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BBC Homepage city and Bay BBC Local circular South East Explore the rich and varied history and geology of News Cardiff, as this walk passes Sport through the present day city Weather centre and continues out Travel News towards and Things to do returning along the banks of People & The from the River Taff the River Taff. More ... Places To start the walk click 'next' below TV & Radio the table. Join us on a guided walk Neighbouring Sunday 17 October Sites Walk details Mid Wales South West Start point: National Museum of Wales, Wales Cardiff Bristol Gloucestershire National Museum of Wales 02920 397951 Hereford & Ordnance Survey: Landranger 171 - © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs ST183761 BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites Distance: 8 km Print map Wales Time: approx. 4 hours Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk Extra info: De Ddwyrain To see what the symbols mean, please visit the key Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on »Waa maxay Vocab- More walks through time ereyo? / What is More about nature in Wales VOCAB? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next

More info South Wales Geologists Association Explore the influence that industry has played in the National Museum and Galleries of Wales and the development of Bute Town. The BBC is not responsible for the Look out for buzzards and kestrels around the Castle. content of external websites

Getting there By bus and train: For bus and train times to and from Cardiff call 08706 082608 or click here for online information - www.traveline-cymru.org.uk. More walks & places to visit in the By car: Limited parking is available in the museum, and British Isles and amazing wildlife. there are many public car parks within the city centre. Find another walk through time Follow signs to the museum on Gorsedd Gardens Road. Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas The TV series: Walk conditions British Isles, a Natural History This walk is mainly on pavements and the , it is suitable for buggies and wheelchair users.

Health & safety information

Get more from your walk, with the Open University. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Get active - 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Around Gorsedd Gardens BBC Local Starting from the front step South East of the museum, cross over Wales the road into Gorsedd News Gardens and head towards Sport Park Place and Park House. Weather Travel News Things to do People & Detail of the Boer War Memorial Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring The present city centre is built on an almost level flood plain Sites just 12 m above sea level. The surface was formed of gravels deposited by melting glaciers at the end of the last Mid Wales Ice Age. The bedrock beneath the gravels is a red mudstone South West deposited in the late Triassic Period about 220 million years Wales ago. Bristol Gloucestershire Toward Cardiff Bay, south of the main railway line, the gravels are covered by estuarine alluvium (mud) which is up Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs to 10 m thick. This mud has been deposited since the last BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Ice Age when areas have been flooded during high tides. In Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites fact most of Cardiff Bay and the area of Cardiff west of Westgate Street has been built on reclaimed land. Print map Wales Print this page Cymru The Civic Centre and Gorsedd Gardens were established Print the entire walk De Ddwyrain around 1905 when Cardiff was declared a city. The Gorsedd Circle was erected originally in 1899 for the that was held in Cardiff that year. Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF The stones of the circle are Triassic breccia - formed as an Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on alluvial fan by a large desert river to the north of Cardiff »Waa maxay Vocab- about 220 million years ago and contain grey limestone ereyo? / What is which are about 250 million years old. These VOCAB? stones were probably quarried in Radyr or Llandaff.

Park House was built between More walks & places to visit in the 1871 and 1875 by William British Isles and amazing wildlife. Burges for the Marquis of Find another walk through time Bute's Agent James Explore wildlife habitats with 360 McConnochie. The walls are panoramas Pennant Sandstone, while the The TV series: British Isles, a Natural History quoins around the windows and entrance porch are Bath Stones. The plinths and string course are coarser ragstones from Bath while the pillars are pink Peterhead granite from Aberdeenshire. The flagstones in the driveway are Pennant Sandstone. Get more from your walk, with the Open University. The City Hall, Law Courts and Museum were built in 1904/05 Get active - using Portland Stone - a popular material for civic buildings join the Great Snail Hunt at that time. Wandering around Cardiff, you will notice that What does that mean? - many of the older buildings are built from a mixture of a natural history glossary Peterhead Granite, Portland Stone, Bath Stone, Radyr Stone Get into nature - and Pennant Sandstone. the science you need to know How do they know that? - Listen out for nearby mistle thrushes, which are often found explore nature's secrets nesting along Museum Avenue feeding on the fruits of the Become a Landscape Detective - nearby yew trees. Free Leaflets!

