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. At the centre point of the barrage there are good views of the Bay and there are good spots to sit and maybe have a picnic. The area is also full of wildlife especially birds.
If you’ve got kids, or if you’re a big kid yourself then try to find the perfect position on the lock bridges to view the art illusion by Felice Verini. He’s painted yellow ellipses onto the the area around the locks.
From the wrong position it just looks like random yellow paint, but from the perfect position then the paint joins up to produce yellow ellipses that look like they’ve been photo-shopped onto photographs. See if you can find the perfect viewing point.
Well worth a visit. There are toilets nearby and a small shop selling refreshments and ice-creams during peak periods only. See the map below for the location.