Castle Walks Around Newport and Cardiff

The castles around Newport and Cardiff are astonishingly varied. As elsewhere in Wales, there are a number of small, primitive structures, marked often by little more than a mound. But there are also impressive buildings of a kind unique to the area.


These include the largest castle in Wales, the oldest inhabited castle in Wales, and one of Wales’s first ‘mock’ castles. There are fantasy Victorian palaces, complete with Gothic towers and lavish interiors, and the fortified palace of a medieval bishop.


All nine walks in this book start at, or close to, one of Newport and Cardiff’s castles, and each offers an exciting introduction to the area’s history and its natural beauty.


Walks range from 4.7 miles (7.5 km) to 12 miles (19.3 km) in length, and explore the surprisingly varied and beautiful countryside near Newport and Cardiff. 


There are routes in the Vale of Glamorgan, along the Taff Trail, and across the lovely wooded hills between Cardiff and Caerphilly. Further east, there are walks exploring Newport and its environs, and a demanding ascent to one of the best viewpoints in South Wales.


Each walk outline includes historical and natural highlights.