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Wales' capital, Cardiff (Caerdydd), is a spirited hub of Welsh history, culture, and gastronomy. Flanked by the South Wales Valleys, the Vale of Glamorgan, and the Severn Estuary, Cardiff borders several unique nearby hiking areas for escaping the bustling city. Cardiff has 6 named summits; the highest and the most prominent is The Garth (307 m / 1,007 ft).
Cardiff is the largest city in Wales and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. With a population of over 372,000, it encompasses an area of approximately 54 sq mi (141 sq km) on Wale's southern coastline, overlooking Cardiff Bay and the Severn Estuary. Over 21 million visitors flock to Cardiff annually.
Built on reclaimed marshland, Cardiff is relatively flat. Its surrounding geography is more varied, with low-lying hills surrounding the city. Most of these hills form part of the rolling South Wales Valleys, which stretch from Carmarthenshire in the east to Monmouthshire in the west.
To the west of Cardiff is the coastal Vale of Glamorgan, nicknamed the Garden of Cardiff for its spectacular heritage-protected coastline and rural landscape. Roughly 12 mi (19 km) northeast of Cardiff is Newport, Wales' third-largest city after Swansea.
Through the heart of Cardiff flows the River Taff, which converges with the River Elys at Cardiff Bay. Another river, the Rhymney, meanders along the eastern edge of Cardiff directly into the Severn Estuary. In 1999, Cardiff Bay was turned into a freshwater lake by damming the River Taff and River Ely. With a surface area of 500 acres (2.0 sq km), it’s the largest lake in the city.
Cardiff is highly walkable, with most of the city center pedestrianized. Many of its main attractions, such as Cardiff Castle, the Wales Millennium Centre, and Bute Park, are easily accessible on foot from the city center.
Cardiff is built on marshlands reclaimed from the Elys Estuary. These marshlands lie atop a bed of sedimentary Triassic stone, roughly 251 to 200 million years old. Marl, sandstone, limestone, and conglomerate are the principal rocks in the region, spanning the Vale of Glamorgan to Chepstow on the English border.
Due to its Triassic origins, much of the stone around Cardiff has a purplish hue. Many older buildings across Cardiff are adorned with Triassic rocks from nearby quarries.
One unique and common decorative stone used in construction around Cardiff is Radyr Stone. Radyr Stone is a freestone, which means masons can cut it in any direction without fracturing it. It's a breccia formed from red sandstone and Carboniferous Limestone fragments. Another rare stone used in construction in Cardiff is Sutton Stone, a Lias (Early Jurassic) limestone conglomerate from the Vale of Glamorgan.
Cardiff and the surrounding South Wales Valleys were integral to the Industrial Revolution, home to Britain's largest coal coalfield until the 1920s. This coal-filled strata, known as coal measures in Britain, date back to the Upper Carboniferous, formed when water-logged peatlands and wetland forests were buried and pressurized into coal seams around 300 million years ago.
With the rural South Wales Valleys and the Severn Estuary on its doorstep, Cardiff is home to a surprisingly diverse array of flora and fauna.
Common mammals in Cardiff City include red foxes, European hedgehogs, grey squirrels, and rabbits. Outside the city, more reclusive species such as fallow deer, hazel dormice, European badgers, and polecats reside in the surrounding countryside. Otters are a rare sight on Cardiff's waterways.
Half of the UK's 18 bat species reside at Bat Meadow in Bute Park and along the River Taff, including soprano pipistrelles, brown long-eared bats, serotines, and Brandt's bats.
A wide variety of waterfowl and wading birds can be spotted year-round at Cardiff Bay, including common mergansers, ruddy turnstones, and Eurasian oystercatchers.
Common birds of prey in and around Cardiff include common buzzards, Eurasian hobbies, goshawks, kestrels, and red kites. Other bird species sometimes seen in Cardiff include house martins, song thrushes, common swifts, blackcaps, and greenfinches.
Adders are the only venomous snake in the UK and are rare in South Wales. However, rumored adder sightings have occurred near Barry and Caerphilly, just outside Cardiff. Other notable reptile and amphibian species in Cardiff include grass snakes, common lizards, great crested newts, and common frogs.
Numerous fish species thrive in the River Taff and River Elys, including brown trout, grayling, salmon, perch, and chub.
Within Bute Park, Cardiff's largest city park, it's possible to see numerous butterfly species, like speckled wood butterflies, small tortoiseshells, red admirals, and orange-tip butterflies.
Forests carpet large areas surrounding Cardiff, including Fforest Fawr, the Wenallt, and Llwyn Celyn. Ashes and sycamores constitute approximately 20% of Cardiff's urban forests. Other common trees include hornbeams, oaks, and wych elms.
A number of wildflower species adorn Cardiff's city parks. For example, Bute Park is home to Welsh poppies, foxgloves, yarrows, gypsywort, and hemp agrimony. Other common flowering plants include white clovers, bluebells, and cowslips.
Blackweir Woods within Bute Park is a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC) and home to countless important plant species such as moschatels, wood anemones, toothworts, and ramsons.
