Y Guddfan, Pentyrch, Cardiff
City/town information
The capital of Wales since 1955, Cardiff is a modern and fast developing city best known for hosting major sporting occasions, its industrial heritage and as a cultural hot-spot.
The city grew rapidly during the nineteenth century primarily due to the demand for coal mined in the Taff, Rhondda and Caerphilly valleys. Cardiff's port expanded to accommodate the increasing number of ships steaming in to transport the coal to all parts of the world.
As a result of the demand for coal, Cardiff became a magnet for workers from diverse backgrounds and cultures whilst the owners built grand buildings to work and live in.
Despite being a relatively small and compact city Cardiff is littered with large green spaces, museums, universities and leisure facilities. The city centre, dominated by the castle and the Principality Stadium, is home to a busy retail sector with the usual high street brands sharing the same few square kilometers as the famous warren of arcades, home to a multitude of privately owned specialist retailers and eating places.
Cardiff on match day is a lively place, with pubs and bars surrounding the stadium, and people pouring from the train station that sits immediately opposite.
Cardiff Bay is another must-visit. What was once the docks and tidal mudflats has been transformed over the last 30 years into a visitor attraction featuring a multitude of restaurants, outdoor festivals, boat trips up the Taff and out to sea, and easy, breezy walks across the barrage to Penarth.
PS: The first photograph shown isn't Cardiff. At least it's not the one in Wales.
218 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Cardiff
The capital of Wales since 1955, Cardiff is a modern and fast developing city best known for hosting major sporting occasions, its industrial heritage and as a cultural hot-spot.
The city grew rapidly during the nineteenth century primarily due to the demand for coal mined in the Taff, Rhondda and Caerphilly valleys. Cardiff's port expanded to accommodate the increasing number of ships steaming in to transport the coal to all parts of the world.
As a result of the demand for coal, Cardiff became a magnet for workers from diverse backgrounds and cultures whilst the owners built grand buildings to work and live in.
Despite being a relatively small and compact city Cardiff is littered with large green spaces, museums, universities and leisure facilities. The city centre, dominated by the castle and the Principality Stadium, is home to a busy retail sector with the usual high street brands sharing the same few square kilometers as the famous warren of arcades, home to a multitude of privately owned specialist retailers and eating places.
Cardiff on match day is a lively place, with pubs and bars surrounding the stadium, and people pouring from the train station that sits immediately opposite.
Cardiff Bay is another must-visit. What was once the docks and tidal mudflats has been transformed over the last 30 years into a visitor attraction featuring a multitude of restaurants, outdoor festivals, boat trips up the Taff and out to sea, and easy, breezy walks across the barrage to Penarth.
PS: The first photograph shown isn't Cardiff. At least it's not the one in Wales.
Sightseeing
Y Guddfan sits on the western side of The Garth. The hill - or mountain depending on your point of view - is the highest point in Cardiff. If you stand at the eastern tip overlooking Taffs Well, you can clearly see the path glaciers and rivers carved out of the landscape millions of years ago.
It takes around 20-30 minutes to walk uphill from the cottage to the trig point at the top of the Garth, but there are many other routes to there and from there that can extend the walk for hours taking as many or as few local pubs as you wish en-route.
The hill was the inspiration behind the film 'The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain'.
11 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Garth Hill
Y Guddfan sits on the western side of The Garth. The hill - or mountain depending on your point of view - is the highest point in Cardiff. If you stand at the eastern tip overlooking Taffs Well, you can clearly see the path glaciers and rivers carved out of the landscape millions of years ago.
It takes around 20-30 minutes to walk uphill from the cottage to the trig point at the top of the Garth, but there are many other routes to there and from there that can extend the walk for hours taking as many or as few local pubs as you wish en-route.
The hill was the inspiration behind the film 'The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain'.
Castell Coch (Red Castle) is a famous landmark that can be seen from the eastern fringe of the Garth, as well as from the M4 that passes below.
It was built in the second half of the nineteenth century by the Marquis of Bute as a country residence for summer residence. Today it is operated by Cadw and is a popular venue for weddings and functions, as well as a visitor attraction.
Castell Coch is set on the opposite side of the valley to the Garth and is surrounded by woodland, interlaced with good walks and a animal sculpture trail through Fforest Fawr.
https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/castell-coch
168 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Castell Coch
Castell Coch (Red Castle) is a famous landmark that can be seen from the eastern fringe of the Garth, as well as from the M4 that passes below.
It was built in the second half of the nineteenth century by the Marquis of Bute as a country residence for summer residence. Today it is operated by Cadw and is a popular venue for weddings and functions, as well as a visitor attraction.
Castell Coch is set on the opposite side of the valley to the Garth and is surrounded by woodland, interlaced with good walks and a animal sculpture trail through Fforest Fawr.
https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/castell-coch
The best way to spend an entire afternoon - if not a whole day - in Cardiff. Acres of countryside dotted with reconstructed buildings from all around Wales, all of which you can enter and imagine life inside them.
There's also a museum inside the main building, a cafe and gift shop. And then there's the ornate gardens of the main house - St Fagans Castle - which is also free to wander around.
