Maesteg is one of the Welsh Valley’s most significant towns, and is packed full of facilities and transport links, with its own points of interest that are worth a visit.

One such location is the Bethania West Baptist Chapel. With seating for 1001 people, a second-floor gallery layout and golden, cast-iron decorated seating, pulpit and organ, the interior really is majestic. It is a fantastic survival, almost flawless when you take it in, so that it feels less like you have stepped back to 1908 when it was first built, and more like 1908 has emerged fresh into the 2020s.

When you take the trail out onto the hills around the town, you will be greeted by wild, windswept hillsides, high above the bustling urban sprawl below. The panoramic views you will find take in the town as you climb up from it bring a wonderful perspective of the valley as a human environment, nestled between the hills and mountains. Unlike other hill rides throughout the Great Glamorgan Way, taking the steady half-circuit around the North of Maesteg gives a rare opportunity to appreciate the closeness of Valley towns to their ancient landscapes in a way that is rarely appreciated.