Cardiff Mummy Says – official Cadw blogger ambassador!

Cardiff

I’m so excited to announce that Cardiff Mummy Says is officially a Cadw blogger ambassador!

Over the coming year, we’ll be visiting and writing about some of Wales’s most important monuments and castles, helping to promote our country’s heritage and letting you know about forthcoming family-friendly events and activities.

Plus there will be the chance for Cardiff Mummy Says readers to win days out at some of Wales’s most famous and significant landmarks – check out the end of this post for details of my first competition with Cadw!

Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, conserving and protecting Wales’s heritage and helping people to understand and care about our country’s history. Its name comes from the Welsh word for ‘to keep’ or ‘to protect’.

And Cadw certainly do a wonderful job of preserving precious monuments and buildings across Wales.

It’s such a fitting ambassador role for me because I spent so much of my childhood visiting castles across Wales. My parents have been Cadw members for as long as I can remember, and so many of our family day trips were to Cadw sites. My dad is a little bit obsessed with castles, and some of that has definitely rubbed off on me!

Since becoming a mum, it’s been amazing revisiting some of my childhood favourites with my own family.

I believe the best way to learn about the past is to see it for yourself, letting your imagination run wild as you explore the places where our ancestors once stood before us.

You can visit sites run by Cadw across Wales. We’ll be focussing mostly on those in South Wales that are easily accessible from Cardiff, letting you know how we get on with our family day trips.

We’ve narrowed down the first five places we want to visit – but I’m sure our list will grow over the coming year.

Caerphilly Castle Cadw Pic

1. Caerphilly Castle (above)

The biggest castle in Wales and the second biggest in the UK (behind Windsor Castle), it dominates Caerphilly town centre with its impressive mote and large stone structure.

2. Castell Coch, Tongwynlais

With its red roof protruding from the woods and ornate décor from William Burges, this is a fairy tale castle, if ever there was one. It’s one of my favourite places in Wales to visit.

3. Caerleon Ampitheatre, and the Roman Fortress and Baths

Caerleon, or Isca, as it was known back then, gives a real insight into life in Wales in second-century Roman times. The amphitheatre is the most complete one in Britain, while the fortress and baths give a glimpse at leisure time. We’ll also tie it in with a visit to the National Roman Legion Museum.

4. Tintern Abbey

I remember going here as a child but have not visited for years. The remains of the best preserved medieval abbey in Wales set among the back drop of the Wye Valley is truly awe-inspiring.

5. Blaenavon Iron Works

With Blaenavon a World Heritage Site, where better to learn about industry in Wales? With free entry, you can see the famous 18th century furnaces and cottages furnished in three different time periods. We hope to tie this in with a visit to Big Pit, the National Coal Mining Museum and the Blaenavon Heritage Railway.

Competition time!

To celebrate Cardiff Mummy Says’s blogger ambassadorship with Cadw, here’s your chance to win a 7-Day Family Explorer Pass, which allows free admission to all Cadw sites for two adults and all accompanying children under 16 for one week!

For a chance to win, just write the answer to the following question under the link to this post on the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page. The closing date for entries is Friday 9th October 2015, 7pm.

What is the name of Wales’s fairy tale castle, famous for its red roof?

Good luck!

Do you have a favourite Cadw site in Wales? Are there any you think we should definitely visit? I’d love to know your thoughts, either in the comments section below, on the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page or you can tweet me on @cardiffmummy

6 Comments to Cardiff Mummy Says – official Cadw blogger ambassador!

  1. Chepstow is my favourite so far, I love the ones we’ve visited in South East Wales but haven’t been to Cardiff castle yet. Congratulations on the new ambassadorship!

  2. Laura Elizabeth Davies

    Castell Coch – hope i’m in time to enter. My family and I love exploring castles, our favourite is Carreg Cenen Castle! Gorgeous! We love Oystermouth too as that is our local one and they always have fun events taking place!

    • Cardiff Mummy Says

      Thanks so much Kacie. It’s been a brilliant opportunity and we’re having fun exploring the different castles and monuments.

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