Turn left back towards the museum, left into Gorsedd Gardens Road, and continue past the museum as far as the Boer Wars Memorial at the top of King Edward VII Avenue.

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BBC Homepage First settlements BBC Local Turn left down to the South East underpass and cross under Wales the Boulevard de Nantes. News Turn right at Greyfriars Road Sport past the Hilton Hotel. Take Weather the subway and cross Travel News underneath North Road to Things to do the Castle. People & The Clock Tower, Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring Greyfriars Road was once the site of the old Greyfriars Sites Priory. There are no remains of the friary today, although excavations in the 19th century did uncover a late 13th Mid Wales century church with 30 graves. The Greyfriars renounced South West worldly wealth and would beg for their daily bread. They Wales followed St Francis and served the people working among Bristol the sick and the destitute. Gloucestershire You can see part of the Bute Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs Docks feeder canal at BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Greyfriars. The banks of the Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites canal here are mainly uncultivated bramble with a Print map Wales number of tree saplings Print this page Cymru between the ground cover of Print the entire walk De Ddwyrain ivy, wild garlic, alum and cow parsley, which provide a great habitat for blackbirds, dunnock, wrens, wood pigeon, collared Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF doves and squirrel. The nearby high rise office blocks act as Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / an artificial cliff for roosting jackdaws and starlings. Turn on »Waa maxay Vocab- As you cross underneath North Road to ereyo? / What is the castle, look out for hints of the old VOCAB? Canal. Set in the stone are the old workings for a lock that was situated here. The underpass is actually More walks & places to visit in the British Isles and amazing wildlife. the old canal tunnel. Find another walk through time The route of the Glamorgan Canal ran Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas across Queen Street, parallel to the The TV series: Hayes and Woking Street - through British Isles, a Natural History what is now St David's Centre - behind Habitat, under Caroline St Bridge and down Mill Lane to the end of St Mary's Street. It then ran parallel to Bute Street in to Bute West Dock. Get more from your walk, with the Cardiff Castle Open University. Get active - The site of Cardiff Castle was first fortified by the Romans in join the Great Snail Hunt about 75 AD. Later the Normans used the same site to build What does that mean? - Cardiff Castle in the 12th century. The Castle was then a natural history glossary rebuilt late in the 19th century by the Butes, who employed Get into nature - to restore the castle and to embellish it: the science you need to know adding detail, craftsmanship and colour to surprise visitors How do they know that? - from many lands. explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - The old Roman walls are a Jurassic Blue Free Leaflets! Lias limestone from the Vale of Glamorgan, possibly from Aberthaw - this has been capped by a layer of coarse Radyr stone.

The reconstructed walls are limestone: east of the main gate a carboniferous limestone from is used while those in the south east corner are a darker limestone from the Pentyrch-Creigiau area. Stone from the Roman walls was also subsequently used to build the Norman keep.

Look out for fossils in the castle wall - they're over 200 million years old!

Buzzards and kestrels are now breeding regularly in the inner city, look out for carrion crows and jays in and around the castle.

The corner of North Road and Castle Road is the area known as North Gate and is where the medieval town gate and wall would have been - the sloping floral display in the grounds of the castle here is actually supported by part of the old town wall. There are other places along the walk where you can see the old town boundary still marked, look out for Westgate Street later in the walk.

