3-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Tregoyd - Fun Days Out

Hay Castle is a medieval fortification with a 17th-century mansion alongside, right in the centre of the book town of Hay-on-Wye. Founded by the Normans and rebuilt in stone around 1200, it has been attacked and burnt several times over the centuries. After years of restoration it now works as a centre for arts, literature and learning, with an exhibition gallery inside a modern refit of the old building.

You can explore the floors of the castle, visit the gallery and head up to the roof of the keep for views over the town and the River Wye. It's also home to the world's first Honesty Bookshop, and there's a café and shop. The Great Hall is free to enter. It suits history fans, book lovers and anyone who fancies pairing a castle visit with a wander around Hay's streets.

Tip: Use the large public car park off Oxford Road, which has free electric vehicle charging points. Dogs must stay on a lead, and are welcome on the ground floor, in the café and in the grounds.

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.

Ludlow Castle is a partly ruined medieval fortress in the Shropshire market town of Ludlow, standing on a high promontory above the River Teme. Probably founded around 1075, it was one of the first stone castles built in England and later became the seat of the Council of Wales and the Marches.

You can walk through the castle grounds and explore the ruined lodgings of kings, queens, princes, judges and nobility, a glimpse into medieval and Tudor life. Highlights include the Great Tower, the Great Hall and a rare circular chapel modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The views over the Shropshire countryside are superb. The castle covers almost five acres, and a guide book is available if you want the full story. There is a cafe and a gift shop on site.

Tip: There is no parking at the castle itself, so plan to park in the town and walk in.

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.

Croft Castle is a castellated 17th-century manor house that has been the home of the Croft family for many centuries. Inside, you can look round the castle rooms, while outside there are colourful herbaceous borders, a secret garden and a walled garden with a small working vineyard, historic apple trees and a glasshouse. The church of St Michael and All Angels stands opposite, and parts of it date back to the 12th century.

The real draw for many is the 1,500 acres of historic parkland, with woodland, farmland, the picturesque Fishpool Valley, an Iron Age hillfort and ancient trees. Families can head for the castle play area or the natural play area with rope swings and balance beams. Walkers have plenty of routes to choose from, and the tea-room serves snacks, sandwiches, cakes, pasties and ice creams.

Tip: Dogs on leads are welcome in the garden and parkland but not in the house. Satnav users should enter HR6 0BL, as the National Trust recommends.

Eastnor Castle is a 19th-century mock castle in Herefordshire, built between 1811 and 1820 to the designs of Robert Smirke, later the main architect of the British Museum. It was made to look like one of the medieval castles guarding the Welsh borders, and it is still a private home, with tours open to the public in certain months of the year.

Inside, A. W. N. Pugin decorated the Gothic drawing room in 1849-50. Outside, the gardens and parkland are Grade II* designated. The Eastnor Obelisk, also Grade II* listed, stands in the deer park just over a mile from the castle. The estate also has an 18th-century flour mill that has been restored to working order. Eastnor has appeared in films and television, including two episodes of Succession, so fans of period drama may spot familiar rooms.

Tip: The castle is only open for tours in certain months, so check before you set off.

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.

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.