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 Local history at its best |
Castle Street Abergavenny Cardiff, Cardiff NP7 5EE United Kingdom +44 18 7385 4282 http://www.aboutbritain.com/Ab... |
The market town of Abergavenny is a short drive or train ride north of Cardiff and is worth a visit in itself. While you're there, make sure you visit the ruined Norman castle, which houses the town's museum. There is a permanent display detailing the rich history of the area from Roman times, including the infamous massacre of the Welsh Lords by William de Braose in the 12th and a regularly changing series of temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Quizzes and special activities will keep the children amused. Take a picnic and enjoy the scenic castle gardens. The museum closes at 4pm from November to February. Admission: adults £1; concessions £0.75; children free when accompanied by an adult Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Essential for the kids |
Pleasure Park, Friar's Road Barry Island Cardiff CF62 5TR United Kingdom +44 14 4673 2844 |
If the weather is bright and you fancy some sea air, take one of the regular shuttle trains from Cardiff to Barry Island. This old-fashioned seaside location offers a beach (which can become quite muddy, so take care), a fun fair and a host of amusement arcades, shops, cafes and takeaway outlets along the sea front. In the winter, the beach and headland are illuminated in a spectacular fashion. The much-enhanced Pleasure Park is full of exciting new rides for children of all ages: make sure you try the Log Flume—the first of its kind in South Wales many years ago, which still retains a measure of local notoriety. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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 Country park with lively entertainments programme |
Brynmenyn Cardiff CF32 8UU United Kingdom +44 16 56 72 5155 http://www.bridgend.gov.uk |
A haven of natural beauty, this country house and park is situated four miles from Bridgend, close to Junction 36 of the M4 motorway. The park is a mixture of woodland, water and open expanses of grass and has barbecue and picnic areas, a visitor center, gift shop and a children's play area. There's also a programme of entertainment in the summer, while the elegant restaurant is open daily for light meals, cream teas and candlelit dinners. Best of all, admission is free. If you're traveling by bus, catch a bus to Bridgend and then take a number 12 or 15. The bus stop is a 10-minute walk from the park. Call +44 16 56 64 7093 for details of buses. Opening times vary according to season. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Pleasantly hilly with great scenery |
Cardiff Welcome Centre 16 Wood Street Cardiff CF10 1ES United Kingdom +44 29 2022 7281 http://www.btinternet.com/~car... |
Offering panoramic views and a variety of scenery, it is possible to take a bus from Cardiff direct to the top of Caerphilly Mountain. For those travelling by car, there is a small lay-by at the top suitable for short-term parking. This is a very popular area for walkers of all ages, hilly but not too strenuous, with clearly marked paths incorporating parts of the longer Ridgeway walk. Full details of a three-mile walk around the mountainside are given in the book Capital Walks published by the Cardiff Ramblers' Association, or ask at the Cardiff Welcome Centre for details of the best routes to take. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Visit a medieval banquet |
Caldicot Castle Cardiff NP26 4HU United Kingdom +44 12 91 42 0241 http://www.caldicotcastle.co.uk/ |
This twelve to fourteenth-century castle was renovated as a family home in the 1880s and inhabited until as recently as twenty years ago. Well preserved, it now serves as a local museum with a range of interesting exhibits. The surrounding country park is an ideal place to spend a sunny afternoon. There is a gift shop and snacks are available all day. The castle also plays host to popular medieval banquets and theme nights. Phone ahead for details. Admission fee is £1.50. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Canter in the hills |
Cantref Cardiff, WE LD3 8LR United Kingdom +44 18 7466 5223 http://www.cantref.com/pony.htm |
Less than an hour's drive from Cardiff, just outside the old market town of Brecon, the Canter of Riding School is set in the midst of spectacular scenery. Riding lessons are carried out by qualified instructors - beginners stay safely in the special arena while experienced riders are free to enjoy the local countryside. Day rides, half-day rides and one-hour lessons are offered, with a one-hour lesson costing from £9 per person. Riding hats are provided free of charge. Accommodation is available in the farmhouse or on the caravan or camp site if required. Times of lessons vary and can be arranged to suit you. Call during office hours for details. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Free entry |
