This ancient semi-natural woodland in Lisvane provides the local residents with a fantastic space…read morefor informal recreation, whether it's walking or just enjoying a picnic. The park covers 5 hectares and is owned by Cardiff Council, although locals get involved to help improve and manage the woodlands. The Nant Fawr brook, which runs through the area and finally tips out into Roath Park Lake, was once used to power the Llanishen Corn Mill, and you can still see the old mill pond on the site. If you listen out you can often hear the hammer of woodpeckers in this woodland, and if you keep your eyes peeled to the tree trunks you might spot a tree creeper working its way up and down, hunting for tasty morsels. There is a network of paths throughout, but four main ones that meet at a cross roads.

The best time to go to these woods is in the spring when you can see them carpeted in bluebells and…read morelooking completely magical. They are a pretty sight all year round, however, encompassing 14 acres of mixed native broadleaved woodland with semi natural ancient woodland along a long flat enclosure teetering at the edge of a steep valley drop. It is a valuable section of the Nant Fawr corridor that is recognised by the County Council as having strategic importance in terms of recreation, amenity and wildlife. Hidden away within Lisvane, Cardiff the area is designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Those of you keen to get involved in keeping the place looking lovely should get in touch with the Friends of Coed-y-Felin, a group of volunteers, mainly of neighbours from around the wood, and whose objectives include conserving and improving the woods, wildlife, flora and fauna and to promote the educational enjoyment of Coed-y-Felin. Also look out for: Pied Flycatchers in summer who migrate from Africa to nest in Northern Europe.

Winding its way from Cardiff Bay's sparkling waterfront in the south through the South Wales…read moreValleys and up to the market town of Brecon further north, the 55-mile long Taff Trail passes through a wide variety of urban and rural Welsh landscapes. Used by both cyclists and walkers, much of it is traffic free - following the line of former tramway, canal and railway routes. Lots of people use a particular stretch of the Taff Trail to cycle to work or for leisure outings, while more serious cyclists and walkers complete the whole thing. Some of the route is suitable for all abilities of walkers or cyclists (such as the trail through Cardiff's Bute Park), whereas other parts are more remote and strenuous and require a certain level of fitness and planning. For those who want to do the trail in just one direction, the handy Beacons Bike Bus runs between Cardiff and Brecon on Sundays during the summer months to transport you back to where you started!

The Taff Trail stretches from Brecon, a market town in mid wales, down 55 miles to Cardiff Bay on…read morethe south coast. This is a truly remarkable cycling (or walking if you're crazed) tour that can be done over a period of a couple of days, or just in sections when and as you like. Along the way there are facilities and camping grounds nestled in some of the most superb countryside that South Wales has to offer. The trail makes its way through the Brecon Beacons, a spectacular national park, and then on through the Valleys. If you want to spend some time in the rolling Welsh hills, there's no better way to do it. The cycle route is challenging without being too difficult for the average cyclist. This is mainly due to some long hills between Brecon and Pontsarn, but then it's all downhill. Literally. Whichever way you're travelling. The trail is suitable for people of all ages, and does not tend to be too busy. You can really get out into the thick of it.

If you're visiting the enchanting fairytale castle of Castell Coch, it's well worth exploring this…read moreancient woodland that surrounds it, and the sculpture trail of public art. It's Forestry Commission Beech woodland linked to the castle by public rights of Way, and is popular with walkers and horse riders. It's also along the Taff Trail route, so you can walk or cycle directly to or from Cardiff to Castell Coch and its woodlands In the Springtime, particularly May, it's especially beautiful - as is the case with many of Cardiff's woodlands. The rather 'aromatic' white garlic flowers carpet the woodland floor, along with bluebells and wood anemone - and this is one of the best times to visit.

This is a tranquil Wildlife Trust reserve covering 42 acres of deciduous woodland and wetlands near…read morethe village of Pentyrch on the outskirts of Cardiff, offering a great place to escape from it all. You can still spot the remnants of the local colliery owner's cottage on the site, and many of the paths follow disused tramway lines once used for transporting coal. Made up mainly of oak, beech, ash and alder, it's a very popular place to visit during the Spring when the snowdrops and later the bluebells are lining the forest floor. In the autumn, however, there are lots of weird and wonderful fungi growing here, which are equally colourful. The park is a good spot for some rare wildlife, particularly moths and butterflies, and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the rare species of plants that grow there. You can also often spot woodpeckers and other bird life such as marsh tits if you know what you're looking for. Streams form ponds in some places, which provide habitats and breeding grounds for frogs and toads, and there are loads of dragonflies and damselflies around the pond edges. Some areas get pretty muddy during and after wet weather, so don wellies if it hasn't been dry!

If you like mud then this place is great. Will come back when the weather is better but for now,…read morethe paths are quite boggy and slippery. It is difficult to get to as there is no access near convenient parking but it is worth the effort to get here. There is a diverse range of flora and fauna and the species differ from each side of the stream. The Garth is imposing to the North and there are some relaxing spots to sit and think about what this place was like when it was a working mine. Enjoy it but don't all come at once as it is nice and quiet!!

The Wentloog Levels are actually a man-made area of flat land reclaimed from the sea centuries ago,…read moreand drained by a network of reens that offer a valuable habitat for wildlife. There's a sea wall along the coastline to prevent the sea from claiming back the land, and you can walk along the sea wall for windswept views across the remote estuary. It's a million miles from Cardiff Bay and other highly developed parts of the coastline, and at low tide the mudflats are revealed with all their weird and wonderful patterns - alongside areas of salt marsh, offering a popular feeding ground for thousands of birds. Inevitably you will see the odd bird watcher descending on the area with their binos, but other than that this area is fairly remote and uncrowded.

At Plymouth Great Woods and the surrounding St Fagans and Ely Valley, the river has carved out a…read morevalley that's full of woodland and meadows criss-crossed by a network of footpaths and Rights of Way. These link the urban area of Cardiff with the historic village of St Fagans, home to the St Fagans National History Museum, one of Europe's top open air museums. This is a lovely green area that's well worth exploring if you want to escape more formal city centre parks for somewhere with a more rural feel, and is a great spot for dog walking.

The Ely Trail is a new off-road cycling and walking trail passing through a variety of landscapes…read morewhich will eventually run along the entire length of the River Ely that's within Cardiff Council's boundaries. It is mainly off-road style stone and dust paths, and most of it is complete except for the old Paper Mill site (known as 'Arjo Wiggins') at Ely Bridge. This means that Cardiff residents (and visitors!) can enjoy walking or cycling right the way from Cardiff Bay up to St. Fagans, and when the trail is finished it will link into the Taff Trail and the Coastal Path. The Council has now produced leaflets which provide information about each section of the trail, which are worth downloading if you're planning to explore it - so you know what to look out for en route!

Splott Park isn't a bad park, but Cardiff has so many wonderful green spaces unless you live in the…read moreSplott area you'd be unlikely to ever visit it! Apart from green, open spaces there's a play area, a skate park, tennis courts, a bowling green, and pathways. Right at the heart of the park you'll also find Splott Swimming Pool. It is also used for 5-a-side football and netball, but most surprising of all it is home to a mountain bike track! It might not be the most adrenalin-inducing track ever, but for an urban park it's not bad and it's backed by dense, mature trees giving it a green backdrop. The whole space feels like it's well-kept and there are plenty of decent bench seats dotted about. The entrance is via Muirton Road.