Staying near Cardiff - how busy is it this week?

[KatyMac]

we have been shielding and have been lent a house near Cardiff

Its Dh's birthday tomorrow and I want to do something nice but I think the castle and Barry Island may be too buay for us to visit yet

Has anyone been this week - what is it like? Mad busy? Or pretty calm and spaced out ?

Its pretty calm. The island has been busy but the schools are in the process of returning so it should be quieter now. The castle is always steady rather than packed even in non covid times and we don't have overseas visitors at the moment.

Thanks @Northernsoullover

Which is likely to be quieter do you think?

St Fagans is also nice and lots of open fresh air. No idea if it will be busy tomorrow though or not. The castle is not usually busy at all. Barry Idland is usually busier but the weather isn’t very nice so probably won’t be too bad. Caerphilly castle is also a nice place for a wander round.

I'd go to St Fagans. Its one of my favourite places, and being largely an outdoors museum it would feel very safe to me

St Fagans it is - now yesterday we ate at the Nags Head in Usk; where would be good to eat tomorrow?

cowbridgeguide.co.uk/britishrestaurants/oscarsofcowbridge

Oscars hasn’t reopened yet.

Plymouth Arms is in St Fagans and does good food.

Whereabouts is the house? The Bear in Cowbridge is lovely, but quite a drive from Cardiff Castle/St Fagans.

Beech Tree at Wenvoe is a lovely seafood restaurant and between Barry and St Fagans.

We are between Cardiff and Newport

Thanks for the ideas xx

There’s some nice restaurants near Penarth Pier on the seafront. No idea what they are called though. You could carry on down the A4232 after going to St Fagans to Penarth. St Fagans is a lot of walking round (the big house up at the top is lovely and make sure you see the row of terrace houses all done out 50years apart). The vineyard is also quite close to St Fagans and has lovely food.

www.llanerch.co.uk/

Llanerch is lovely but isn’t that close to St Fagans.......

13 mins in the car

Avoid Miskin Manor. Food was awful last time we were there. Was a few years ago now though.

St Fagans is still only letting in pre bookings and they usually fill up a few days in advance. You might struggle to get in.

Cardiff castle is still mostly closed, you can't go inside the rooms. Only the castle green is open.

If you don't mind a bit of driving Caerphilly castle is open again and about 30 minutes from Cardiff. No idea how busy Caerphilly is right now though.

St fagins is fully booked - they are both gutted and planning another holiday to come back

Caerphilly castle is nice and there was a nice pub think it’s called The Black Cock inn near there. Hay on Wye is also a lovely little town if you like bookshops and like a drive up there.

If you go to Cardiff Castle I love Madame Gromage good which is in the arcade across from the castle. You’ll have to book a table though and they only do lunches an shut at 5 I think

Madame Fromage www.madamefromage.co.uk/

Just looked at that @Murinae; DD & DH would be in heaven but I'm dairy free

Are you originally from Wales? I am but live in the country- I went to Cardiff last week and was really shocked. No masks (they're not mandatory in shops as they are in England) and very little social distancing.
(You probably know all this, just thought I'd share- I drove into Cardiff for a few bits, stepped out onto the Hayes and went straight back to my car...)

We are in Ipswich currently although I am from Liverpool so know North Wales quite well

We haven't felt threatened and everywhere we have been (Tesco & the pub yesterday!!) have been lovely - I agree about masks tho there are hardly any

Extinction Rebellion are currently marching in Cardiff. Caerphilly is fairly quiet at the moment, but it’s not a big place. The castle is fab, a proper one, unlike most of Cardiff castle There are a couple of decent Italian restaurants in the town centre and a lovely little Thai cafe too. There’s a few nice country pubs including the Black Cock and the Maenllwyd in Rudry.

There’s also Castell Coch just outside Caerphilly, on the way to Cardiff. The Lewis Arms, which is on the way there, is a pretty decent Brain’s pub (not sure if it’s open yet though). Or there’s another Lewis Arms in Pentyrch, which is about 10 mins drive from Castell Coch, a proper family run pub that does outstanding food

My daughter works in a hotel in Cardiff Bay - she said last week and the weekend it was stupidly busy, but yesterday very quiet