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BBC Homepage St Johns Church and The BBC Local Hayes South East Turn left out of the subway Wales in front of the castle, cross News over Castle Street at the Sport pedestrian crossing on the Weather corner and continue straight Travel News ahead into St John's Street. Things to do People & St Johns churchyard Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring At St John's Church turn right in front of the church into Sites Church St and then left into Trinity Street. Continue straight past the entrances of the market and Howells into The Mid Wales Hayes. South West Wales St Johns Church Bristol Gloucestershire St Johns Church is one of the oldest remaining medieval Hereford & buildings in the city, dating from the 12th century. The original building is blue Lias, a local Jurassic stone full of © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. fossilised shells, probably from Aberthaw. All that remains of Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites the original building today is the west tower - dressings on the tower were originally Dundry Stone, an Oolitic freestone. Print map Wales Extensions to the church in 1886-1897 used Carboniferous Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk Limestone from Culverhouse Cross. The Churchyard wall is De Ddwyrain Lias with red sandstone copings of Devonian sandstones from the Forest of Dean. Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on Passing through The Hayes, notice the »Waa maxay Vocab- great old london planes, reputed to ereyo? / What is VOCAB? calm the nerves of stressed-out office workers. Did the town planners know

this when they planted the area in the More walks & places to visit in the early 20th century? British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time Ginkgo biloba trees grow here, also Explore wildlife habitats with 360 known as the Maidenhair tree, which is panoramas native to China. It was introduced to The TV series: Britain in 1761 - ginkgo fossils from the British Isles, a Natural History Jurassic Period are identical to the trees growing today - so in effect the plant is a living fossil that has not changed in 200 million years.

Take a quick look inside the St David's Centre. The pillars between the shops are brown and white Napoleon Tigre Get more from your walk, with the marble from northeast France - the cloudy patches within Open University. the stone made by shallow water algae are known as Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt banding. Also look out for the line of the old town wall: What does that mean? - originally this was marked with red-brown granite from a natural history glossary South Dakota - this has now been replaced by a dark green- Get into nature - black Gabbro stone. the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Become a Landscape Detective - Previous Next Free Leaflets! 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage David Morgan's and St BBC Local Mary's Church South East Reach the end of The Hayes Wales and veer right into Mill Lane. News Cross over the road and turn Sport left into Adam St past the Weather Old Custom House, then turn Travel News right into Hope Street. Pass Things to do under the bridge. People & David Morgan Arcade Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring David Morgan's, best seen from the opposite side of the Sites road was built in three sections. The northern part (1912) is of Portland stone with columns of black Larvikite from Mid Wales . The middle part (1899) is white Portland Stone with South West red sandstone and Bath Stone and granite column to the Wales first floor. The southern part (1904) is a grey Forest of Dean Bristol Stone with Bath Stone dressings. The porch is faced with a Gloucestershire Roman travertine.

Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs Mill Lane is the old route of the canal and was also the site BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. of an open air market. Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites The Old Custom House, built using Bath Stone in 1780, was sited on the banks of the canal. This was an important hub Print map Wales Print this page Cymru within the city where imports and exports were controlled. Print the entire walk De Ddwyrain St Mary's Church

On the site of the Central Hotel was a Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF ship yard, and just north of here was Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / the site of the original St Mary's Turn on Church. The Taff originally ran along the »Waa maxay Vocab- ereyo? / What is west side of St Mary's Street and St VOCAB? Mary's church was sited on its banks.

St Mary's Church was founded at the More walks & places to visit in the beginning of the 12th century by the British Isles and amazing wildlife. Benedictines of Tewkesbury Abbey. The Find another walk through time monks had not chosen their site well - Explore wildlife habitats with 360 on a bend of the river Taff - and panoramas erosion was gradually removing the The TV series: churchyard. British Isles, a Natural History

