Things to do in Vale of Glamorgan

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park near Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan covers over 250 acres and combines two large lakes formed from flooded limestone quarries with nature reserves, picnic areas, a reconstructed medieval village and walking and cycling trails. The lakes formed naturally when quarrying ceased in the early twentieth century and now support great crested grebes, kingfishers, herons and numerous wildfowl species within a Local Nature Reserve. The reconstructed medieval village, based on archaeological excavations within the park, is a life-size recreation of a fourteenth-century Welsh settlement interpreted with costumed demonstrations during events. One of the most varied and educationally rich country parks in Wales, Cosmeston is easily accessible from Cardiff.

Llantwit Major Beach, also known as Col-huw Beach, is a dramatic beach in the Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Coast, reached through a steep wooded valley from the historic town of Llantwit Major and opening onto a wide expanse of sand and shingle backed by the high limestone and red sandstone cliffs of the Heritage Coast. The beach is one of the most naturally spectacular on the south Wales coast, with the complex geology of the cliffs exposing layers of limestone, mudstone and coal measure rocks that have attracted geologists and fossil hunters for generations. The Heritage Coast path along the clifftops between here and Nash Point provides some of the finest coastal walking in south Wales. The adjacent town of Llantwit Major contains one of the most significant early Christian sites in Wales, with a church preserving important carved stones from the sixth-century monastery founded by Saint Illtud.

Ogmore Castle near Bridgend in the Vale of Glamorgan is a ruined Norman castle in an exceptionally picturesque setting where the River Ogmore flows over a series of flat stepping stones below the castle walls. The castle was founded by William de Londres in the early twelfth century as part of the Norman conquest of the Vale of Glamorgan and remained the principal seat of the de Londres family throughout the medieval period. The substantial remains of the stone keep and enclosure walls, combined with the famous stepping stones and the attractive water meadows of the Ogmore valley, create one of the most visited and photographed castle settings in south Wales. The nearby village of Ogmore-by-Sea and the coastal dune system at Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve complement the castle visit, and the broader Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Coast provides exceptional walking along the limestone cliffs.

Penarth Marina is a modern marina development in the outer harbour area of Penarth on the north shore of the Bristol Channel in the Vale of Glamorgan, providing berths for a significant number of leisure vessels and forming part of the broader regeneration of the Penarth waterfront. The marina is located immediately south of Cardiff Bay Barrage, close to the border between Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, and provides sailing and boating access to the Bristol Channel and the outer reaches of Cardiff Bay. The waterfront development around the marina includes residential apartments, a hotel and waterfront dining, creating an attractive harbourside environment. The marina serves as a base for sailing clubs and water sports activities on the Bristol Channel and is part of the wider regeneration of the Penarth seafront that has also seen the restoration and redevelopment of the Victorian pleasure pier as a cultural venue.

Penarth Pier is a Victorian pleasure pier opened in 1894 on the Glamorgan coast south of Cardiff, one of the most elegant and well-maintained seaside piers in Wales. Recently renovated with a new pavilion building providing a café, cinema and events space, the pier has been reinvigorated as a social and cultural destination. The esplanade running along the clifftop offers extensive views across the Bristol Channel toward Somerset and Exmoor, with Flat Holm and Steep Holm islands visible on clear days. Penarth is connected to Cardiff by regular train and is one of the most visited seaside destinations in south Wales. The town contains Victorian and Arts and Crafts architecture, a Turner House Gallery and the adjacent Cosmeston Lakes Country Park to the south.

Porthkerry Park is a large country park in Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, occupying a wooded valley leading down to a beach at Porthkerry Bay on the Bristol Channel coast. The park covers over 220 acres of ancient woodland, meadow and beach habitat managed by the Vale of Glamorgan Council as a freely accessible public amenity for the communities of Barry and the surrounding Vale. The beach at the foot of the valley is a quiet and relatively secluded stretch of shingle and sand at the base of limestone cliffs, providing a natural contrast to the more intensively developed beaches of nearby Barry Island. The wooded valley above contains ancient sessile oak woodland of considerable ecological interest, with walking trails connecting the beach to the upper park. The Victorian viaduct that crosses the valley head is a prominent heritage feature and the park's combination of coastal access, ancient woodland and open meadow makes it one of the most varied country parks in the Vale.

The South Wales Aviation Museum, also known as the Wales Aircraft Museum, is located at Cardiff Airport at Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, housing a collection of historic aircraft and aviation artefacts celebrating the history of aviation in Wales and the broader development of British civil and military aviation. The outdoor collection includes a range of aircraft spanning several decades of aviation history, from piston-engined training aircraft to early jet aircraft that defined the post-war era of military aviation. The museum provides an accessible and informative introduction to the history of flight for families and aviation enthusiasts visiting Cardiff Airport or the Vale of Glamorgan. The collection is maintained by volunteers and entrance is typically free or low-cost, providing one of the few aviation heritage experiences in Wales.

St Quentin's Castle at Llanblethian near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan is a ruined thirteenth-century castle associated with the de St Quentin family, one of the Norman lords who established themselves in the Vale of Glamorgan following the conquest of the region in the late eleventh and twelfth centuries. The castle is a fine example of a Welsh Marches enclosure castle of the thirteenth century, with the remaining towers and curtain walls giving a clear impression of the original plan. The site is managed by Cadw and freely accessible. The village of Llanblethian and the adjacent historic town of Cowbridge are among the most attractive settlements in the Vale of Glamorgan, with Cowbridge's well-preserved High Street and surviving town walls providing one of the finest small historic towns in south Wales. The Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Coast to the south provides dramatic limestone cliff scenery within easy reach.