What to do in Swansea/Cardiff?

[Gathursty]

I'm thinking of a day out in the next month which goes like this:
Drive from Wigan to Shrewsbury and pull up in a free side street near the station at 5am-ish.
Take the direct HOWL service to Swansea.
Either go for walkies there or continue to Cardiff.
Go for walkies in Cardiff.
Await a service via Hereford or Lydney if my Shrewsbury - Swansea return permits the latter.
Drive home.

Hence, I need a gen up on the touristy side of these cities and also food recommendations.

 

[Flamingo]

Cardiff castle is worth a few hours of your time. It's an easy walk from the station. St Fagans is a short bus ride, but also well worth visiting, the bus station is right outside the train station.

If you are looking for something to do in Swansea, you can always get drunk!

 

[Philip C]

When I was young, and camping in Wales, we sang a song in a pseudo-Welsh accent which included the following verses:

Should you ever go to Wales,
Where they brew such luscious ales,
If you want a drink on Sunday,
You will have to wait 'til Monday.

And I have a brother Mikey,
Who does ride a motorbikey,
He can ride you round the Gower,
In a quarter of an hour.

And I have a cousin Rupert,
Who does play scrum-half for Newport,
When they played against Llanelli,
Someone kicked him it the belly (to rhyme with Llanelli)

And I have an Auntie Millie,
Who's a place in Piccadilly,
Where she runs an institution,
Teaching young girls elocution.


If these don't give you enough ideas for passing time joyfully in South Walian Cities I'm sure I could remember some more verses! Alternatively have a look at their respective piers (Mumbles an interesting bus ride outside Swansea and Penarth down a leafy path from the station of the same name near Cardiff).

 

[30907]

also food recommendations.

Gerald? Presumably you're travelling on a HoWL circular thingy, so there'd be an upgrade to pay?

BTW - Cardiff rather than Swansea IMHO.

 

[yorkie]

If you can arrange to be in Llanelli approx 1pm-3pm on Saturday 19th, you can join Max, Philip Brown, Greeback, possibly Maniacmartin and I for a rare Llanelli forum meal!

 

[Greenback]

Despite Flamingo's comments, there are other things to do in Swansea apart from getting drunk, though drinking alcohol is a popular pastime in those parts it has to be said!

There's the National Waterfront Museum, which is free and very interesting if you want to learn about industry and the sea and how both have affected Wales. Not far away from that is Swansea Museum, which has an Egyptian mummy, if that sort of thing would be of interest.

Outside Swansea station, you can jump on bendy bus for a ride down to Mumbles, where there is a Norman castle, some nice cafes and a very pleasant walk along the sea front to the pier and Bracelet Bay. You can return from the latter on the bus, all of which would be included on Plusbus.

I don't think Plusbus extends very far in Gower,, so if you'd like a bus ride down the stunning peninsula to some of the iconic beaches like Three Cliffs, Oxwich, Port Eynon, Llangennith or Rhossili, you'll probably need to get a day ticket for the bus part.

Cardiff is also worth a look around, though drinking is as popular there as it is in Swansea!

 

[Kite159]

Sorry for jumping onto the thread, but I'm in Carmarthen at the weekend (looking like 2 hours waiting for a connection on the west Wales lines), anything of interest from the locals?

(Sadly as I'm on a West Wales Rover, I can't go east of Carmarthen)

 

[Flamingo]

If going to Mumbles, a Joes Ice Cream is a must-have!

 

[Greenback]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention Joe's ice cream! Fantastic stuff!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Sorry for jumping onto the thread, but I'm in Carmarthen at the weekend (looking like 2 hours waiting for a connection on the west Wales lines), anything of interest from the locals?

(Sadly as I'm on a West Wales Rover, I can't go east of Carmarthen)

Not much of interest in Carmarthen itself in my view, but the town is pleasant enough to walk around and there has been a new retail development which Mrs Greenback enjoys visiting!

 

[ValleyLines142]

There has been a new retail development which Mrs Greenback enjoys visiting!

I'll have to visit as I haven't been to Carmarthen for a while.

 

[richw]

I've been to Cardiff and Swansea in a tourist capacity about a fortnight ago having spent a week staying in Porthcawl.

