Great walks on our doorstep!
© Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2021) Cymru Wales
Did you know that the Wales Coast Path is one of the few paths to follow a nation's coastline? The path starts in Chester and follows the coastline ending at Chepstow and is approximately 879 miles long - with around 97 miles here on the South Wales section.
So why not jump on one of your local bus routes to join the path and enjoy all the beautiful sceneries our coastline has to offer.
Use our handy route planner to find the best route to your chosen coastal path.
Cardiff Bay to the Cardiff Bay Barrage
© Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2021) Cymru Wales
Hop on your local bus to the city centre and then change to our Baycar service (connect at St. Mary Street or Kingsway). Alight the baycar at the iconic Wales Millennium Centre and walk around to the suggested start point at another iconic Cardiff Bay building, The Senedd - the home of government in Wales and follow the Wales Coast Path as it winds along the waterfront on its way towards the sea. You’ll pass the white-painted Norwegian Church where Cardiff-born writer Roald Dahl was christened. Younger visitors can burn off excess energy with the playground, skate park and an outdoor gym along the way. Near the famous Roald Dahl crocodile bench look out for the Wales Coast path panel to experience Augmented Reality using your mobile device (phone or tablet.) Discover what 1920’s life was like in Cardiff Bay, one of the largest dock systems in the world at that time.
More information about the Cardiff Bay to Barrage link can be find here
Day tickets for travel within Cardiff and Penarth:
£4 Adult | £2 Under 16 and My Travel Pass | £8.60 Family - reduced to £5.50 at weekends and school holidays
Barry Island to the Knap and Porthkerry Park
© Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2021) Cymru Wales
Hop on service 95 or our special summer service, the Island Flyer (between 26 July and 30 August), to Barry Island where you can enjoy the sandy beach before joining this path to the Knap and Porthkerry. From Barry Island, head eastwards towards Friars Point where you can take in breathtaking views of the Somerset Coast in the distance. Follow Barry Harbour to the Knap Gardens where you can walk around the harp-shaped lake before reaching a pebbled beach known as Cold Knap. Before you enter the car park, take the signed footpath to the clifftops and on to Cliffwood where you'll reach the Golden Stairs, so-called because legend says there is pirate treasure hidden below them. At the bottom of the steps you arrive at a pebbled beach and Porthkerry Park where you'll come across the iconic viaduct and a range of interactive nature trails.
Day tickets for travel within Cardiff and Barry:
£5.50 Adult | £3.60 Under 16 and My Travel Pass | £11.50 Family - reduced to £8 at weekends and school holidays
Sully to Penarth
© Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2021) Cymru Wales
Hop on service 94 to Sully and make your way to Sully Beach where you turn left to join the 'Vale trail' coastal path to Penarth and Penarth Pier. Continue following this route until you reach the edge of a caravan park. Turn left here, and follow the path up to another metal kissing gate. Go through this gate and turn right. Be careful as at this point as you are walking on a road. This road will lead you towards Swanbridge bay where you can visit Sully Island if the tide is low. If you plan to cross the rocky causeway, please pay attention to the RNLI’s warning signs and traffic light system. There’s a countdown clock which shows how long you have left to visit the island, but please note it's a 40 minute round trip.
Continue with the sea on your right and pass The Captain's Wife pub to St Mary's Well Bay Road. Continue along this road until you reach the entrance to a caravan park on your right. Immediately after the caravan park there is a metal kissing gate. Enter the gate and follow the path, keeping the hedgerow to your right all the way through. Keep your eye out for the Vale Trail signs. Continue along this path to Lavernock Point’s gun batteries. These were first built in the 1860's to protect against French invasion but were adapted during World War II.
Follow the Vale Trail signs until you reach Fort Road, then turn right. You'll pass Lavernock House where Marconi sent the first transmission to Flat Holm nearby. Continue walking in the same direction before turning left onto the cliff path. Continue along this path to Penarth clifftops and Penarth Pier.
Day tickets for travel within Cardiff, Penarth and Sully:
£4 Adult | £2 Under 16 and My Travel Pass | £8.60 Family - reduced to £5.50 at weekends and school holidays
Parc Tredelerch and Seawall to Peterstone Wentloog, Cardiff
© Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2021) Cymru Wales
Hop on your local bus to the city centre and then change to our 44 service (connect at Westgate Street, Bute Terrace or Churchill Way). Alight the service 44 at the New Road (Mardy Road / Downton Grange bus stop) and follow the short walk along Mardy Road to the starting point.
This walk takes you along the banks of the Severn Estuary, through green and unspoilt countryside surprisingly close to Cardiff’s urban landscape. Before heading off, it’s worth exploring Parc Tredelerch, an area of lake and wetland bursting with wildlife (if you’re in the mood for a shorter stroll, you could simply follow the short 1.3km trail around the lake). When you’re ready to go, pick up the Wales Coast Path and cross the road to Cors Crychydd. The route takes you along the water course (known as a reen) all the way to the seawall. As you go, watch out for animals like kingfishers, water voles, hares, curlews and lapwings. There are also interpretation boards at Parc Tredelerch and on the seawall near Cors Crychydd which give more information about the environment and wildlife of the Severn, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Walking east along the seawall you’ll enjoy far-reaching views across the estuary to the coast of England on the opposite side. The path continues along the seawall where a path takes you to Wentloog Road. Follow the road into the little village of Peterstone Wentloog for refreshments at the local pub, before retracing your steps back to your starting point.
More information Parc Tredelerch and Seawall to Peterstone Wentloog, Cardiff can be found here
Day tickets for travel within Cardiff and Penarth:
£4 Adult | £2 Under 16 and My Travel Pass | £8.60 Family - reduced to £5.50 at weekends and school holidays