Built around 4000BC, and within a long barrow which is now removed, this is an interesting small…read moreburial chamber. It's possible to walk easily from the road and stand within the up-rights under the capstone. There are usually cattle in the field and they are quite inquisitive - they may come to look at what you're up to! Best to wear wellies as it can be muddy throughout the year. Whilst in the area, try to also visit Tinkinswood Burial Chamber which is less than a mile away.

I should be clear here, that I'm not about to write any sort of political review. Hardly. I'm the…read morekind of person who forgets to register to vote. No, instead I'm going to merely make a couple of comments upon the building at Cardiff Bay and the crazy landmark that it's become. The National Assembly building is an incredible piece of architecture. Built around the same time as the Wales Millennium Centre, there are similar vibes to the two buildings. Both use open wood cladding, and a whole lot of slate. There is also an importance placed upon roofs in both buildings. While the Millennium Centre is endearingly known as The Armadillo to locals, I'm not sure is the Assemble building has ever acquired such a description. This is probably because the roof defies description. It's massive and all encompassing and seemed to somehow float on glass walls by nothing more than the desperate willpower of the people who work there. If it was to have a nickname, I might suggest: The Umbrella, The Toadstool or even The Flying Carpet. Worth a look.

I came here and did a tour with tour guide Gareth and I'm pretty happy about the National Assembly…read morefor Wales and what it represents! I'm from America and back in the States I was pretty politically active and was passionate about what I believed in. However, when it comes to politics in the UK and especially Wales I'm pretty clueless about what the Welsh Assembly actually accomplishes (no offense). Asking my Welsh partner and he has no idea either. However, leaving the tour I feel a great respect for the National Assembly for Wales and all the people surrounding it! ~ Fun facts: - Anyone can come in and watch the political debates for free. Anyone can come by and speak to their representatives and voice your opinion. Back when everything about Wales was decided in England, it would be pretty hard to travel all the way to London to get your voice heard about local issues. The fact that the National Assembly for Wales is so accessible to the public is a great thing! - To submit a petition to the Welsh Assembly and guarantee it on the agenda as a talking point, you don't have to be of any age and you only need 10 signatures. Yes, that's right. 10. So if you're from a really small area, if an issue is important to you you can make sure you get your voice heard regardless. --- Yes, the building is without a doubt beautiful. But the National Assembly for Wales and what it represents is amazing. Even if you don't agree with what they do, the fact that you can just rock up and actually VOICE that disagreement is something that every government should strive for! Please try to go on a guided tour as well; you'll learn a lot! Gareth was amazing and entertaining as well, I highly recommend him!

This peninsular that stretches out into the ocean is a great place to go for a quieter walk away…read morefrom the hubbub of the Barry Island amusements and beach (busy, that is, during the summer). If you are on the main Promenade of Barry Island and looking out to sea, Friar's Point is the peninsular you can see immediately to you right. Just head along the coast towards it. Go on. I dare ya. The Friar's Point Meadow is preserved by the Vale of Glamorgan Council as a place of natural interest. It is home to various forms of wildlife. If you take a wander down to the of the peninsular you get a panoramic view from this part of South East Wales. You can see across to Flatholm, Steepholm and across the Bristol Channel to England. If all of this walking has got you wanting more then you can head further along the coast to a quieter beach and have a swim in the freezing Welsh waters. I'm not even going to pretend that it's a rewarding experience. Your body will hate you.

At over 650 feet long, Penarth Pier sticks out into the Bristol Channel off the South Wales…read morecoastline. Part of a once thriving Victorian seaside town, the pier is still massively popular with tourists and locals alike. I saw in the Millennium on the end of this pier; my family all trooped down in coats and gloves to watch the sun go down for the last time of 1999. So for me, it had pretty spectacular memories attached to it. Apart from the pier itself, the fishing opportunities, the ice-cream and the fish and chips, admittedly Penarth pier has not got a massive list of further attractions to its name. But the sea front is a very pleasant place to watch the sun go down from one of the many beautiful restaurants and bars that line it. Only a ten minute drive from the centre of Cardiff, Penarth Pier, I think, is an excellent place to while away a summer evening.

