Passionate about South Wales - the best pubs, restaurants, hotels and places to visit

Mumbles from Patricks

Last week we stayed in the excellent Patricks With Rooms in Mumbles.  Mumbles is one of our favourite seaside destinations in South Wales.

Patricks is an excellent hotel with a great restaurant. It’s located right on the main promenade only yards from the sea. The hotel has 16 individual bedrooms, the renowned restaurant and a relaxing bar area.  There’s also a small gym and weights room for residents. [Read more →]

Penderyn Distillery is one of South Wales’ home-grown successes. The distillery is based in the village of Penderyn just north of Hirwaun and Aberdare.

Penderyn Single Malt Whisky was launched by Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, on 1st March 2004 at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff.  Since then, Wales’ only whisky has become very popular in Wales, and worldwide. [Read more →]

HMS Kent in the Roath Basin

This weekend Cardiff Bay is buzzing with visitors to the Cardiff Armed Forces Day with a large number of activities planned for the day on Saturday 26th June 2010.

The day is focused around the Roald Dahl basin and the area in front of the Senedd in the Bay.

There will be various displays, shows and static stands. 

HMS Kent is also moored in the Roath Basin alongside the Atradius building and it will be possible to have tours around this Type 23 frigate.

Well worth a visit. [Read more →]

Railings on the Taff - © Stuart Herbert

I recently discovered Stuart Herbert’s Photo Diary.

Stuart is an excellent amateur photographer who concentrates on landscapes and Post-Industrial South Wales.

He’s currently documenting the Merthyr Road – the legacy of the industrialisation of the South Wales Valleys from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff Docks.

Stuart is great at capturing the essence of the industrial South Wales valleys and his photos are well worth a look.

You can find Stuart’s photo diary here – http://blog.stuartherbert.com/photography/ and more of his photos on Flickr here – http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartherbert/

We visited St Augustine’s Church in Penarth last week.  The church is set high up on the headland between Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel.  Its prominent position means that it’s clearly visible for miles around.

I see the church almost every day but have never visited it before.  It has stunning views back across the Bay towards the Pierhead building, Mermaid Quay and the city centre, and then on to the hills and mountains north of Cardiff.

The church is pretty impressive, though the graveyard needs a bit of love and attention.
[Read more →]

We visited the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre today just south of Brecon.  The centre gives you some background information on the National Park and best of all, as you can see, gives you a great view of Pen y Fan. Pen y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales (886 metres / 2,907 ft above sea-level).

The visitor centre also has some nice tea-rooms with seating outside which is great when it’s sunny – just watch out for the hungry sparrows and chaffinches which pester you for crumbs!

Plenty of car parking if you’re travelling by car though there is a small charge. You can find a location map below.

A walk across the Cardiff Bay Barrage is a great way to spend a few hours in Cardiff. If you’re in a car then access the barrage from the Penarth end where there’s a large carpark.  If you’re on foot then either walk from the Cardiff Bay visitor centre near the Norwegian Church, or catch a boat across the Bay from Mermaid Quay near the National Assembly Senedd building.

There’s lots to see, there are 3 boat locks between the Bay and the sea that operate every 30 minutes.  From the sea-ward side of the barrage there’s a great view in clear conditions across to Penarth pier, Flat Holm and Steep Holm and the English coast across the Severn. [Read more →]

We visited the new Cardiff International Whitewater Centre in Cardiff Bay yesterday.  This is part of the Sports village that is being developed on the west side of the Bay.  Nearby is the Cardiff Arena Ice Rink and the Cardiff International swimming pool.

The pumped river is about 250m long.  It looks lots of fun, you can either try the kayaks or go white water rafting as a group.  Each white water raft has a “captain” on board who ensures that everyone is safe.  It’s not cheap, between £250 and £300 for 6 people but you’re on the water for about 2 hours which is about as long as most people can last for!  It’s pretty tiring!! [Read more →]