt to the industrial area, brought in coal, and took lime and firebricks out. Note the sidings. 18 Powell Street houses and gardens - Penwyllt residents were dependent on local farmers bringing up milk and bought basics like flour and sugar from the Penwyllt shop but most households would have grown their own vegetables and kept chickens – even a pig. 19 No. 9 Powell Street – the Mission Hall was used for many social gatherings and was the centre of village social life 20 Site of now-demolished workers’ houses - Kershaw Terrace, Brick Row, Butler’s Terrace. 21 Pen-y-Foel limekilns – industrial scale as opposed to the earlier field scale limeburning. Grade II Listed; improvements and safety fencing may be required. 22 Penwyllt Inn or ‘The Stump’ - the social centre of the community especially for the working men. 23 Football field - another important focus of community life. 24 Craig-y-nos/Penwyllt station – the railway carried people as well as goods,

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 40 The Tourism Company with TellTale most notably the international singer Dame Adelina Patti.

Infrastructure improvements

Each location specified in Table 8.1 will need to be carefully reviewed before visitors can be actively encouraged to approach or view them. The review will need to consider:

 The risk of injury to the visiting public;  The risk of damage to an historic asset or natural feature.

In some cases, infrastructure improvements will be required.

Site safety

Many built heritage features are located on Open Access Land, and owners will wish to consider any issues of responsibility for public safety. Statutory guidance is available in relation to the CROW Act. This is complex and advice should be sought in relation to specific cases, but basically land covered by buildings and curtilage is defined as Excepted Land under Part 1 of the CROW Act. The public do not have a right of access to Excepted Land but the owners still have liabilities under the Occupiers Liability legislation. An owner wishing to exclude access to a wider area around the buildings can apply for a restriction in certain circumstances. The partnership will work with SWCC and other owners to find a satisfactory outcome.

Opportunities to obtain a clear view of the brickworks site and Pen-y-Foel limekilns both carry the risk of a possible fall as each involves approaching the edge of a steep drop. In each case, consideration should be given to providing a length of protective fencing. (See Table 8.1, points 15, 21).

Heritage assets

The historic environment is constantly changing, but each significant part of it represents a finite resource. If it is not sustained, its heritage values will be eroded or lost. In addition, its potential to give distinctiveness, meaning and quality to the places in which people live, and provide people with a sense of continuity and a source of identity will be diminished. As well as natural deterioration in the condition of the fabric of buildings over time, damage is also being caused through unauthorised removal of materials.

Only one built heritage feature is protected by any form of designation: Pen-y-Foel Limekilns are Grade II Listed. Many other assets have been included in the Historic Environment Record. However, no concerted attempt has been made to assess the value and significance of the structural remains of past economic activity, many of which have been partially demolished and all of which have been allowed to deteriorate. The group value is enhanced by the unique story of the social history of Penwyllt that they reveal.

A final selection of sites for interpretation will require a full understanding of the known historic assets. The various assets should be recorded and fully documented, and a structural report commissioned. Most of the heritage assets on site are beyond repair but, for those which can be demonstrated to be of particular heritage value, opportunities for renewal or restoration should be considered. It will be

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 41 The Tourism Company with TellTale important to follow Welsh Government’s Conservation Principles for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Wales.

Access and wayfinding

Access and wayfinding improvements will be required in order to improve the visitor experience on each of the three walk options.

Lower loop walk

Active steps will need to be taken in order to encourage visitors to Craig-y-nos Country Park to consider and make use of the lower loop walk, addressing a number of issues, including:  Limited visibility – the route starts from the far side of the Country Park  Rather unwelcoming passage through buildings at Pwyllcoediog Farm  Inclusion of a steep ascent  Lack of an obvious route in place  Old and worn signage in places

The following route improvements should be considered to convey a sense of welcome and encourage confidence amongst users:

 Renewal of direction signs (fingerposts) at main access and decision points, with a clear indication of destination and distance  Introduction of a new permissive route through Pwyllcoediog Farm, negotiated with the owner in order to avoid the need for users to pass through the farm buildings  Renewal of RoW signage and improved waymarking from Pwyllcoediog Farm to Penwyllt  Exploring with the owner of Pwyllcoediog Farm the possible opening of a new access on foot to Allt Rhongyr, at the point where The Task approaches the boundary of the reserve  Signing a link route across the BWT reserve to the viewpoint over Craig-y-nos and the upper Swansea Valley which is located in the vicinity of the hillfort/enclosure  Encouraging informal access from The Pant to the sheltered area of the reserve on the lower slopes of Allt Rhongyr  Renewal of all Brecknock Wildlife Trust orientation panels, indicating additional entry points and viewpoints, and designed and located to avoid future damage from grazing ponies  Repairing the drystone walling on either side of The Pant, on the approach to its junction with the minor road to Penwyllt

