Cardiff in Covid: Walking the Boundaries
near Butetown, Wales (United Kingdom)
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Trail photos
Itinerary description
As my route was controlled by what appeared to be a very arbitrary county line, it does not aim to pass through any particularly scenic landmarks, however, I incidentally visited some attractive areas and parks I had not previously realised existed. Inevitably there was also some walking along roads in suburban estates, but less than one might have thought. I started by walking around Cardiff Bay, walking across the barrage between the sea and the enclosed lake. Crossing the sea locks I accidentally entered a sliver of Penarth, which lies in the county of the Vale of Glamorgan. Returning quickly into legality I followed the Cardiff boundary up the wooded banks of the River Ely on the Ely trail (https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/ely-trail-cardiff-from-fairwater-to-cogan-train-stations-12887442). Crossing the river at the nearest bridge at Cowbridge road, I then doubled back on myself to reach Trelai Park. After a few streets of housing I climbed up the wooded side of a hillfort, a major archaeological site, unsigned and unvisited and surrounded by housing. Within the embankments lay the ruins of St Mary's church.
After more housing I walked over rough ground on a barely visible path to re-cross the Ely River and the main railway line from Cardiff to points west. St Fagans Castle and the folk museum was closed due to the coronavirus but I walked through the beech trees and fields behind it, where once a major battle of the English Civil War was fought. After more cow filled fields I went under the M4 motorway on a small road to join the busier A4119 by the small St Elteyrn's church. At this point the boundary of Cardiff bulges out into the countryside, why I do not know. As I headed north on a quieter road, the map indicated a dolmen, a prehistoric burial site in someone's garden although I failed to find it.
Turning east through woods and the remains of quarrying, the route led up to the open grassland of the Garth mountain. A tumulus on the top causes the summit to just exceed 1000 ft, which in my childhood meant we were able to call it a mountain. It lies just within the boundary of Cardiff. Following the steep slopes down from the mountain into the village of Gwaelod-y-Garth I crossed the River Taff into Tongwynlais, then climbed up into woodland by Castell Coch (closed due to Covid). Following the ridge, by Three Bears Cave, for a short distance I was retracing the steps I had walked on the Cambrian Way a few months earlier. Coming down the ridge at Thornhill I then followed its lower slopes across farmland on footpaths and small roads, before climbing up again to gain extensive views across Cardiff to Penarth, although the visibility on the day I walked it was poor. Finding my way through the houses at Tai-mawr was a bit problematic (the unsignposted public footpath crosses someone's neatly mowed lawn). After crossing the grounds of another house and following various small roads I crossed another hillfort at Graig Llyn.
Reaching Cardiff Gate Service Station by the M4 marked the end of the rural section, beyond it I walked through newly built and older housing reaching the St Mellon's Golf Course, where my route turned south by one of the many business parks around Cardiff. Hendre Park and its lake was a place I had not visited before, it lies in the flatlands surrounding the River Severn estuary. Reed lined drainage channels called "reens" are a feature of the area dating back to Roman times. After some rough ground I crossed the main railway line into South Wales, recently electrified, and made my way to the coast. There I followed the flood defence embankment back west following the Wales Coast Path. Cows were grazing on the salt marsh on the seaward side the embankment, while there were initially fields on the landward side, followed by the remains of a rubbish tip, now being landscaped. I continued on the Wales Coast Path to Cardiff Bay, following a recent diversion, through the streets of Tremorfa, completing my walk around the boundary of Cardiff, city and county.
More details in my blog https://johnponcardiff.blogspot.com/2020/10/cardiff-in-covid-lockdown-following.html
Waypoints
Cardiff Gate Retail Park
Shops, coffee shop and bus stops nearby
Cardiff Bay Barrage and locks
The barrage, built in the 1990's changed Cardiff Bay from a tidal estuary, with extensive mud flats at low tide, into a freshwater lake. It also provides a pleasant walking and cycling route, free of vehicles, across the bay to Penarth.
Cardiff Bay Train Station
A place to start or finish a day's walking with regular trains to Cardiff Queens Street Station
Cardiff Gate Service Station
A place to stop for a cup of coffee and a muffin.
Castell Coch
Castle Coch (Red Castle) is a neo Gothic, Victorian fantasy built on the ruins of a Norman castle by the Marquess of Bute, who made his money from the docks around Cardiff Bay, that at one time supplied coal to the world. Used as a backdrop in many films.
Mr Coffi Coffee shop
Place for a coffee and cake close to Fairwater village green, where there are also shops and a pub. Long ago this was the centre of a small village, but by the 1930's the city had swallowed it up.
Dolmen or burial chamber
This neolithic burial chamber is somewhere in the garden of someone's house. I failed to find it!
Fairwater Railway Station
Station nearest the city boundary to catch a train home or start your walk.
Graig Llyn Hiillfort
A possible iron age hill fort, the banks and ditches are visible although quite subtle.
Hendre Lake Park
A lake set in the coastal plain with swans, ducks and fishermen. Around it are water filled channels called "reens", lined with reeds.
Norwegian Church Arts Centre
Formerly a church used by Norwegian sailors, it is now an Arts Centre hosting exhibitions of paintings, and a cafe.
Senedd
The Welsh Assembly meets here in a glass fronted building overlooking Cardiff Bay. The leader of the Welsh Assembly at the time opposed the scheme, but the bay is a lot prettier than mud flats surrounded by the remains of dockyards.
St Fagans Folk Museum
St Fagan's folk museum, officially called the "St. Fagans National Museum of History" is a collection of old buildings, ranging from a castle to humble dwellings from different ages. Well worth a visit, currently closed due to the pandemic.
Caerau Hillfort and St Mary's Church
The iron age Caerau hillfort is hidden by trees from the surrounding housing estate. It consists of a series of banks, in the middle of which are the ruins of St Mary's church.
Tai-mawr
I found it difficult to find where the public footpath went through this group of houses. It seems to go across a neatly cut lawn between two of the white buildings.
The Garth
A locally well known mountain at just exceeding 1000 feet due to the tumulus (burial mound) on the top. When I walked by it was in the cloud as you can see from the photographs.
Trelai Park
Flat area of grass with games pitches and trees around the edge. Popular with dog walkers, there are schools nearby.
Views over Cardiff
On a clear day the ridge offers some excellent views across Cardiff to Penarth. Despite the number of houses, the trees of the city make it appear less populated than it really is.
Whitchurch Train Station
A place to catch a train back into the city centre or to start your walk.
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