Just a 10‑minute drive from junction 28 of the M4 is a serene trip through the heart of a forest. Cwmcarn Forest originally opened in 1972 on the site of a former coal colliery and has undergone several phases of redevelopment. There’s now a visitor centre with café, shop, offices, a glamping site, lakeside landscaping, and new footpaths which were all part of a £2m investment from the Welsh Government . Since reopening in 2021 visitor numbers have surged, according to their website, with the drive being especially popular during weekends and school holidays. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . While driving around you get to twist through peaceful woodland, stop at one of seven car parks for panoramic views, enjoy picnic and barbecue spots, and let kids run wild in the new adventure playgrounds, sensory tunnels, woodland sculptures, and all-ability paths. But there’s a crucial catch as entry is charged per vehicle which is currently £5 for motorbikes, £10 for cars, and more for larger vehicles. The full price and timing info is available on the visitor information page online. And if you’re wondering why you might not have heard about it before this makes sense as it’s still relatively new after the forest was closed for six years from 2015 to remove around 150,000 larch trees infected by the fungus phytophthora ramorum. This was essential to prevent the disease spreading and causing wider issues and David Letellier of NRW described it as "an environmental crisis that was very challenging to deal with but also had massive cost implications and we had to move very very fast indeed".