Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The easiest way to reach Caerphilly from Cardiff is by train (single/return £4/6.40, 19
minutes).
Buses 26, A and B each depart hourly from Cardiff's Central bus station between about
9am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday (£3.70 return, 45 minutes). Bus 26 also has limited
Sunday services.
Bus 26 stops near Castell Coch en route, making it possible to visit both castles in one
day.
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Newport (Casnewydd)
POP 146,000
Sitting at the muddy mouth of the River Usk and flanked by the detritus of heavy industry,
Newport is never going to win any awards for beauty. Despite its grim appearance and
gritty undercurrents, Wales' third-largest city does have some fascinating things to see.
It's well worth a day trip, although you're unlikely to be tempted to stay over.
Newport takes its name from the fact that it was built after the 'old port' at Caerleon,
further upstream, following the construction of Newport Castle in Norman times. The
Welsh name, Casnewydd, actually means 'new castle' for much the same reason. Like
many harbour towns in South Wales, it grew rich on the back of the iron and coal indus-
tries in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the second half of the 20th century, Newport's shipbuilding industry disappeared,
and the docks declined in importance as coal exports shifted to Barry and iron-ore imports
to Port Talbot. In 2001 the huge Llanwern steelworks closed down. Today the city is busy
trying to reinvent itself as a centre for the service sector and technology industries.