Map 8.5 indicates the location of the recommended access and wayfinding improvements that will be required in order to improve the visitor experience of the lower loop walk.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 42 The Tourism Company with TellTale Map 8.5 Recommended access/wayfinding improvements for lower loop walk

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 43 The Tourism Company with TellTale Central and upper walks

Fewer improvements will be required on these two walks. The following recommendations are made:

 Route finding for the central walk will be ‘at will’ and will be aided by the presence of interpretation plaques at key features.  At the request of South Wales Caving Club, consideration should be given to the possibility of diverting the Right of Way to avoid the Powell Street gardens.  The upper walk should be identified as a trail at its start point to the north of SWCC HQ, and a clear indication given of distance or time involved.  Renewal of all orientation panels at boundaries of Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve, incorporating details of the route of the upper walk and refreshing information about the NNR, especially the cave system, for site users.  Route finding for the upper walk will be aided by markers for stops on the audio trail.  A clear indication of direction is required at the junction of the Beacons Way with the inclined tramway on the upper walk.  A map showing Open Access Land should be located somewhere in Penwyllt.  Improvements should be considered to the various generations of ‘step-thru’ stile in use at boundary crossings to and from the NRW National Nature Reserve; these affect both the middle and upper walks. While providing effective stock control and enabling responsible dog owners to escort their dog through the crossing point, they may not be considered entirely safe for a family audience, who may be unaware of the risk of injury, especially to small hands, from failure to keep control of the moving part.  Improvements to, or replacements for, the small number of stiles remaining in the area, for example next to a locked field gate on the tramway above Powell Street.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 44 The Tourism Company with TellTale 9 ACTION PLAN

This final Chapter sets out recommended actions for the suite of interpretation and visitor management projects, organised as a series of project tables. The first seven projects develop ideas first introduced in Chapter 8: Projects 1-3 relate to welcome and orientation, and Projects 4a-c and 5 are based on the three walks outlined there. Projects 6-9 underpin the wider approach to interpretation.

The recommended projects should be developed over time, and will require careful management. It is recommended that a Project Officer should be appointed to oversee their design and delivery.

Projects 1 to 3 relate to initial infrastructure work, including fixed interpretation associated with the arrival, welcome and orientation as described in Chapter 8. These projects will be associated with other initial infrastructure work.

The three walks that form the core of the on-site experience are described in 4a, 4b and 4c while project 5 describes an audio project that will be delivered as an app to enhance the walks. These projects also include fixed plaques and markers.

The fixed interpretation will require detailed design and planning, including on-site meetings with project partners to approve the size, number and exact locations. All graphic elements (welcome panel, plaques, leaflets and apps) and professional design should be designed as a single piece of work to ensure consistency of design style. As part of this work, design/style guidelines should be developed and applied to future interpretation.

Projects 6 to 9 establish foundations for developing high quality interpretation for Penwyllt, including developing opportunities and support for face-to-face interpretation. Personal interpretation will be an important, and for many visitors the best, way of animating Penwyllt.

Achieving a diverse programme of personal interpretation will require building both the human and information resources. We envisage the local community being actively involved in this, becoming engaged with the support and guidance of the Project Officer.

Developing both the human and environmental story of the Penwyllt community and detailing connections with South Wales industry will require further research. Engaging the local community with the heritage of Penwyllt is likely to lead to new ideas and initiatives and this should be encouraged.

Each interpretation project is elaborated in some detail, including an explanation of purpose, and description of location, selected media and, where appropriate, materials. Matrices in Appendix Four and Five show how these projects could address the themes identified in 7.4 and appeal to a range of target audiences.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 45 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 1: Infrastructure improvements Purpose To provide a welcoming environment in Penwyllt To improve arrangements for those choosing to arrive by car To remove impediments to the safe arrival and movement of visitors To introduce new opportunities to access Penwyllt on foot or by bike

Location(s) Locations for improvements required are presented in Maps 8.1 (visitor approach and arrival); Map 8.4/Table 8.1 (points 15 and 21 may require improvement) and 8.5 (access/wayfinding for lower loop walk). Additional points referred to in notes on central and upper walk.

Description Detailed recommendations are presented in Chapter 8. Taken together, small improvements detailed there will make a significant contribution to an improved visitor experience. Some of the more significant projects include:  Improving vehicular access to a car parking facility, wherever it is sited.  Consideration being given to siting a new car park within the restored quarry.  Returning the existing access route to a natural condition.  Seeking extension of NCN43 from Coelbren to Penwyllt.

