1-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Llanover - Fun Days Out

Raglan Castle sits just north of the village of Raglan in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. Built and rebuilt between the 15th and early 17th centuries by the Herbert and Somerset families, it was once a luxurious, fortified home, and its large hexagonal keep is known as the Great Tower or the Yellow Tower of Gwent.

Today it is a romantic ruin, and a good place to picture how grand it once was. The castle was surrounded by parkland, water gardens and terraces, and was considered the equal of any other in England or Wales. Its story includes a Civil War siege, when Parliamentarian forces took it in 1646 and deliberately damaged its walls. It's a rewarding stop for anyone who enjoys castles and wants to explore a piece of Welsh history.

Big Pit is a real coal mine and one of Britain's leading mining museums, standing on the heather-clad moors above Blaenavon. It worked as a colliery from 1880 to 1980 and opened to the public in 1983. The star attraction is the Underground Tour, which takes you 300 feet down with a real miner to see what life was like for the men who worked the coal face.

Back on the surface, there's a multi-media tour of a modern coal mine with a virtual miner in the Mining Galleries, plus exhibitions in the Pithead Baths and the historic colliery buildings. The museum sits within the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. It's an informative day out for all ages.

Tip: Underground tour places on the day aren't guaranteed a time slot and queues can build when busy, so book a timed Job-A-Knock ticket in advance to secure your spot.

Goodrich Castle is a ruined medieval fortress on a rocky sandstone outcrop above the River Wye, near Ross-on-Wye. Begun after the Norman Conquest, it grew into a stone castle with a square keep, big corner towers and a gatehouse with a barbican. William Wordsworth called it the "noblest ruin in Herefordshire".

You can descend into the pitch-dark dungeon or climb the steep stairway to the top of the keep for views over the castle and countryside. Families can pick up the family game from the ticket office, and there is a walk around the dry moat, which is a good spot for a picnic. A tearoom is there for a break afterwards. It suits history fans, families and anyone who likes a castle with a few adventurous corners.

Tip: Book advance tickets online through English Heritage, and pick up the family game from the ticket office when you arrive.

Llanthony Priory is a partly ruined Augustinian priory in the secluded, steep-sided Vale of Ewyas, in the Black Mountains area of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Founded around 1100, it became the first priory of Canons Regular in Wales and grew into one of the great medieval buildings of the country, mixing Norman and Gothic styles. The main ruins are cared for by Cadw.

Wander the ruins, then look around the precinct, which also holds the Grade I listed St David's Church and Court Farm Barn. The Abbey Hotel is on the site too. Walkers can follow the old road through the valley, with the Hatterrall Ridge rising to the east. It suits history fans, couples and anyone who likes a quiet, dramatic setting.

Tip: The priory is about seven miles north of Abergavenny on the old road towards Hay-on-Wye, so allow time for the winding valley drive.

Chepstow Castle stretches along a limestone cliff above the River Wye. Building began in 1067 under William fitz Osbern, a close friend of William the Conqueror, and it is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Over the centuries it passed to powerful figures such as William Marshal and Roger Bigod, each of whom left their mark.

You can explore the Great Tower, the gatehouse, Marten's Tower, the Tudor apartments and the four baileys that show how the castle grew and changed. It is a good fit for history fans and anyone curious about how castles evolved to cope with new weapons. An audio guide and guidebook are available, and the castle has a gift shop. Dogs on short leads are welcome on the ground floor levels.

Tip: Book online to save 5%. The main path is a steep slope and the steps can be uneven or slippery when wet, so wear sturdy shoes.

Caerphilly Castle is the largest castle in Wales and the second-largest in the UK. Gilbert de Clare began it in 1268, and its concentric rings of walls, large twin-towered gatehouses and wide artificial lakes inspired Edward I's castles in North Wales. Historian Allen Brown called its water defences "the most elaborate water defences in all Britain".

Inside, the inner ward is an open courtyard with a well in the centre. The great hall, remodelled by Hugh Despenser the Younger in 1320, is the most richly decorated part, with tall windows, carved corbels and a large fireplace. You can also see the ruined chambers and the sandstone walls that were restored in the 20th century. The castle suits anyone interested in medieval history and in how castles were designed and defended.

Puzzlewood is an ancient woodland site near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, covering 14 acres. Over a mile of pathways, laid down in the early 19th century, wind through strange rock formations, secret caves and ancient trees. The paths make a confusing maze, so expect to take a few wrong turns.

The rock features are known as scowles. They began as natural cave systems in the Carboniferous Limestone and were later mined for iron ore, from Iron Age settlers through to Roman times. In 1848, workers found more than 3,000 Roman-era coins here.

Film and TV fans may spot familiar scenery, as the wood has been a filming location for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Merlin and The Secret Garden, among others. J. K. Rowling has visited, and the forest is believed to have inspired Tolkien.

Bristol Zoo Project is a wildlife conservation park in South Gloucestershire, run by Bristol Zoological Society. It covers a large site, and its areas are designed to link ecosystems and conservation programmes around the world. Current areas include Bear Wood, Benoué National Park and Discover Madagascar.

The animals include reticulated giraffes, Southeast African cheetahs, Grant's zebra, Western lowland gorillas, European brown bears, Eurasian wolves and wolverines. There are also several kinds of lemur, as well as meerkats, red pandas and gelada. Bear Wood is an environment designed to mimic England in 8,000 BC. The site also grows a third of the food for the animals, so there is a working side to the place as well as the animal areas.