In 1607 there was a great flood across the levels around Cardiff and the foundations of St Mary's were weakened; the church went into a slow collapse. By 1620, St John's church was used for St Mary's services and in 1680 the tower collapsed. Get more from your walk, with the Open University. The last service was held in 1701, in a roofless ruin, and St Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt Mary's was abandoned. No trace remains today on the What does that mean? - original site but the church was subsequently rebuilt on Bute a natural history glossary Street, in 1846. Get into nature - the science you need to know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Previous Next Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage The origins of BBC Local Continuing straight ahead, South East cross over Callaghan St into Wales the newly developed central News plaza. Keep to the left hand Sport side and continue into Bute Weather St. Continue as far as the Travel News Bute St railway station. Things to do People & Detail of Bute Street pavement Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring Butetown is the southern part of Cardiff's medieval Sites settlement and was situated outside of the town's southern wall. Until the end of the 18th Century this was largely an Mid Wales area of salt marsh and rough grazing, known as 'the Moors'. South West Wales Butetown was constructed on reclaimed land and many of Bristol the buildings here are almost 'floating' on top of the mud Gloucestershire flats. Ballast from incoming boats was used both in the foundations and construction of buildings, and although Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs much of this can't be seen, Butetown is built with BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. extraordinary rock from all over the world. Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites Iron, coal and the Marquis of Bute Print map Wales In the 19th and early 20th Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk centuries, the Welsh De Ddwyrain community in Butetown, or - as it became Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF known - were joined by settlers from all over the Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on world. The success of Cardiff »Waa maxay Vocab- as a major port encouraged ereyo? / What is an influx of sailors, VOCAB? shipbuilders and dockworkers, who established among others Somali, Chinese, Greek and Norwegian communities. More walks & places to visit in the Butetown lies in the Parish of St Mary's, which was owned British Isles and amazing wildlife. by the Bute family, and it was the 2nd Marquis of Bute who Find another walk through time financed the building of the Glamorgan Canal. He also Explore wildlife habitats with 360 realised in the 1820s that the canal was not sufficient to panoramas cope with the ever increasing demands of the iron trade and The TV series: British Isles, a Natural History he initiated a development plan.

The plan included: the construction of Bute Street as a main route of transportation in and out of the area, (completed 1830); the construction of Bute Dock (1839); the construction of the , (1841); and the leasing of land within the area for development, most of Get more from your walk, with the Open University. which was completed by 1840. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt Walking along Bute Street What does that mean? - look out the line of flats - a natural history glossary beyond the railway line - Get into nature - which mark the edge of where the science you need to know Bute West Dock was situated. How do they know that? - The bridges on the left hand explore nature's secrets side of the road are where the Become a Landscape Detective - feeder canals ran into the Free Leaflets! dock. Today the train to Cardiff Bay runs along the old Taff Vale Railway and the surrounding land is now a wildlife corridor. The Bute Road train station was built as the offices of the Taff Vale Railway Company, from 1862 the offices were let as consulates - for the growing number of people of all nationalities coming through the port.

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BBC Homepage The BBC Local Turn right into West Bute South East Street, past the Butetown Wales History and Arts Centre. Turn News right into the alley at Corleys Sport buildings. Turn left into Weather and Travel News then right towards the front Things to do of the Coal Exchange. People & The Coal Exchange Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring Mount Stuart Square was the central point for the Bute Sites Estate's planned developments of Butetown - it was originally designed as a residential square with a central Mid Wales garden. South West Wales With the ever-increasing growth of the Docks, the square Bristol was gradually rebuilt and became the commercial quarter, Gloucestershire leaving the merchants and businessmen of the area to move their homes to the new suburbs of Cathedral Road and Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs Roath. BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites The central garden was cleared in 1884 to make way for the building of the Coal Exchange. This is where the deals were made - vast quantities of coal and money were exchanged. Print map Wales Print this page Cymru The Coal Exchange was initially an ordinary market place but Print the entire walk De Ddwyrain as fortunes grew the building was glorified to reflect its importance.

Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF The Coal Exchange was the first building in the area to be built on piles, which were sunk into the ground to a depth of Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on at least 9m. This was because the subsoils were alluvial mud »Waa maxay Vocab- mixed with slag from the old glassworks that had existed on ereyo? / What is this site, and when construction first started it was found to VOCAB? be a little like 'building on butter'.

