Locomoting around Llandaff
Friday 15th September
We left the campsite in Llangennith just after 10.30am and drove through the Gower Peninsula to Swansea and then headed on the M4 towards Cardiff. Llandaff is our destination today, it’s a city within a city! Roald Dahl, celebrated children’s author was also born and lived here. Other ‘celebrities’ from Llandaff include Charlotte Church (Singer/Songwriter) and Terry Nation (Screenwriter and novelist) Llandaff is a small historic city about 2 miles to the north of Cardiff’s City Centre, it lies on the west bank of the River Taff. It wasn’t part of Cardiff until 1922 when the county borough of Cardiff was extended to include it. It has a village feel to it with a small High Street and village green around the top near the Cathedral. Which is why we are here, it’s the last of six Welsh Cathedrals that Steve (my husband) is visiting and I have made up a 5km ish Nordic Walking route from the Cathedral through many of the local parks using the OS Map App. Our daughter was based here during the first year of her Degree course at Cardiff Metropolitan University a few years ago so we have visited the area before, but not really explored it beyond the local Tesco, Ice -Cream Parlour or Toby’s Carvery!
The Cathedral Green
We arrive around 12.30pm and manage to park right by the Cathedral Close so decide to have our packed lunch on a bench in the sunshine (We’ve been so fortunate with the weather on this trip!) There’s lots of impressive looking buildings around the green and some are associated with the Cathedral (the Bishop’s House and the Dean’s House) There’s also a Bronze statue to a Vicar - James Rice Buckley who was Vicar of Llandaff (1878-1924) and then Archdeacon from1923 until his death. The inscription reads “a man he was to all the country dear”
War Memorial on the Cathedral Green and other items around the Cathedral Green.
“The War Memorial on The Green is in the form of a statue showing a female 'Llandaff' remembering her two sons. The figure on the left represents the young men from the Cathedral School who died, and the figure on the right represents all the young men from the parish who lost their lives. The class difference between the two figures is clearly, and touchingly, drawn, as they are bound together in death. It was created by Sir William Goscombe John, whose work is displayed throughout the village, on The Green and at the Cathedral.” From Peoplescollection.wales
After our lunch we went our separate ways, me having a wander around the Cathedral Green before embarking on my Nordic Walk route, Steve off to the Cathedral.
Down the Dean’s Steps!
I set off down the Dean’s Steps to reach the Cathedral to pick up the footpath to the river, passing the start of the Pilgrimage route from Llandaff to Pen-Rhys in the Rhonnda.
The Nordic Walking route today takes me on parts of The Cambrian Way and the Taff Trail and on a traffic-free cycle way!
The first part of the route takes me through sports fields owned by Cardiff Met Uni and then past the Uni itself along the River Taff, crossing the busy A48 and onto a traffic-free cycle way.
it’s quite a green, leafy start!
The river Taff and some of the footpaths
I pass the Pontcanna Allotments, the Cardiff Riding School and the Cardiff Caravan and Camping Park (who knew!) I had to have a gander for research purposes!
Plenty of wildlife to spot in and around the river!
At the end of Pontcanna Fields I head back across to the River Taff back on the Taff Trail and then cross the Blackweir Bridge back on to the Cambrian Way. I’m on the edge of Bute Park.
The Sports Fields and footpaths are full of dog walkers, Mums pushing prams, cyclists, runners and others walking to who knows where! I’m soon in familiar territory - Tescos looms up on my right hand side!
I head under the underpass and here I’m meant to cross back over to the Cathedral side of the river, but a quick squizz at the OS Map App and I decide to carry on to the next bridge as I’m having such a lovely Nordic Walk!
Cathedral Spire in the distance, rower on the Taff, Llandaff Rowing Club behind the weir and the Pilgrimage Way waymarker.
I lost the path around the Llandaff Rowing club, had to retrace my steps and scrutinise the OS Map! Eventually the Cathedral comes into view through the trees and I walk up past it to explore the area at the top.
At the top I find ruins of a 13th century bell tower, a preaching cross and the ruins of the former Bishop’s Palace. Also Saint Teilo’s Well, an ancient well sited on a spring line above the Cathedral. Teilo was one of three Celtic saints in honour whose the Cathedral Church at Llandaff was originally dedicated. Teilo was the second Bishop consecrated to Llandaff in the sixth Century.
Ruins of the former Bishop’s Palace. Now provides space for locals and visitors to enjoy the peace and beauty.
and that’s all folks! Six welsh Cathedral cities visited and Nordic Walked and our Welsh tour of 2023 is complete!