Cardiff - The Castle was good and St Fagans comes highly recommended on a dry day. The open top bus tour was decent and you can hop on or off all day at any point on the route which was good for exploring as a tourist. I enjoyed my few days I spent visiting Cardiff. I cant really comment on the food, as one day we took a picnic and the other day we had a Nandos which was good as far as Nandos goes.
Mrs RichW thought highly of the St Davids shopping centre.

As a tourist I found Swansea quite run down and wouldn't rush to return. I did take a trip out to the mumbles though which was quite pleasant. We ate from a Burger van parked along the sea front which was not bad but nothing special.

 

[Greenback]

As cities go, I'd agree that Swansea is not as nice as Cardiff. the real attractions of Swansea lie outside the city in the wonderful beaches and scenery of the area.

The worst part of Swansea is, unfortunately, the main streets from the railway station to the city centre.

 

[Kite159]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention Joe's ice cream! Fantastic stuff!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Not much of interest in Carmarthen itself in my view, but the town is pleasant enough to walk around and there has been a new retail development which Mrs Greenback enjoys visiting!

I shall probably take a book then

 

[Gathursty]

Gerald? Presumably you're travelling on a HoWL circular thingy, so there'd be an upgrade to pay?

BTW - Cardiff rather than Swansea IMHO.

I will be doing now. Thanks for bring to my awareness the HOWL circular ticket as I was going to test my Wigan cashier for a return Shrewsbury - Swansea with a change of route excess and 16-25 discount.

As for the meal Yorkie, I'll be doing this the Monday after my course finishes which is in 8 teaching days time! #delirious

I'll come to Hebden Bridge though.

 

[Greenback]

I shall probably take a book then

It would be interesting to take a look at the town. Cross the river over the footbridge from the station park and picture the scene a couple of hundred years ago when ships would sail up to the quays. Carmarthen was quite a rough place in those days!

Then take a look around the market, which has some good stalls. I've been told the butcher there supplies Carmarthenshire ham to British Airways. If you're hungry find Jenkins bakery and have a corned beef pasty, which, in my humble opinion are the best ever! Go up to Notte Square past the court house and then walk back to the station past the Queens pub and Hamilton's restaurant.

That way you'll have a little walk and see some of the town. Although it's not got any stand out attractions or points of interest, it's worth a mooch about.

 

[Flamingo]

As cities go, I'd agree that Swansea is not as nice as Cardiff. the real attractions of Swansea lie outside the city in the wonderful beaches and scenery of the area.

The worst part of Swansea is, unfortunately, the main streets from the railway station to the city centre.

People forget that Swansea was very heavily bombed, and most of the centre destroyed.

Do you know when they plan to start rebuilding it?

 

[Greenback]

Very good!

The oldest parts of the city, Wind St, High St and the Strand largely escaped the bombs, which were supposed to hit the docks to the east of the river Tawe. Yet it's High St that is shabby and run down, and it has been since there was a shift in the centre when the Quadrant shopping mall opened in the late 1970's. The shift was helped by the Leisure Centre development on the former Swansea Victoria station site. Ironically, the latter would be a far better place for incoming travellers to arrive these days, being closer to the shops and the beach!

But it's very true to say that the rebuilding of those parts of the city hit was, with hindsight, not a great success. The idea of wide, dual carriageway boulevards in a ring around the city centre proved to be hopelessly inadequate in its implementation, and the design of the shops that were eventually reconstructed leaves a lot to be desired. I've heard many visitors comment that the city centre is soulless and characterless, and it's difficult to disagree.

I think the same of the centre of Plymouth myself when I go there, but at least it has The Hoe, and Barbican for a bit of history!

 

[30907]

Thanks for bring to my awareness the HOWL circular ticket

No problem. I am impressed at the thought of an 03.30 start from Wigan.

I noticed (on a trip that started with Gerald/Y Gerallt from Flint to SHR - early enough at my age) that the streets immediately round the station and prison were difficult for parking. Depending on what train you're catching back from Cardiff I did wonder if Ch Stretton would be easier?

I'm sure you've sorted the parking via Streetview so ignore if irrelevant!

