Roath Park & the Lake
About
Cardiff's classic Victorian park, opened in 1894 in the city's northern suburbs, with a 30-acre boating lake as its centrepiece and the white Scott Memorial lighthouse at its southern end, raised in 1915 to remember Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition, which sailed for the Antarctic from Cardiff docks in 1910. Rowing boats and pedalos go out on the lake in season, the conservatory and rose gardens fill the southern half, and the wild northern shore is a proper birdwatching spot. It is a residential-neighbourhood park rather than a tourist site, which is exactly its charm; come by bus or a 35-minute walk from the centre and see the Cardiff that Cardiffians use.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓The Scott Memorial lighthouse of 1915
- ✓Rowing boats and pedalos in season
- ✓The conservatory and rose gardens
- ✓Wildfowl on the lake's wild northern reaches
Tips
- →Boat hire runs seasonally and weather permitting; check locally on the day rather than planning around it.
- →The lake path is a flat, pram-friendly 2.5km loop; the promenade cafe at the south end does the honours afterwards.
Best Season
More Outdoors Activities
Bute Park
130 acres of former castle grounds along the Taff: arboretum, friary ruins, riverside cafes and the city's favourite walk.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Walk the kilometre-long barrage from the Bay to Penarth: locks and sluices, estuary views and a traffic-free path.