Decent pub opposite too - The Plymouth Arms.
Free to enter (although there is a car parking charge).
https://museum.wales/stfagans/castle-and-gardens/
328 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Iziko lezwe laseSt Fagans National Museum of History
The best way to spend an entire afternoon - if not a whole day - in Cardiff. Acres of countryside dotted with reconstructed buildings from all around Wales, all of which you can enter and imagine life inside them.
There's also a museum inside the main building, a cafe and gift shop. And then there's the ornate gardens of the main house - St Fagans Castle - which is also free to wander around.
Decent pub opposite too - The Plymouth Arms.
Free to enter (although there is a car parking charge).
https://museum.wales/stfagans/castle-and-gardens/
Eating and drinking
Located on the other side of the Garth which means that if you choose to walk there you will have earned the right to eat and drink what you choose.
Officially and unofficially the best pub in Wales, often winning awards for its food and from CAMRA for its beers.
The pub overlooks Taffs Well and the Graig (the bluff forming the far side of the valley) and is very, very popular with locals, bikers and walkers.
The joint proprietor, Rob, is our neighbour and so yes, we are entirely biased. He likes his music so the juke box is better than most too.
https://www.gwaelodygarthinn.co.uk/
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Gwaelod y Garth Inn
Main RoadLocated on the other side of the Garth which means that if you choose to walk there you will have earned the right to eat and drink what you choose.
Officially and unofficially the best pub in Wales, often winning awards for its food and from CAMRA for its beers.
The pub overlooks Taffs Well and the Graig (the bluff forming the far side of the valley) and is very, very popular with locals, bikers and walkers.
The joint proprietor, Rob, is our neighbour and so yes, we are entirely biased. He likes his music so the juke box is better than most too.
https://www.gwaelodygarthinn.co.uk/
A less arduous walk than the one to Gwaelod-y-Garth, the King's Arms is a former longhouse turned pub.
It's got a great snug, a quiet bar area and large beer garden and is well known for serving very good food indeed.
https://www.kingsarmspentyrch.com/
7 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Kings Arms
Church RoadA less arduous walk than the one to Gwaelod-y-Garth, the King's Arms is a former longhouse turned pub.
It's got a great snug, a quiet bar area and large beer garden and is well known for serving very good food indeed.
https://www.kingsarmspentyrch.com/
The Carpenters Arms pub in Efail Isaf sits at the bottom of the hill, as you head west from the cottage. It's a drinking pub rather than a eating place although the owners allow customers to order their food and have it delivered there.
If you're looking somewhere local to watch the sport this is the place - plenty of screens, a good range of beers and very much frequented by villagers rather than day trippers.
https://www.facebook.com/carparms/
Carpenters Arms
The Carpenters Arms pub in Efail Isaf sits at the bottom of the hill, as you head west from the cottage. It's a drinking pub rather than a eating place although the owners allow customers to order their food and have it delivered there.
If you're looking somewhere local to watch the sport this is the place - plenty of screens, a good range of beers and very much frequented by villagers rather than day trippers.
https://www.facebook.com/carparms/
Neighbourhoods
Pentyrch is a semi-rural district of Cardiff set on the hill overlooking the city. The area was dominated by mining and agriculture until the fairly recent past. Now it is a large village with pubs, butcher, and a small range of small shops. It even has its own music venue - Acapela.
Pentyrch
Pentyrch is a semi-rural district of Cardiff set on the hill overlooking the city. The area was dominated by mining and agriculture until the fairly recent past. Now it is a large village with pubs, butcher, and a small range of small shops. It even has its own music venue - Acapela.
Music venue
A converted chapel that is now one of the best venues in the Welsh music scene attracting all sorts of famous names. As you might expect from a Welsh chapel, the acoustics are pretty impressive, as are the pizzas they serve. There's a small bar too. Within 20 minutes walking distance of Y Guddfan.
https://www.acapela.co.uk/
Acapela Studio
Heol Y PentreA converted chapel that is now one of the best venues in the Welsh music scene attracting all sorts of famous names. As you might expect from a Welsh chapel, the acoustics are pretty impressive, as are the pizzas they serve. There's a small bar too. Within 20 minutes walking distance of Y Guddfan.
https://www.acapela.co.uk/
Sports clubs
Home to Pentyrch RFC, Pentyrch CC and Pentyrch Rangers FC.
Pentyrch has its own rugby, football, cricket, tennis and bowls clubs. all based at Parc y Derlyn on Penuel Road.
The rugby and cricket clubs each run two teams on Saturdays, so there is almost always some action almost every weekend of the year.
With some (fairly) famous names living nearby you never quite know who you might bump into pitchside...
Pentyrch Rugby Football Club
Penuel RoadPentyrch has its own rugby, football, cricket, tennis and bowls clubs. all based at Parc y Derlyn on Penuel Road.
The rugby and cricket clubs each run two teams on Saturdays, so there is almost always some action almost every weekend of the year.
With some (fairly) famous names living nearby you never quite know who you might bump into pitchside...