Staffing Regular maintenance checks for vandalism or other damage. requirement

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 46 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 2: Arrival features Purpose To create a sense of arrival at Penwyllt To draw attention to the car park/new car park To highlight the human and industrial past of Penwyllt

Location(s) One each side of the car park entrance

Description Sculptures or structures, possibly with an arch between them which could also act as a height barrier.

The sculptures should feature working people and represent the lime-burning industry on one side and the brick-making on the other.

The sculptures should be made of metal and could be: a. Three dimensional (the most expensive option). b. Two dimensional cut-outs in steel (either stainless steel or rusted steel). c. Two dimensional cut-outs with graphic image printed on it (in black and white or colour).

The two characters could be associated with a GPS trigger so that they deliver an audio welcome and introduction to Penwyllt and the downloadable trails. Their voices would provide the commentary for the middle level walk (see projects 4b and 5 below). Staffing Regular maintenance checks for vandalism or other damage. requirement Notes A designed entrance such as this is likely to work better in a completely new car park integrated into the restoration plan for the quarry. If the car park is in the current location a more modest approach would probably be more appropriate.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 47 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 3: Welcome and orientation panel Purpose To give a brief visual and verbal introduction to Penwyllt’s history, including a top line introduction to both the main themes To identify the size and diversity of the site To tell visitors how they can find out more

Location(s) In new car park i.e. either at existing car park or at a new site in the former quarry.

Description An A0 GRP panel mounted on stand-alone metal stand or on a large piece of limestone at the pedestrian exit from car park.

The panel includes a three dimensional, oblique-view map showing the scale of the site and highlighting key points of interest which should be shown as reconstructed drawings. Open access land should also be indicated.

A short (no more than 35 word) introductory text introduces Penwyllt as a place of industrial importance and innovation emphasising the community aspects. The panel also explains how visitors can discover more of the story of Penwyllt both onsite and offsite and includes information on the safe use of the area and visitor behaviour, including dog control.

Visitors should be encouraged to ‘snap this map’.

Staffing Regular maintenance checks for vandalism or other damage. requirement

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 48 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 4a: Interpreted walks around Penwyllt: lower loop walk between Craig- y-nos and Penwyllt Purpose To provide an easy-to-follow, themed walking route linking Craig- y-nos Country Park and Penwyllt To highlight connections between Penwyllt and the valley below To highlight the biological aspects of the valley side

Location(s) One of a family of three Penwyllt walks, this is a circular walk between Craig-y-nos and Penwyllt, following the route of the existing ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ leaflet.

Description This is for reasonably fit and confident countryside users as it involves a steep climb rising from Pwllcoediog Farm to Penwyllt, up the dauntingly named ‘The Task’. It follows rights of way that, although clearly described in the leaflet, are currently not always obvious on the ground.

The walk follows a route between Penwyllt and the valley communities that schoolchildren and others walked. There is an opportunity here to highlight the human stories of Penwyllt, and to trace links with other local settlements.

The route will be interpreted by a leaflet (one of a family of three), displayed and distributed at Craig-y-nos Country Park, and by a downloadable audio trail. Wifi should be provided at Craig-y-nos to facilitate downloads and the walk promoted and leaflet distributed there.

The audio trail here should feature a range of voices (including women and children) who walked between Penwyllt and the valley. This has many dramatic and interactive possibilities. A family version of the app could engage modern families in the games that children played as they walked to and from school (this could be extended across all three walks). For people walking from Craig-y-nos to Penwyllt this audio provides an introduction to Penwyllt and should build expectation and maximise on the dramatic potential of the view of Penwyllt that opens up at the top.

The biological story should focus on how local people used local natural resources, where possible linking this to village life. This is likely to include uses of local timber for firewood or construction and grazing the ponies that pulled the trucks along the tramways. This could be a good local research project.

A short detour from the return route would take in the resurgence and an opportunity to highlight the cave system, including, if researched, links between the local community and the discovery of the caves.

Staffing Distribution of leaflets at Craig-y-nos Country Park. requirement Providing download facilities for app at Craig-y-nos Country Park.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 49 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 4b: Interpreted walks around Penwyllt: central Penwyllt walk with interpretive plaques Purpose To identify significant buildings and other features within Penwyllt To indicate the range of activities associated with Penwyllt To add interest to a short visit to Penwyllt To create a sense of care and interest in Penwyllt and its heritage

Location(s) One of a family of three Penwyllt walks, this is a short, gentle route around the main buildings at Penwyllt with plaques at key points.

Description This walk will comprise a number of stand-alone interpretive plaques around the immediate vicinity of Penwyllt. They may be experienced as a self-selected route or as part of a trail; there is no need to visit them in a particular sequence.

