All walks › Cardiff and the Vale
Cardiff and the ValeCardiff Bay Barrage
A level surfaced walk across the barrage that turned a tidal mudflat into a freshwater lake, with the city behind and the Channel in front.
- Distance
- 3.4 mi / 5.5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 30 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- There and back
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
Walk from Mermaid Quay round the bay and across the barrage to Penarth, the return is the same ground in reverse or by the water taxi. Entirely flat and surfaced.
Worth knowing
- Fully accessible throughout and one of the best flat walks in south Wales.
- The water taxi back from Penarth saves the return leg.
- The Norwegian Church and the Senedd are both on the route.
What you’ll see
The barrage locks and fish pass, the Senedd and Pierhead building, and Penarth on the far side.
Background
The barrage was completed in 1999, impounding the Taff and Ely to create a freshwater lake and ending the tidal mudflats that had been there for centuries.