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ARTS, CULTURE & TOURISM
Castle Hill, Tongwynlais, Cardiff, CF15 7JS
029 2081 0101
CASTELL COCH
Castell Coch, on the outskirts of Cardiff, is the
ultimate fairytale castle. Its conical towers and
needle-sharp turrets peek out from a wooded
slope, presenting a vision more in tune with the
Bavarian countryside. It was conceived by architect
William Burges for his patron, the marquis of
Bute, as a companion piece to the marquis’s main
home at Cardiff Castle. Lord Bute, who owned
Cardiff’s booming docklands and was reputedly the
wealthiest man in the world, gave William Burges
free rein to create a Victorian dream of the Middle
Ages. Burges died suddenly in 1881 before his
work was finished. Detailed architectural drawings
still survive today and following Burges’ death
colleagues faithfully continued work on the interiors
for another ten years. Castell Coch remains faithful
to a unique vision which, although undeniably
extravagant, was underpinned by a profound
knowledge of medieval architecture.
CARDIFF SKI AND
SNOWBOARD CENTRE
198 Fairwater Road
Fairwater, Cardiff, CF5 3JR
029 20561793
Located in Fairwater Park, only ten minutes from
Cardiff City Centre, Cardiff Ski and Snowboard
Centre was built in 1969 by Cardiff City Council.
The original slope measured 90 metres and was
the one of the first dry slopes in Great Britain. In
1984 the centre went through significant changes
as the management of the slope was taken over
by the governing body of snow sports, Snowsport
Cymru Wales. The centre not only gained new
management but also added 10 metres to its length.
Cardiff Ski and Snowboard Centre relies strongly
on volunteers along with a crew of full-time staff
members. All of the instructors are experienced,
nationally qualified, CRB checked, first aid certified
and most importantly enthusiastic characters with
a love of the sport. Their main area of expertise is
introducing people to snow sports and sharing their
passion for skiing and snowboarding.
CASTELL COCH
