Last year I decided to try some of this windsurfing lark at The Channel view leisure centre,…read morededicated water to all things water sports related. I went on the absolute beginners course which to begin with is expensive. £124 for two days. But once you get your level one it goes down to £34 for 5 sesh so gets better as you do. What consists of the beginners course is to begin with an on land simulator to make you feel an utter charlie. YOu are embarrassingly guided by qualified wind surfing tutors. You are then allowed out in the wet stuff after a few hours and this is where the real fun begins. Expect to get wet, col and spend more time off your board than on it...Well me anyway. It was so much fun my face was hearting from smiling so much over the two days. It's a great way to meet people and you become quite close to your group over the time and I still speak to a couple of the people I met there. There is so much more at CBWAC with Kayaking, sailing, rowing and power boating. If summer pops up this year you must visit here!

This Centre is housed in a purpose-built facility in South Cardiff, on the edge of the River Taff…read moreby Cardiff Bay. Despite the name, they actually offer activities both in the water and on land - including climbing (using Channel View's indoor climbing wall and automatic belaying equipment, as well as the outside bouldering facility); archery; bell boating in a vessel up the Taff; bush survival skills; trail biking; sailing; windsurfing; course and sea fishing; rowing; etc. For parties and corporate days they do day packages, and this is what I've experienced - all great fun, with excellent tuition and guidance, and a choice of 16 different activities (though obviously you have to choose in advance and book which you want to do, as there's not enough time to fit all of them in!). Great for a team day out away from the office.

This is an indoor entertainment complex packing in all the elements you'd expect from a place like…read morethis, such as a cinema, a bowling alley and lots of restaurants - plus it's also home to one of South Wales's best-established radio stations, Red Dragon FM. It's located just a short walk from the main Mermaid Quay area of Cardiff Bay, and offers a warm refuge from the harsh weather that often hits that part of the city in the winter. It's open seven days a week and is home to Wales' only IMAX cinema screen (within the Odeon cinema), plus the 26-lane Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, Grosvenor Casino, the Doctor Who 'Up Close' exhibition, and lots of restaurants - including big chains such as Bella Italia and Chiquito. There's also a Cadwaladers ice cream parlour, an Indian and a Chinese restaurant, and a family sports bar with loads of screens and pool tables called R Bar. Overall it aims to offer a variety of things to do, all in a dry, indoor environment. It's not a particularly exciting venue, but on a wet and windy day it's an easy place to park up for free and take your family for some entertainment or food. Sometimes - particularly during school holidays - they have special events such as craft workshops, live jazz, or even anti-bullying workshops.

This centre is sometimes over looked due to Mermaid quay's reputation shining a little brighter in…read morethe world of attractions for visitors to Cardiff Bay and yet its only 5 minutes walk away. You can watch a film do some bowling and eat and drink to your hearts content, whether it be Chinese, Italian or plain old pub food. It also undercover, which in our Welsh climate can sometimes make the all the difference between a happy day and a cold miserable day. Parking also costs nothing as long as you patronise one of the establishments within the centre. Why wouldn't you want to go there?

This is a lovely place, great to take a walk on a summers day. Its amazing over the years how much…read morethis area has changed. There are a small few car parks around which are mostly pay and display so have some change on you. The area boasts plenty of long walks and bike tracks and has plenty of quiet areas to sit and have a picnic surrounded by splendid view. We like to take our grandchildren as they can feed the ducks in the lake, after a walk they can play on the beach and then get an ice cream on the way home. It has turned into a vibrant area now which has a fab atmosphere on a nice summers day.

This tourist information centre and cafe are in a fantastic spot on the Millennium Coastal Path…read morewith fantastic views of the estuary and Gower Peninsula! I remember it being built but only visited it for the first time today. The information centre is a great place for leaflets about local attractions and the staff behind the counter are helpful and knowedgeable. There is a small shop too with some clothes, books and gifts. There is a side room with a large relief model under glass of the whole area. Upstairs is Flanagan's Cafe which is a bright and pleasant place to sit and have a snack and drink. (There is a lift as well as stairs so accessible to all) The coffees were excellent. My only criticism would be that the staff could be friendlier and more welcoming - and more attentive too - we clearly asked for cheese and pickle sandwiches but cheese and onion were brought to the table! Outside (but attached to the same building) is an ice cream kiosk.

The Apex Park is an informal leisure and wildlife park, created around the former clay pits - now…read moresmall lakes - of the Apex Brick works. The works closed in 1966, and the park was created and opened in 1972. The park, consisting of grassland, trees and hedgerows, covers some 42 acres. There are two main lakes: the larger, central one has an attractive hour-glass shape and its banks are lined with rushes. There are walks around this lake with park benches, and footpaths branch off to go to Highbridge (along the line of the old railway) and to Burnham's South Promenade, following the river bank of the River Brue (very muddy after wet weather!). There is a large car park off Marine Drive, which leads to a broad slipway into the lake. The other lake forms the park's north west boundary and lies partly within the Haven Holiday Village. Popular activities include BMX biking, model radio-controlled boating, jogging (there's a 'trim-trail' with various pieces of keep-fit apparatus) and fishing - the lakes are stocked with carp and bream. Dog obedience sessions also take place most Sunday mornings in good weather, and there's a children's play area and skate park. As well as the fish, wildlife includes birds, including geese, ducks, swans and various different types of sea bird, and the hedgerows contain a variety of different types of trees and bushes, home to insect and bird life. NB: The Highbridge Angling Association holds the fishing rights for the Apex Park. Permits can be obtained from Thyers Tackle Shop, 1A Church St, Highbridge - telephone 01278 786934.

