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Media releases today that a new Centre Parc style resort will open in the Afan Valley in the next few years. Can you see this happening? Would this attract people to S West Wales?
Afan Valley is well known to MTB riders but most come, ride and leave with just a few from the south east of England staying for a few days, who bring all their goods and drink so don't spend anything locally.
This is at least the second type of resort " launched" in the last 20 years. There is a small number of cabins near Tonmawr but that's about it. Do we have the ability to attract big businesses when we have fantastic scenery good road and rail links with the M4 and A465 all around us?
It could be a goer, Pace. If you lived somewhere like east London or Birmingham then the views at the top of the Afan would take your breath away. Center Parcs tend to appeal just as much to those seeking peace and quiet as outdoor activity.
Because we live in this neck of the woods I think we sometimes lose sight of just what we've got.
An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it.
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 18:50 - Apr 12 with 2946 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 18:41 - Apr 12 by Lohengrin
It could be a goer, Pace. If you lived somewhere like east London or Birmingham then the views at the top of the Afan would take your breath away. Center Parcs tend to appeal just as much to those seeking peace and quiet as outdoor activity.
Because we live in this neck of the woods I think we sometimes lose sight of just what we've got.
Yep I agree with this. They tend to be very self contained as well and are an attraction regardless of the weather. I hope this one comes off.
You have mission in life to hold out your hand,
To help the other guy out,
Help your fellow man.
Stan Ridgway
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 18:59 - Apr 12 with 2930 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 18:41 - Apr 12 by Lohengrin
It could be a goer, Pace. If you lived somewhere like east London or Birmingham then the views at the top of the Afan would take your breath away. Center Parcs tend to appeal just as much to those seeking peace and quiet as outdoor activity.
Because we live in this neck of the woods I think we sometimes lose sight of just what we've got.
Pessimism rules around here I guess, I spend a lot of time walking or riding from Baglan up the Afan as far as the edge of the Beacons and down the Neath canal and we just don't do anything to make life easy or attract visitors.
If you are in Europe in similar areas you will see proper signs for walkers and cyclists over 100s of miles, mountain top huts, restaurants etc. I am always getting approached by casual walkers lost on the cycle path between Cwmafan and Cymmer. If you can't get even something like that sign posted correctly then a big development like that stands little chance.
We just play at it rather than throwing ourselves fully into these type of developments, I have a soft spot for the Afan Valley and hope it takes off with all the work and training opportunities for local people that could be realised.
Life is an adventure or nothing at all.
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 19:03 - Apr 12 with 2917 views
Ever since my son was... never conceived, because I've never had consensual sex without money involved... I've always kind of looked at you as... a thing, that I could live next to... in accordance with state laws.
Afan Valley adventure resort on 19:15 - Apr 12 by Darran
Fuçking cyclists going past here on the weekend are a pain in the arse.
It's those tiny saddles what causes it.
If you can fill the unforgiving minute.
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Yep, potentially a goer. But it will be of no use to local businesses if it's run like a Centre Parcs as they're like concentration camps - all fenced in and they do nothing to encourage guests to spend time in the surrounding area.
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 19:30 - Apr 12 with 2852 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 18:59 - Apr 12 by Pacemaker
Pessimism rules around here I guess, I spend a lot of time walking or riding from Baglan up the Afan as far as the edge of the Beacons and down the Neath canal and we just don't do anything to make life easy or attract visitors.
If you are in Europe in similar areas you will see proper signs for walkers and cyclists over 100s of miles, mountain top huts, restaurants etc. I am always getting approached by casual walkers lost on the cycle path between Cwmafan and Cymmer. If you can't get even something like that sign posted correctly then a big development like that stands little chance.
We just play at it rather than throwing ourselves fully into these type of developments, I have a soft spot for the Afan Valley and hope it takes off with all the work and training opportunities for local people that could be realised.
Yes, I'm afraid I recognise the truth in all your points there. We've never made a concerted attempt to get the most out of the tremendous landscape that surrounds us here. It was never the best under the old Welsh Office, if anything it's worse under the Assembly.
What is probably required is the formation of a lobby/campaign group to push for planning and improvement fronted by somebody articulate and driven. Somebody very much like your good self, mate.
An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it.
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 21:11 - Apr 12 with 2773 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 20:54 - Apr 12 by Lohengrin
Yes, I'm afraid I recognise the truth in all your points there. We've never made a concerted attempt to get the most out of the tremendous landscape that surrounds us here. It was never the best under the old Welsh Office, if anything it's worse under the Assembly.
What is probably required is the formation of a lobby/campaign group to push for planning and improvement fronted by somebody articulate and driven. Somebody very much like your good self, mate.