This is designed to make people’s explorations of the site more rewarding by giving basic information about the key buildings and other features. It can be taken on its own, or combined with the lower loop or the upper level walk.

This is likely to appeal to visitors who for various reasons do not want a long walk from Penwyllt and who will spend a relatively short time, possibly 20-30 minutes, actively looking at the remains. This could include people arriving by car, walkers using it as a stopping off point on the lower loop or on the Beacons Way and similarly cyclists once the cycle path can be extended from Coelbren.

Numbered metal plaques containing a simple line illustration, as far as possible featuring a person engaged in an appropriate activity, and up to 80 words of text (including both Welsh and English versions) will be placed at no more than 12 key locations. Details of the plaque size, number and positions to be decided at the detailed planning/implementation stage.

The associated audio (see Project 4 below) will focus on the sounds of the industrial processes but should also include the sounds of wildlife, particularly species that can still be heard at Penwyllt today.

The route will be interpreted by a leaflet (one of a family of three) distributed at Craig-y-nos Country Park and by a downloadable audio trail, both of which will reference the numbers. Wifi should be provided at Craig-y-nos to facilitate downloads and the walk promoted there.

Staffing Distribution of leaflets at Craig-y-nos Country Park. requirement Regular maintenance checks for theft, vandalism or other damage.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 50 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 4c: An upper level walk based on the inclined tramway Purpose To identify significant features on the inclined tramway To indicate locations where more information is available to download To highlight the connection between the industry of Penwyllt and the local geology To add interest to a walk from Penwyllt. To create a sense of care and interest in Penwyllt and its heritage.

Location(s) One of a family of three Penwyllt walks, this follows the route of the inclined tramway through the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR and Cnewr Estate to the silica sand quarry.

Description This walk ties the industrial activity into the mineral resources of the area; the route passes a number of small quarries and industrial remains. It is suitable for reasonably fit people but because the route is more obvious than the lower loop walk, it requires less navigation skills.

It could be suitable for families and could be developed as a simple activity or quest trail focusing attention on the various industrial artefacts such as railway track, coal fragments, old cinders, and water containers which can be seen along the route. This could be run either as an activity on open days, or as a printed trail. (The poor 3G reception precludes the use of an interactive app which would have been a good option.)

Because this is wild country, the metal plaques used for the Penwyllt interpretation will be replaced by more discrete and smaller (approx. 10cm diameter) metal markers with a Penwyllt brick icon and a number, or a brick, bolted down with a number stamped into it.

The associated audio (see Project 4 below) will focus on the sounds of the tramway and the quarrying processes but should also include the sounds of wildlife, particularly species that can still be heard at Penwyllt today.

The route will be interpreted by a leaflet (one of a family of three) distributed at Craig-y-nos Country Park and by a downloadable audio trail both of which will reference the numbers. Wifi should be provided at Craig-y-nos to facilitate downloads and the walk promoted there.

Staffing Distribution of leaflets at Craig-y-nos Country Park. requirement Regular maintenance checks for theft, vandalism or other damage.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 51 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 5: Audio trail app for three interpreted walks around Penwyllt Purpose To offer evocative and/or informative interpretation to enhance the experience of the walks around Penwyllt To offer a choice of experience for visitors To offer family friendly interpretation To increase the information available on site without intruding on the landscape.

Location(s) At key locations on the three interpreted walks described in Projects 4a, 4b and 4c above.

Description This app will allow users to access GPS triggered audio content (so does not require 3G or 4G reception which is patchy around Penwyllt).

There will be a number of channels: o Sounds of Penwyllt (location specific soundscapes of Penwyllt in its working time with, for at least some locations, different recordings for different dates) o Families of Penwyllt (a family-friendly tour that is strongly activity-based and based on at least two characters) o Stories of Penwyllt (a fuller commentary about the history and environment of Penwyllt)

The soundscapes could include: sounds of quarrying, pick axes, explosion, rockfall; sound of furnaces at brickworks; revelry and banter at pub; singing from the chapel; steam train and voice of Adelina Patti at station; trucks and shunting at sidings; families at cottages; ponies on tramway, steam engine working at incline; sand quarrying; curlew, skylark and wind at limestone pavement, dawn chorus at the reserve.

All narratives will be provided in both English and Welsh. The voices in the soundscapes will represent the languages by the people concerned at that time on the site (this will require research). See the description of the interpreted walks for more detail of possible content.

Staffing Providing promotion and download facilities for app at Craig-y-nos requirement Country Park.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 52 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 6: Interpretive illustrations of working Penwyllt Purpose To provide a reliable visual resource for educational and interpretive activities To bring together the human and technological stories.

Location(s) Various, on-line and physical.

