Cardiff is home to some incredible green spaces, both in to the city centre and further afield. There are no excuses not to indulge in nature, as even as far away as the Heath Hospital, there is always a park within walking distance of your house, accommodation, or lecture theatre.
In the best months, when the sun is shining, many hundreds of students flood to the green spaces of Cardiff to do their reading in the sun, have picnics with friends, and maybe even to take a dip in the River Taff. But even in the winter when the weather is cold there's nothing like bundling up and heading to one of the many parks that Cardiff houses. With the autumn weather coming in, I'm hoping that this article will persuade you to get out and brave the Welsh rain to explore everything that Cardiff has to offer.
Most central to the City Centre and most definitely the star of the show is Bute Park. As the park closest to the Talybont accommodation, it’s the perfect spot for a hangover cure when you need to reconnect with nature. Bute offers 130 acres of parkland, flower gardens and areas of woodland to explore, while also hosting a Cardiff parkrun every Saturday morning. There are several walking routes through the park, many of the paths flanked by hundreds of trees and flower beds but also following alongside the banks of the River Taff.
However, if the greenery itself is not enough to convince you of Bute’s beauty, the park itself backs onto Cardiff Castle. In the summer the Secret Garden and Summerhouse cafes are particularly popular, serving hundreds of iced coffees and ice creams daily. In the winter months, the park is host to the Bute Park Light Trail and Winter Wonderland, making it one of the most festive spaces in Wales across the holiday season and it becomes an unmissable attraction for Cardiff residents.
If Bute is too far or overcrowded for you, don’t panic as just over the other side of Cathays is my second favourite park: Roath. Roath Park is slightly quieter than Bute and is home to the most stunning lake and lighthouse that are a central attraction of the space. In the summer, it is possible to hire a boat and ride on the water but all year round you can follow the circular trail around the lake and take in its scenic views. Roath also has its own unique attractions as aside from the lake, there is a stunning rose garden that blooms every year without fail. Finally, you should not take a trip to Roath without seeing the botanical gardens hidden inside the park's conservatory, where you’ll find aquatic plants, ferns, and shrubs.
For those medics among us, up by the Heath hospital is Heath park, albeit not quite Bute or Roath, it still has its charm and is known for being family friendly and a prime spot for dog watching. The park also contains areas of wetland with a few small ponds alongside its open green space and if trains are your thing, there is a model railway centre there too.
The seasonal flexibility of Bute makes it the top of my list, but all three parks deserve the attention they are given. I urge you to get outside and take in the invaluable environment that is practically on your doorstep!