The best way to experience nature and history is by exploring what the National Trust has to offer. From lush green valleys to rugged coastlines, these incredible places of outstanding natural beauty will ensure you have something to discover daily. There are also captivating historical sites and attractive homes begging to be uncovered.
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National Trust Properties in South Wales
The National Trust care for hundreds of historical sites, gardens and estates around Wales and the UK. They are all uniquely different and are a pleasure to visit. By the end of the 19th Century, industrialisation threatened to destroy the remaining natural landscape and the country’s heritage.
Thanks to the wisdom of the National Trust founders, more than 250,000 hectares of farmland, 780 miles of coastline and 500 historical places, gardens and nature reserves have been preserved.
In fact, within a few weeks of the National Trust being registered, they were given five acres of clifftop at Dinas Oleu in Barmouth, North Wales.
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National Trust South Wales
There are plenty of National Trust South Wales properties to visit, with landscaped gardens, beautiful scenic walks, and stately homes. The National Trust has settings across Wales, and the places to visit in South Wales offer family-friendly days out, things to do for couples and solo travellers.
National Trust near Cardiff
When visiting Cardiff, you’ll be spoilt for choice of places to explore. From eccentric aristocrats to love and loss, the magnificent Welsh stately homes and parklands bring Wales’s history to life. You’ll be keen to see what’s nearby if you have a National Trust membership.
Head to the National Trust in Cardiff for a day of nature, history, and awe-inspiring sights! From Dyffryn Gardens to Tredegar House, it’s a day to glimpse the past with architecture that will take your breath away. From tours to trails, you won’t be disappointed.
National Trust Gardens in Wales – Dyffryn Gardens
The beautiful Edwardian mansion has stunning gardens alongside a shop, café, and log stack play area for children. There are 55 acres to explore. Just off the Great Lawn are the garden walks and courts. All have great names, such as The South Garden, Vine Walk, Croquet Lawn, West Garden, Paved Court, Rose Garden, and Walled Garden, to name only a few. The gardens are undergoing an ambitious revival and are a sight to behold.
Within the gardens is Dyffryn House. It is a grand Grade I listed Victorian mansion overlooking the key aspects of the gardens. When the National Trust took over the home, it had no original belongings, art or furniture. A few of the garden rooms have been furnished but with a twist. There are several interactive elements; you can play the piano, have a billiards game, or browse the book exchange.
Price: £11 for adults, £5.50 for children, £27.50 for families. Free for National Trust members.
Parking: Free
Lanlay
Lanlay Meadows is a beautiful, untouched landscape where you can step back in time. The land remains untouched with unkempt hedgerows and twisted old oak trees. The River Ely runs through it, so it is home to plenty of wildlife, including kingfishers, otters, birds, and bats.
Whether you have 20 minutes or an hour, Lanlay is the perfect escape, providing some truly stunning walks. The site has two main paths which wind you in and out of meadows, woodland and rivers, making it a truly desirable and impressive landscape.
It is a 10-minute drive from Dyffryn Gardens.
Price: Free
Parking: Free parking on Whyndham Park Way, running diagonally from the site
Tredegar House
On the fringes of Cardiff is Tredegar House. The red-brick structure was home for more than 500 years to the Morgan’s, later Lords of Tredegar. The Morgan family owned more than 40,000 acres in Glamorgan and Monmouthshire at the end of the 18th Century.
The Morgan family has so many interesting characters, including a decedent Henry Morgan, known worldwide as the pirate Captain Morgan. They have been involved at pinnacle points of history, including their elevation of prestige during the Tudor period and taking part in the English Civil War.
In 1854, Godfrey Morgan fought and survived the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. His trusty steed, Sir Briggs, also survived and lived at Tredegar House until he died aged 28. The horse was buried with full military honours in the Cedar Garden, where there is now a monument.
There are three gardens within the house walls. The first garden you enter is called the Orchard Garden, and the next is the Cedar Garden. After that is the Orangery, with fruit trees that have been growing since the 18th Century. Outside the walls is Tredegar Park, with 90 acres to explore. It is popular with local runners, dog walkers and families. Follow the path around the lake, home to swans, herons and ducks.
Price: £11 for adults, £5.50 for children, £27.50 for families. Free for National Trust members.
Parking: £1 for 1 hour, £2 for 4 hours and £5 all day. Free for National Trust members.
