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Penarth and around

Explore what’s happening around our marina

Eating Out

You are spoilt for choice of great places to eat in and around our marina. From fine dining to a quick bite, there’s an option for everyone.

Penarth Town Centre

Situated on the South Wales coast in the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan, Penarth has been a magnet for holiday makers and day visitors for more than a century.

Its Victorian and Edwardian founders created a resort of great elegance and beauty and their legacy is an attractive bustling town of charm and character. With its superb parks, beautiful seafront gardens and graceful esplanade. Penarth is justifiably known as the garden by the sea.

The town centre retains an air of Victorian style with elegant buildings bordered by tree-lined roads. Some of the finest examples of Victorian Architecture can be seen in Penarth’s churches, public and commercial buildings and in the ornate houses, once the home of the shipowners, coal magnates and master mariners.

Penarth Pier and Esplanade

The sweeping esplanade is the perfect place for a gentle stroll or to sit and breathe the fresh, salty air. The many vantage points provide panoramic views across the Bristol Channel to the islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm. Penarth’s famous 658 foot pier has recently been restored. The Pavillion building is a vibrant arts venue and bustling cafe.

From the esplanade, an attractive coastal park leads out to Lavernock Point, an important site in the history of communication. It was from here in 1897 that Marconi sent the first Radio transmission over the water to the island of Flat Holm.

feeding the swans at Comeston Country Park

Cosmeston Country Park

A short drive south of Penarth lies Cosmeston Lakes Country Park with more than 200 acres of lakes, woodland walks and natural beauty. Cosmeston medieval Village, one of the most exciting heritage projects in South Wales provides an enthralling glimpse of 14th century life. Visitors can wander among the authentically reconstructed buildings and gardens and see livestock breeds from the Middle Ages roaming the paddocks while costumed villagers work on the land.

Cardiff Bay

Immediately outside the marina lock gates you will come across the Cardiff Bay Barrage. This 1.1km long structure was completed in 1999 and has created the 500 acre freshwater lake which is known as Cardiff Bay. The Barrage is a fascinating structure and many an hour can be spent watching the operation of the locks, sluices and fishpass and the activity going on there. If fishing is your thing then sea angling off the Barrage outer harbour breakwater is very popular.

Cardiff International White Water

A short walk over the Pont y Werin bridge on the River Ely will bring you to CIWW. This is an international standard pumped white water rafting and kayaking centre. There’s also indoor surfing and an aerial ropes course. For just whiling the hours away watching the action or participating in one of the many courses there’s always something to do here.

Local walks

There’s no need to use a car when visiting Penarth. There are great walks around Cardiff Bay and with Wales’s Coastal Path passing our lock gates you can walk as far as you like. There’s a 10Km circuit around the Bay and picturesque flat walks into Cardiff City Centre. If you only want to go one way then there are water taxis, land trains, or great public transport links to get you home.

Cycling

Penarth and Cardiff are perfect cycling locations. There are bike hire facilities very close by or bring your own bike for quick and easy rides across the Barrage and into Cardiff. For the more adventurous the marina is the start of the Taff Trail which will take you all the way into the Brecon Beacons and beyond, and the Ely Trail which will take you to the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans. Perfect for a spot of lunch.

Family fun

Around Cardiff Bay there are numerous activities providing plenty of adventure for all the family. From simple playgrounds at Paget Road and on the Barrage to white water kayaking courses at CIWW there is something for everyone. The International Swimming Pool and National Ice Rink are a short walk away and you can learn to row at the Cardiff Water Activity Centre. The marina staff will have plenty of suggestions to keep you occupied, however long you stay.

A little something for everyone

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