Penarth Pier is one of only two surviving pleasure piers in South Wales (the other being at Mumbles…read morenear Swansea), and is one of the main attractions in the town and former port of Penarth. The 200m-long pier was begun in 1894 and completed in 1895, to the designs of H F Edwards. When built, the cast iron structure with its wooden deck was really no more than a landing stage, until a wooden pavilion was built at the seaward end in 1907. The pier was taken over by the local council in 1926, and three years later an attractive Pavilion was built at the land end, which still survives. This is an odd mix of Art Deco and Oriental architecture, but somehow works visually. Like many piers, it has had an eventful past. In 1931, a fire broke out on the seaward pavilion, entailing the rescue of some of the 800 people who were on the pier at the time. The pier was rebuilt by 1931 but the seaward pavilion was not replaced. In 1947, the 7,000-ton ship 'Port Royal Park' collided with the pier in a severe gale, destroying a large section of the structure, and entailing two more years of repairs. Another mishap occurred in 1966 when the White Funnel steamer 'Bristol Queen' collided with the pier, although thankfully the damage this time was less extensive. The pier has always been a popular call for pleasure steamers and at one time a regular ferry service was operated to the Somerset coast across the Bristol Channel: this gave me one of my earliest memories, crossing from Weston-super-Mare to Penarth to visit my grandparents, around the time of the opening of the Severn Bridge in 1966. The pier itself was refurbished in 1998, and now has free entry. There are plans to refurbish the Pavilion as an education and entertainment venue, although an approach to the Heritage Lottery Fund Wales have recently been rebuffed. The pier and pavilion are listed at Grade II. However, it is still a popular spot for fishing and for those simply strolling and enjoying the sea views. Entertainment is laid on most summers, and the steamers 'Waverly' (the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world) and 'Balmoral', which still call in the summer months, remain as popular as ever.

As a result of the Gavin and Stacey fame, the lady who actually lives in the house that was used in…read morethe filming for the program has opened her house up to Gavin and Stacey fans. The delightful lady, Glenda Kenyon is very welcoming and gives and informative tour including pictures to look at and gives all an insight into what it's like to live 'on location'. You are welcomed to take lots of pictures and even use the bathroom if required. Many of the street scenes took place in Trinity Street and Glenda will point them all out to you. (Stacey & Gwen, Uncle Bryn and Doris all live here) Glenda does not accept money for the tour but if you feel like donating, her favourite charity is the RSPCA and donations are optional. Last year, she raised close to £1000 for the cause. You are also encouraged to write a message to the shows cast in a visitors book. Well worth a visit!!

This unusually well preserved ancient monument constructed approx 4000 BC is easily found off…read moreDuffryn lane - just look out for the sign. A short walk across a field allows direct access to the tomb. It's possible to walk around the exterior and to enter the inside as well. The capstone is one of the largest in the UK, estimated to weigh around 40 tons! There is an unusual atmosphere near this chamber with the wildlife seeming to avoid it! Well worth a visit. While in this area, it's a good idea to also visit the burial chamber at St Lythans.

The Barrage is a great place for a relaxing walk or a bit of boat-watching, and on a clear day you…read morecan see right across the Bristol Channel to where our English bretherin live. It's a bit of a walk from the bay, probably about half an hour, but it's a very pleasant one and there's some interesting scenery on the way, ranging from old warehouses to small historic displays. Once you reach the Barrage you'll be treated to stunning views of the whole of the Bay, and if you're here at sunset then there are some brilliant photo opportunities to be had. There's also plentiful fishing to be had and it can be a good spot for bird-watching if it's the right time of year. There are regular benches along the way if you need a quick break and some toilet stops if you forgot to go back in the Bay. At the middle of the Barrage there's a small decking area with some sail-like structures above it that make for a nice quiet spot if you want to pause and take in the view, or if you just want to go somewhere for some me-time. And of course there's the barrage gates where you can watch the comings and goings of the boats and the lock mechanisms in action.