Numerous fungi species grow in Cardiff's parks and woodlands, including jelly ears, waxcaps, puffballs, and ink caps.
Cardiff is a historic city. Evidence shows humans lived in the area as long as 8,000 years ago. Around 50 CE, the Romans established a settlement in the area. By 75 CE, they had built a Roman fort in Cardiff, where Cardiff Castle now stands.
Historians believe the Romans abandoned Cardiff in the 4th century. Little is known about Cardiff's history for the following 500 years until the Vikings raided it in 850 CE.
Around 1081, William the Conqueror began building a castle at the site of the old Roman fort, which would become Cardiff Castle. By 1111, Cardiff had established city walls, and was declared an important trading center and port by King Edward II by the early 14th century. In 1536, Cardiff became the county town of the Shire of Glamorgan under the Union of England and Wales.
Cardiff Castle was damaged and in disrepair following centuries of conflicts, notably due to the Glyndŵr Rebellion and the English Civil War. Politician John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute, who had married into the powerful local Herbert family, oversaw the castle's restoration. He was later named Baron Cardiff after earning peerage.
In 1801, Cardiff's population was around 1,870. By 1831, it was over 6,170. Thirty years later, it had skyrocketed to 32,954. During the Industrial Revolution, Cardiff was the biggest coal trading port globally, and by the turn of the 20th century, it had a population of over 160,000. In 1913, roughly 10.7 million tons of coal was exported through Cardiff Docks.
In 1997, Wales voted in favor of a National Assembly, with the Welsh debating chambers, Senedd, opened in 2006.
It's unclear when hiking in the area around Cardiff became popular. That said, The Garth (307 m / 1,007 ft) saw an uptick in visitors following the release of the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain, which is based on The Garth. The film's director, Christopher Monger, is from the nearby village of Taff's Well.
Hiking in Cardiff is generally leisurely — few hills in the area pose any real difficulties and rarely exceed 300 m (984 ft) in elevation.
Hiking paths and bridleways are often muddy in the valleys around Cardiff, so wear waterproof footwear. Map out your route, check local weather forecasts, and inform others of your itinerary before setting off.
The Garth (Mynydd y Garth), also known as Garth Hill, is the highest hill in the Cardiff region, located roughly 8 mi (13 km) northwest of the city center.
Rising from the surrounding woodlands, The Garth was once the site of ironworks and coal mines. Today, it's a popular viewpoint, offering views stretching to the Pen y Fan (886 m / 2,907 ft) in the Brecon Beacons, Cardiff, and across the Bristol Channel to Somerset. Atop The Garth are Bronze Age burial mounds from around 2,000 BCE.
Despite its craggy slopes, The Garth is a family-family hill walk. The summit is also ideal for a picnic, as long as it's not too windy. One of the best starting points for hiking Garth Hill is Pentyrch. From the Lewis Arms pub, walk down Heol Goch Road and onto Cefn Bychan Lane, turning left at the narrow trail with the green walking sign.
Carefully cross the road onto the field with a stile to the right. Cross the adjacent field, and you'll pass into the Coed y Bedw Nature Reserve, home to an ancient broadleaved woodland with trees over 600 years old.
Pass the ruins of the poet Morgan Thomas' cottage and exit the reserve. A quick walk through pine forests and you'll reach the charming hamlet of Georgetown. Turn left into Gwaelod y Garth and walk up to Gwaelod y Garth Inn, a superb spot to stop for lunch.
Turn left just before the inn and stay left at the sharp bend in the road. Follow the route markers steeply uphill over The Garth's lesser summit to its true summit, marked by a trig point. To descend, head south along the Ridgeway Walk, cross a narrow road, and walk left along the Mountain Road to return to Pentyrch. This Garth Hill hike is approximately 4.5 mi (7.2 km) long.
Craig Llysfaen (265 m / 869 ft), or Lisvane Graig, is the third-highest summit in the Cardiff region and one of the highest points in South Glamorgan. It is located southeast of Caerphilly, approximately 7 mi (11 km) from central Cardiff. Due to its proximity to the city's edge, Craig Llysfaen provides fantastic views across Cardiff to Cardiff Bay.
The hike up Craig Llysfaen is family-friendly and popular with dog walkers. One of the best looped routes to Craig Llysfaen starts at Lisvane & Thornhill Railway Station. You'll walk north through the grade II-listed Parc Cefn Onn and along the eastern edge of Llanishen Golf Course.
Loop west, following muddy paths through the Transh yr Hebog woodlands and around the northern slopes of Cefn Onn (259 m / 850 ft). After Cefn Onn, follow paths south to the summit of Craig Llysfaen. Descend to the east via Graig Road, and loop back through Parc Cefn Onn to your starting point. This Craig Llysfaen looped walk is approximately 4.6 mi (7.5 km) long.
Check out The Wenallt (Coed-y-Wenallt) (232 m / 761 ft) if you're searching for a peaceful woodland walk near Cardiff. The Wenallt is located on the edge of Cardiff City, less than 5 mi (8 km) from the city center.
