As you sit in the centre of Abercregan, you can’t help but be amazed at what you can hear: nothing. This tranquil and beautiful village in the Afan Valley sits 10 miles north-east of Port Talbot and is small enough that saying it has a ‘centre’ doesn’t seem quite right. It has one road in and one road out — and it's the same road.
There is nothing here but a few houses, nice walks and a stunning mountainous backdrop which dwarfs the tiny community below. But it wasn’t always this quiet. Close your eyes and listen to the silence and you can almost hear the noise that used to fill these hills. The hustle and the bustle. The school, the pub, the shops (yes, plural), the Post Office, the football club, the fish and chip hut.
All of that, today, has gone. The only thing that remains is the memories and the people who have to drive to the next village to get a loaf of bread or a pint of milk.
