Nestled in a national nature reserve Newton House at Dinefwr is more than just a historic mansion. The grounds of this Jacobean stately home in Carmarthenshire include a castle ruins, a fairy village and a medieval deer park roamed by fallow deer.

The 850-acre Dinefwr estate lies on the outskirts of the farming town of Llandeilo and is steeped in Welsh history. The surrounding Carmarthenshire countryside and parkland is perfect for walks and exploring and there’s also a fountain garden.

It’s a National Trust property and you can get a free pass for a family day out this winter to Dinefwr Park, or one of the trust’s other Welsh locations. Find out more here.

Visitors to the parkland can see the heritage White Park Cattle, probably the most ancient breed of cattle native to the British Isles. They have been associated with Dinefwr since the ninth century and are now classed a rare breed. Find out about the latest events in Wales by signing up to our What’s On newsletter here.

Step into the estate woodland and you’ll find some of the oldest trees in Britain. There are more than 300 oak trees at Dinefwr, some more than 400 years old.

Search hard enough and you’ll also find the tiny houses in the hidden village of y Tylwyth Teg, the mysterious Welsh fairy folk. Or walk up to the ruins of Dinefwr Castle perched above the Tywi Valley and imagine the days and knights gone by.

At the heart of the Dinefwr estate is the Grade II listed Newton House, a family home for more than 300 years to the descendants of The Lord Rhys, the powerful Prince of the Welsh Kingdom of the Deheubarth which has been cared for by the National Trust since 1990.

The exterior of the house today dates from the 1850s when a fashionable Gothic façade was added to the Jacobean interior. Inside many of the original 17th century features remain including the magnificent grand staircase and ornate ceilings.

You can find out how the servants lived and worked below stairs and there’s also a cafe and second hand book shop.

The house itself will be decorated in time for Christmas, with a ‘Creatures of Dinefwr’ Christmas Tree taking pride of place in the outer hall. Christmas fair stall holders will set up at the front of the house for the event on November 22,23 and 24. Whether or not you can make those dates Dinefwr offers beautiful walks, history and fun for a day out.

If you’re visiting with a wheelchair or pushchair, there is level access from the car park to Newton House and accessible, level paths can be found to the front of the house, but the National Trust warns that some trails may be unsuitable and there’s no lift in the house.