Pontygwaith | The Works Bridge

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

This lovely bridge can be found in the Taff Valley in Wales.

how it's used in Merlin

Pontygwaith is the bridge under which Uther and Catrina have a picnic in episode 205 Beauty and the Beast. Which makes perfect sense, because if you're going to take a troll on a romantic picnic, you take them somewhere they'll feel at home… like, under a bridge. This is a particularly graceful bridge, though, and more worthy of Catrina's human incarnation rather than her true form.

the place itself

The current stone bridge was built in 1811, replacing an earlier wooden bridge. The name comes from the fact that the bridge enabled people in the village of Pontygwaith to walk to work in a nearby factory.

There is nothing to do here other than admire the bridge, but as it's nice in its own right, and is in a lovely setting, you may like to include it in your next Merlin Locations Tour. The Taff Trail crosses the bridge, so you may like to visit it while walking or cycling in the area. Unfortunately for us, however, the actual location where Uther and Catrina sat (to the south of the bridge) is private property, so of course we mustn't trespass - though I see that the property, Pontygwaith Farm, has hosted open days for its gardens, so you may strike it lucky if you're there in summer.

To find the bridge, if you're driving, head north from Treharris along the A4054 (Cardiff Road). Turn left into a small (unnamed) road before you reach the next town along (Merthyr Vale) - there is a bus stop at the turning. Follow the road down to the river. The bridge itself is for foot or cycle traffic only.



Screen capture courtesy of wherethewind.







links and details

• relevant page on a site about the Old Merthyr Tydfil 
• the Wikipedia entry for the village 
• the location on Google Maps 

The address is: Pontygwaith (The Works Bridge), Cardiff Road, Treharris, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.

tags and rating

I really like this place, and I loved the scene they used it in. But you may keep in mind I am a sucker for elegant engineering, particularly when it comes to bridges, so I may be overly enthusiastic. I'm giving it four pointy hats.

 

Comments

[kathyh]

Which makes perfect sense, because if you're going to take a troll on a romantic picnic, you take them somewhere they'll feel at home… like, under a bridge.

LOL. Of course, how did I not catch that. What an amusing thought.

The bridge looks gorgeous and the snowy pictures are lovely. Many thaks.

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Hee! I don't know that I would have picked up on the troll under the bridge either, but Mr L was in fine form that evening, and cracked up badly over it. :-D

Glad you enjoyed the post! ♥

[nenimefish.livejournal.com]

Hahaha troll under a bridge.

Ooh that place looks lovely. If I get back to Wales some point this year I might have to add this to a Merlin Locations list.

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Wicked sense of humour, our Merlin creators have... :-D

It is a lovely bridge! Really graceful. I hope you'll enjoy visiting it as and when you can. ♥

[nenimefish.livejournal.com]

They really do have a brilliant sense of humour :D I still find myself sniggering over "clot pole" and it wasn't even that funny *g*

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

But you may keep in mind I am a sucker for elegant engineering, ...

*gasp*

Soul Sister!

*glomptackles*

Speaking as a girl who almost spontaneously orgasmed watching old eps of Grand Designs yesterday evening, when they showed the most incredible timber framed building that was engineering raised to the level of grand art? Yeah ...

*cough*

:D

ps. to think I drove right past the end of the road to this bridge and never knew. *sigh*

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Hee! So nice to meet a soul sister... ♥ I think I must have designed and built bridges in a former life or something... You can probably guess how heartbroken I was when we were in France once, and couldn't divert to see the Millau Bridge. I mean, it was only three hours out of our way, for heaven's sake!!! :-/ :-D

Heh... Sorry you missed out on seeing this (rather smaller) bridge. I have been experiencing such 'Doh!' moments a fair bit over the past year. You can imagine! Oh well, it just gives me an excuse to go back again...

Thanks for commenting, hon... ♥

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

How cool that you found it! LOL about the troll and a bridge. I didn't think of that. :D

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon! I'm getting a bit clueier about tracking things down online - though I suspect there's plenty of more generic forest-type scenes that we'll never locate, I suddenly realised this one should be unique enough to find. And it was! :-D

Hee about the troll under the bridge! I don't think I'd have picked up on it either, except Mr L immediately burst out laughing when the scene opened, and after spluttering for a while managed to explain to me why. :-D

Thanks for commenting, hon. ♥

[babydracky.livejournal.com]

So very beautiful
I supposed it'd be so very cool to have a romantic picnic over there with a pretty troll xD

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

It is a lovely place, indeed! Perhaps one day your little flea can take you there... ♥

[babydracky.livejournal.com]

You do know I'll follow my favorite little pretty flea anywhere!♥♥♥