The profile for the walk suggests an easy day with the only elevations a short sixty metre rise on to the low cliff at Penarth and a lower climb back up to Lavernock Point. The weather forecast suggests it will be overcast early on but with the sun breaking through towards midday. The terrain is a mixture of road walking at the beginning and end of the walk, with pleasant open countryside in between. We will be 'walking light' with only day packs.
From the Assembly Building the route cuts down on to Cardiff Bay (formerly known as Tiger Bay area) where there are lovely views across the bay to the heights of Penarth Moor. To your left there is the bustle and activity on Queen Alexandra Docks. Personally, I found the presence of a carnival running down one side of the bay detracted from the area but can totally understand that it brings in the punters. Going round the bay, we crossed over the Cardiff Barrage to come in to Penarth, where we had a climb up the hill to Penarth Head and on to the low cliffs there. It was still very overcast at this point, with the result that the views were slightly more subdued than they would have been even later in the day when the sun came out to play.
Walking in the South Wale's green corridors gave me the same sense of joy as I watched the bees at work on the heavily laden fruit bushes and the butterflies feeding on the wild shrubs and nettles. In my garden at home, the bumble bees congregate on the lavender; honey bees seem to love the small flowers of the cotoneaster hedge. To a Scotsman, it seemed a mite early for nature's bounty which usually arrives for us end of August beginning of September. Nonetheless, I can tell you the fruit was wonderfully sweet. The common blue in the photograph has taken a bit of a battering and is probably coming towards the end of its short life cycle, nonetheless, it was a joy to see it.