Castle bike route has woodlands, wildlife and even ghosts

WITH a gothic castle, free-roaming deer and gorgeous views, Margam Park in Port Talbot is loved by many and is the perfect place for a bike ride this summer.

- PORTIA JONES

Set in 1,000 acres of glorious parkland, Margam Country Park offers natural beauty, history, wildlife, and a wide range of fun activities and facilities, making it one of the best days out in Wales for all the family. This historic 850-acre estate is set on the southern slopes of Mynydd Margam, a largely for-ested mountain rising to 349m.

The estate's history can be traced back to prehistoric times, with Bronze and Iron Age relics and evidence of Roman and extensive Celtic occupation. According to its website, Margam's very own deer herd was probably introduced by the Romans.

It's also home to Grade I-listed gardens and landscapes, biking and hiking trails, wildlife, a Norman Abbey and Margam Castle - a grand Victorian man-sion - and an impressive 18th-century orangery.

The castle is a 19th-century Tudor Gothic mansion designed by architect Thomas Hopper for Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.

One of the best activities in Margam Park is mountain biking. You can cycle around the park on tarmac roads and rough tracks to a fantastic viewpoint.