National Trust - Dolaucothi

Gold mining in medieval Wales sounds like fantasy, but Dolaucothi was the real deal. This National Trust site sits in a steep-sided valley near Llandeilo, where Romans first dug for the precious stuff nearly 2,000 years ago. You can still see the workings - terraced hillsides, leats (water channels), and the actual mine shafts where they went deep underground chasing seams.

It's a proper scramble around the site, which keeps it feeling adventurous rather than just staring at historical plaques. The valley itself is lovely, with woodland and the River Cothi running through, so there's more to it than just industrial archaeology. Families with kids aged eight upwards will find it engaging - there's something about standing inside an actual Roman mine that makes history click into place. Younger children might find the walks a bit much, and there's nowhere to grab a bite.

Allow a good two hours to do it justice, longer if you're slow walkers. It's free to explore the grounds, though you'll want proper footwear as paths get muddy. Winter visits are actually excellent because the site's less crowded and the bare trees give you clearer views of the landscape.

Glynmarch Farm Camping, just 3.8 miles away near Llandeilo, makes a solid base for this and other local spots. The site's within easy reach of some solid walks around the Carmarthenshire valleys, so you can easily spend a few days poking around the region.