A beautiful Welsh country park with a historic castle on its grounds has been voted one of the top ten favourite green spaces in the UK. Margam Country Park in Port Talbot boasts 800 acres of stunning parkland complete with a castle and gardens, an orangery, woodlands, a lake, a deer herd and sculpture trail.
The park made the top ten as one of the most impressive green spaces in the 2023 Green Flag People's Choice Awards, after over 21,000 members of the public voted for their favourite. The park is just a short drive from the M4 and offers the perfect escape into Welsh history and wildlife. There's a magnificent 19th Century Tudor gothic mansion on site which was designed by the architect Thomas Hopper. The home was built using sandstone from the nearby Pyle quarry and it's listed as a Grade I mansion of exceptional quality.
Margam Park is also a Grade I listed garden, with the site filled with beautiful trees, flowers and shrubbery. While animals like foxes, badgers and voles can be found there, the beautiful Margam deer herd is arguably the most exciting wildlife attraction. Herds of fallow, red and even the endangered Pere David deer can be found at the park. For the latest Neath Port Talbot news, sign up to our newsletter here
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There are seasonal events hosted at the park like Luminate and outdoor cinema, as well as some food festivals. Whether you fancy a leisurely walk or cycle in the grounds of the park, or something a bit more adventurous such as the Go Ape Tree Top Challenge, there's something for everyone. You could even try your hand at watersports like stand up paddle boarding or kayaking. For the little ones, there's a sweet Fairytale Village- a range of miniature houses designed for children aged 10 and under - or a farm trail where you can meet animals like lambs, chicks and piglets.
The playground at Margam Park was actually named one of the best in the UK by The Times earlier this year. It made the park sound like a dreamy place to take the family, stating: "A mini castle with a watchtower and a huge slide are the standouts at this adventure playground, while younger children will fall under the spell of the fairytale village full of miniature houses. With the castle, steam train and lake to kayak across, it’s easy to spend a whole day here. Keep your eyes peeled for the herd of deer roaming the parkland too."
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On Margam Country Park being voted one of the very best in Britain, Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet member for nature, tourism and wellbeing, Cen Phillips, said: “I would like to give thanks to the tireless work of our amazing staff and volunteers at Margam Country Park who make it a great place for recreation, sports, play, and relaxation. Yet again it has been shown, by a public vote, to be one of the very best parks in Britain.”
Green Flag Coordinator for Keep Wales Tidy, Lucy Prisk, added: “Our parks and green spaces are essential to people’s wellbeing, and we know these free to access places will continue to be vital to communities. Margam Country Park receiving this award is testament to the hard work of all staff and volunteers involved, and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate this additional recognition which accompanies their Green Flag Award.”
