The forecasted weather for the Brecon area was pretty dismal with heavy rain expected for the whole day, so Barrie changed his planned walk for the second time in order to stay closer to home and with bated breath hoped for some dry weather and yes it paid off.
Unfortunately the forecast put most people off from joining him, except for Terry and Rachel who arrived at Cogan raring to go and in actual fact it remained dry for the whole day.
Setting off down Marconi Avenue and crossing the River Ely beside moored boats they tramped across the Cardiff Barrage for a part circumnavigation of Cardiff Bay, passing the Norwegian Church and the Senedd and all the other usual sights before making their way through Hamadryad Park.
Then across Clarence Road Bridge onto the west side of the River Taff making its journey downstream to reach the sea, before continuing on the Taff Trail along Taff Mead and Fitzhamon Embankments overlooking the Principality Stadium on the opposite bank.
Making their way towards Sophia Gardens, back in the late 1840’s the renowned Isambard Kingdom Brunel organised a diversion of the River Taff in order to allow the building of a new railway station on land situated between the Glamorganshire Canal and the river, which we know now as Cardiff Central Station.
Sophia Gardens which was created in 1857 was named after Sophia, the widow of the second Marquess of Bute who owned Cardiff Castle and much of the land around it. She had great sympathy with the people living in cramped and overcrowded houses and set about opening up the land as a public space for recreational purposes and to boost their general health. Nowadays it houses the National Cricket Centre and arriving at Pontcanna Fields, the trio headed away from the river diverting across the busy Western Avenue to reach Llandaff Cathedral.
The Cathedral is situated on an ancient religious site dating to the 6th century when St Dyfrig founded a Christian community close to the ford where the Roman road crossed the River Taff, whilst the present building dates back to 1107. It was restored during the 18th and 19th centuries with much of the interior work being destroyed when the roof was heavily damaged during World War Two and today the restoration programme continues.
Making their way upstream and across Llandaff Bridge onto the eastern side of the river they stopped for lunch at Hailey Park before heading into Radyr Woods, once part of a Tudor deer park, but now a Site of Native Conservation Importance with the adjoining Hermit Wood a Local Nature Reserve. After enjoying reading the information boards about the history of the area and passing quaint railway cottages, they made towards Radyr Railway Station which opened in 1863 meeting two ladies en route who advised them it was tipping down in Pontypridd.
Heading past Forest Farm and along a pathway under the busy M4 motorway and continuing along the riverbank they made their way to Taff’s Well Station and with less than a five minute wait, the train which had evidently passed through bad weather as it was soaking wet, conveyed them back home and all three were glad they had not ventured further northwards.