Margam Country Park is a country park estate in Wales, of around 850 acres. It is situated in Margam, about 2 miles from Port Talbot in south Wales. It is very easily accessed from junction 38 off the M4 motorway.
Margam Country Park is open all year round. Entry to the park is free although there are charges for parking, £4.90 per car or you can purchase an annual parking pass for £21 if you are a Neath Port Talbot county resident or £25 if you live outside of the borough. Maps of the park are given at the entrance.
There are lots of special events running in the park. There may be additional parking charges or event charges, so please check the website.
There is so much to do with the children, we love the Fairytale Land playpark. The park is designed for children 10 and under and the village has miniature houses all with Fairytale themes which the girls loved exploring.
There is nursery rhyme music playing, a toddler play area, a 6-10 play area, picnic area, giant chess and draughts and an Adventure Castle.
The girls loved the little houses to explore such as Snow White, Owl and the Pussy Cat and a small bridge to run over or pose for a photo. There is also a kiosk in the Fairytale Land to purchase a lovely Mario’s ice cream or coffee. The toilets are located just outside the Fairytale Land.
You can jump on the Margam Park Train during the summer months. There are two stops, at the main car park and at the castle. Train times are advertised at the entrance and are on the station signpost. The cost of a family ticket is £5 one way for 2 adults and two children, otherwise it is £2 per adult and £1 per child/OAP.
There is Charlotte’s Pantry Café for lunch or snacks and a gift shop in the castle courtyard selling ice-cream, toys and souvenirs.
There are many areas to explore from the beautiful orangery, very popular for weddings, the park and gardens, the castle, Go Ape zip wire, Margam Park Farm Trail, a great wooden adventure playground and The Discovery Centre.
Margam Park is a Grade I listed garden and landscape. There was a fire in 1977 which destroyed most of the interior. There has been a restoration programme to rebuild and the programme continues.
The castle is a little tired with lots of money needing to be invested to bring it up to standard. It would be lovely if the castle could be developed into a museum to inform the history of this building.
It’s a shame that the National Trust cannot take the building over and invest to bring this wonderful venue back to life.
The Margam Castle wooden play area is great and adventurous, with wooden bridges to walk, climbing sections, slides and swings.
Walking past the Margam Castle Play Area you arrive at the Farm Trail where there is a selection of farm animals to see.
There are goats, turkeys, Shetland ponies, rabbits, ducks, cattle and sheep.
The animals have large compounds to roam in. My daughter liked feeding the goats some fresh grass.
Behind the Farm is the Margam Discovery Centre, which is an education centre mostly used by groups and schools. The Discovery Centre Café and toilets are located here. You may be able to spot one of the 600 deer roaming freely.
There is a pathway taking you from the Wooden Adventure playground and farm park back to the Train Station/main car park and along this route is wooden sculptures carved into xylophones.
The children loved banging these to make a sound. Further down this path are lovely wooden toadstools to hide in.
Margam Park is a lovely day out with the family or perfect to meet friends for a picnic in the school holidays.