Description A series of well-researched, high quality visual reconstruction drawings of life and work at Penwyllt at a range of dates from 1820s to 1950s highlighting change in the site, in technologies and in people.

These full colour illustrations will be freely available to partners, the local community and potentially others for use in Penwyllt- related work. They will be designed for use in a variety of situations including:  on the web (see Project 6 for more details)  at Craig-y-nos as part of highlighting the interest of Penwyllt  as part of teachers’ resources to support independent site visits  as props for those leading guided walks  as images for panels, leaflets and other publications, including publicity for events and activities

Staffing None requirement

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 53 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 7: Web resources Purpose To provide an on-line presence for Penwyllt and to allow ‘virtual visits’ To provide accurate pre-visit information To provide accurate and detailed information for specialist visitors To provide follow-up information.

Location(s) The location of website is to be decided, but should preferably be hosted by an organisation which can sustain responsibility for its management and updating.

Description The website should contain the following features  Multi-media slide show using soundscapes (Project 4) and reconstructed drawings (Project 5) intercut with high quality contemporary photographs of Penwyllt  The downloadable app (Project 4).  The audio soundscapes and commentaries as a separate audio download.  Specialist factsheets including species lists for limestone pavement and reserve, geological information, timelines for industrial innovation and change.  Detailed information on the cave system including video, photographs, 360o views and the imaging from the latest survey.  School factsheets and resources including history of railways and the links to South Wales.  Findings from new research into the people of Penwyllt (see Project 7).

Staff Considerable time in developing website. requirement Regular updating.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 54 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 8: Community research and interpretation projects Purpose To increase knowledge of the people who lived and worked at Penwyllt To locate and record information and memories held by local residents, residents of the lower Swansea Valley, SWCC members and individuals with a specialist interest in the Penwyllt area To encourage greater awareness and appreciation of the local industrial heritage amongst the local community To create a resource for future interpretation and tourism projects.

Location(s) Various

Description There is a range of ways in which local people could become involved in filling the gaps in understanding who lived and worked at Penwyllt. Some of the older local residents lived at Penwyllt, suggesting further opportunities to develop the previous oral history project. Other families may be descendants of past residents and may be interested in researching them. Connections could be explored to other former industrial communities to the south, especially following the railway line to the coalfields and docks. It is possible that some of the workers at Penwyllt were itinerant workers or migrants – if so where they came from and where they went after Penwyllt closed are interesting research questions. Taking a wider perspective, looking at connections between the Penwyllt community and the local wildlife and geology, including the discovery of the caves, would provide valuable insights for interpretation (see, for instance Project 4a).

The research should be carried out by local individuals under the guidance of a Project Officer as part of a community activity, assisted by family history societies, local heritage groups and possibly an academic institution.

Presenting the information is as important as collating it and is likely to appeal to different people. Community arts projects could include creating a community book or community play; creative writing projects or visual arts projects in a range of media. The primary function of these activities is to build stronger connections between local people and their heritage. In turn that can equip local people to talk better about Penwyllt to visitors in both formal and informal encounters.

Local people telling stories about real individuals who have been uncovered by local research can be a powerful experience for visitors. The ultimate aim of this community involvement should be to create ‘ambassadors’ for Penwyllt on a similar model, albeit with a more local focus, to the existing Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark ambassadors.

Staff Considerable in support for community projects requirement Training and support of ambassadors

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 55 The Tourism Company with TellTale

PROJECT 9: Guided walks and events Purpose To animate Penwyllt To attract new audiences, especially family audiences, to Penwyllt To create opportunities for local people to get involved in remembering and celebrating Penwyllt

Location(s) Various, but usually on site at Penwyllt or nearby related locations.

Description Penwyllt is an exciting and evocative venue with great potential for a range of face-to-face interpretive activities. These could range from guided walks to dramatic costumed events and reconstructions.

Some of the topics associated with Penwyllt, notably the seasonal wildlife, the complex geology in the landscape and the layers of industrial history, are best conveyed through personal interpretation. There is good scope for specialist topic –based walks but also for more interactive and light-hearted walks for families (and others) including walking the lines of the tramways and retracing the steps of the schoolchildren from Penwyllt and playing the games they would have played and hearing the stories they would have known along the way. Such walks can be aimed at the local community or at visitors. They could be run by suitably trained local people, volunteers from the Wildlife Trust or staff from partner organisations.

More elaborate events could involve costumed interpreters and creative artists working at Penwyllt. Again the structure and heritage of the site creates a range of opportunities from ambitious, large-scale son et lumiere / projection presentations that tell the story of quarrying and the brickworkds to more simple costumed activity days which explore the wildlife, geology and human history of the wider site and include activities like green woodworking, looking after ponies, brick–making, lime-burning, and community activities. Such events take considerable co- ordination and may be most appropriate a few years into the project when the infrastructure is place.