The coal industry went into decline in More walks & places to visit in the the 1920s and 30s and never really British Isles and amazing wildlife. recovered. Coal was nationalised in Find another walk through time 1956 and the Coal Exchange finally Explore wildlife habitats with 360 closed - there was no longer any need panoramas to bargain for coal and the prices were The TV series: British Isles, a Natural History fixed centrally by the National Coal Board.

Look out for Pascoe House, Baltic House, Cambrian House, Meandros House, Britannia Building, Merchant Place and HSCB Bank which use an Get more from your walk, with the Open University. array of building stone from all over the world. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Previous Next Get into nature - the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Cardiff Bay and the BBC Local Barrage South East Turn left into James Street Wales and continue into Bute Place, News the new Wales Millennium Sport Centre is straight ahead. Weather Turn left into Travel News Plass, go under the bridge Things to do towards the Bay and turn left People & , Cardiff Bay at the water front. Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring Sites Sheltered by Penarth Head, Cardiff Bay has attracted sea traffic since the Middle Ages. By the 16th century, a brisk Mid Wales trade had developed along the South Wales coast, across South West the Bristol Channel, and onwards to France, Spain and Italy. Wales By the 19th century trade extended world wide to countries Bristol such as Argentina and India. Gloucestershire Hereford & The last coal left the docks in 1964 and for a time Cardiff Bay appeared to be rather desolate. Today the Bay appears © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. a very modern place, perhaps indicating the changing Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites fortunes of Cardiff in the early 21st Century. In 1993 the Cardiff Bay Barrage was built which excludes Print map Wales sea water from the previously tidal zone. The Barrage is an Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk 800 m long embankment of rock and sand and effectively De Ddwyrain creates a lake with a 13 km water front and has led to the regeneration of South Cardiff and Penarth. Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF The area is now home to the Welsh Assembly, , Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / the Bay Visitors Centre and the Norwegian Church Arts Turn on Centre, and is a bustling area with shops, cafes and water- »Waa maxay Vocab- ereyo? / What is side restaurants. VOCAB?

More walks & places to visit in the One of the first buildings that British Isles and amazing wildlife. you see while walking along Find another walk through time James Street is the new Wales Explore wildlife habitats with 360 Millennium Centre. Due to panoramas open in late November 2004, The TV series: this is the new prestigious British Isles, a Natural History international arts centre in Cardiff.

The building is clad in 5 different slates taken from quarries in north and mid Wales. Each of the slates can be identified by the different colour and texture ranging from reds, to Get more from your walk, with the greens to almost black. Open University. Get active - The old docks join the Great Snail Hunt What does that mean? - Coming down to the water front you will pass through Roald a natural history glossary Dahl Plass - formerly the Oval Basin. This joined the Bute Get into nature - West Dock to the north with the Severn Estuary via two the science you need to know locks. How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets The dock opened in 1839; granite was used along the top of Become a Landscape Detective - the basin, where it could withstand the knocks and shocks Free Leaflets! of the many ships that would moor along side here, while Pennant Sandstone was used in the walls. Before the flooding of the Bay in 1999, the area was mainly mudflats and salt marshes, the River Taff was tidal - right up to Blackweir, just north of the city centre.

Wildlife in the Bay

The exclusion of sea water from the Bay by the new Barrage has changed the habitats available for flora and fauna to thrive. Previously the area was home to a large waterfowl and wading bird populations; sea-going shoals of grey mullet were still known to make their way upstream as far as the revetments.

Sea plantain, sea arrow grass, and spartina survived the change, but the whole area is now subject to landscaping as part of the Bay redevelopments, and many native species are discouraged in favour of more formal planting.

The constant water level has removed the inter-tidal zone, which would have supported many species. There has been a scheme to encourage salmon, sewin and sea trout back into the Taff to breed, including a fishpass inthe actual Barrage itself.

Waterfowl and wading bird populations have relocated to newly protected areas including the nearby the Gwent Levels Reserve, just outside Newport.

