The pretty village frozen in time with no phone signal, gas supply or local shop

These days we’re constantly glued to our phones, mindlessly scrolling through social media or furiously typing away at numerous group chats. So it’s quite refreshing to go somewhere where you’re uncontactable from the outside world.

It’s the experience you’ll have if you visit the tranquil Welsh village of Pontsticill as there’s no phone signal - perfect if you want to escape from it all. The pretty village is tucked inside the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the town of Merthyr Tydfil.

With gorgeous views of the Brecon Beacons and terrace houses built in traditional grey stone, Pontsticill has a wonderful rural feel to it. When our colleagues at WalesOnline went to visit the village, they discovered a world which was frozen in time.

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The village has no mains gas supply, no local shop and no sign that phone signal would return, despite the fact that Merthyr town centre is around a 15-minute drive away. Apart from the occasional car passing by on the main road, the Pontsticill is quiet and peaceful.

Although it's much busier at weekends and on summer evenings when walkers and cyclists flock in to enjoy the surroundings. Intrigued to know what it’s like to live in a place like this, but with nobody around to ask right now, what better place to start than one of a handful of local pubs?

The Red Cow Inn was built around 300 years ago and is still a popular watering hole for locals and tourists alike. It's now run by owners Darren and Maria Treharne. Inside the country pub is decorated with wood handcrafted by carpenter Darren as well as local artefacts which have been donated for the pub to showcase. In the colder months it is home to