Penarth Things to Do

4 more images

The beach is of course the main attraction of this seaside resort town. I was surprised to see that it was a pebbled beach, and at this time of the year and day it did not look overwhelmingly inviting, but I think it must be nice on a summer day. There is an esplanade running along it that looks very pretty with its old-fashioned lamps.
There is also a pavilion and pier, similar to the one in Brighton that I had seen before, but it has sadly fallen into disrepair. There were big posters asking for donations, apparently a fundraising is planned to restore the pavilion to its former glory.

There are also many beautiful historical buildings at the waterfront, so a stroll here on a sunny day must be very nice.

2 more images

Penarth only had a very short entry in my guidebook, so I would not even have known about St Augustine, had not the guide on the boat trip in Cardiff Bay pointed it out. He told us that it was possible to walk to Penarth along the Barrage, and also that St Augustine was located there, on the highest point in this southern part of Wales!

Yes, it indeed is the highest point, and it is quite strenuous to walk up to the church, but I still found it worth it. Unfortunately the church was closed, so I could not see the splendid Victorian interior, but I could still see the exterior and the nice graveyard with wonderful views over Cardiff Bay and the water - actually not the worst location to be buried!

There was already a church at this site in 1242, but the present building was only constructed in 1866, replacing a church that had become too small for the growing community of Penarth. The tower was built very tall and strong looking, to be a landmark seen from afar, similar to a lighthouse. It was modeled on the tower of the previous church that was located here.

I could not find any info about opening times of the church, but when I visit Penarth again one day I think I will ring the office and ask - I would really like to see the interior of this church, it looks so nice on pictures: Interior picture on Victorian Web

In the 1960s, the docks of Penarth were closed and fell into disrepair, exactly like the ones in Cardiff. The coal trade had collapsed and there was no more use for them. However, about twenty years later, redevelopment started and a part of the docks was converted into a Marina. The old basins were used to create this new, pretty place. It is located at the side of Cardiff Bay, not the seaside. There are a few restaurants and cafés located here as well.
A nice place for a stroll!

This is a very nice park located between the beach and the town centre, it makes a good shortcut to walk here instead of walking along the streets. It is very well cared for and laid out in Edwardian style, with hedges and pathways. There is also a bandstand where concerts are held in summer.
The park was opened in 1902 as a recreational space for the public.

I do not have any pictures because I walked here with a local couple who showed me the way to the train station and I did not want to delay them. I wish I would have found out about the park earlier during my short visit to Penarth, it would have been nice to spend some more time here!

Currently run by Ffotogallery, so you can expect exhibitions of photographs, which is not a bad thing. There have been some excellent exhibitions over the last twelve months!

Turner House was built in 1888 and is a self-contained gallery on two floors.

There is a footpath next to the building which leads to Penarth sea-front. It takes you past the towns pleasant Alexandra Park.

Turner House gallery is free to enter. Open Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm.

This great little space is literally around the corner from the train station and can't be missed if you walk from the station into the centre of town.

It is part of the National Museums & Galleries of Wales and is midway through being operated by Ffotogallery, the national development agency for photography in Wales, for a two year period as a gallery for contemporary photography.

The exhibition on show had some very thought provoking urban pieces and I particularly liked those that concentrated on the texture of their subject matter.

The building itself is a beautiful little space - yet another of those places where I am in danger of admiring the architecture more than the art on show... ;-)

This brilliant Art Deco building once housed Penarth's largest cinema, it now houses what is billed as 'Cardiff's leading contemporary art gallery by the sea'...

The downstairs part of the gallery contains quite a chic and airy cafe serving the usual fare with the rest of the floor taken up by a modest gallery shop.

Upstairs are a couple of largish rooms that host regular exhibitions featuring both local and foreign (many European) artists. Details can be found at the gallery website.

When we were here on a sunny around lunchtime, so the cafe was full but looked very nice. The exhibition wasn't bad - but again it was the building that I really enjoyed!

2 more images

Cosmeston Country Park consists of acres af unspoilt Countryside centred around a series of lakes which have been created at the site of a disused quarry. It is a haven for wildlife and has been known to attract birdwatchers from far and wide when a rare bird decides to pay a visit. There are many walking trails & cycling paths for you to enjoy here as well as organised wildlife events which take place during the year.