Tourism Section, Monmouthshire County Council County Hall, Cwmbran Cardiff, WE NP44 2XH United Kingdom +44 1633 64 4847 |
Part of the Brecon Beacons National Park and easy to reach by car from Cardiff, Clydach Gorge is an interesting mix of countryside and history, featuring a cast iron bridge leading to the remains of a 19th-century ironworks, tram ways, cycle path and a nature reserve. Facilities include permanent picnic and barbecue sites and plenty of car parking. You can even take a torch and explore the old railway tunnels. Walkers will enjoy the series of marked paths, on which there is little chance of getting lost. The site is permanently open to the public. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Discount shopping on a festival site |
Festival Park Cardiff, WE NP3 6FP United Kingdom +44 1495 35 0010 |
In 1992, this was the site of the Wales National Garden Festival. It has since been redesigned as a factory shopping outlet. Set in a countryside park with miles of beautiful scenery, there are a total of 38 shops offering designer clothes, household goods and giftware at up to 50 percent off normal retail prices. Other attractions include the Lake and Oriental Pavilion, the Wetland Center, the Tropical Planthouse and adventure playground. Three restaurants, a picnic site and a large, free car park mean you can make a day of it. Full disabled access includes wheelchair loan. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Living history manor house |
Llancaiach Fawr Nelson, Treharris Cardiff CF46 6ER United Kingdom +44 14 4341 2248 |
Travel 15 miles north of Cardiff and 350 years back in time. This award-winning museum has achieved the seemingly impossible—it has made history interesting for children. The year is 1645 (during the English Civil War) and the scene is a stately manor house. A full cast of characters are present, only too willing to pause in their work and chat to the visitors who come through their doors. Guided tours are full of tales from the 17th century, from medical remedies to crime and punishment. There is also an annual programme of events and re-enactments. There is a restaurant, shop and limited disabled access (to the ground floor only). Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Wine in the countryside |
Hensol Pendoylan Cardiff, WE CF72 8GG United Kingdom +44 14 43 22 5877 http://www.llanerch-vineyard.c... |
A few miles west of Cardiff (from M4 Junction 34), this is Wales' biggest vineyard and home of Cariad Wines. There are over six acres of vineyard and a ten-acre country park with woodlands and lakes to explore - the ideal setting for a family picnic. Guided tours for groups of 25 or over include wine-tasting and lunch. The visitors center has a coffee shop and wine bar. Both self-catering and bed and breakfast accommodation are offered in the Welsh farmhouse. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Tour the home of Welsh rugby |
Westgate Street (Millennium Stadium) Cardiff CF10 1JA United Kingdom +44 29 2082 2410 / +44 29 2082 2411 / +44 29 2082 2413 http://www.millenniumstadium.com/ |
If you have ever wondered what it is like to run out onto a field in front of a home crowd, then this tour is for you. The Millennium Stadium is now recognised as the best rugby stadium in the world and has already hosted world class events. Experience the drama and the tension that builds before a big game, sit in the Royal Box and be given a trophy or see the behind-the-scenes facilities. Tours costs GBP5 Adults; GBP2.50 Children; GBP15 Family. Event ticket prices vary; call for details. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Creative workshops |
Bull Ring Cardiff CF72 8EB United Kingdom +44 1443 23 7758 |
This award-winning craft centre is situated just a few minutes from Junction 34 of the M4, and can also be reached by train or bus from Cardiff. There is a permanent exhibition gallery, local history displays, craft studios where you can watch various artists at work and a shop which stocks a vast range of original products. The centre also runs a programme of creative and craft workshops and activities for adults and children throughout the year. Phone for details. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Sea, sand and gardens |
Penarth Tourist Information, The Esplanade, Penarth Cardiff CF64 3AU United Kingdom +44 29 20 70 8849 |
