Hollywood actor Warwick Davis returns to one of the roles that made him a household name in new Disney+ series, Willow. The 52-year-old first played titular character, Willow Ufgood, in the 1988 film of the same name, alongside Val Kilmer.
Now, like the original, the Disney+ reboot series films on location in Wales and we have compiled a list for fans of the show to see where. The show also stars Spider-Man star, Tony Revolori, Ellie Bamber and Han Solo: A Star Wars Story's Erin Kellyman. A second series has already been commissioned and will see '80s heartthrob, Christian Slater added to the cast.
The new series sees Warwick's character, a Nelwyn sorcerer, lead a party to rescue the twin brother of a princess. The official synopsis for Willow reads: "An unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world."
Filming for Willow, which is now streaming on Disney+, took place across numerous locations in Wales and with the release of its first two episodes, the series has already shown the world some of the beautiful sights that our country has to offer. During filming, lead actor Warwick was spotted enjoying some down time in Saundersfoot. You can read more about that here.
Read more: Disney+ release Welsh-made Willow trailer and it looks magical
Speaking about Willow being filmed in Wales, Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport said: “The series has been an excellent opportunity to showcase Wales’s spectacular scenery and show the world what a beautiful country we live in. This extremely popular series offers a fantastic opportunity to elevate our country on a global level, and the locations demonstrate the diverse landscape we’re blessed with.” But which Welsh locations were used in the series?
Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire
Seven-mile beach Pendine Sands is no stranger to appearing on television. It has previously featured on BBC's Top Gear and BBC Wales' Keeping Faith, starring Eve Myles.
Pendine was also was once used to test the world land speed record. The first driver to make an attempt there was Malcolm Campbell. In September 1924, he set a world land speed record of 146.16 mph; in June 2000, his grandson and nephew set the UK electric land speed record at Pendine Sands, reaching 137 mph.
Amar Chadha-Patel, who plays Thraxus Boorman in the new series, said of the location: “Pendine truly is the most remarkable location – just the biggest beach I’ve ever seen in my life. An endless sand bank. The locations we’ve been to have been stunning.” Willow also made use of Aberavon Beach and the beach in front of Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Merthyr Tydfil
The cast and crew of Willow shot some scenes in Merthyr and its surrounding areas. Blaen y Glyn Uchaf waterfall and Taf Fechan (Owl's Grove) were amongst some of the specific areas used. Aside from being a picturesque filming location, the area is also popular with hikers.
Merthyr Mawr
The Bridgend County village of Merthyr Mawr provided the Willow production the chance to showcase the Newton Village ruins. Within the same park is the Iron Age hillfort known as Chapel Hill Camp, and within the embankments is the now roofless 15th-century chapel.
Set on the South Wales coast, the nearby Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve is home to the highest sand dune in Wales, known as the Big Dipper.
Three Bears Cave, nr.Cardiff
Located in Fforest Fawr, Three Bears Cave has appeared countless times on TV. Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin and Casualty have previously used the mythical-esque scenery and it has become somewhat of a go-to for the BBC.
Brecon Beacons National Park
Multiple areas of the Brecon Beacons National Park have been used in Willow. These include the Pont Cwm y Fedwen Waterfall and the Sarn Helen Roman Roads.
Llanddeusant, which is located in the Black Mountain range of the Brecon Beacons, has also been used. Steeped in a rich history, the village’s name, meaning "church of two saints", supposedly originates from the fact that Teilo and Saint David are believed to have met there. The village lies below the glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fach, which is the setting of the famous folk tale known as The Lady of the Lake.
Former quarrying village Penwyllt, which lies within the Brecon Beacons, also features in the series. Continue reading for more on that.
Neath Abbey, Neath Port Talbot
Founded in 1130 by Norman knight Sir Richard de Granville, by the late 13th century Neath Abbey had become one of Wales’s wealthiest abbeys. In the past, its breath-taking medieval ruins have also seen the likes of the BBC's Doctor Who and Merlin film there.
The Afan Valley to the west is popular with cyclists and mountain bike enthusiasts across Britain as it offers some of most impressive mountain bike trails in the country.
Snowdonia
The small village of Rhyd Ddu in Snowdonia is one of several North Wales locations that feature in the series. The area is renowned for being the birth place of T. H. Parry-Williams, a famous Welsh poet. Williams twice won both the Chair and the Crown at the National Eisteddfod, in 1912 and 1915.
Crimea Pass, nr Blaenau Ffestiniog
With its name taken from the Crimean War, the Crimea Pass is steeped in history. The Pass, itself, connects the North Wales counties of Gwynedd and Conwy.
The stone walls along the Welsh pass were supposedly built by Russian prisoners of war, captured at the battles of Inkerman and Balaclava.
Trefil, Blaenau Gwent
Trefil's inclusion in Willow isn't the first time that the small, south Wales village has been on television. The area, which is located three miles northwest of Tredegar, has also appeared in BBC's Merlin and the 2012 action fantasy film Wrath of the Titans.
Margam Park, Port Talbot
With its 1000 acres of parkland, Margam Park seems like a natural location for Willow. The location features a magnificent 18th Century Orangery, an impressive and picturesque Tudor-Gothic style Victorian Mansion House, a 12th Century Chapter House, ornamental gardens and the best deer herd in Wales.
Margam Park has previously been used in episodes of Doctor Who and Da Vinci's Demons.
Carreg Cennen, Carmarthenshire
Found near Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, Carreg Cennen Castle has a role in the series. Perched on a great limestone crag above the River Cennen, the Castle dominates the skyline for miles around and commands stunning views over the Carmarthenshire countryside. Recently, it made an appearance in Sky's Discovery of Witches.
Wales' Quarries
Willow has made use of a number of quarries across Wales, including Morlais (south and north)near Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenonneu, near Llangynidr and Penwyllt, Swansea.
Beneath Penwyllt and the surrounding area is the extensive limestone cave system. The caves can’t be accessed by tourists, however the Dan-yr-Ogof National Showcaves Centre is just across the valley, offering three cave walks for families to explore. Penwyllt has previously been used in an episode of BBC Wales crime drama Hinterland.
The series has been supported by Creative Wales – the Welsh Government agency that supports the creative industries in Wales – which funded both the production of the show and training programmes for Welsh creatives behind-the-scenes. Creative Wales has brought £155.6m of production spend into the Welsh Economy since 2020 and hopes to welcome more of the world’s most iconic franchises to Welsh studios. Willow is now streaming on Disney+. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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