With green hills and mountains all around, this is a place to relax, breathe in the fresh air and stretch your legs on country trails – but you’re also just 15 minutes’ walk from Aberdare’s bustling town centre, its streets lined with everything from small independent shops to high street names. For commuters, there’s also a railway station with excellent links to Cardiff and beyond.

You’re never short of things to do in Aberdare and the surrounding area: feel the wind in your hair in the magnificent 500-acre Dare Valley Country Park or head further up the valley for riverside walks that take you through ancient woodland and behind waterfalls. There are spectacular mountain bike trails and plenty of other outdoor activities nearby, from horse riding to fishing – but for a more leisurely time outdoors, head to pretty Aberdare Park to enjoy refreshments by the lake while the kids enjoy the adventure playground. Afterwards, a family trip on the swan and dragon boats could be in order.

Aberdare has long been a cultural centre and this tradition continues at the striking Coliseum theatre, where you can enjoy comedy nights, touring plays, music, films and more. The bright lights of Cardiff are just an hour away on the train or 40 minutes by car, and the beaches of Swansea and Gower are less than an hour’s drive to the south west.

Back in Aberdare, you can spend hours browsing the shops in the town’s attractive pedestrianised heart, popping into the indoor market for fresh local fish, meat and vegetables and a huge array of other goods, from knitting wool to flowers and from hardware to gifts. The market and the wider town have plenty of places for refreshments: there are cosy cafes, and convivial pubs and restaurants offering everything from Italian food to traditional British fare.

Beautiful Cwm Heulwen sits on the edge of the countryside, bordered on one side by the pretty Nant Gwawr river. It’s a peaceful area with Blaengwawr Primary School at its heart. You’ll also find a local store, pub and take-away just a few minutes’ walk away. The joy of this location lies its beauty, its convenience and the wealth of activities available in the surrounding area. This is a place to live life to the full.