Absolutely beautiful! I was rather surprised by how pleasant this visitor destination is. The…read morereserve is fascinating and the staff are incredibly informed. I came here with my family one weekend and we had a lovely walk amongst the reeds and it was great to be surrounded by the channel/severn (you can get some great pictures)! Recently they have also added a little cafe, which is bright, very clean, and serves some fantastic cakes (you'll deserve them after your walk)!

A beautiful reserve hidden in Newport with plenty of wildlife to see and a lovely gift store…read morealthough the prices are expensive. The RSPB website states that it offers vegan food at the cafe here but I couldn't see any vegan options available at the counter or on the menu and when I asked about it, it appeared that the staff did not understand what veganism was. Despite this, the reserve itself is wonderful, definitely worth the visit as you also get a beautiful view of the coastline where you can see more birds.

This is another former licensed tipping ground that's now been transformed into a haven for…read morewildlife and conservation - something Cardiff seems to be very good at! At the heart of the park there's a 4 hectare lake , which is circled by two kilometres of footpath, plus a boardwalk that snakes across the lake. The lake itself is stocked with fish, and at the water's edge lots of reeds and other greenery has been planted to encourage wildlife. You can often spot coots, swans, mallards and other birds around the water's edge, and colourful dragonflies hovering about and landing on the reeds. The only thing I would say is that you're quite exposed at this park, so if it's very hot or very windy there aren't so many places to shelter! If you're driving here, there's a car park off Lamby Way with picnic tables, or you can park on streets in Rumney then just walk the short way to the park via Brachdy Lane.

For anyone into fishing, Hendre Lake Park in the St Mellon's area of the city is well worth knowing…read moreabout. The whole park is centred around the big 10-acre lake - where you'll also often spot local school children enjoying some educational pond-dipping sessions during the week. It's right next to a substantial residential housing area, so tends to be well-used and is far from 'remote' - but it's a pleasant enough space for a walk and some wildlife spotting. There's been quite a bit of European Union funding given to the project, and the lake is constantly being improved to make the fishing better there. Most of the park falls within the Gwent Levels Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of all the rare and protected plants that grow in the area, particularly in the reens (which are historic ditches criss crossing the area). The lake itself is obviously used for fishing and by schools for environmental studies, but there are also pathways running around the edge for casual walkers and joggers.

Located on an industrial estate between a welders workshop and site for building materials, this…read moreperky lime green warehouse stands out a mile. Yummy mummies and their 4x4's stream in and out of the well guarded gates and high walls that lead to a sanitary paradise of indoor-outdoor adventure. Parc (Welsh for park) is marketed as an 'all weather playground' and it divvies up as two thirds indoors and one third out. The outdoor bit has a fantastic sandy 'beach' area, with large wooden boat complete with pirate flags. In-between the in and the outdoors there is a zip wire, water play area, two swings and a large slide. Inside there are two 'tube' slides, wooden adventure walkway with bridges and ropes and a toddlers area aimed at the 1-4's. The facilities include a cafe area, lots of seating throughout and toilets. I love the little touches such as the double-seater stripy deckchairs. In winter the heated cafe area, with clear views of the toddlers area, is the place to be. I have to admit it I've had my eye on this place from the outset. We live across the river from Parc and when I saw the sign go up wizzed over for a preview. I met the builders (our new, but temporary neighbours) and came back with a carboot full of wood offcuts for the burner. I thought - "a wooden playground on an industrial estate? I like!" ...And I still do, but as I mentioned earlier I do find this type of indoor 'gated' playground a little too sanitary for my taste and in many ways prefer taking my toddler to the beach or the park - But shock horror what if it rains?! A: I just let him get wet. Another small gripe, it seems that there is a small jump from toddler to confident child in terms of the equipment on offer. There could be more for the 3-6's here I feel. All in all well worth a visit, good place to hang out with your mummy mates. Bring your own picnic, sit down, chillax and have a natter...ok if you've got an under 5 that mayyy not happen! Opening hours: Weekdays 10am - 6:30pm last entry 5pm, weekends & school holidays 10am - 6pm last entry 4:30pm Cost: Adults £1.50 peak, £1 off peak. Children £5 peak, £3.50 off peak, reductions for more than 1 child. Note: Parties catered for - but pre-book. Also note: Visits are limited to 2.5 hours on very busy day (but that's about right anyway) Tip: As you can imagine it gets busy during school holidays and after school Tip: Free wifi Top tip: Walk , train it or cycle and get 50p off!

You'd think a place like this would be my idea of hell, but I have to admit I was really impressed…read morewith the facilities at Parc - it's too bad they didn't have play areas like this when I was a kid! I'd never be privy to playgrounds if it weren't for my beloved's two year daughter, who tires herself out by running endlessly from tunnel to slide and back again. I can't wait until she's a bit older so I can live vicariously through her as she tears through Parc on the zip wire... After chasing her around screaming for half an hour, I needed some sort of refreshment (I realised this is neither the time nor the place for a pint), but luckily, Parc has this covered as well, selling coffees and canned drinks, as well as hot dogs and even packs of Oreos (yes!). The best time to go is on a Sunday morning, where you'll pretty much have the place to yourself; otherwise get ready for an onslaught of families and hyperactive children, which isn't so bad, if you can be all Zen about it like the kind lady working the snack hut who simply says, "You don't even hear the screaming after a while - it's like white noise".

