Located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, between the borders of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, historic Caerphilly has an abundance of natural beauty and a rich history. The town’s famous castle is the second biggest in the UK, only behind Windsor in terms of sheer scale. The town has a good mix of properties, with a wealth of semi and detached houses in a range of styles, along with some excellent period cottages and modern barn conversions. Look to the surrounding countryside, however and things really start to get interesting. Larger period properties (even some smallish manors) are still out there and at comparatively reasonable prices.

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Good rail links to Cardiff keep the town connected, with a quick 20 minute journey from Caerphilly to Cardiff Central. There’s also an impressive amount of outstanding schools in and around the area across all age ranges. There’s Cwrt Rawlin Primary School and Hendredenny Park Primary School for nursery, infants and juniors. And St Cenydd School and St Martins for secondary schools.

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Food and drink fans are spoiled for choice with a wide range of pubs, cafes and restaurants located either in Caerphilly town or the surrounding countryside, many of which use delicious locally sourced produce. Serving pints since 1615, The Maenllwyd Inn stands at the heart of the Caerphilly community in the tiny village of Rudry. And for the those that want to earn their lunch, there are are a few good golf course in the surrounding area. And for the more adventurous, a yomp up Caerphilly Mountain will earn you a bacon roll from the snack bar. 

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‍Located 5 miles north of Caerphilly, in the Rhymney Valley, Ystrad Mynach is a pretty town of around 14,000 people. Despite being a town, Ystrad Mynach is affectionately known locally as 'the village' due to its distinct layout and strong community. The town boasts a range of independent shops, cafes and pubs. Ystrad Mynach also boats the Parc-Penallta, a stunning location that mixes woodlands, ponds and grasslands with a wide variety of wildlife, and some of the world’s most beautiful sculptures including ‘Sultan the Pit Pony’ one of the world’s largest figurative earth sculptures. For the best viewpoint in the park, visitors can make their way to the striking High Point Observatory where they'll be rewarded with stunning 360° panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

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Other areas include Church Village, which is located in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff. Centrally located, Church Village is around 4 miles from the local towns of Llantrisant to the southwest and Pontypridd to the north and is situated around 10 miles northwest of Cardiff city centre. While some period properties do exist and come to market, the majority of stock is new and recent builds that are highly sort after due to the combination of price and location. 

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