Tourism
in The Cynon Valley
With
the closure of much of the heavy industry in the South Wales Valleys, in recent
years, we have seen an upturn in the number of visitors to our new greener land.
Tourists arrive here not from just other parts of the UK put also from
overseas, and in the summer it is now quite normal to her many different languages
being spoken in our town centre streets.
Given our location in the heart of
the South Wales valleys it is not really surprising, as Cynon valley is the perfect
base for exploring all of the South and Mid Wales areas.
Situated between The
Brecon Beacons National Park, Swansea City, The Gower Coast and our capital city
of Cardiff, all of these beautiful tourist spots are less than an hours drive
away.
Much
of the following information is intended for tourists from overseas and although
obvious to many residents of the UK, may be invaluable to others.
Shops
Generally
most of the shops in the area are open Monday-Saturday, 9.00am - 5.00pm. On Thursdays
some close at 1.00pm, . Many shops in Cynon Valley are also open on Sundays, typically
10.00am - 4.00pm or 11.00.am - 5.00pm.
Money
The
currency used in all of The UK is Pounds Sterling. The currency is available in
the denominations below.
£1=100 pence.
Notes in £5, £10,
£20, and £50. Coins in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2
Changing
cash and travelers cheques should not present any problems, as there are many
banks and travel agencies within the area, most of which have a bureau de change.
For
more information
Click on either logo.
Post
Offices
There are many Post Offices in the area.
The two main offices
are at Aberdare and Mountain Ash.
Others can be found in most other villages.
In
addition to postal services, they offer a wide range of other services, including
exchanging currency,
Emergency
In
an emergency you should dial 999
You
will then be answered by the operator who will ask which service you require:-
Police,
Ambulance or
The Fire Service.
Explain the nature of the emergency
and the operator will then connect you.
If you are at the coast and are reporting
an incident at sea, you may ask for the Coastguard.
Please
speak clearly and slowly, giving your name, location and an explanation of the
emergency that you are reporting.
You may use
any telephone to report an emergency and there is no charge when reporting one
by any landline.
Tap
Water.
Unlike some countries, the tap water in the UK is perfectly
safe to drink
Public
Houses
There are many public houses in the area, many of which serve
food.
Their normal opening hours are 11.00am - 11.00pm, which means
drinks must be finished by 11.20pm. However, with new laws, some will now stay
open later. Check with the landlord about closing times.
Many pubs close in
the afternoons, whist some open only at the weekends.
The town centers can
get a little lively on weekend evenings.
Driving
If
you intend to drive in the UK, please remember to keep to the left.
It is all
too simple to forget for a moment.
Also famillierise yourself with the highway
code, and keep to the rules. Always obey the speed limits as there are many speed
cameras located around the area. Also be aware of the drink drive law, it is strictly
enforced by the police in the UK.
If you have any doubts, you can always catch
a bus or hire a taxi.
Cynon Valley Taxis Non
Emergency calls to the local police stations can be made on 01685 872456
There
will be a charge for these calls.
Electricity
Britain's
voltage is 240V AC which could damage lower voltage appliances. In addition, plugs
have three square pins which most foreign electrical goods will not be compatible
with. So you will probably need a transformer or an adapter. These are widely
available (probably best bought at airports) so if you forget one it should not
be a problem.
And remember to also be careful if buying electrical goods
in the UK - it might not be compatible back home so check first.
Also
take care when buying pre-recorded DVDs in the UK. Britain uses Region 2 players
and as such any DVD bought here may not be compatible with your DVD player at
home, unless it is a multi-region one. So to avoid wasting your money, check that
any DVDs you buy will be compatible back home
Telephones
There
are public phones throughout the towns and villages. Some take coins (10p, 20p
and 50p) and some take phone cards (£1, £2 or £5; buy them from
newsagents). However, many will accept both coins and cards.
A local call will
cost between 10p - 20p. A call within the UK (to book a hotel room say) will cost
20p - 50p. Calls are cheaper after 6pm.