Apex park is a beautiful wildlife reserve consisting of lakes, fish, sea birds, outdoor gym and…read morecarpark. There is loads to do with the features of the park including skating at the skate park, a rope climb and dog poo total wipeout. There is also adult entertainment with the odd dogger in the carpark on a summer Sunday evening. Overall apex park is a beautiful visit with activities fort all the family

Great place to buy anything you want at bargain prices with the ability to open your own franchised…read moreshop for FREE and make money on your own purchases by way of Cashback

Victoria Park is, apparently, one of the most popular parks in the UK. I can understand why. This…read morepark is full of flowers (beware, hay-fever sufferers), trees, winding paths and grassy areas. This is a fantastic place to bring children on a sunny summer day. Victoria Park is probably most famous for its spectacular playground and massive shallow paddling pool (in the summer). Imagine ice creams and picnics and children splashing water everywhere. Good times. There are also a number of summer events that go on in this park. Summer Fetes and Scout/Guide events, face painting and throwing wet sponges at teachers. There is also a bandstand and a cafe. The only thing wrong with this park is its popularity, as it does manage to get heavingly busy on hot days. You've been warned. I have lovely memories from Victoria Park, so could you!

A lovely traditional park, covering nearly 20 acres, situated just west of Canton, on Cowbridge…read moreRoad. It has been awarded a prestigious 'Green Flag' award and attracts over 600,000 visitors a year. It was founded in 1897 and contains a mixture of traditional flower beds, mature trees, a paddling pool, bandstand, children's playground, tennis courts, a 5-a-side football pitch, and open lawns. There's a cafe, toilets and a park-keeper's lodge - one of the few left in the UK where the keeper lives on site. The park used to have animals in a small zoo (my mother used to visit them in the early 1930s), most famously Billy the Seal; caught accidentally by a local fishing boat in 1912, he was donated to the park, living there until 1939. After he died, he was found to be female! She is commemorated by a life-size statue in the park. A great place for families and children, as well as for a quiet stroll.

This may be called a wetlands reserve but its more like a little walkway along the reed area of the…read moresea front. Its not very big and don't expect to see a huge array of animals. There are information boards around so if your a keen wildlife spotter or want to get the kids involved they are a nice touch. What it is, is a very peaceful spot where even on a very busy summers day you can find a spot to sit and enjoy the sun, or feed the ducks (although I don't think your meant too!)

This is a fairly exposed nature reserve with a boardwalk for visitors to stroll along, bordered by…read moremarshy reeds and offering views out over the Bay. These wetlands were created in 2002 when the barrage was completed to compensate partly for the disappearance of the old saline mudflats, which of course were being turned into a freshwater lake. The wetlands provide an important habitat for over-wintering and breeding birds, so the reserve is justifiably popular with birdwatchers. On a cold and windy day, this isn't the most pleasant open space you could choose to explore because it often gets really windy with a nasty chill factor - far better off finding some secluded woods to shelter in. In the summer, however, it's a different story - with some good views from the boardwalk back over the reserve and to the Bay's skyline and out to Cardiff Bay Barrage.

Very simple fun, but my step-kids (6-11) LOVE running around the maze chasing each other and trying…read moreto find their way to the middle (with a bit of cheating!). The maze is made up of bricks laid into the ground, so there's very little to hurt themsleves on and it looks crazy as they dart left and right trying (or pretending) to stay on the paths.

This is a perfect place to take young family members who like to run around and make noise!…read more I recently took a young niece here, and she absolutely loved it - an added bonus was that she was so tired out by the end of it her mum said she slept like a log! I remember going to something like this when I was really young too, it offers a ideal mix between being able to see and touch animals like rabbits and pigs, to an adventure playground with those big slides that probably aren't so big when your a grown up but are huge when your little that you sort of drop off almost vertically, with your bum hardly touching the slide! There's also a nature trail. The park is great in nice weather, not so good in the rain but there are still inside things to do. It is also quite reasonable priced - £7.00 adult and £6.50 child, check their website for special offers.

This is a large, leafy recreational area covering 50 acres just outside Bristol with an animal…read morefarm, riverside walks, playgrounds and picnic areas. With stacks to entertain children, it's also a pleasant space for adults, and even when it's sunny and busy there seems to be plenty of space for everyone. For kids, the play arena has trampolines, slides, rope climbing structures and go karts, plus mini golf and the Strawberry Line miniature train. The six or so shire horses kept at the park are a big attraction, and there are lots of smaller animals to see, and even handle (under supervision). The park has falconry displays at the weekends (and during school holidays), plus a nature trail along the river (with a junior assault course running parallel to it). Adults cost £7.50, children (and OAPs) £7, and little ones under 2 go free. The park's open every day from April - end of October, then the indoor play barn is open on weekends and school holidays.

Awesome. Great…read morefacilities. Great views. Walk on the tracks or get off into the bush. Check out the rugby pitch or maybe the dry ski slope. Great park for kids and a decent size skate park.

Large beautiful park with some lovely walks, Walk up to the Grotto, the Folly, Penygarn or just…read morestroll around the park on the flat. Home of Pontypool Rugby Club - on match days don't expect to park anywhere near. I have fond memories of Pontypool Park from my childhood. Recently revisiting I was alarmed to see they had cut down quite a few large beautiful mature trees. I hope that they don't continue with this desecration as some parts of the park seemed a little bit boggy, probably due to there being less moisture taken out by the removed trees. I certainly hope that 'the powers that be' take good care of this oasis of calm for the benefit of future generations.