Why visit Ferndale
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Parc and Dare Hall and Royal Cinema.
Weather in Ferndale
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Ferndale
Ferndale (Welsh: Glynrhedynog) is a town and community located in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Neighbouring villages are Blaenllechau, Maerdy and Tylorstown. Ferndale was industrialised in the mid-19th century. The first coal mine shaft was sunk in 1857 and Ferndale was the first community to be intensively industrialised in the Rhondda Valley.
From the Wikipedia article Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Parc and Dare Hall
Cinema and theater · 2.5 mi
Theatre in Treorchy, Wales
Royal Cinema
Cinema and theater · 2.5 mi
Former cinema in Tonypandy, Wales
Museums and landmarks3
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes9
Welfare Hall Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi
East Road, Tylorstown
Mo off; Tu 09:30-12:30; We off; Th 09:30-12:30; Fr off; Sa off; Su off
Scoobys
Bar and pub · 1.3 mi
William Street, Ystrad
Mo-Fr 14:00-23:00; Sa,Su 13:00-24:00
Marmaris Charcoal Grill
Fast food · Turkish, Pizza, American · 1.4 mi
86 William Street, Ystrad
Mo-Su 15:00-23:30
The Chip Stop
Fast food · Fish And Chips · 1.5 mi
114 William Street, Ystrad
Mo-Sa 11:30-21:00
Ystrad Takeaway
Fast food · Chinese · 1.3 mi
50 Gelligaled Road
Mo,We-Su 17:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-23:00; Tu off
History
In Welsh, Ferndale is known as Glynrhedynog, the name of one of the old farms on which the town is built. In its infancy Glynrhedynog was also known as Trerhondda, after the name of the first large chapel to be built in the town. The naming of settlements after chapels was widespread in Wales at the time, but neither Glynrhedynog nor Trerhondda was used for long. Glynrhedynog is made from the words glyn (valley) and rhedynog (ferny), so coal from the Glynrhedynog pits was marketed as Ferndale coal, a much easier name for English buyers to assimilate.
The Ferndale pits drew workers and their families to the area, and by the 1880s Ferndale was well established as a thriving town. With the phasing in of bilingual road signs from the late 1980s onwards, the name Glynrhedynog gradually reappeared and is now the officially designated Welsh language name for Ferndale. The village adopted the English language during the Industrial Revolution, but the Welsh language is now on the increase in Ferndale. A Welsh language school is situated near the park and is named after the park's lake, Llyn-y-Forwyn (the Maiden's Lake).
From the History section of Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Ferndale
Education
There is Little Ferns Day Nursery Ferndale providing care and education for toddlers. The main Primary school of Ferndale is situated next to Darran Park with the school aptly named Darran Park Primary.
(Darrran Park Primary is a predominantly English speaking school)
Ferndale Community school (secondary school) is actually situated in Maerdy. With a community swimming pool and Gym situated on site.
The Welsh school in Ferndale Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn y Forwyn has moved and upgraded its facilities as of 2024 from its previous location on Darran Terrace to Maerdy Industrial Estate.
From the Wikipedia article Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Ferndale
Ginger JonesBritish boxer (1905–1986)Photo: Jericymro99, CC BY-SA 4.0- Stanley BakerWelsh actor (1928–1976)
- Brian BedfordWelsh footballer (born 1933)
- M. J. TrowCrime writer and historian
- John KingWelsh footballer, born 1933
- Roderick JonesWelsh singer
- Wyn WilliamsWelsh judge (born 1951)
- Elfed EvansWelsh footballer (1926-1988)
- Sophie MouldsWelsh model
- Ronald Karslake Starr WoodWelsh plant pathologist
- Edgar WatkinsBritish gymnast
Born in Ferndale, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Churches and places of worship15
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare2
Map of Ferndale
54 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cardiff Airport (CWL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Rhondda 0 mi southwest, about 1 min by car
- Llwynypia 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Tonypandy 3 mi south, about 4 min by car
- Treorchy 3 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Mountain Ash 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Aberdare 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Tonyrefail 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Pontypridd 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Treharris 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Merthyr Tydfil 7 mi northeast, about 11 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Ferndale
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Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Y tu mewn i gapel Bethania, Aberpennar, GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Peters Church, Pentre, Rhondda, Unknown author, Public domain
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, toho, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.