The fourth-highest hill in the Cardiff area, The Wenallt, includes semi-natural ancient woodlands popular with nature watchers. It's ideal for picnics, with bluebells carpeting the forest floor in spring. Birdwatchers have the opportunity to spot great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, and ravens during their stroll.
Numerous trails weave through The Wenallt and the surrounding woodlands. A looped "promoted" route marked with red arrows takes you on a tour of Wenallt's most interesting sights. One of the best places to park for this walk is the Wenallt Forest Car Park on Wenallt Road or Tongwynlais Village.
Follow the red markers clockwise or counter-clockwise. Along the route, you'll pass by the Wenallt Camp, the remains of an Iron Age hill fort that dates back between 700 BCE and 47 CE. You'll also pass Rhiwbina Farm House, a grade II listed manor house. Greenwood Meadow is one of the best places to see bluebells. The Wenallt Circular Walk is approximately 3.2 mi (5 km) long.
Caerphilly Mountain (Mynydd Caerffili) (271 m / 889 ft) is located near Caerphilly town, roughly 7 mi (11 km) from Cardiff city center. A short but sweet hill walk, Caerphilly Mountain is well-developed, with a snack bar, toilets, and clear gravel paths. Its summit affords views extending across rolling hills all the way to Cardiff Bay.
You can pick up the trail to Caerphilly Mountain from the Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar. While walking from the snack bar to the summit and back in around 20 minutes is possible, it's more fun to complete a circular walk around Caerphilly Mountain on your way to the top. This walk is straightforward and family-friendly.
Heading clockwise, follow the obvious path west, which runs parallel to the A469. Continue along the hill's southern slopes, ignoring the more popular path leading to the summit. Pass the Canadian Spitfire Pilot Memorial and continue along the route as it loops north through woodlands.
After circling the hill, proceed up the summit trail to reach Caerphilly Mountain's trig point. Then, return down the summit trail to return to the Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar. This Caerphilly Mountain hike is approximately 1.8 mi (3 km) long.
The Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk is one of the best long-distance hikes near Cardiff. It spans roughly 21 mi (34 km) from west to east across the hills north of Cardiff, starting from near the Taff Ely Ridgeway Car Park near Mynydd Maendy (321 m / 1,053 ft) and ending at Caerphilly Common near Taff's Well.
Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk connects with several other trails, including the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk, the Taff Trail, and the Ogwr Ridgeway Walk. The Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk follows bridleways and mud paths, so waterproof footwear is necessary.
The route passes over several hills near Cardiff, including The Garth, Craig yr Allt (273 m / 896 ft), and Mynydd Portref (276 m / 906 ft). Highlights of the Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk include views of Castell Coch and Caerphilly Castle from the surrounding natural balconies. Other points of interest include Llantrisant Old Town, the Iron Age Caerau Hillfort, and the Cariad Rocks overlooking Ewenni Fach.
The Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk route from west to east is as follows:
Cardiff has something for everyone, whether you plan to stay in the vibrant Welsh capital or one of the charming villages and seaside resorts nearby.
Cardiff Airport is the only passenger airport in Wales, offering international flights across Europe. Cardiff Airport is located in Rhoose, approximately 15 mi (24 km) from Cardiff and 3 mi (4.8 km) from Barry.
Cardiff is Wales's capital and largest city, home to over 130,000 more people than the country's second city, Swansea. It is also Wales’s best-connected city, with direct train services to Birmingham, London, and Bristol.
Cardiff is an excellent vacation destination for all ages — it's highly walkable and home to some of Wales' top family-friendly attractions. Explore the Gothical Cardiff Castle, tour the National Museum, or take a stroll along Cardiff Bay during your downtime.
You'll find plenty of hiking opportunities near Cardiff. Aside from the surrounding hills, the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (Brecon Beacons) and the Wye Valley AONB are within 40 mi (64 km) of the city.
Barry is a seaside resort town in the Vale of Glamorgan, 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Cardiff. It has a population of over 56,000.
With attractions like Barry Island Pleasure Park and Porthkerry Country Park, Barry is perfect for families and solo explorers. It's also the ideal base for exploring the coastline around Cardiff, with pristine beaches like Jackson's Bay and Whitmore Bay less than a mile away.
Barry has four train stations with regular services to Cardiff Airport, Cardiff, and Bridgend.
While Taff's Well is smaller than nearby towns like Penarth, it's a stone's throw from many of the best hikes around Cardiff. The Garth and Caerphilly lie on either side of Taff's Well. Plus, it's at the end of Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk. Taff's Well has a population of around 3,600 people.
Taff's Well is famous for being home to the only thermal spring in Wales. With temperatures around 22 °C (71.6 °F), The Taff's Well Thermal Spring was once a swimming bath but now serves as a renewable energy source, heating nearby buildings.
Taff's Well Railway Station connects Taff's Well with Cardiff, Pontypridd, and Merthyr Tydfil.
Explore Cardiff with the PeakVisor 3D Map and identify its summits.