This is my favourite place to walk, run, skip or cycle in the whole of Cardiff…read more It takes about half an hour (if you walk, if you skip its a little less) to get to the barrage, at a nice pace, and along the way you will pass many a scene worth taking in from the skater park, to an outside exhibition about the importance coal had in the south Wales economy etc etc etc. When you get to the barrage you can watch boats of all shape and sizes (depending on the depth of the owners pockets) leaving and coming into the bay through its impressive mechanical locks. I'm nowhere near describing how nice it can be to experience this walk so all I'll say is if you are in the bay and have an hour or so to spare then take a walk down to the barrage and you will not be disappointed.

Visiting Flat Holm Island is a must for anyone who loves wildlife, or anyway who fancies getting…read moreout on the water and spending a day in the elements. A day visit consists of a two hour return boat trip and 3 hours to spend o the Island. Its a bit of a bird watching haven and what you see would depend on the time of year you go. They do all sorts of educational events and tours. I'm not much of a wildlife expert and didn't really see anything excited so just had a walk around, some tea in the cafe and came back. But I do know its an area of ecological importance so don't let me put you off. Costs £16.50 per adult and £8 per child.

Just 5 miles from Cardiff, this teeny little island feels more remote than it really is, and is…read morepacked with both history and wildlife. You can easily get there by boat from the Barrage South Water Bus Stop in Penarth Marina (previously, before July 2010, passengers departed from Channel View Leisure Centre - but this is no longer the case). A short day trip to the island (available from March to October) gives you three hours there, which is just about enough - you can fit in a self guided tour (using a pack provided) to discover the island's historic buildings and wildlife, then enjoy a snack at the café before returning to Penarth Marina. Although the island is very small, it has had many uses over the centuries. It was once a retreat for monks in the Dark Ages, and has become a sanctuary for Vikings, Anglo Saxons, silver miners and smugglers over the years. In the late 19th century it was even used as an isolation hospital for cholera sufferers to protect the mainland against the epidemic. It's most famous, however, because the world's first radio transmission across water was made from Flat Holm to Lavernock Point on 13 May 1897. Nowadays, the island is a peaceful place inhabited by all sorts of wildlife, including seabird colonies such as Shelduck, Oystercatchers, Rock Pipits, Finches, Turnstone and Dunlin, plus other wildlife such as slow worms, common lizards, butterflies and all sorts of plants. It makes for an enjoyable day trip, and the boat ride itself is fun.

The home of the Welsh Assembly was typically a very controversial new build cost millions. Still I…read morethink its money well spent. Its an environmentally friendly design which takes heat from the ground and uses rainwater collected from the roof to clean the windows and flush the toilets! Anyway it the spirit of openness visitors are allowed in the building after a bit of a security search. You can look down on the debating chamber or just sit around and admire the wood. Non much else to do there really The step outside are good for a sit down with an ice-crem.

Officially the National Assembly for Wales is described as a devolved assembly with power to make…read morelegislation in Wales. In actual fact I have no idea what they do in that building buts its pleasant on the eye. It uses traditional Welsh materials such as slate and Welsh Oak in its construction, and the design is based around the concepts of openness and transparency - how ironic then that it houses politicians who are anything but or maybe that's the point. As Anna said the design is environmentally friendly and in addition to rain water cleaning the windows and flushing the toilets (let's hope those pipes don't get crossed somewhere as the window wouldn't ended up very clean) the roof features a wind cowl which funnels natural light and air into the debating chamber below. Is it worth going inside? not particularly - just get a photo op outside and its ticked off your list. As i said its a nice looking structure and just another reason why the bay can be so picturesque and worth visiting.