 

[W-on-Sea]

I'm relieved that my impressions of Swansea on the one day I spent there are not unique. I quite agree about the beauty of the landscapes once you get along the coast (or, alternatively, I suppose, up towards Brecon).

Cardiff (where I have spent a bit longer) though, struck me as a moderately splendid city - the castle, obviously, some good museums and cultural places and parks, Cardiff/Tiger Bay and its redevelopment, Llandaff, and, also, between the centre and Cathays, possibly the greatest concentration of totalitarian-style civic architecture anywhere in Britain (now largely occupied by the university)!

 

[Gathursty]

No problem. I am impressed at the thought of an 03.30 start from Wigan.

Thanks. The timetable and only 4 trains means if I even get the second southbound train, I'll be in Cardiff after midday which isn't ideal. As for the parking, I've scouted a few side streets that aren't a million miles away from the station and seem to be free of restrictions according to Google Street View.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Swansea is horribly depressing as far as the High Street is concerned- as Greenback says -bombing and a quick and cheap reconstruction in Austerity Britain did not help- but the collapse of "proper" retail (following the Quadrant) , turned an OK area into a paradise of pound shops and so on. Even the few pubs are "louche" and best avoided. A few ikons which survived WW2 , like the Mackworth Hotel were bulldozed in the 1960's and replaced by cheap and tawdry office blocks. Cardiff , in comparison , is a gem. I come from S W Wales ..and am always somewhat depressed by the street vista. Swansea Victoria reborn with a new rail link from Briton Ferry - Jersey Marine - Dunvant - West Wales would do the trick nicely in about 2045......

 

[Kite159]

It would be interesting to take a look at the town. Cross the river over the footbridge from the station park and picture the scene a couple of hundred years ago when ships would sail up to the quays. Carmarthen was quite a rough place in those days!

Then take a look around the market, which has some good stalls. I've been told the butcher there supplies Carmarthenshire ham to British Airways. If you're hungry find Jenkins bakery and have a corned beef pasty, which, in my humble opinion are the best ever! Go up to Notte Square past the court house and then walk back to the station past the Queens pub and Hamilton's restaurant.

That way you'll have a little walk and see some of the town. Although it's not got any stand out attractions or points of interest, it's worth a mooch about.

Hopefully the weather will be like it is today, and not rain. I will probably be wondering about the town a bit.

As for Swansea, sounds like I won't be missing much when bypassing it on Saturday :P

 

[Greenback]

Swansea is horribly depressing as far as the High Street is concerned- as Greenback says -bombing and a quick and cheap reconstruction in Austerity Britain did not help- but the collapse of "proper" retail (following the Quadrant) , turned an OK area into a paradise of pound shops and so on. Even the few pubs are "louche" and best avoided. A few ikons which survived WW2 , like the Mackworth Hotel were bulldozed in the 1960's and replaced by cheap and tawdry office blocks. Cardiff , in comparison , is a gem. I come from S W Wales ..and am always somewhat depressed by the street vista. Swansea Victoria reborn with a new rail link from Briton Ferry - Jersey Marine - Dunvant - West Wales would do the trick nicely in about 2045......

Spot on. I remember, as a child, High Street being a bustling place with WH Smith and Woolworth to name a few 'big name' shops. It is a lesson that appears is still to be learnt - once you regenerate or develop one part of a town or city centre, another part will suffer.

It is now a haven for local characters, and, with the proximity of hostels, many of the homeless also congregate at various points, particularly at the upper end of the street, north of the station, where some of the most desperate pubs can be found. Interestingly, that area was considered the most dangerous part of the city as far back as Victorian times, when the police would only patrol in pairs.

Hopefully the weather will be like it is today, and not rain. I will probably be wondering about the town a bit.

As for Swansea, sounds like I won't be missing much when bypassing it on Saturday :P

There are good things about the city, and it's easy to avoid the dereliction of High Street by walking down parallel Orchard Street, which is better. Swansea market is excellent, and one of my favourite things to do on a sunny day is to walk down St Helen's Road, grab a Joe's Ice Cream and walk through Victoria Park before going on to the beach and taking in the views of the bay, Mumbles Head and the lighthouse.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!