These six Elan Lakes are altogether around 7 miles long and the whole area is great for walkers…read more Each reservoir has a different character - my own favourite being Penygarreg as it is surrounded more by trees than moorland, and is particularly beautiful. The stone dams and their valve towers are very picturesque. You can see why this area is called the 'Lake District of Wales'!

A beautiful, quite remote lake to visit in the Taf Fechan Valley, though in reality it's only a few…read moremiles north of Merthyr Tydfil. It's a lovely place to walk and the Brecon Mountain Railway runs along part of the east side. The west side is particularly easy to walk on and there are many places to park along the roadside. There are lovely views and it's a bird-watcher's paradise too!

Even though this is situated within the stunning Brecon Beacons, which is roughly an hour away from…read moreCardiff I would recommend it be a valid tourist spot to take a walk in the wild woods too... It is full of peace and tranquillity and it's an amazing sight for sore eyes I can tell you. This place has a large man-made lake that is surrounded by lush; green mountains, tall trees and forests, and a few, long windy roads. You can hear the bird's twerp and flutter about. Winter is the best light and sight to see this place in, for you see the Ice laid over the water and freezing it up making the water become still so turns into ice. I would say that this is a very ideal for photographers and families or young couples romantically in love to come out walking too. Oh and wear some kind of walking boots or wellies.

Between Merthyr Tydfil and Brecon, you can't miss this reservoir if you're travelling on the A470…read more A nice place to stop and have a stroll or a picnic, there are two car parking bays on the roadside. There are waymarked paths to follow and you can walk or cycle all the way around. There is a cafe at the Garwnant Visitor Centre which is close to the northern end of the reservoir.

A beautiful setting situated between Merthyr and Brecon. Plenty of picnic tables so you can take…read moreyour own food and have a cheap day out. Lovely place for walking or cycling as it is flat so could also be great for kids.

If you want some fresh air, or even fish and chips overlooking a lake - then here is your spot…read more Here is some information regarding this lake - About the reserve Breeding birds include great crested and little grebe, gadwall, tufted duck, shoveler and pochard. Hobbies often feed over the area in late summer. When the water level falls, the mud attracts waders such as dunlin, ringed plover and green sandpipers. Summer sees large populations of dragonflies hunting over the water. These include ruddy darters and, later in the summer, migrant hawkers. Wintering wildfowl include important numbers of shoveler, gadwall, teal and tufted duck. Goosander, great crested grebe and cormorant also occur in large amounts. The reedbeds are a vital autumn feeding station for reed and sedge warblers prior to their migration. The winter gull roost is a spectacular sight with up to 50,000 or more, mostly of black-headed, common and Mediterranean gull. Chew Valley Lake often attracts rare birds, including osprey, the scarcer grebes, and an American wader or duck appears most years. There is a visitor centre and cafe run by Bristol Water at the picnic site near the dam. The Chew Valley Lake Birding website contains frequently updated news and information on its birds and wildlife, access, maps, and the definitive Chew bird list

Chew Valley Lake is a large reservoir that was created to provide water for Bristol, but is also a…read morepopular recreation area in the Chew Valley just outside the city. It's a great spot for picnics, easy walks, and bird-watching. My only niggle is that you can't actually get down to the lakeside (unless you have a fishing permit, perhaps) - you can only get teasingly close along a parallel pathway. Far busier during the summer (or at weekends and during school holidays), if you venture to the lake on most weekdays you'll find you've got the place virtually to yourself, bar a few retired dog walkers. The lake is a protected area and a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' because it's home to so many different species and important habitats - including more than 280 species of birds at the last count. There are two well-kept lakeside nature trails. The Grebe Trail is the most accessible of the two, with a hard surface suitable for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs, starting and ending at the wooded picnic area. The Bittern Trail (1 mile circuit), on the other hand, can get a bit muddy in parts in wet weather, although some of it is a raised board walk - and there's a bird hide where you can sit and watch the wildlife over the lake. You can take your dog to some areas, too - although there are lots of ducks around so if it's got the chase instinct (like mine has!) you'll need to keep it on the lead. Back at the car parking areas you'll find a landscaped picnic area and a café with indoor and outdoor seating areas. The café isn't great but it isn't bad either - serving up the usual hot and cold drinks plus snacks, basic meals and cakes. Car parks (free over the winter from October until April - then £1.50 throughout the summer, I believe) close at dusk, so don't get caught out and locked in! Note also that dring the winter the Lake is only open until 4:30pm.