A few minutes' drive or a short bus or train journey from Cardiff city centre will take you to the coast and this picturesque Victorian resort, with its gift shops, restaurants and old-fashioned pier. The marina offers a touch of modernity, with its waterfront homes and collection of yachts. A bracing cliff-top walk takes you alongside landscaped gardens which date back to the last century and there are plenty of benches for those who prefer to just sit and watch the sea. Also, take a look at St Augustine's Church on Church Place where the composer Dr Joseph Parry (who composed the famous Welsh melody Myfanwy, much-loved by male-voice choirs) is buried. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Circling Caerphilly |
Cardiff Welcome Centre 16 Wood Street Cardiff CF10 1ES United Kingdom +44 29 2022 7281 |
This 27-mile circular walk around Caerphilly links the three ridges of Mynydd-y-Grug, Thornhill and Eglwysilan. The whole route is recommended for experienced walkers while the less energetic might like to take just one section of it. Caerphilly makes a convenient starting point, easily accessible from Cardiff. Expect a fair amount of climbing as the route leads over open hills. Your hard work will be rewarded with panoramic views over the Brecon Beacons and the Bristol Channel. On a clear day it is possible to catch glimpses of Somerset. Contact the Cardiff Welcome Centre for full details of the route, or take a look at the Cardiff Ramblers' website. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Wheels for hire |
Pontcanna Fields Cardiff CF11 9JY United Kingdom +44 29 2075 1235 |
The Taff Trail is a 55-mile long, mainly off-road, cycle and footpath starting in Cardiff Bay and extending north to the town of Brecon. It passes through some marvellous scenery with plenty of sites of interest and stopping points along the way. Large stretches of the trail run alongside the banks of rivers and canals, so the going is relatively easy, and you can tackle as much or as little in one go as you please. You don't even have to have your own bike, just pop along to the cycle hire shop in Pontcanna Fields and rent yourself one for as long as you like. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Star attraction |
Tintern Abbey Cardiff United Kingdom +44 12 9168 9251 |
If you are staying in South Wales, Tintern Abbey is one place you should definitely visit. Made famous by Wordsworth's poem, the ruins (set in the picturesque Wye Valley) are justifiably famous and draw crowds of visitors every year. Founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare as a Cistercian house and rebuilt later in the 13th century, the abbey was the richest in Wales by the time of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. The majestic arches of doorways and huge windows never fail to impress. An exhibition and audio tour brings the history of the area to life. There's also a small shop which carries a range of gifts and publications. The abbey is open all year except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Admission: for adults is £2.40, and for children £1.90 Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A thousand years of history |
Tretower Court Cardiff, WE NP8 2RF United Kingdom +44 18 7473 0279 |
Well worth a trip out of Cardiff, especially if you're a keen gardener, Tretower Court has a fascinating history spanning almost a thousand years. The main building has in its time been a fortress, a medieval castle and a stately home. An audio tour takes you through its history. The small but immaculate formal gardens really come to life in the spring, planted up with a fascinating array of medieval herbs and culinary plants. There are occasional special gardening days and tours during the spring and summer - phone for details. Access is via the A40 from Abergavenny, and then the A479. Admission: £2.50 Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Mountain with a hump |
Cardiff Welcome Centre 16 Wood Street Cardiff CF10 1ES United Kingdom +44 29 2022 7281 http://www.ramblers.co.uk/walk... |
A short drive east of Cardiff, Twmbarlwm is a pretty little mountain that makes an ideal viewpoint over the surrounding countryside and has the added attraction of a Norman motte. There are several marked walks in the area, the longest being a fairly strenuous seven-mile walk from the village of Pant yr Eos. The less energetic will be glad to know that it is possible to take a car almost to the top of the mountain where you can sit and enjoy the views. The romantically-inclined come here in the evening to watch the sun go down. Ask at the Cardiff Welcome Centre for details of walks in the area. Review © 2007, Wcities |