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National Trust Wales Membership
With your membership, you can visit over 500 houses, gardens, parks and castles in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The National Trust membership includes:
- Unlimited free entry to all of the properties.
- Essential companion card where you can bring up to two carers if you have a disability. These can be different people; the card is in your name.
- Free parking at the majority of car parks. Some National Trust car parks are in other natural areas like beaches and countryside walks.
- Annually you’ll be sent a handbook full of information about the properties. However, the website is easy to navigate, finding places to visit by area or postcode.
- Regular members magazine, sent three times a year.
- Regular e-newsletters.
- Join by direct debit and get a £10 gift card to spend in the National Trust shops or café.
Perks to visiting National Trust properties:
- The majority of National Trust sites are dog-friendly. Going inside the buildings can be tricky, as dogs can’t enter them. However, you can take turns if you go as a couple or a group.
- There are plenty of activities for children, such as things to find in the gardens and walking trails. Many of them have play areas too.
- If you are going for history, you may have to do your own research.
- National Trust wins in nature, as the properties have many grounds, long walks, and nature areas such as the South West Coast Path.
How much is a National Trust membership?
Memberships can be purchased in total, by direct debit or as a gift voucher and are for a year. Get yours here.
- Adult Membership (age 26 plus) = £96 a year (£8 per month)
- Joint Membership (2 adults) = £160.80 a year (£13.40 per month)
- Young Person Membership (age 18-25) = £48 a year (£4 per month)
- Junior Membership (age 6-17, under 5’s are free) = £12 a year
- Family Membership (f2 adults) = £168.60 a year (£14.05 per month)
- Family Membership (1 adult) = £103.80 a year (£8.65 per month)
- Senior Membership (1 adult) = £72 a year (£6 per month)
- Joint Senior Membership (2 adults) = £102.60 a year (£10.05 per month)
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I’ve been a member of TopCashBack UK for several years and, to date, have earned over £1000 from it. Trust me, it’s a no-brainer, and you can make extra money by shopping online. Currently, you can get 3.15% back on your National Trust membership.
National Trust Holidays
National Trust Holidays offer a selection of holiday cottages, campsites and bunkhouses set in spectacular locations. Sleeping 2 – 12 guests, they have everything you need for a night away, from kitchen facilities to cosy gardens to relax in during warmer weather.
Get 15% off selected cottages for bookings made and taken by 31 May 2024. Use discount code NTAF.
Or, get 35% off when booking 10 nights or more in Cornwall, Devon, Wales and Northern Ireland. Bookings are for stays between 1 October and 30 November 2024 and 1 January to 28 February 2025. Use discount code 10NAF.
Sykes Cottages
Sykes Cottages has over 17,500 holiday cottages to rent across the UK, including in Wrexham and the surrounding areas. There are pet-friendly cottages, large holiday homes and even houses with hot tubs. They’ve been operating for over 30 years, so you know you’re booking is in good hands.
National Trust Cardiff Castle
Many search engines look for Cardiff Castle National Trust. However, the castle is owned and managed by Cardiff Council, not the National Trust. Wales is the land of castles. There are more than 600 in the country. If you’d like to visit some, here are all of the castles in Cardiff.
FREE Visit Cardiff Checklist & Guide
Get your FREE Visiting Cardiff Checklist and Guide with over 25 pages full of travel tips, how to get around, places to visit, food and drink, shopping, parks and green spaces, some Welsh phrases and a travel itinerary.
National Trust Aberdulais Neath Port Talbot
Aberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall has been powered by water since 1584. A trip to the most scenic waterfall in Wales includes a tour of the turbine house and the fish pass. The falls are best known for their electricity-producing waterwheel, the largest in Britain. It’s a great place to take pictures. Plenty of information signs on the site allow you to explore the story of the stones surrounding you.
It’s not the only place to see waterfalls. Nearby, Four Falls Trail or Ystradfellte is in the Brecon Beacons National Park. As the name suggests, there are four waterfalls to be discovered. You can even walk behind one of them. There are also spots for wild swimming or sunbathing.
National Trust in Monmouthshire
Monmouth is often overlooked when it comes to places to visit in South Wales. Raglan Castle is the last medieval castle to be built in England and Wales. The castle’s beauty can be seen for miles around. Or, Dewstow Gardens with a labyrinth of tunnels, pools and waterfalls. It is known as the secret garden of Wales.