Staff Possibly in leading walks. requirement Considerable in co-ordinating events.

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 56 The Tourism Company with TellTale

APPENDIX ONE

List of participants at engagement event, Pen-y-Cae Inn, 20th May 2015

Alan Bowring BBNPA Annie Lawrie BBNPA Visitor Transport Arlene Jones Coelbren Miners Welfare & Memorial Hall Arwel Michael Ystradgynlais & District Heritage & Language Society Bob Grainger Bob Grainger Photography Brian Jopling SWCC / resident Carl Atkinson NRW Caroline Watts Maes-yr-Eglwys Farm Catrin Parish-Marks BBNPA Clive Eiles Brecon Beacons Park Society/Brecon Beacons Trust David Thomas Powys County Councillor Eleanor Flaherty BBNPA Eleri Thomas BBNPA Ian Penn BBNPA Joe Daggett National Trust Jon Wohlgemuth NRW Marge Jopling Resident Martin Gover Craig-y-nos Castle Matt Woodfield SWOAPG coordinator Nick Sharp NRW Pete Cardy Resident Peter Hobson SWCC Richard Tyler BBNPA Ruth Coulthard BBNPA Steph Coates Brecknock Wildlife Trust Stephen Davies

Sunita Welch BBNPA Suzanna Jones BBNPA Wyn Morgan BBNPA

Draft Visitor Experience Plan for Penwyllt 57 The Tourism Company with TellTale APPENDIX TWO Visitor Plan for Penwyllt Current and future audiences, suggested by workshop at Pen-y-Cae Inn, 20th May 2015 Category of visitor Who visits now? What do they do? Who might visit? Top two audiences suggested by workshop By activity/motive  Walkers (recreational  Beacons Way (X2)  Walkers  Walkers - 2-3 hour and commercial) (X3) (+DoE)  Themed routes walks  Hill walkers  Walking along railway  Cycling? Need more  Dog walkers  Walkers - long distance (parking at station) facilities  Potential Sustrans  Those doing Beacons  Caving and Mountain  Mountain bikers route users - cyclists Way Biking (over a  Bikers (MTB/road on former railway line  Those seeking the 'wild' weekend) biking) - but planned  Cyclists (x2)  Cyclists – access to access/routes  Mountain bikers old railway line  Sustrans route users -  Local stables  Mountain bikers - ld/railway line. Links*  Geocachers access to quarry  No mountain bikers  Climbers  Horses: possibly currently  Dog walkers (x5) (7000 dangerous on road -  Simple caving Staying dog walkers at bring valuable income adventures Craig-y-nos) (Day and - keep to bridleways  Nature experiences staying)  Geocaching  Free/wild campers  8-10 a day along laybys  Ancestry / genealogy  High end outdoor (+ dogs - likely to be  See experience the activity - extreme regular as they know special qualities of sports - low no. high £ where to park) the landscape  Rock climbers @  Locals (human and natural) 'party' quarry  Dog walking and walking, during the week especially

By special interest  Specialist Interest eg  Explore industrial  People with  Cavers botanists, geologists legacy connections coming  Those interested in  Specialist interest -  "Trophy hunting" back to see their own history and heritage ornothologist, geology, (bricks and rails etc) personal history - eg  People with wildlife  C-y-N link to Adelina quarrying connections -  Heritage Patti  Migrants ie genealogy personal history  Historic societies tracers ie US (including  Photographers / artists  Those international) /film (lower numbers) seekers/interested in  Visitors who come for cultural heritage - one reason but leave make more of wanting info on another stories/legends subject  Storytelling  Film heritage? Young Winston  TV (Doctor Who)

By lifestage  Families - 80% of visitors  Walking (families) +  Scope for more to CYNCP either have Dan yr Ogof families to visit children or dogs  Craig-y-nos Country  Families seeking  Families who are seeking Park natural, wild, remote 'natural' experiences  C-y-N walking, ducks, experiences  Walkers - big increase eating out recently mid age – older By party  Cavers (x6) (up to 100 a  Conquer/compete  More families  Secondary schools - weekend staying in against the landscape  Older children/young educational groups Penwyllt)(local club and people  Build on D of E visiting caving clubs) groups - improve  Duke of E - huge interaction numbers if not majority at w/e minibuses  Outdoor provider groups  Outdoor activity businesses and secondary schools - team  Squaddies and supervisors camp in field

@ Penwyllt caving camp + Coelbren welfare hall  Big organised events, challenge and charity  Mountain Rescue Training (x2)  Dog Rescue Practice (x2)  Educational Groups  Education Groups (NPk) By geography  1 hr drive - Bristol/Cardiff  Staying visitors  More people from  Summer - European  International visitors Lower Swansea drivers eg  More from lower Valley - historic Denmark/Holland/Germa Swansea Valley connections ny Random  CYNCP - families, dog  Visit the Henrhyd  Depends on the offer walker, repeat locals, Falls (X2) toilet/café users  Aircraft crash sites

INTERPRETATION AUDIT FOR PENWYLLT APPENDIX THREE

Interpretation Audit

Personal interpretation (guided walks and other led activities)

There is now very little face-to-face educational or interpretation activity at Penwyllt or related to it.