Sunday Gord and I checked out the Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths, the remains of a 2,000-year-old…read moreRoman bathhouse built for soldiers stationed at the fortress of Isca Augusta. The baths included hot, warm and cold rooms, plus an exercise area. One of the highlights is the preserved Roman underfloor heating system, which kept the hot rooms warm.

I actually did not know what to expect when I came here, but it was almost as immersive an…read moreexperience as possible. The ruins are well lit with detailed descriptions. The main part of the bath is lit up with projectors and between that and the sounds, you feel like you could actually be standing there during Roman times. The staff here are lovely, and they have done an incredible job in both preserving history, and making it accessible.

This is a beautiful old house just outside Newport, very easy to get to from the motorway, and well…read moreworth a visit. For anyone who's a fan of BBC costume dramas, then this is the type of house that would make any Jane Austen heroine fall in love with even the most ruthless and cutthroat of villainous rich men. It packs quite a punch. Sitting in 90 acres of surrounding parkland, this is a lovely oasis of tranquillity. The house and gardens are open to the public during the summer months, and there are also countless festivals and seasonal events happening throughout the rest of the year. There is also a short avenue of arts and crafts shops which are open throughout the year. Here you'll find Busy Bees Patchwork and many other pottery, art and smithies. Pop along for a cultural afternoon.

Tanya is right on the money when she says this park is straight out of a BBC costume drama (don't…read moreeven get me started on their version of Pride and Prejudice - I know the whole damn thing by heart and that series is most likely the reason I moved to the UK in the first place). I used to work at the government building that's right around the corner, so a few lunch hours were spent walking around this park's stunning grounds. The park and woodland walk is open from 9 am to dusk. The House is open from Easter to the end of September, with house tours from Wednesday - Sunday. Tours last a little over an hour starting at 11am, then run hourly until 4pm. Events are held year round, and more information can be found on their website. Tredegar House is licensed for weddings and caters for conferences, although I'm happy just meandering around the park with the grand house serving as part of the background. If you're not a driver, you can get here via the number 30 and 36 Cardiff Bus, which I'd recommend instead of taking the train, as Newport Railway Station is a fair bit away.

Parc Cefn Onn is out on the Northern fringes of Cardiff and isn't really a park, its more like a…read morewoodland area really. Its noted among plant lovers for the Rhododendron displays in the spring and its got lots of streams and ponds so quite good for wildlife. To be honest though there's not really much to see or do and its currently infected with Sudden Oak Death which is making it look a big dull. Its ok but really not worth a trip out of your way to get there.

This is a great set of woods to explore and get lost in. It's frequented by a lot of dogs (in…read moregeneral it's not on their own but with their owners) and families. There are various paths that lead off in different directions, but if you've entered at the main gated entrance on Cherry Orchard Road off the roundabout and keep walking you will most likely end up at the big field at the top by the golf course. Along the way you will pass a few ponds and streams which generally have a charming layer of algae on their surface. As well as this there are the legendary parts of the wood owned by the giant: these being the giant's house, the giant's chair (which is much larger than his house), and the enchantingly named, giant's toilet. These legends may or may not have been made up by my parents when I was growing up, as well as the possible myth that 'all the paths in Cefn-Onn lead back to one another', a frequent proclamation of theirs that I am certain was a ploy to lose my sisters and I for a couple of hours of peace.

I have had some great times at Roath Park. This park is a wonderful place to go and relax and have…read moresome fun too. When the weather is glorious you need to take a trip down there to admire the beautiful scenery and even try to go for a boat ride so you can look like fools but laugh in the process. I remember taking a trip on a beautiful day with my girlfriend and we decided to have a go on the paddleboats and go across the lake and we ended up having one of the most funniest times of our lives, it was fun just to mess around and try to steer the boat when we were mostly dreadful, but that was all part of the fun. This is a great park to have a walk, see the ducks and swans, go for a boat paddle and the main thing is to just enjoy yourself. Roath Park is a beautiful park that everybody should visit.

There is so much to do and see in Roath Park that each activity almost warrants its own category…read more One of the things to do is take you kids to the playground. A few words of warning though - if you go at the obvious times your kid may have to wait for a go of a swing or a slide as it gets pretty popular. My advice is to go there on a sunny weekday afternoon rather than a weekend and you're child is guaranteed the run fo the place. There is a variety of swings, a big slide built into the banking, a small slide, climbing frames, roundabouts all you need to keep you occupied for an hour or so, sorry I meant all you need to keep you children occupied - I didn't have a go on any of them honestly!

Dispenser gardens isn't the best of green spaces I've seen, but it certainly serves the local…read morecommunity very well and is always buzzing with kids. The gardens consist of a two small colourful, wood chipped playgrounds, some seating and a football area with goals. There are also some mature trees and a small Victorian hut. The space has certainly benefitted from the recent facelift given to around 40 of Cardiff's green spaces earlier this year and is a lot perkier than the last time I visited it.