Two reservoirs well worth a visit found high in the Brecon Beacons and perfect for walking along…read morethe banks and around the whole area. The smaller of the two is 12 acres and the other is more than four times larger. There are very few buildings in the vicinity; the ones that are there are run down and practically in ruins. The scenery is lovely with mountain views and there are many conifer plantations as well. I went there yesterday and enjoyed a walk in the spring sunshine. There were a few people fishing and a couple of others walking their dogs. You can park at the end of the cul-de-sac road next to the Lower Neuadd Reservoir.

Let me introduce you to one of my favourite places to exercise, stroll and stuff my face with…read moreprocessed meats (Summertime BBQ's) - Cosmeston Lakes. First opened in 1978, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village is situated not far from Cardiff, Barry and Penarth. It is open all year round for visitors to explore it's 247 acres of land, lakes, woodlands and meadows. There's even a reconstructed 14th Century Village set within the park. Things to remember for your next visit: Parking: FREE! Lakeside Café: The Lakeside Café serves breakfast, lunch and obligatory ice creams! Open daily from 8.30am - 6.30pm. Take a seat on the patio area and enjoy the lakeside views. BBQ and Picnics: There are several BBQ units throughout the park that are available to hire from £17. There are also lots of conveniently placed picnic benches. Bird Hide: For the keen bird watchers, a bird hide can be found overlooking the western lake (visit website for map). Access to the bird hide is via steps leading from the main path. Open 24 hours. Free of charge. Horse Riding: Horse Riding is permitted, however if you want to ride along the main paths you will have to purchase a permit which costs £20 per year. Medieval Village: Open 7 days a week. Free of charge! Adventure Playground: A large children's playground can be found on the opposite side of the lake from the car park. It features a range of climbing equipment, swings, slides and a boat.

Cosmeston Lakes are the filled in remains of limestone quarries in the 19th century. When I go…read morethere, I imagine old metal towers and drills slowly mouldering away under the calm surface, with all its ducks and reeds. Cosmeston offers an easily accessible set of lakes, paths, wide grass areas and boardwalks. It is a lovely area to take in, and is suitable for cycling. There's also a large play area for small and large children alike. Also on site there's a visitor centre, cafe and the ever-popular Medieval Village. This is a great area to settle down for the day. As you do so, imagine what the mines once looked like and be in awe of the restoration project that went on there.

If you're a bird nut, then you most likely already know all about this place. If not, then it's…read morewell worth a visit for anyone who has an appreciation for nature and wildlife. When Cardiff Bay was originally flooded, a massive amount of mudland was lost. Many environmentalists were in uproar about this decision, as the mudflats had always been full of wildlife, which would lose ts natural habitat. So the Newport Wetlands Reserve was created to provide new homes for thousands of birds, and has been quite a success. There is a visitor centre complete with a shop and cafe for visitors to the reserve, as well as lots on display about the forming of the wetlands and the birds that inhabit them. This is also a great place to come and spot fare wetland flowers and animals, such as butterflies, orchids and otters. This area catches the last light of the day, so is very pleasant for evening strolls.

I cannot recommend this place enough! This is a nature reserve built on reclaimed land and finished…read morejust a year ago. It is adjacent to a coal fired power station and is on a coastal strip of land that was, until the reclamation, polluted and of little use to man or bird. Now there is a modern visitor centre containing meeting rooms, café and a small shop selling bird-watching paraphernalia. However, it is the external site itself that is the main focus of my praise. It contains a wide range of habitats and is already attracting an impressive range of migrating birds from across the world. Both bird watching enthusiasts as well as interested amateurs are catered for at this centre. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and there is a good variety of courses planned throughout the coming year.

I've walked alongside this reservoir as part of a 50 mile 'Taff Trail' sponsored walk (between…read moreBrecon and Cardiff), but it's also a lovely place to visit for a shorter walk along the banks. You can walk across the dam wall at the end of the reservoir too. There are car parking places here and there, bird hides and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. On my last visit I saw several herons there. The nearest village is Talybont-on-Usk on the way to Brecon where there is a shop, post office and pubs.

Very poor for water sports, used to be good many years ago but way way to expensive know, just to…read moremany restrictions.