 The walks, talks and educational visits by NNR staff have dwindled away to almost nothing. DWT ran occasional walks and events in the past but no longer do so.

 The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority no longer runs a guided walks programme. The Authority had a contract with Countryside Council for Wales to develop and provide educational visits to this and another nearby NNR. BBNPA staff based at Craig-y-nos Country Park ran this programme. It is unclear whether National Resources Wales will continue this. There were some problems with getting schools to the site.

 Alan Bowring runs two Geopark ambassadors training days on site each year.

 The National Park Education Service runs a successful field visit on land use for a secondary school once a year.

 The Crag Y Nos Hotel offers a guided walk of the hotel that covers the history of Adelina Patti.

 The Parks Society and The Ramblers run occasional guided walks at Penwyllt.

Interpretive print (leaflets etc.)

There are a number of leaflets that refer to Penwyllt but only two that are strictly interpretive in that they are designed to be read on site.

 The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt (A5 full colour leaflet produced by BBNPA, cost £1.00) is probably the most significant of these. This is an attractive, high- quality publication. In addition to providing clear and accurate walking instructions in words and on a map of an attractive circular walk to Penwyllt beginning and ending at Criag-y-Nos Country Park, this has a short, evocative plotted history of the industry and the community at Penwyllt and some labeled photographs of the site. There is very little on-the-ground detail to guide the visitor to Penwyllt and there is no reference to the caves, biodiversity or Adelina Patti. There appear to be some distribution problems; notably, it was not available at the Country Park.

 Ogof Ffynon Ddu National Nature Reserve (A3 folded to DL leaflet, produced by CCW, distributed free on site) describes the geological and wildlife interest of the NNR. It combines promotional and on-site information. The site map shows paths within the reserve only. There is no reference to any aspects of human history of Penwyllt. This leaflet is now out of date following the creation of National Resources Wales and its future is uncertain.

 Fforest Fawr Geopark booklet (A5 full colour, 40 page stapled booklet), is a guide to exploring the ‘western half of the Brecon Beacons National Park’ includes three of differing lengths that include, or focus on Penwyllt. The very short notes make reference to the industrial history, the NNR, the cave system and Adelina Patti. This publication is aimed at confident walkers; there is little detail of walk routes or of on-the-ground interpretive information.

 The Craig-y-nos Country Park leaflet is mainly promotional. It does not mention Penwyllt but does contain extensive information on Adelina Patti and the history of the Country Park.

 The Upper Tawe Valley Living Landscape Project information leaflet (A3 folded to A5 full colour, produced by Brecknock Wildlife Trust) promotes visits to BWT reserves in the Tawe Valley including Allt Rhongyr giving directions and short list of key features / species. It makes no reference to Penwyllt. This leaflet refers to the project finishing in 2013 so this leaflet is likely to become out of date soon.

Fixed interpretation – panels

There are a number of panels in and around Penwyllt that refer to the natural, but not the human, heritage.

 Ogof Fynnon Ddu NNR panels (produced by CCW). Three identical panels, one in the car park explaining the importance of the botanical and geological interest, particularly the caves, of the NNR. It includes a large site map showing walking routes and notes on visitor behaviour and sources of further information. The panel makes no mention of human history.

 Limestone pavement panel (produced by CCW) on the floristic diversity of the limestone pavement. The panel makes no mention of human history.

 Alt Rhongyr and Chriag y Rhiwarth panels (produced by BWT). These three identical, recently installed, panels around the reserve cover the biodiversity, mainly botanical, interest of the reserve, the importance of management and protection and the Landscape Partnership Scheme. They do not mention Penwyllt.

Fixed interpretation - exhibitions

There are (often) two exhibitions that cover the life and times of Adelina Patti at Craig-y-nos with passing reference to Penwyllt.

1. History of Craig-y-nos Castle and Adelina Patti in the Game Room at Craig-y-nos Hotel. This temporary exhibition was not on show during the study period so could not be assessed.

