Month: March 2016

The primary aim today was to complete a small section between 2 completed walks…. Cardiff to Newport starts from Tyndall Street, and our Penarth to Barry walk started at Penarth Marina, but there were around 2 miles unaccounted for between Tyndall Street and Penarth Marina. So with the sun shining what better weather for a nice stroll.

The first thing to say is that if you haven’t done this part of Cardiff as one of your regular walks then you will need to allow a lot of extra time for sightseeing along the way. The first part from Tyndall street is just along roads but once you get to County Hall it gets more interesting. For instance who knew that the Red Dragon centre is on the coastal path?

Andrew at the marker sign with Cleo

The walk continues pass the Millenium Centre and ahead you can just make out Penarth Church which we walked right past yesterday..

Famous sights litter the walk, from where the Welsh government meets to Dr who and the Norwegian church (now a cafe).

This is by far the busiest part of coastal path so far.

The walk continues along the bay, past a play area and with time for us to watch the boats while Cleo played fetch with Mr Stickman.

The walk then heads across the barrage, which is a fascinating place to watch boats raise and lower to get out to the open sea.

And at the roundabout is the sign which marks the starting point of yesterday’s walk and the end of today’s …..or is it??

So for the coastal path stats that is 2 miles completed today making 57 miles completed and 813 miles to go.

But… If you have the time we highly recommend continuing on the 10k Bay walk to see the rest of what Cardiff bay has to offer. We had a motive…. Sharon’s youngest was swimming in a gala at the pool and we wanted to stop by to cheer her on (plus Sharon likes walking circles)…. So along the Marina we walked, over a footbridge and past the white water rafting to the pool.

Then on we walked behind the skating rink, round the bay…

Up some steps, along the road ridge over the bay and straight on up takes us past techniquest and back to Mermaid Quay to complete the loop. Total walk today 7.1 miles in just under 2 hours. Add on the 12.8 miles of yesterday and that is a grand total for the weekend of 19.9 miles…. Almost made the 20!! Off to Bella Italia to out some calories back in now.

 

A warm spring day, a little overcast, but a good day for walking – so we parked the car at Barry train station and took the train to Cogan (£5.20 single). Don’t ask how Cleo managed to get a muddy face before we even started!!

Cogan was about 1 km from the official start of the trail, so we strolled down to Penarth Marina and the starting point:

The first part was a steep uphill section of road into Penarth itself, past a church and along residential streets

Then suddenly there is a left hand turn to the coast and the most amazing views of the sea and Penarth Pier

We wound down the hill and along the seafront – stopping for a well needed bacon roll and coffee at The Fig Tree – roll OK, service very very slow so I stopped the clock on this one!! We continued up the hill and hit some decent path, the pace was good at this point, 1 km every 10 minutes or so.

Past an old WW2 lookout, and Lavenock church, and we then headed across Lavenstock nature reserve where things got a bit sitcky:

Just time to stop for a couple of selfies on a bench

There was a stop to see an old WW2 gun fortress at Lavernock point, and then we had a clear view of Sully Island

At this point the coastal path goes inland behind the campsite – so we did as told – but our advice to those following in our footsteps would be to head down and along the beach and back up and save a boring mile or so.

On down into Swanbridge, and a great view of Sully Island –  The tide was out, and we chatted to some locals about the danger of heading across just before the tide turns – definitely one to come back to another day.  On past the Captain’s Wife (a pub not a person), and along the coast some more past Sully.

At this point after a snack the path has to head inland to get around Barry docks (although we suspect there is a way through somehow), a loo stop followed and then the longest most boring stretch of road into Barry with just lampposts to count.

Past the docks council offices, 

And then back to a nice part along the docks with the sun shining and the jumpers coming off.

Under the railway line, turn left and there was our car by the train station. So the official walk was 19.4 km(or 12.1 miles) in 3 hours 32 mins, but excluding getting to Penarth Marina that is 11.5 miles of coastal path walked.  Taking our total to 55 miles done, 815 miles to go.

Then a stroll down to Barry Island for an ice cream added a further 1.2 km to our day (but not part of the walk) making 12.8 miles walked today (for Darren’s count!!).