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BBC Homepage Norwegian Church BBC Local At the Old Custom House South East turn to the left to have a Wales closer look at the East and News West Docks and Roath Basin. Sport Double back behind the Old Weather Custom house and continue Travel News straight ahead towards the Things to do Norwegian Church. People & The Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring As the trade in and out of Bute West dock increased, more Sites dock space was needed and - East Bute Dock (1855), Roath Basin (1874) and Roath Dock (1877) were constructed. The Mid Wales new docks were developed to accommodate the increasing South West sizes of vessels. The biggest by far was Queen Alexandra Wales Dock, which started trading in 1907 and is still in use today. Bristol Gloucestershire The Norwegian Church was built in 1868 for the growing population of Norwegian sailors in Cardiff at the time, on Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs land donated by the Marquis of Bute. The Norwegian BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. merchant fleet was growing rapidly and as a result Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites Norwegian churches can be found throughout the world. The church fell into disuse and was dismantled in 1987, but Print map Wales subsequently rebuilt on its present site. Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk De Ddwyrain New planting includes white poplar near the Norwegian Church. Along this stretch, a raised lawn winds parallel to the eastern side of the Bay, and is sided by a cement edge Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF with imprints of fish like dab and skate, starfish and whelk Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / shells - a reminder of what would have been found along the Turn on nearby shores. »Waa maxay Vocab- Norwegian Church ereyo? / What is From the Norwegian Church there is a good view of Penarth Cardiff Castle VOCAB? Head - a chance to see some 'real' geology. The main cliff is of Triassic mudstones overlain with a harder Jurassic The BBC is not responsible for the limestone - it is possible to take a ferry out into the Bay to content of external websites take a closer look.

The Cardiff Bay Visitors' Centre - known locally as the tube - has a virtual journey through Cardiff's maritime history and regeneration. If you follow the panels around the centre you will discover the past, present and future of Cardiff Bay, its More walks & places to visit in the waterfront and Barrage. British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time Find out more about the Norwegian Church Explore wildlife habitats with 360 Visit norwegianchurchcardiff.com panoramas The TV series: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites British Isles, a Natural History

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Get more from your walk, with the Open University. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Get into nature - the science you need to know 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage The Bay and Taff Trail BBC Local Return to Roald Dahl Plass South East and turn left past the Wales restaurant on stilts. At Stuart News Street, cross over and turn Sport left. Turn right into Adelaide Weather Street and then left into Travel News James Street. Cross over the Things to do Clarence Road Bridge and People & A view of Cardiff Bay from Penarth turn right onto the Taff Trail. Places Marina TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring Sites Spot the 'Dolphins' - these are the wooden structures that rise out of the water. When the bay was still a tidal zone Mid Wales pleasure steams and boats waiting for space on the wharf South West would tie up here. At low tide, boats moored between the Wales dolphins would rest on iron grids, giving access to their hulls Bristol for repair work. Gloucestershire Hereford & Look out for the built of red brick and terracotta - it remains © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. virtually unchanged since it was built in Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites 1896 and was originally built to be of prominence to ships entering through the dock. Print map Wales Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk Q Shed, now a restaurant, was built in De Ddwyrain 1871 as a warehouse and waiting point for passengers boarding the Cardiff and Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF Bristol Channel steamships. Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Clarence Road Bridge was originally a Turn on pivoting bridge allowing tall-masted boats to pass up the »Waa maxay Vocab- ereyo? / What is river Taff as far as the Town Quay. The present bridge was VOCAB? opened in 1976 and is where the walk joins the Taff Trail.

The Taff Trail More walks & places to visit in the British Isles and amazing wildlife. Along the Taff Trail on the west bank hornbeams and lime Find another walk through time trees grow, while on the east bank there are a number of Explore wildlife habitats with 360 poplars. Giant hogweed and hedge bindweed are also seen panoramas along the banks - referred to as 'invasive' species as they The TV series: often thrive and displace native vegetation. British Isles, a Natural History

Look out for: sea aster, sea sedge and scurvy grass - a watercress-like plant popular with returning sailors who were short of vitamin C.

