All walks › Cardiff and the Vale
Cardiff and the ValeParc Slip Nature Reserve
Open-cast coal workings turned into a wildlife reserve, with lagoons, grassland and hides, and level paths throughout.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 40
- Ascent
- 50 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
Surfaced trails loop through the reserve to the hides and the wetland. Level and accessible.
Worth knowing
- Lapwing breed on the wet grassland and are the reserve’s flagship species.
- The visitor centre has feeders where you can watch woodland birds close up.
- A memorial marks the 1892 Parc Slip explosion, which killed 112 men and boys.
What you’ll see
Lagoons and hides, wet grassland with lapwing, grassland flowers and dragonflies.
Background
The Parc Slip explosion of August 1892 killed 112 miners. The site was later worked open-cast and restored as a reserve in the 1990s.