In otherwise flat Cardiff, one can see the green protrusion of Garth Hill from miles away. This gentle mountain, located between Llantwit Fardre and Pentyrch about 8 miles to the northwest of Cardiff, is chock full of runnable hiking trails. While a bit of elevation gain is necessary to summit the hill, most of the paths are nice doubletrack over spongy grass or smooth dirt. There are a variety of routes to choose from, but we’ve mapped a straightforward 4 km loop starting from Route des Alpes.

Roath Park, located due north of Cardiff Center, is one of the most popular recreation areas in the city. It’s sort of a narrow linear park, starting near Waterloo Gardens and working its way northwest for 2 miles northwest through the Roath Recreation Ground, Gardens, and then the Park with paths along the lake. Runners will enjoy miles of gravel paths along the Roath Brook, manicured gardens, and even a picturesque lighthouse rising above Roath Brook.

The pinnacle of running in Cardiff is the network of parks and multi-use paths surrounding the River Taff.  There are many options for running here, including paths along the Dock Feeder Canal, the River Taff, and in the adjacent Blackweir Fields,  Pontcanna Fields, and Llandaff Fields. Some options: