Other points of interest
If the Welsh Canoe and Kayak show alone is not enough to fill your day or weekend it is worth noting that not only is Cardiff Europes youngest and one of its most vibrant Capital Cities but that our venue has easy access to the City Centre and is on the edge of Cardiff Bay.
The focal point of Cardiff Bay is the lively cafe, restaurant and retail area located around the Oval Basin and Roald Dahl's Plass. Here you will find plenty of opportunity to relax and watch the world go by. This area is also host to the seat of governing in the country - the Senedd where the Welsh Assembly Government debating chamber is situated. This architecturally outstanding building is sandwiched in between the equally stunning but radically contrasting Wales Millenium Centre (home of the Welsh National Opera, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, etc.) and the Cardiff Pier Head Building. The Taff Trail also begins here and begins with a toe dipped in the Bay and ends in Brecon after crossing the Brecons Beacons National Park.
The Bay Edge Walkway runs around Cardiff Bay and is suitable for pedestrians and cyclists (section over the River Ely not yet completed). Moving clockwise from Roald Dahl's Plass you will find the Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre, Norwegian Church Arts Centre and eventually the Barrage itself that forms the outer limits of the Bay. The barrage is a great place for watching the local boats passing through the locks into the Severn Estuary and catching a sneaky peak of England over the water.
Travelling anti-clockwise from Roald Dahl's Plass is the Techniquest Science Discovery Centre, the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve and finally the International Sports Village Cardiff. Currently the Sports Village is made up of Cardiff Arena (home of the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey Team), Cardiff International Pool (including 4 flumes and beach with water slides) and the Cardiff International White Water Centre.
The Cardiff International White Water Centre is being constructed in time for the British Olympic team to train there for London 2012 as well as for use by the general paddling public. Designed by HydroStadium who were responsible for the courses for the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics, the centre will be the UK’s first olympic-standard pumped water canoe slalom course. It is due to open in March 2010 and will offer canoeing and white water rafting from starter through recreational to full international and olympic competition use.
Access between Cardiff Bay and the City Centre is well served by public bus and by water buses which also run around the bay itself. There are a number of boating options that will take you inside and outside of the Bay into the Bristol Channel to see the sights at various speeds from classic sailing yachts to speedy ribs.
Beyond this there is lots more to offer in Cardiff and Penarth without even mentioning the fanatsic nearby Glamorgan Heritage Coast and Gower with their great coastal walking, paddling and surfing, or the South Wales Valley's and Brecons Beacons National Park with their excellent hillwalking and whitewater paddling.