Many thanks to the staff at Margam Country Park who made the visit worthwhile, easy to access and memorable!
Having lived in the Neath Port Talbot area my entire life, it seems natural to test out the accessibility of the castle and park, since becoming disabled. However having mobility issues comes with it's own set of logistical issues, when you need to cover a large area! The Estate have taken care of this by offering to hire out an Electric Tramper Buggy to make the park more accessible, to those with less mobility.
Having enjoyed the scenic car ride from home to the park, we arrived and were greeted by the car park staff, and after explaining I have a disability, were directed to a nearby field to park. Although receiving a warm welcome by the professional staff, it was here the the first issue arose: the designated disability parking was in a field, which was littered with slopes and un-even ground. Albeit some areas of parking were more level than others, however where I parked my car was partly in a dip in the ground. This is not only hard for people who have limited mobility, but those who use a wheelchair, as trying to manoeuvre yourself out of the car and a chair would be neigh-on impossible! I had premonitions of my legs having a melt down, in the process of getting out of the car and falling face down in the dusty mud.
Having navigated the potholes of parking doom and enjoyed the visually stunning landscape view on I arrival, I ambled over to the kiosk to check in and collect the Tramper Buggy. Which I had booked the day before by emailing the venue. As someone with limited mobility, I was excited at the prospect of being able to access the park via a means of accessibility incorporated into the park's ethos. However on arrival I was told that the Buggy had already been allocated to someone for the day! I explained that I had booked it the day previous and produced proof via the email on my phone. So the question needs to be firstly be asked: why isn't there more than one Buggy available to hire, and secondly how is the booking process not robust enough to account for dependability?
Once armed with Tilly (her adoptive name) I was pleased to note the sprawling flat pathways which opened up the grounds and led up to the historic stately home. But do note, that due to some building work you will need to take the path up to the castle and head around the rear, to do a complete 360 degrees around the building before you can come back around to the front. However, it is worth noting that there are sloping hills and less accessible areas of the park, if you should veer off into different areas. Recommendations for routes to follow with the Buggy can be found here, and you can always purchase a map, on arrival, to plan your journey. As an experienced scooter user I would be comfortable if sticking to the well mapped out areas of the park, but if you are looking for a more wild adventure, definitely hire the Buggy as you can cover more steep terrain.
We began with a leisurely lap of the historic areas of the park, which is nestled in 850 acres of truly stunning scenery.
"Margam Park is a remarkably diverse and varied landscape within which there is evidence of over 4,000 years of continuous habitation and use by man and as such represents a rare and valuable learning resource and a heritage attraction of considerable distinction. It is of exceptional historic and scenic value and has some of the country’s finest architectural treasures in its magnificent setting".
Our official adventure began at the castle. The 19th Century Tudor Gothic Mansion was designed by the architect Thomas Hopper for Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot. The house was built in 1830 – 40, it is a listed grade I building. However, worth noting is that the main building is not open to the public due to building work and the pandemic. We were truly in awe at the sheer expanse of the building and detail of the superb architecture, when up close. With an intriguing history which first marked the development of the estate and surrounding area in the 19th century. The house has served as a family home, a billeting for soldiers during World War 2 and more recently as a filming location and site of historic interest. Today the estate has been acquired by Glamorgan County Council, which have strived to restore it to its former glory.
A particular highlight was the sumptuous gardens which are kept accurate to the time period by avid Gardeners. When the Council first acquired the estate in 1973, the park and surrounding areas were in a state of disrepair, as the park had been derelict for a number of years. Through their hard work and dedication you can experience the Orangery which augments the eclectic collection of buildings on the estate. The Orangery gardens contain many interesting trees and shrubs including several large Tulip Trees, a Cork Oak and a very large cut-leaved Beech. Also the Broadwalk Steps are flanked by glorious rhododendron, introduced to the park by Frank Kindon-Ward and as we meandered around we came across the intriguing Bamboo Collection and a Japanese Garden.
Accompanied by fresh air and Tilly we made our way to the Gift Shop which also houses a Café and refreshment area. I left Tilly outside, as she was rather too large to bring into the venue, however if you are a wheelchair user or are using a normal mobility scooter, there is more than enough room to easily manoeuvre your way around. There are a number of options for those with dietary requirements including Gluten-free, Vegetarian and Vegan.
Fully refreshed we made our way over to the Farm Trail which boasts encounters with Glamorgan cattle, Llanwenog and Badger Face sheep, Welsh pigs and Buff Orpington hens. The park has a rich history in raising Glamorgan Cattle and they can be recognised by their chestnut coloured coat and broad white stripe along the backbone, down the tail and under the belly. The breed was thought to have died out in Britain in the 1920’s. But fortunately a herd was discovered in 1979 in Sussex, and the entire stock was purchased and brought back to the park, ensuring the survival of the breed. What struck me most about this part of the visit was how well looked after the animals are and how positive it was for my mental health being out in nature with animals.
En route back to the car park we enjoyed various different puzzles and viewing sculptures which have made their home on the vast landscape. What is fun is that some of these pieces are in very random places, so you never know when turning a corner if you are going to encounter one! For instance The Finger Maze by sculptor Phillip Chatfield, can be found just in-front of the castle and has references to some of the grave-stones found in the Abbey grounds. It contains some interesting relief images around the edges of the sculpture. Other noteworthy pieces include: Mindfullness Benches' by Chris Wood, Scene of the Deluge by Matthieu Kessells and many more!
What thoroughly impressed me about visiting Margam Country Park was being able to use a mobility aid which allowed me to enjoy my surroundings without having to worry about not being able to access a certain area! Even whilst using the robust and weighty Tilly I was able to enter every aspect of the park: every path was smooth, the ramps were secure and routes had thoughtfully been marked out on the map for your safety and enjoyment. It was refreshing to see that accessibility is at the heart of the park's ethos and they truly live up to their reputation of being an accessible venue.
To conclude whether you are a disabled person visiting this venue or someone more mobile, I would always recommend on visiting this venue! From the warm and well knowledgeable staff to the sheer levels of accessibility this is one place not to be missed!
Many thanks to the staff at Margam Country Park who made the visit memorable! Thanks for taking the time to read this review - be sure to check back for more!
A particular highlight was the sumptuous gardens which are kept accurate to the time period by avid Gardeners. When the Council first acquired the estate in 1973, the park and surrounding areas were in a state of disrepair, as the park had been derelict for a number of years. Through their hard work and dedication you can experience the Orangery which augments the eclectic collection of buildings on the estate. The Orangery gardens contain many interesting trees and shrubs including several large Tulip Trees, a Cork Oak and a very large cut-leaved Beech. Also the Broadwalk Steps are flanked by glorious rhododendron, introduced to the park by Frank Kindon-Ward and as we meandered around we came across the intriguing Bamboo Collection and a Japanese Garden.
