Just north of Rhoose, to the west of Barry and a ways east of St Athan, is a charming little village that feels like it's in a hidden valley all of its own. With a population of just 742 (almost unchanged in ten years), driving down the long, narrow road to Llancarfan feels like a step back in time.
Usually, when you go somewhere to write an article about what it's like to live there, you start by asking the first person you see on the street. In Llancarfan, there's a decent chance you won't see anyone. Wandering down Llancarfan's unnamed main road, with lush green grass coating the steep hills to one side, it would be easy to believe you'd fallen into a quiet, idyllic parallel universe.
A stream - Nant Llancarfan, probably a fraction higher than usual after some heavy rainfall - crosses the road. The water, from the Kenson River further south and originally the sea near Aberthaw Nature Reserve, creates a problem for Llancarfan - how do you make a perfect little village navigable in the modern day? You can get more local news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
