NEARLY 2,000 visitors flocked to The Big Pit National Coal Mining Museum at Blaenavon over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Big Pit, which features a museum, underground mine, exhibition and café, attracted around 600 people a day to the historic site.

Peter Walker, the site’s keeper and mine manager, said: "Visitors enjoyed the museum and basked in the sun outside with picnics or visited the café."

Staff at the World Heritage Centre said they dealt with a high number of visitors in person wanting to explore Big Pit and the Ironworks.

One worker said: "We’ve had visitors coming here from all over England and certainly more visitors than at Easter."

Trader, Gaynor Priestley who runs Butterflies Restaurant on Queen Street said customers enjoyed the restaurant's garden area.

She said: "We had visitors from Holland who were staying at a local B & B. It's was lovely for them to be able to sit in the garden and enjoy their meal."

Clifford Herbert, of The Whistle Inn at Garn Yr Erw, said he had a busy weekend serving food and drinks.

He said: "It was very busy , with many customers who had been for a ride on the steam train."

"The sunshine definitely brought the crowds out to enjoy our beer garden," he added.

The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway ran steam rides for visitors over the three days.

Volunteer and member Alex Hinshelwood, said: "We had a successful weekend, attracting lots of families to ride from Garn yr Erw to Blaenavon but when the weather is like this people tend to want to stay in their gardens."

In Cwmbran, Julie Nelson of Raspberry Tearooms at Llanyrafon Manor said she has almost sold out of cakes and experienced high demand for ploughman’s lunches, afternoon teas and ice-cream.

She said: "We were extremely busy , especially our outdoor seating area with visitors from the manor."

"We are very close to the Boating Lake which was also packed with people enjoying the sunshine."

At Goytre Wharf on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, all the canoes and day-boats were in use.

Sue Powell, of ABC Leisure Redline Boats, said: " It has been heaving here all weekend."

"We have almost run out of ice-cream and all our three day boats and two canoes are constantly on the water."

At Llandegfedd Reservoir, near New Inn, Gwent Adventures had the busiest weekend of the year so far.

Terry Sculley, managing director of the watersport firm, said: "After a disasterous season this has been the busiest weekend of the year so far."

"The weather has certainly had a positive effect on visitor numbers."

Mr Sculley, who runs sailing and windsurfing courses as well as hiring dinghies, said hundreds have been visiting the public car park to enjoy an ice cream and admire the view.

"The road to and from the reservoir has been very busy all weekend. The weather has been absolutely fantastic and really changed people’s outlook," he added.