Pontardawe is around 7.5 kilometres North of junction No 45 on the M4 Motorway. The small town sprung up where the East/West drovers route from Neath to Llandeilo intersected the North/South drovers route from Brecon to Swansea. Its name derives from the Welsh "Pont" (bridge) , "ar" (over), "Tawe" (the river Tawe. 

Pontardawe is now a regional centre with shops, restaurants, pubs and hotels, cinema, swimming pool and other local amenities. In August it is the venue for the popular Pontardawe popular festival, with entertainers coming from far and wide to perform their music and arts. The singer Mary Hopkin (those were the days) and actress Rachel Thomas both came from Pontardawe.

The town grew during the industrial revolution and developed several manufacturing and service industries relating to coal and metals production. The Swansea Valley Canal runs through the town and its banks make lovely walks and can be followed for many miles to the North. For the first few miles the canal is still navigable.