Glamorgan is a coastal county in South Wales which was until recently subdivided into South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan and Mid Glamorgan and contains Wales' capital city and now county of Cardiff. The Gower Peninsula of West Glamorgan is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with 160 square miles of unspoilt beaches and rugged coastlines. Its other main town Swansea (the name is from one of its earliest visitors - a certain Swein Forkbeard!) on the shores of Swansea Bay in West Glamorgan is known as the gateway to the Gower. Swansea has been a market town since medieval times and has a permanent covered market. Many stalls sell traditional goods produced locally. Other major towns in West Glamorgan are Neath and Port Talbot. Glamorgan's attractions include surfing on its Heritage Coast, walking in the footsteps of the Marcher Lords through the Wye Valley & in the foothills of the highest mountain in the south of Britain or exploring the coal mining valleys of the Brecon Beacons. The mines of the South Wales Valleys once supplied millions of tons of coal and iron and many miner's cottages are still dotted around the hillsides. Some of these former industrial sites have now been turned into tourist attractions and 2 of them are run by the miners themselves - Rhondda Heritage Park at Trehafod and Big Pit at Blaenafon. The Mid Glamorgan area of the South Wales coast is a great place for a family holiday with miles of golden sandy beaches for the kids and parents to enjoy. There are miles of magnificent coastline, breathtaking mountain scenery and country parks waiting to be explored, plus ancient castles, picture-postcard villages with something new and exciting to do every day. Major towns in Mid Glamorgan are Aberdare, Bridgend, Caerphilly with its marvellous castle, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd. South Glamorgan is located on the most southerly part of the Welsh coast. The Vale of Glamorgan is close to Wales' capital city of Cardiff which makes access to the Vale easy, with regular bus and train services to the principle towns and rural areas. Major towns in South Glamorgan are Barry, Penarth and Cardiff.
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