The Kymin
The Offa’s Dyke trail passes by the Kymin Round House. The charming 18th Century building stands proudly on top of a hill with nine acres of pleasure grounds. It’s the ideal place to stretch your legs and enjoy a picnic.
Skenfrith Castle
Skenfirth Castle is remarkably well-preserved. The castle’s well-preserved walls surround a circular keep. Built on an earthen mound, this sturdy structure was a last line of defence should the castle fall under attack. It was placed in the care of the National Trust in 1936 and is now managed by CADW.
Sugar Loaf and Usk Valley
The iconic mountain range, which dominates the skyline of the rich countryside, draws walkers and adventure enthusiasts throughout the year. Near the market town of Abergavenny, Sugar Loaf is one of the highest peaks in the Black Mountains. Its shape is reminiscent of a volcano.
National Trust Swansea | National Trust Walks South Wales
The National Trust care for 157 miles of Welsh coast, which includes some of the best beaches in Wales, from stretches of golden sand and hidden coves.
Rhosili Bay
On the South Gower Coast is Rhosili, a three-mile-long sandy beach with beautiful views, clifftops and wildlife. It’s also one of the most famous sunflower fields in the UK. There is a spectacular display, sunflower arches, swings, and even dog-friendly Instagram pit stops each year. Of course, National Trust Members can park here for free!
Between Three Cliffs Bay and Oxwich Bay is Penmaen and Nicholaston Burrows, where you can walk through heathland, sand dunes and clifftops. At Pennard, Pwll Du and Bishopston Valley, there’s an underground river, ancient woodland and caves where mammoths once lived. Lastly, Whiteford and North Gower, a tranquil place for birdwatching.
National Trust South Wales Map
Place in Wales – West Wales
Standing proudly on the Dinefwr Estate is Newton House. Once a family home for over 300 years, it was built in 1660. Today visitors can see how it looked in 1912. A short walk through the parkland takes you to the ruins of the 12th Century Dinefwr Castle.
Further west in National Trust Pembrokeshire is the Tudor Merchant’s House. It’s hidden down a side street in one of the oldest parts of Tenby. Also in Pembroke is Cilgerran Castle, an impressive 13th Century fortress with spectacular views of Teifi Gorge. Lastly, there’s Colby Woodland Garden, tranquil woodlands alongside trickling streams across four acres which has a thriving habitat for mice, voles, bats, frogs, birds and butterflies.
The car park at Marloes Sands and Mere has access to the beach. The hidden gem is nestled on the very western edge of Pembrokeshire, with stunning seascapes and wildlife. National Trust members park for free here.
A Place to Visit in Wales – Mid Wales
One of the most exciting places to visit is Dolaucothi Gold Mines in Mid Wales. Put on your walking boots and head down to the UK’s only known Roman Gold Mine. The mines are found amongst the wild Welsh mountains overlooking the Cothi Valley.
There’s also the John Nash Villa at Llanercaeron. The 18th Century Georgian property has a service courtyard with a diary, laundry, brewery and salting house. Here you’ll get the full upstairs, downstairs experience.
Walk in the footsteps of royalty at Powis Castle. It has one of the most magnificent castle interiors in the country. There’s also a vast collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture.
Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons National Park has impressive scenery. The National Trust has been looking after the central Brecon Beacons for over 30 years and spends about £100,000 each year maintaining footpaths, draining ditches and reversing declining vegetation.
Pen y Fan is South Wales’ tallest mountain. More than 350,000 people climb Pen y Fan every year. Because of this, a new car park at Pont ar Daf has been created, in a space that helps keep the area’s natural surroundings.
Parking: £7.50 per car. Free for National Trust members.
National Trust North Wales
Like down south, plenty of exciting North Wales National Trust properties exist. The National Trust in North Wales includes Bodnant Gardens Wales, Penrhyn Castle, Plas Newydd House, Plas yn Rhiw and Newton House and Dinefwr National Trust.
I have reviewed my visits to Erddig and Chirk Castle.
National Trust North Wales Map
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We’ve been visiting some National Trust parks around Manchester. It’s such a great day out!
We visit Manchester a few times a year to see our best friends. Only been to Quarry Bank so far. Any recommendations?