Torfaen

Torfaen is a county borough in south-east Wales, covering valley and upland terrain around Cwmbran, Pontypool and Blaenavon. The Afon Lwyd runs through the area and has shaped settlement patterns and transport routes. The industrial past is visible in former coal and ironworks; Blaenavon on the northern edge contains the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site, with its ironworks and the former coal workings at Big Pit. Big Pit operates as a national museum and offers guided underground tours via the old mineshaft and winding gear.

Cwmbran was designated a new town after the Second World War and remains the largest urban centre, with a pedestrianised shopping area and surrounding housing estates. Pontypool features Pontypool Park, its 18th-century shell grotto and a reservoir. Heritage lines such as the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway and local walking routes follow former industrial tracks, linking towns and parks. Major roads through the borough include the A4042 and A472, which connect communities across Torfaen.