From time to time, studies are published which rank the « greenest » cities in the UK. Usually, they are the results of a city’s population being measured against the amount of green space it has, as well as its energy use and production, number of motor vehicles, its waste and recycling, commuter travel and pollution.
And my home city, Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is usually in the top handful of cities. In 2021, it came third (behind Sheffield and Edinburgh, but ahead of Bristol and Brighton). In 2022, it was named one of the UK’s ‘coolest’ places to live, with its green space one of the reasons given. And in the same year, it was named the greenest city in the UK (and fourth in Europe) based on the number of parks per 100,000 people.
But what’s it like to actually live in Cardiff? Do the people really notice all the green space? Does it make us feel better? Are we all able to leave our cars at home and instead walk and cycle everywhere along specially-built bike paths?
Well, the answer to the last question is that the pedestrian and, especially, the cycling infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired. So do the trains, for that matter.
But I can categorically say that I feel very lucky to live in Cardiff and wouldn’t swap it for any other city in the UK, including London. And the main reason for this is the green space both inside the city and around it.
Cardiff is a seaside city that was built on its docks, from which it exported coal and iron produced in the south Wales valleys around the world. At its peak it was one of the world’s largest and busiest ports. As those industries declined, the docks largely fell into disrepair but at the end of the 20th century a major regeneration scheme turned the area into a major waterfront destination, known today as Mermaid Quay.
To the east of this sanitised shorefront you’ll still find remnants of Cardiff’s heavily industrial past around the Port of Cardiff and the low-lying flatlands between Cardiff and the neighbouring city Newport. This land was once all marshland and frequently under the sea at high tide. To the west (but feeling more and more like an extension of the city) is the upmarket seaside town of Penarth, one of Wales’ most exclusive places to live, with large Victorian houses and a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can reach the town on foot from Cardiff over its barrage.
If Cardiff is framed on its south side by the sea of the English Channel, to its north it is hemmed in by the Garth Mountain (though it’s probably more of a hill), rising 300 metres above the city and visible from many parts of it. You can be there in minutes either in the car or by train, getting off at the small village of Taff’s Well on the city’s outskirts.
And if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive of about 45 minutes you can be well into the Brecon Beacons and, in fact, at the highest mountain anywhere in south Wales, Pen y Fan.
But despite the freedom of the ocean and the mountains being on the city’s fringes, it’s the green space within its borders that make it a truly special city to live in. It’s a city of several large parks, nature reserves and wide open spaces, with plenty of wild and seemingly untouched spaces even in the city centre.
In fact, you can walk from Cardiff Castle right in the city centre for six miles, sticking close to the River Taff most of the way, to Castell Coch on the city’s outskirts without leaving a park or nature reserve. It’s an amazing feature for any city to have. That’s well over twice the length of New York City’s Central Park.
And the jewel in the crown of this vast green space is Bute Park and the adjoining Llandaff Fields. This section alone is 2.3 miles long, around the same length as the world famous feature in Manhattan.
I spend hours in this park, which fills the space between the city centre castle and the city’s cathedral in Llandaff. It’s a beautiful, restful space filled with manicured gardens, playing fields, woodland and undisturbed green space, with the River Taff running through its heart. You can comfortably walk for hours or run an entire 10K without ever having to leave it or covering the same space twice. We are incredibly lucky to have it in our city.
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