2. History of Adelina Patti panels in the restaurant at Craig-y-nos Country Park. These well-produced panels give a good introduction to Adelina Patti and her connections with the area including some intriguing (and obvious) gaps / inconsistencies in the story of her personal life. The panels are good but are difficult to read because of their location behind tables and in a corridor.

Web materials

Although it is easy to find information on Penwyllt on the web, there is a dearth of advice on how to visit and site-based information that would encourage or add value to a visit.

Searching for ‘Penwyllt’ (19/08/2015), the top ranking sites are:

 Wikipedia

 The Brecon Beacons National Park – good, succinct information on human history only, including three high quality podcasts of recordings of former Penwyllt inhabitants. No information on how to visit or encouragement to visit.

 South Wales Caving Club – clearly aimed at cavers who may want to stay in the Caving Club’s cottages.

 Ystradgynlais Tourism – a photographic webpage that mentions that visitors can walk along the station platform and the trackbed and refers to the importance of wearing warm clothing.

 Fforest Fawr Geopark – very brief information refers to both the geology and the human history and gives links to further information on the history, the Brecon Forest Tram road and the limekilns. There is no visit information.

 The Locations Guide to Dr. Who – brief outline of the human history and detailed information on how to find the site, including that the Penwylt Inn is private property.

Searching for ‘Penwyllt walks’ (19/08/2015), the top ranking sites are:

 Craig-y-nos Castle Hotel: Dog friendly Wales – an accessible introduction to Penwyllt as a good place to walk a dog, presumably aimed primarily at hotel residents. Includes good directions on how to reach Penwyllt from the hotel.

 Fforest Fawr Geopark: Penwyllt and Ogof Ffynnor Ddu NNR – link broken.

 Swansea Ramblers Walk - Penwyllt – an event on 10 October 2010.

 Swansea Ramblers Walk Penwyllt Circular – an event on 2 May 2010.

 Facebook: A circular walk from Penwyllt – a very short, one sentence entry re. walking at Penwyllt.

 Craig-y-nos Castle Hotel: Walk EOC 02 Penwyllt station – a downloadable walk with walk instructions in basic, un-illustrated form. This is the only useful download we found.

Other potentially interesting websites include (at rank 8) RouteYou which shows the walk route but gives no information and identifies no ‘places of interest on the route’. The Walking World: 6000 walks in the UK website (at rank 10) does not list Penwyllt. There is an opportunity to buy the ‘The Rise and Fall of Penwyllt’ leaflet from the National Park on-line shop at rank 18.

APPENDIX FOUR

Interpretation projects and sub themes

2 3 4a 4b 4c 5 6 7 8 9 SUB THEMES Arrival Welcome Lower Middle Upper Audio Illustrat- Web Comm. Face to feature panel walk walk walk ions resources interp face A1 Exploitation of local minerals … new jobs and new people * ** ** *** - *** *** *** *** *** A2 Penwyllt … a community of workers and their families * ** *** *** ** *** ** *** *** *** A3 The railways connected people, including Adelina Patti - - * ** - ** * * - ** A4 The people of Penwyllt dispersed as industry declined - * - ** - * - ** *** ** B1 Raw materials, limestone and silica … industry to Penwyllt * ** * *** *** *** *** *** * *** B2 Transport … the tram road and the railway were vital - ** * ** *** ** ** * * ** B3 The industries of S. Wales needed silica firebricks and lime - * - ** ** * * ** *** * B4 …initiative, innovation and massive investment - - * ** *** * ** - * ** B5 Penwyllt steadily declined until it was abandoned - * - ** * ** * ** *** **

Key: *** Theme is the main focus of interpretation ** Theme is significant part of interpretation * Theme is minor part of interpretation - Theme is not part of the interpretation

APPENDIX FIVE

Interpretation projects and audiences

2 3 4a 4b 4c 5 6 7 8 9 AUDIENCES Arrival Welcome Lower Middle Upper Audio Illustrat- Web Comm. Face to feature panel walk walk walk ions resources interp face Short stayers *** *** ** *** - ** *** * * -

Long stayers *** *** - *** *** *** *** * ** ***

Virtual visitors - - - - - *** *** *** *** -

Families *** ** ** ** ** * *** * *** ***

Intellectual visitors ** * * *** *** *** ** *** *** ***

Social visitors ** *** ** * * * *** * *** ***

Sensualist visitors * * ** * ** *** *** - * *

Key: *** Interpretation likely to be highly appropriate for audience ** Interpretation likely to be appropriate for audience * Interpretation likely to be slightly appropriate for audience - Interpretation not likely to be appropriate for audience

N.B. The scoring reflects the potential for the interpretation. It is well planned, designed and implemented with the target audiences in mind. Formative evaluation will be important to achieve this potential.