All walks › Cardiff and the Vale
Cardiff and the ValePorthkerry Park and the Viaduct
The level version: parkland, woodland and the pebble beach under a sixteen-arch railway viaduct, without the cliff climb.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 40
- Ascent
- 70 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Level paths cross the park from the car park to the beach and through the woods. Mostly surfaced.
Worth knowing
- The viaduct partly collapsed shortly after completion in 1897 and delayed the railway for two years.
- The park floor is level and easy; the cliff paths are a separate proposition.
- The pebble beach is good for skimming and poor for swimming.
What you’ll see
The viaduct’s sixteen arches, parkland and woodland, and the pebble beach.
Background
The Vale of Glamorgan Railway was built to carry coal to Barry Docks, and the viaduct was its greatest obstacle.