Oddly enough I sent in a piece to NRW and NPTCBC pointing out the advantages of proper signs, maps, keeping gates and paths maintained and how to attract visitors to the area based on a scheme I saw in NZ.........The response was along the lines of it will only get vandalised,stolen,the budget is not there for that type of thing, we will get sued and the like.
I pointed out how much of the work you n NZ and Switzerland was done by cooperatives which eventually ended up employing local people who had been volunteers or users of the facilities.
I even offered to set up a visitor information pod at the Rhyslyn car park in Pontrhydyfen to assist MTB's and walkers for top tips for routes etc on weekends, BH etc. All I wanted was for them to print off the maps from their own site.......no and don't park there giving them out yourself!
Us Welsh like to moan but refuse to o anything about it.....The graveyard of ambition comes to mind....
Afan Valley adventure resort on 21:11 - Apr 12 by Pacemaker
Oddly enough I sent in a piece to NRW and NPTCBC pointing out the advantages of proper signs, maps, keeping gates and paths maintained and how to attract visitors to the area based on a scheme I saw in NZ.........The response was along the lines of it will only get vandalised,stolen,the budget is not there for that type of thing, we will get sued and the like.
I pointed out how much of the work you n NZ and Switzerland was done by cooperatives which eventually ended up employing local people who had been volunteers or users of the facilities.
I even offered to set up a visitor information pod at the Rhyslyn car park in Pontrhydyfen to assist MTB's and walkers for top tips for routes etc on weekends, BH etc. All I wanted was for them to print off the maps from their own site.......no and don't park there giving them out yourself!
Us Welsh like to moan but refuse to o anything about it.....The graveyard of ambition comes to mind....
On a wider theme, I've always thought there is tremendous tourist potential in re-inventing all the old Beeching railway line routes as cycle paths in out of the way places like the Afan Valley. There's a cracking former railway way line route from Hereford to Brecon, which is just overgrown wasteland at the moment. I'm not talking gravel here, I mean proper tarmac-ed or concreted pathways like they do so well in Holland. Build it and they will come!
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 22:37 - Apr 12 with 2642 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 22:20 - Apr 12 by Pegojack
On a wider theme, I've always thought there is tremendous tourist potential in re-inventing all the old Beeching railway line routes as cycle paths in out of the way places like the Afan Valley. There's a cracking former railway way line route from Hereford to Brecon, which is just overgrown wasteland at the moment. I'm not talking gravel here, I mean proper tarmac-ed or concreted pathways like they do so well in Holland. Build it and they will come!
The one they've done down the old railway track to Blackpill is excellent.
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Afan Valley adventure resort on 23:07 - Apr 12 with 2617 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 22:20 - Apr 12 by Pegojack
On a wider theme, I've always thought there is tremendous tourist potential in re-inventing all the old Beeching railway line routes as cycle paths in out of the way places like the Afan Valley. There's a cracking former railway way line route from Hereford to Brecon, which is just overgrown wasteland at the moment. I'm not talking gravel here, I mean proper tarmac-ed or concreted pathways like they do so well in Holland. Build it and they will come!
There is so much more to be done. They are quick wins as well as all the heavy work is done with rail bridges, cuttings and embankments. Lisa is right about Clyne Valley in Swansea but the first part was completed in 1984 and the Gowerton section in the early 90s . The are areas such as Gorseinon, Penclawdd, Llanelli, waunarlwydd, Sketty Park, Derwen Fawr that could comparatively easily be linked in to the track but diddly squat happens. The Swansea Valley has been improved though. Check out the Sustrans maps. Where do you think the vast majority of tracks are? You've guessed it .....Cardiff and it's valleys.
You have mission in life to hold out your hand,
To help the other guy out,
Help your fellow man.
Stan Ridgway
0
Afan Valley adventure resort on 23:11 - Apr 12 with 2613 views
Afan Valley adventure resort on 21:11 - Apr 12 by Pacemaker
Oddly enough I sent in a piece to NRW and NPTCBC pointing out the advantages of proper signs, maps, keeping gates and paths maintained and how to attract visitors to the area based on a scheme I saw in NZ.........The response was along the lines of it will only get vandalised,stolen,the budget is not there for that type of thing, we will get sued and the like.
I pointed out how much of the work you n NZ and Switzerland was done by cooperatives which eventually ended up employing local people who had been volunteers or users of the facilities.
I even offered to set up a visitor information pod at the Rhyslyn car park in Pontrhydyfen to assist MTB's and walkers for top tips for routes etc on weekends, BH etc. All I wanted was for them to print off the maps from their own site.......no and don't park there giving them out yourself!
Us Welsh like to moan but refuse to o anything about it.....The graveyard of ambition comes to mind....
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