You may spot herring and lesser black-back gulls, Get more from your walk, with the cormorants, mallards, swans, large white butterflies and Open University. dragonflies. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt What does that mean? - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 a natural history glossary Previous Next Get into nature - the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Millennium Stadium BBC Local As you continue along the South East Taff Trail and pass the water Wales taxi stop under the bridge News and turn right into Wood Sport Street. At the end, turn left Weather into St Mary's Street towards Travel News the Castle. Things to do People & Millennium Stadium and River Taff Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Neighbouring The Millennium Stadium occupies reclaimed land on the Sites banks of the re-routed river Taff, which originally ran to the east of its present course. Mid Wales South West A map of Cardiff from 1840 shows the river running along Wales the west side of St Mary's Street, with what is now Bristol Westgate Street or Heol-y-Porth (street of the harbour) Gloucestershire situated on the banks of the river. Hereford & By the mid 16th century there is mention of the Town Quay, © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. which was probably situated where Quay Street and Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites Westgate Street now join. When the Glamorgan Canal was built in the 18th century Print map Wales with more accessible docks for bigger sea going vessels, use Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk of the Taff for transportation went into decline. De Ddwyrain St Mary's Street is a great place to spot a variety of old building stones. Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 »Waa maxay Vocab- Previous Next ereyo? / What is VOCAB?

More walks & places to visit in the British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas The TV series: British Isles, a Natural History

Get more from your walk, with the Open University. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Get into nature - the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 11 June 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage National Museum of Wales BBC Local Turn right on to Castle Street South East and continue into Queen Wales Street, crossing the old town News wall. Turn left into the Friary, Sport cross over Greyfriars Road to Weather the underpass, turn right and Travel News head back to the museum. Things to do People & National Museum, Cardiff Places TV & Radio 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Neighbouring On returning to the museum notice the Portland Stone from Sites which it is built - a white Jurassic limestone from Dorset. Sections of fossil shells can be seen in the columns and Mid Wales walls particularly where the stone has weathered. The steps South West are a Cornish granite with large white crystals known as Wales feldspar, while the interior is a cream limestone from Bristol Portugal known as Santa Ana. Gloucestershire The Museum Hereford & © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Worcs BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Inside the Museum is an extensive interactive display - 'The Click to enlarge Related BBC Sites Evolution of Wales' - which explains the formation of the rocks and landscape of Wales using videos animations and life-size models. Print map Wales Print this page Cymru Print the entire walk Archaeology suggests that the first Neolithic immigrants in De Ddwyrain the south Wales area bypassed Cardiff in favour of the Vale of Glamorgan - at the time Cardiff would have been wet and Walks in South East Wales DAMIN / OFF marshy. So the story of Cardiff really begins with the Romans, 2000 years ago. They were among the earliest Cardiff life »Daarid, furid, daar / Turn on settlers here after a prolonged struggle with a local tribe of »Waa maxay Vocab- people known as the Silures. NMGW ereyo? / What is Geologists' Association South Wales VOCAB? Subsequently Saxons overran England, and the Welsh coast was raided by Vikings. Twenty years after the Battle of The BBC is not responsible for the Hastings (1066), the Normans were marching on Wales, in content of external websites 1091 Robert FitzHamon began work on Cardiff Castle and subsequently a settlement grew up around the castle - this was now an English town within a hostile Welsh territory.

By the 18th century Cardiff was just a sleepy backwater around a decaying castle. More walks & places to visit in the The arrival of the Industrial Revolution to the area changed British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time all of this. The iron industry developed in the 1790s, soon followed by the coal industry. Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas Cardiff was granted city status in 1905 by Edward VII, and The TV series: British Isles, a Natural History was proclaimed the capital of Wales in 1955.

Thanks to Tom Sharpe and David Jenkins - National Museums and Galleries of Wales.

For more about Cardiff check out Cardiff Life. Get more from your walk, with the Open University. Click here to return to the beginning of the walk. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt What does that mean? - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 a natural history glossary Previous Get into nature - the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets!